Best Dolby Atmos soundbars 2024: tried and tested by our review team (2024)

Over the last few years, the traditional soundbar has started to evolve. With the advent of more immersive audio formats, such as Dolby Atmos, coming to TV series and movies alike, manufacturers have attempted to bring those benefits into the home.

And, the very best Dolby Atmos soundbars are capable of immersing you in the action without the need for all the extra boxes that come with a traditional home cinema system.Some of these bars have even been fitted with dedicated upfiring speakers to help deliver an even more convincing 3D audio effect.

Buy the right bar and it will be a great alternative to upgrade your cinematic sound experience.

Of course, there are many options on the market now, so which one should you opt for? To help you on your buying journey, we've compiled a list of the very best options that are available to buy right now, complete with summaries of our in-depth reviews and more helpful buying advice below.

Our intrepid team of reviewers has tested every model in this list, and with over 100 years of testing experience among them, you can be guaranteed that we won't reach our verdicts lightly. All testing is done on-site in our dedicated test rooms, where we can compare each new Dolby Atmos soundbar to its closest competitor and reach a balanced, unbiased verdict.

We explain more about how we test Dolby Atmos soundbars at the bottom of this page. Want more choices? Check out our pick of the best soundbars.

The quick list

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The best Dolby Atmos soundbars we recommend in 2024

Best overall

A 7.1.2 slab of sound, the Sony packs in two up-firing speakers, two beam tweeters, five front-facing drivers and a built-in dual subwoofer into a single chassis. Using a combination of driver placement and psychoacoustic techniques, the bar delivers a broad and high soundstage, whether you’re watching Dolby Atmos content or not, while retaining musicality, presence and detail.

During our extensive testing, we found that, in terms of height and precision, the performance is similar to that of theSonos Arc, but the width of the soundstage and its forward projection is more convincing. It’s not the same as having direct audio from the speaker above or the side, but it’s effective and dramatically enticing, enriching the viewing experience. The integrated sub is also particularly impressive and delivers a taut, controlled and powerful performance.

The A7000 excels with its extensive audio format support, which includesDolby Atmos(in both the Digital+ and TrueHD formats),DTS:X, LPCM, hi-res wireless audio andSony 360 Reality Audio.

The A7000 is boasts impressive streaming smarts too, withSpotify Connect,Apple AirPlay 2,Google Chromecastall on board and integration into a multi-room system – with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, andGoogle Homeall supported.

Alongside twoHDMI 2.1pass-through sockets that can handle8K@60Hz,4K@120Hz, andDolby VisionHDR, there's also HDMI eARC, analogue and optical audio inputs and USB type-A. There’s also support for Sony’s Acoustic Center Sync, which lets a compatible Bravia TV become part of the soundbar’s centre channel when the two are connected using the supplied analogue cable.

The Sony HT-A7000 is an outstanding, future-proofed, all-in-one performer with great Dolby Atmos audio. The fact it's a three-time What Hi-Fi? Award-winner over the past three years means you can buy with confidence.

Read the fullSony HT-A7000 review

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Best small

Delivering Dolby Atmos from a small chassis is no mean feat but the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Sonos Beam Gen 2 achieves a convincing, immersive performance without so much as an upfiring speaker in sight.

Instead, when watching Atmos content, two of the soundbar's five front-facing arrays are dedicated to reproducing overhead and surround sounds. With its hefty processing power, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 uses psychoacoustic HRTF (head-related transfer function) technology to give the impression of height without needing to get vertical.

While genuine overhead sounds are perhaps a stretch too far for this petite performer, based on our experience testing it, the bar's virtual delivery of the Atmos format outstrips any similarly priced soundbar and even a few that are more expensive. The Beam Gen 2 offers an enveloping, spatial soundscape with rich, detailed audio as well as tangible motion and depth.

Not that manysoundbarsat this price point come with networking capabilities, but this being a Sonos product, the Beam Gen 2’s ability to integrate into awireless multiroom systemis fundamental to its design. This means you can stream to the Beam Gen 2 from a handheld device usingApple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect is built-in too. Sonos introduced an update to add support forAmazon Music Ultra HDaudio too, which gives access to lossless 24-bit/48kHz tracks as well as Dolby Atmos Music.

Don't let the lack of any upfiring drivers put you off. If space and budget are limited there isn't a better Dolby Atmos soundbar that we'd recommend at the money.

Read the fullSonos Beam Gen 2 review

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Best for versatility

At the time of writing, the Sonos Arc is the only soundbar in the company's line-up that employs dedicated upfiring drivers to help deliver Dolby Atmos sound. Compared to the compact Beam Gen 2 which features higher up this list, the Arc is aimed at bigger TVs, namely 55in and above.

It uses 11 drivers in total and as is the Sonos way, you've got the option of adding one of its subwoofers and/or a couple of its wireless speakers to turn your set-up into a more traditional surround sound package.

Once you've got the soundbar dialled in through Sonos' Trueplay tech, the Arc bounces sound off your walls and ceiling to great effect. It doesn't just give an impression of height, during testing we found it produces a convincing three-dimensional and immersive soundfield. Whether they're localised Dolby Atmos effects or more general room-filling and atmospheric moments, the Arc delivers detail and dynamic in spades.

Its tonal evenness makes the Arc a good deal more musical than lesser rivals too, with a fine level of clarity and organisation given to tracks. It's not the most direct-sounding and the quantity of overall bass is relatively modest but we wouldn't consider either of these deal-breakers.

In terms of design, the Arc is a curvy, good-looking bar although it's worth noting that it does stand 8.5cm tall, so just make sure you won't be obscuring your TV's picture once it's in place.

Needless to say, all of Sonos' excellent streaming features come as part of the package, so you can access services like Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music Unlimited. There's also AirPlay 2 and both HDMI and optical digital sockets.

Read the fullSonos Arc review

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Best premium

Sennheiser's Ambeo Soundbar Max is hugely impressive in both senses of the word. It's a beast, weighing 18.5kg and standing almost 1.3m wide – that's noticeably heavier and larger than the competition. But all that extra space has been put to excellent use. While most soundbars rely on an external subwoofer, the Ambeo simply crams in larger, more powerful drivers – and it works a treat.

During testing, we experienced spine-tingling 3D audio that sounds totally effortless, backed up by sparkling dialogue and plenty of bottom-end grunt that will make the most of your favourite movie soundtracks. Connectivity is just as impressive, with Bluetooth 4.2, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast for streaming plus three HDMI 2.0 inputs and one HDMI eARC port.

Admittedly its size makes it a little tricky to position. And it doesn't come with a wall mount, so you might need a separate trip to your local hardware store. But once you have it set up correctly, we guarantee the results are breathtaking.

Read the fullSennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max review

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Best cheap

If you're on a tight budget, the Sony HT-G700 could be just the ticket. It might not be the most compact bar around (the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is our pick of the small bars), but it's certainly big on sound, big on value and comes with a wireless subwoofer, dedicated HDMI input and support for bothDolby AtmosandDTS:X.

Sony’s own Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro Front Surround technologies dish up a convincing Dolby Atmos soundscape while that chunky subwoofer (39cm-tall) adds plenty of heft to big explosions.

Of course, being an entry-level Dolby Atmos soundbar, we found it doesn't compare to the much pricier Dolby Atmos soundbars found higher up this list, but we wouldn't expect that at this kind of money. It does have an HDMI input, and Bluetooth but it lacks the advanced streaming smarts of, say the Sonos speakers here.

Still, if you're after a dedicated bit of home cinema kit on a budget, the charming and powerful-sounding HT-700 serves up a seriously cinematic performance at a nice price.

Read the fullSony HT-G700 review

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Also consider

The best Dolby Atmos soundbar alternatives we've tested:

Sony HT-A3000: in terms of pricing and features, the Sony HT-A3000 is just like the Sonos Beam Gen 2. Its detail and dynamics will improve the sound from a lot of TVs, but the main drawback is that it struggles to match the Sonos in terms of Dolby Atmos audio.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus: this soundbar pushes the dominant Sony HT-A7000 closer than any of its rivals. Dolby Atmos sounds wonderfully spacious and immersive, it's easier to accommodate and the Sennheiser is also packed with useful features including two HDMI inputs.

LG S95QR: the LG is a little different to the others on this list as it comes with wireless surround speakers and a subwoofer in the box. It doesn't have the precision or overhead impressiveness of the Sony HT-A7000 or Sonos Arc, but the connectivity options and features on offer are impressive.

How to choose the best Dolby Atmos soundbar for you

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi?Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget.Find out more about how we test.

A slew of Dolby Atmos soundbars have hit the market in the last couple of years, and there's now a range of models to suit most budgets. The more you spend, the more features you tend to get and the more driver units the soundbars tend to use; hence, most of our entries tend to be pricier than ordinary soundbars.

In our experience, spending more also means you should get a more convincing home cinema sound, although some of the poorer-sounding soundbars could easily be outperformed by a more affordable model.

There are a few things to consider when weighing up a Dolby Atmos soundbar. A lot will hinge on the size and dimensions of your TV. This will influence the size of the soundbar you go for; after all, you won't want to use a tiny bar with a huge 77-in TV.

Also, check the height of the soundbar – if you need to place it directly in front of your TV, you don't want it obscuring half the picture. Also, upfiring drivers need a clear line of sight to your ceiling to be effective.

It's important to note that not all Dolby Atmos soundbars have upward-firing drivers. Some decode the format and present it virtually using DSP processing to create an illusion of a 3D soundstage. The performance of virtual Atmos models varies, and while genuine height effects are certainly beyond their scope, there's more to Atmos than just the Y-axis. In some cases, a high-quality virtual Dolby Atmos soundbar can deliver more immersive and engaging sound than a mediocre model with upfiring speakers.

Whenever a soundbar does have height drivers, it's important to remember that you'll get better results if you have low ceilings to bounce the sound off and that the top of the soundbar needs to be uncovered and placed clear of the TV screen.

Typically, soundbars are a single long speaker with several drivers inside, but some come with external subwoofers for extra low-end extension and rear speakers for surround sound effects. Some Atmos soundbars even come with satellite speakers with upward-firing drivers. If floor-shaking bass and encompassing sound are high on your priority list, then these are models you'll want to consider.

Moving on to features and connectivity, Dolby Atmos soundbars tend to boast eitherARCoreARC-enabled HDMI ports necessary to handle multichannel audio formats and also allow you to control the volume of your soundbar with your existing TV remote. It's worth considering if having a separate physical remote for the soundbar is important to you or if you're comfortable with controlling settings from a smartphone app.

Most Dolby Atmos soundbars have some options for wireless music playback with wifi streaming via services such asAirplay 2,Spotify ConnectandChromecast,as well as Bluetooth connectivity. If you have external devices such as games consoles or a4K Blu-ray player, keep an eye out for additional HDMI sockets that could make your setup more flexible.

If the highest-quality 3D sound is important to you, you'll want to make sure both your TV and potential soundbar support Dolby TrueHD and eARC. Some Dolby Atmos Soundbars will only have ARC, and while that can handle Dolby Atmos, it can only do so in its lossy Dolby Digital Plus form. In contrast, Dolby TrueHD can deliver full-fat Dolby Atmos in all its lossless glory.

Further down your list of priorities you might want some kind of voice assistant functionality built in. To that effect, some bars do come with built-in mics that allow you to control certain aspects of their performance. Alternatively, you've always got the remote or in some cases, your smartphone to help out here.

You don't have to look far to find Dolby Atmos content. Besides 4K Blu-ray discs,Amazon Prime Video,Apple TV,NetflixandDisney+offer plenty of Atmos movies and TV shows. Ready to boost your binge-watching with the best Atmos soundbar? Let's take a look at the options...

How we test Dolby Atmos soundbars

Like the normal models we test, Dolby Atmos soundbars are partnered with a reference TV and are directly compared to a rival at a similar price point. it could be a current What Hi-Fi?Award winner (which we always have to hand) or another model we've tested recently which we feel is a suitable comparison.

All our reviews are impartial and to make sure we're testing the soundbar thoroughly, we use a mix of video, from daytime TV shows to Hollywood blockbusters to get a feeling of its strengths and weaknesses with a wide variety of audio formats. We give the Dolby Atmos soundbars plenty of running-in time too, to make sure they are ready to be put through their paces.

Dolby Atmos content features heavily, whether played through a video streaming service or off a 4K Blu-ray disc. During the reviewing process, we'll ask ourselves questions such as 'how easy is it to set up?' 'how does it handle dialogue?' and 'how does it process Dolby Atmos soundtracks?'.

We'll also play music through the soundbar to learn more about its audio abilities and streaming skills over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and use the accompanying control app where possible, before checking all the other features on offer such as the HDMI connections.

We have state-of-the-art test rooms in London, and Reading where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test Dolby Atmos soundbars. One member of the team will write the review but overall verdicts are agreed upon by the team to eliminate any personal preference and to allow us to be as thorough as possible.

There's no input from PR companies or our sales team regarding the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.

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F.A.Q

Recent updates

• 19th February 2024: Added new 'Also Consider' section, new F.A.Q section.
• 28th September 2023: Changed to new Best Buy format, removed Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus, Sony HT-A5000 and LG S95QR from the main list.
• 13th July 2023: made specification boxes uniform, added new images for entries.
• 10th March 2023: Added the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus as a new entry.

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