A soundbar is a single, elongated speaker enclosure, usually placed on a piece of furniture below the television or mounted just underneath it, that connects to the TV and provides fuller, clearer sound than most built in television speakers can manage. Modern televisions are thin, which leaves little room for speakers that can move enough air for a satisfying sound, so a soundbar is one of the simplest upgrades available.
Soundbars range from a basic single unit to systems that include a separate subwoofer for deeper bass and small rear speakers for a more surround like effect. Many current models also support Dolby Atmos, adding a sense of height to the sound, and connect to the television through eARC, which carries higher quality audio back from the TV than older audio connections.
For most living rooms, a soundbar offers a large improvement in dialogue clarity and overall sound for relatively little space and setup effort compared with a full AV receiver and separate speakers. See our soundbar guide for how to choose and set one up.
