Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars of 2023

The best Dolby Atmos soundbars include overhead channels and a compact, simple setup. Your best movies can gain new depth thanks to any surround speaker.

The significant distinction between Dolby Atmos and regular surround sound soundbars, which are being supported by an increasing number of soundbars, is that (with the correct content), you'll hear the sound move up and down in addition to side-to-side. When a car, for example, flies overhead in an action movie, you may watch it at home with an added sense of cinematic realism, thanks to this.

A Dolby Atmos soundbar is a good sound upgrade for most screens' built-in speakers since it has numerous drivers that cover a large sound area in front of the screen and side- and upward-firing speakers that add depth to movie soundscapes through advanced digital signal processing. A Dolby Atmos soundbar costs a bit more, but prices are becoming more competitive. In many situations, they may even serve as the foundation for a far more ambitious surround sound setup, including specialized wireless surround speakers and a wired or wireless subwoofer.

We tested the best Dolby Atmos soundbars in typical household settings, just as they would be used there, and ranked them according to how well they performed in audio quality with various movies (including Dolby Atmos films), music, features, and price. Continue reading to select the ideal model for your immersive TV sound requirements.

 Check out our list of Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars suggested by Experts.

• Best Dolby Atmos Soundbar Overall: Bose Smart Soundbar 900

• Best Value Dolby Atmos Soundbar: LG SP8YA

• Best Dolby Atmos Soundbar with Plenty of Bass: Sony HT-G700

• Best Dolby Atmos Soundbar for LG Fans: LG S95QR

• Best Performance Dolby Atmos Soundbar: Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar

• Best Dolby Atmos Soundbar For Large Rooms: Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2.4

1. Samsung HW-Q950A

With 22 drivers, several speakers, and 11.1.4-channel audio, Samsung's HW-Q950A is a fully functional option that produces stunningly immersive sound. The setup incorporates firing and side-firing drivers in the bar and the wireless surround speakers, producing enough Dolby Atmos expansion to make you wonder whether separate speaker surrounds sound systems are necessary.

For such a thin gadget, the system also provides outstanding musicality (Samsung acquired AKG for a reason). The Q950A does a number on our favorite songs, especially when you let the system spin your stereo files into a surround sound cloud of instruments and singers. However, we'd still choose a set of decent bookshelves for music over any soundbar.

In addition, the Q950A has outstanding features including dual HDMI inputs with 4K HDR passthrough for your Atmos-capable devices and HDMI eARC (and HDMI inputs). It supports Wi-Fi connection with AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, high-resolution music at up to 24 bit/92 kHz, all popular surround formats, a fully-loaded control app, and voice control via Amazon Alexa (though it leaves out both Google Assistant and Chromecasting). Additionally user-friendly, the bar provides an Adaptive Sound mode to enhance all media material instantly.

This considerable investment costs only a few hundred dollars less than a conventional home theater system at $1,800 MSRP (with all the frills). The visual display's perplexing placement atop the bar makes it mostly useless. Most tuning can be done using the app, but it doesn't seem to support channel control, so you'll need to get up to change the levels there.

Fortunately, the cost has significantly decreased online, making this bar more affordable—especially given everything you get. This monster is our top recommendation if you're seeking the mother of all Atmos soundbars and have the cash to spend.

Pros

• Impressive performance.

• Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility.

• Great sound quality.

• Dolby Atmos support.

• Graphic EQ and presets.

Cons

• Expensive.

2. Vizio Elevate

The Elevate soundbar from Vizio has rollable speakers that can "elevate" the sound upward to act as height channels for 3D audio material like Dolby Atmos and roll back down again for any other content. No other soundbar on this list has rollable speakers that can do this. This gives the height speakers additional versatility by enabling you to play music from all 13 speakers continuously.

But aside from that, what distinguishes this Dolby Atmos device from most other soundbars on the market is the sheer amount of cinematic chutzpah it provides. In other words, it won't be easy to find better (or comparable) surround sound at this pricing in any other pub.

The Elevate is a delight for action sequences with a total of 18 speaker drivers, including dual surround sound speakers and a powerful subwoofer. It is incredibly immersive when sound is correctly blended with Dolby Atmos content, such as The Mandalorian on Disney+ or Blu-ray Atmos demos in full-resolution Dolby TrueHD. Along with features like Chromecast streaming over Wi-Fi, two extra HDMI inputs, and HDMI eARC for seamless, future-proof connection to the latest TVs, it also provides excellent detail and crisp language to enhance prestige dramas.

Fortunately, the streamlined remote is relatively simple to operate, and the entire construction is sturdy and elegant thanks to luxurious materials like anodized aluminum and an eye-catching overall design. This system is an excellent option if you want pure Dolby Atmos sound without becoming an extreme A/V enthusiast.

Pros

• Sleek design.

• Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Chromecast built-in compatibility.

• Detailed, cinematic sound.

• Multiple connection options.

Cons

• No graphic EQ.

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3. Vizio M-Series 5.1.2

No other company actually provides a more comprehensive Dolby Atmos package for less than $500 than Vizio. Even better, Vizio managed to pack a lot of performance into its soundbar system, which is reasonably priced. You receive a complete front soundstage with back speakers, a subwoofer, and a precise center channel for dialogue that creates high-quality audio for music, movies, and TV shows. For a range of entertainment, the firing drivers inside the bar deliver a powerful Dolby Atmos punch.

Additionally, the HDMI eARC and DTS:X functions that the bar's predecessor, the SB36512-F6, lacked are included in the M-Series 5.1.2. You can only stream music over Bluetooth because it does so at the expense of a Wi-Fi connection, and there is no smart assistant built in (a plus or a minus depending on your stance). It also implies that the bar won't be able to connect to additional wireless speakers and will be more challenging to upgrade with future firmware updates. If Wi-Fi and multi-room audio are among your top requirements, you should consider Sonos, Bose, or other brands from our list.

The M-series 5.1.2 requires you to plug the rear speakers into your subwoofer for connection, just like other Vizio surround soundbars, including the more expensive Vizio Elevate, which may restrict where you may place it depending on your living room. Fortunately, Vizio provides enough length in the connection wires for most configurations.

Putting that aside, it is impossible to ignore the excellent value that the Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 offers. For a lower price than most of the competition, Vizio once again provides excellent sound quality for Dolby Atmos content, 5.1 content, and just about everything else you'll play. If you don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on audio, it may not be the greatest Dolby Atmos soundbar on the market, but it still gives a lot of value.

Pros

• Sleek design.

• Bass and treble adjustments.

• Easy to set up.

• Good surrounds performance.

• Affordable than most competitors. 

Cons

• No graphic EQ.

4. Bose Smart Soundbar 900

Bose's Smart Soundbar 900 provides clear audio, fashionable styling, and a taste of flawless Dolby Atmos in a small package. Bose's single-piece soundbar is fashioned very similarly to the Sonos Arc in terms of features and functionality. Still, it is smaller and more streamlined, and it has a luxurious glass top that elevates it to the rank of one of the market's most fashionable bars.

But it's not just a matter of appearances. The 900's laser-sharp upfiring drivers and beam speakers deliver quality sound, particularly for speech and effects, along with broader virtualized products. Additionally, it provides every network capability a contemporary smart bar might need, from an integrated Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to Wi-Fi streaming via Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay 2. (with plenty more options in the Bose Music app).

The 900, like competing bars from Sonos and others, makes it simple to build anything from a single speaker to a full surround Dolby Atmos system with a Bose wireless subwoofer and surround speakers (at a hefty price). Alternatively, you can build a whole-home audio system by connecting Bose speakers throughout the house using the Bose Music app. The 900 also has several amenities that Sonos bars don't, such as a separate controller, Bluetooth streaming, and an integrated room calibration system to adjust the music to your environment (Sonos requires an iPhone).

The bar's overall power and bass response are a little lacking. The 900 just cannot reproduce large and booming frequencies with sufficient authority due to its small size. Due to physical limitations, its soundstage is likewise not quite as vast as that of larger Dolby Atmos bars. It won't be the most excellent option for those with a sizable Blu-ray collection because it also lacks an extra HDMI input and DTS decoding.

However, this bar offers excellent depth and precision for everything from an episode of Friends to your favorite Dolby Atmos TV series despite being expensive. The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is a good option if you prioritize crystal-clear music and a simple aesthetic.

Pros

• Sleek, minimalist design.

• Clear vocal projection.

• Bass and treble adjustments.

Cons

• No DTS support.

Q: Is Dolby Atmos in a soundbar worth it?

If you want an audio experience that is wholly immersive, Atmos soundbars are worthwhile. The audio output gains a vertical dimension thanks to Atmos. As a result, the sound strikes you from all sides, including above and the front, left, right, and rear. You'll get a sense of immersion in the action.

Q: Is Dolby Atmos available on Netflix?

Netflix offers Dolby Atmos audio for sure of its TV series and movies. It would help if you had: A Netflix subscription that allows for Ultra HD streaming.

Q: What distinguishes Dolby Digital from Dolby Atmos?

Broadcast and streaming services frequently use Dolby Digital Plus to produce surround sound audio at lower bitrates. Bitrates between 96 and 128 kbps are usually used to encode stereo audio in Dolby Digital Plus. The bitrates encoded Dolby Atmos audio in Dolby Digital Plus typically ranges from 384 to 768 kbps.

So we have just introduced to you the top 11 best dolby atmos soundbars that many people love and trust. Perhaps the soundbar' Guide will provide you with more helpful information!