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A new TV rarely sounds as good as it looks. Manufacturers slim down cabinets to keep sets thin, and that leaves little room for the speakers needed to produce full, rich audio. A soundbar sits in front of or below the TV and adds separate speaker hardware, which produces noticeably better sound without the complexity of a full home-theater setup. Budget models in particular have improved significantly in recent years, with many now supporting immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos that were once reserved for premium hardware.
Consumer Reports evaluated soundbars on sound quality, ease of use, and available features to identify the best options at an accessible price.
1 / 6
Credit: Amazon
At $400, the Yamaha True X $TWTR Bar 40A earns a Consumer Reports overall score of 69 out of 100. The bar packs a subwoofer and two upfiring Dolby Atmos drivers into a single 2.1.2-channel enclosure, with no separate subwoofer unit required. CR found that buyers can expand the setup into a full surround-sound system by adding the optional True X Speaker 1A, a battery-powered wireless rear speaker. The bar supports WiFi for audio streaming and includes a dialogue-enhancement feature, though CR noted it does not support DTS:X and lacks dedicated bass and treble adjustments.
2 / 6
Credit: Amazon
Priced at $260, the Hisense AX3120Q 3.1.2 earns a Consumer Reports overall score of 67 out of 100. The 3.1.2 configuration places two upfiring drivers in the main bar, adds a wirelessly connected separate subwoofer, and supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X $TWTR, and Bluetooth. CR found that the bar can sharpen dialogue clarity through a dedicated enhancement mode and lets users compress loud passages for quieter listening at night. According to CR, the bar also supports Hi-Concerto, a feature that lets listeners use the TV and soundbar speakers simultaneously for a wider sound field.
3 / 6
Credit: Amazon
The Amazon $AMZN Fire TV Soundbar Plus costs $190 and earns a Consumer Reports overall score of 66 out of 100. The 3.1-channel design builds the subwoofer into the main enclosure, and the bar handles Dolby Atmos and DTS:X $TWTR decoding. CR noted that despite those format credentials, the bar has no upfiring drivers, so it relies on processing to simulate height and cannot physically project sound overhead. CR also found that pairing the bar with an Amazon Fire TV television unlocks additional functionality, including an onscreen menu and integration with the Fire TV remote.
4 / 6
Credit: Amazon
The Denon DHT-S218 costs $299 and earns a Consumer Reports overall score of 65 out of 100. The 2.1-channel bar decodes Dolby Atmos but not DTS:X $TWTR, using audio processing alone to create the impression of height since it has no upfiring drivers, which CR noted limits the realism of the effect. CR described the bar as a fairly basic model at its price point, with built-in Bluetooth, an HDMI eARC connection, and the ability to pass 4K high dynamic range signals through via HDMI. CR found the bar delivers decent overall sound, making it a solid option for shoppers who need HDMI connectivity without paying for a more feature-rich system.
5 / 6
Credit: Walmart
At $200, the Onn 5.1.2 Surround Soundbar System earns a Consumer Reports overall score of 63 out of 100. The 5.1.2-channel configuration includes a wireless subwoofer and two rear satellite speakers, making it a full surround-sound setup from Walmart $WMT's electronics house brand. According to CR, the system decodes both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X $TWTR and includes Bluetooth so users can stream audio wirelessly from a phone or tablet. According to CR, the price is low for a complete surround-sound setup, making it one of the more affordable systems of its type in this price range.
6 / 6
Credit: Sonos
The Sonos Ray costs $220 and earns a Consumer Reports overall score of 57 out of 100. The two-channel bar is the most affordable model in the Sonos lineup that CR has put through its lab evaluation. CR found that despite its small size, the Ray is the only bar on this list to earn a very good overall sound rating, which CR attributed to Sonos's audio tuning and the bar's ability to handle both music and TV soundtracks well. The bar uses the optical digital audio input to connect to a TV, not HDMI, and its built-in WiFi lets users stream music from services independently of the TV.
