10 Best HDMI Soundbars 2026 in the United States

The Sonos Arc Ultra is a powerful soundbar designed for those who want a top-notch audio experience with their TV and music. It offers an impressive 9.1.4 channel setup with Dolby Atmos, which means it can create highly immersive, three-dimensional sound that seems to come from all around you. The sound is clear and detailed, especially dialogue, thanks to AI-powered speech enhancement that helps you catch every word.

It connects easily to your TV using a single HDMI eARC cable, making setup straightforward, and offers multiple ways to control it, including voice commands via Sonos Voice Control or Alexa, your TV remote, or the Sonos app. You also get flexible streaming options like WiFi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect, which means playing music from your phone or other devices is hassle-free. The design is sleek and minimalist, fitting well on a tabletop without drawing attention away from your screen.

The Arc Ultra itself doesn’t include a built-in subwoofer, but you can add one separately for deeper bass, as well as additional rear speakers to create a full surround sound system. It’s a bit heavy and large, so placement needs some space, but this size helps deliver powerful sound. This soundbar is ideal if you want premium, room-filling audio and smart features, especially if you’re willing to expand your setup over time for an even richer surround sound experience.

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a compact and stylish soundbar designed to enhance your TV audio with rich sound and clear dialogue. It supports Dolby Atmos, which creates a 3D surround sound effect that makes movies and shows feel more immersive, even though it uses a 2.0 channel configuration without separate surround speakers. With 200 watts of power, it delivers strong and vibrant audio suitable for most living rooms. The built-in subwoofer helps provide decent bass, but it may not satisfy those who want deep, thumping lows without adding an external subwoofer.

Connectivity is flexible with HDMI eARC for high-quality audio from your TV, plus Wi-Fi and Ethernet for music streaming through the Sonos app or Apple AirPlay 2. Setup is straightforward with just two cables, and the system can be expanded later with additional Sonos speakers for full surround or multiroom sound. Sound modes and automatic tuning via Trueplay optimize performance depending on your room. The soundbar’s small size and white finish make it easy to fit into different spaces, but it lacks water resistance so it’s best kept indoors.

It serves as a great option for those wanting a simple, powerful upgrade to TV sound with smart features and voice control. However, those seeking a dedicated multi-channel system or stronger bass might want to consider adding extra speakers or a subwoofer.

The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 is a powerful soundbar designed to bring a cinematic surround sound experience into your living room. It features 13 speakers and supports advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which help create immersive, multi-directional sound. With 585 watts of power, it can fill medium to large rooms with clear, dynamic audio. A standout feature is the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping and Sound Field Optimization, which adapts the sound to your room’s unique acoustics for better clarity and impact.

Connectivity is versatile, including HDMI 2.1 with ARC/eARC support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, Spotify Connect, and Apple AirPlay 2, making it easy to stream music wirelessly from your devices. The soundbar can be expanded with additional wireless subwoofers and rear speakers if you want to enhance the surround sound further. It comes with essential accessories like a remote, HDMI cable, and mounting bracket, and its sleek, rectangular design fits well in most home setups.

A potential drawback is that the subwoofer connection is wired, which might limit placement flexibility compared to fully wireless setups. While the soundbar excels in cinematic audio, it might be more than what casual listeners require given its size and price. It is not water-resistant, so it is strictly for indoor use. Weighing around 12 pounds and measuring over 4 feet wide, it requires sufficient space and proper placement to achieve the best audio performance. This soundbar is an excellent choice for users who prioritize immersive home theater audio with modern streaming options and room-adaptive sound, though those seeking a simpler, more compact model or wireless subwoofer might want to consider other options.