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Do you really need to spend over £1,000 on a soundbar?
The best soundbars enhance the audio from your TV, serving up immersive, bassy tones whether you're bingeing your favourite TV show or watching sport. We've recently put a selection of soundbars through their paces in our test lab to see if any are a Which? Best Buy.
To make sure you're getting good value for money, our reviews cut through the marketing hype and pay attention to the features that matter the most – sound quality across multiple genres, ease of use and wireless connectivity.
With the soundbars in our latest round of tests ranging from £260 right up to an eye-watering £2,000, is it really a case of 'the more you spend, the better'? Keep scrolling for more details on each model.
Best soundbars 2022: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice – discover our table-topping models
The latest soundbars in our test lab
JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam (typical price £250)
This soundbar is one of the cheapest models we've had our hands on recently – it might catch your eye if you're planning on upgrading your living room setup without breaking the bank. It's fairly compact at 71cm long and can be wall-mounted or stood in front of your TV.
The JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam has a built-in subwoofer (aiming to provide deeper bass) and partners with Dolby Atmos technology. There are speakers embedded all the way along this JBL, and built-in wi-fi and Bluetooth support means you can stream music straight from a smartphone or tablet. It also works with Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast.
There are physical controls on the top of the MultiBeam and an LCD display on the front that shows the soundbar's status. A remote control is also included.
To see if this £250 soundbar could be a great addition to your cinema setup, see our JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review.
Samsung HW-B550 (typical price £260)
The Samsung HW-B550 is another sub-£300 soundbar that has recently been subjected to our rigorous lab tests. It's a 2.1 model, which means that it has stereo left/right speakers and teams up with a separate wireless subwoofer for a surround sound experience.
Although you can stream music from your mobile using a Bluetooth connection, this soundbar isn't compatible with Dolby Atmos content.
We measured this model at around 86cm long, which makes it well suited to smaller TVs with screens of around 40 inches. You can place it at the base of your TV or mount it to the wall, and it hooks up via a digital optical cable or HDMI eARC connector.
For more details on this Samsung soundbar, check in with our Samsung HW-B550 review.
Samsung HW-Q800B (typical price £849)
Samsung claims that this £850 soundbar serves up 'a breathtaking new level of realism' thanks to its surround sound setup, so we've put that promise to the test in our lab.
As this model is a 5.1.2 system, it has five stereo and two upward-firing speakers nestled inside. Sat next to the soundbar is a separate subwoofer that provides additional oomph to your audio setup. Music fans can stream tunes via Spotify Connect, plus this Samsung works with Apple AirPlay, the Alexa voice assistant and Google's Chromecast.
The Samsung HW-Q800B has a pair of HDMI ports and a USB slot, but you'll need to grab those separately as there are no cables bundled in the box. On the plus side, Samsung TV owners can connect wirelessly over Bluetooth.
Does this Samsung soundbar have what it takes to be a Which? Best Buy? Our Samsung HW-Q800B review reveals all.
LG S95QR (typical price £1,699)
At around £1,700, this LG model becomes one of the priciest soundbars we've tested. As you'd expect, it's crammed with features to improve a night on the sofa, including AI systems that adjust the sound settings based on what you're watching and the acoustics of the room (options include Sport, Games and Music).
The LG S95QR is a 9.1.5 soundbar, which means it has nine built-in stereo speakers, a separate wireless subwoofer and five additional speakers – two of them are detachable and the remaining three are upwards-firing on top of the soundbar. It can connect to your TV via wi-fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, USB or optical cable.
Other notable features for this premium-priced model include Alexa compatibility and support for Google Assistant, which means you can use voice commands to control the soundbar. You can build a multi-room setup with Chromecast-enabled speakers using the free Google Home app.
If you're spending this much on a soundbar, you need to be blown away by the experience. Find out how this model scores in our LG S95QR review.
Devialet Dione (typical price £2,000)
The Devialet Dione certainly doesn't come cheap. In fact, this 5.1.2 model is more than twice the price of some of the other expensive soundbars we’ve tested. The brand says it was 'originally designed for the film industry', making it a tempting purchase for cinephiles aiming for a top-tier home cinema setup.
There are five in-built speakers, one in-built subwoofer and another two upward-facing Dolby Atmos speakers for good measure. Interestingly, you don't get a remote in the box. Instead, the Devialet Dione is controlled through buttons on the display or through the Devialet smartphone app - it's handy for changing sound settings or starting a Bluetooth pairing.
Alongside Bluetooth support, you get wi-fi connectivity so you can pair this model with a voice assistant or have it perform within a multiroom system. The Devialet Dione works with Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, too.
Is this expensive soundbar genuinely worth the monstrous price tag? See our full Devialet Dione review.
Why you can trust our soundbar reviews
On a mission to uncover the very best soundbars around, we send each model off to our test lab so you can be sure it's worth a closer look. The best soundbars we've seen offer top-quality audio and clear dialogue, plus they're a breeze to use.
Soundbars that earn a coveted Which? Best Buy title score over 70% in our rigorous tests, while Great Value models are at least 20% cheaper than the average cost of a soundbar in our tests. Our overall test score ignores price.
When scoring the latest soundbars, we measure the following:
- Sound quality (65%)
- Ease of use (20%)
- Features (10%)
- Power consumption (5%)
To see which models deserve a spot on your shortlist, check our guide on the best soundbars for 2022.
