Smart tv soundbar: Best Smart Soundbar of 2023

Beam: The Smart TV Soundbar with HDMI Input

From music to movies, the latest generation of Beam enriches all your entertainment with powerful and precise sound from wall to wall.

More infoAutomatic Trueplay

Trueplay™

TV remote sync

TV remote sync

Apple Airplay 2

Apple AirPlay 2

HDMI eARC

HDMI eARC

Voice enabled

Voice enabled

Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos

Touch controls

Touch controls

“The New Sonos Soundbar Gives You Dolby Atmos Without Breaking the Bank.”

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Get 3 free months of Apple Music

Stream over 100 million songs, ad-free. Listen across all your devices. And feel sound all around with spatial audio.

Smarter on the inside

A 40% faster chip pushes the sonic limits for a soundbar this size, creating two new audio paths for a virtual surround sound experience.

More beautiful on the outside

The new precisely perforated grille elevates the elegant design and blends seamlessly into your home, whether you place Beam on furniture or mount it.

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Exceptional sound all around

Go deeper into every scene with spatial audio. Advanced processing creates phantom height channels for Dolby Atmos content to immerse you in a multidimensional soundstage. You’ll hear planes as if they’re flying overhead, sense footsteps moving across the room, and feel the music swell all around you.

Crystal clear dialogue

Oscar-winning sound engineers helped fine-tune Beam to make sure you hear every word and can always follow the story. For even greater clarity when characters whisper or the action intensifies, turn on Speech Enhancement in the Sonos app.

High quality at low volumes

Enjoy balanced sound from wall to wall at any volume level. When you want to watch TV but need to keep it down, turn on Night Sound in the app to reduce the intensity of loud effects and enhance quieter ones.

Made for music

Stream from all your favorite services with detailed stereo sound, and feel more dimensions of the song with support for the highest-resolution formats, including Dolby Atmos Music.

Services on Sonos

“When developing a soundbar, we treat music and home theater equally.”

Giles Martin

Grammy-Winning Music Producer & Sonos Sound Experience Leader

Breeze through setup

Go from unboxing to unbelievable sound in minutes with only two cables and step-by-step guidance from the Sonos app.

Perfectly tuned for the room

Using the microphones in your iOS device, Trueplay tuning technology analyzes the unique acoustics of your space and optimizes the speaker’s EQ. So all your content sounds just the way it should and reaches your ears at the exact right moment.

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Freedom of control

Sonos app Sonos App

Connect all your streaming services, discover new music on Sonos Radio, and personalize settings.

TV remote

The soundbar syncs with your existing remote for streamlined control and no extra clutter.

Tap or swipe the top of the soundbar to pause the music, adjust the volume, skip a track, and more.

AirPlay2 Apple AirPlay 2

Send sound directly from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, then ask Siri to turn it up from your device.

Just say “Hey Sonos”

Play music and control your system with hands-free ease and unmatched privacy.

Learn more

Hey Sonos, play Indie Gold on Sonos Radio

More hands-free help

Ask Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to control your smart home devices, manage your calendar, and more.

Surround sound, simplified

Get an even more immersive experience when you add a subwoofer and pair of rear speakers. Sonos products connect quickly, easily and wirelessly.

Customize your sound system

Mix and match products that fit all the places and ways you want to listen. Pair identical speakers for richer stereo sound, build a surround sound system for home theater, and feel even more immersed when you add Sonos to every room.

Sonos Beam Wall Mount

Sanus TV Mount for Sonos Beam

Tech Specs

• Audio
• Details + Dimensions
• Power + Connectivity
• Box Contents
• Requirements

Product Guide

Find the best soundbar for your home

Beam (Gen 2)

5 drivers

Best for a TV up to 65”

Fills a large room

Dolby Atmos

HDMI eARC

Optical adapter

Voice enabled

Arc

11 drivers

Best for a 50″+ TV

Fills an oversized room

Dolby Atmos

HDMI eARC

Optical adapter

Voice enabled

2 dedicated height channels

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Free expedited shipping

Enjoy free, no-contact delivery on every order.

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Easy 45-day returns

If it isn’t love at first listen, returns are hassle-free.

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Shop with an expert

Call 1-800-680-2345 for help creating your system.

LG Sound Bars | Wireless and Bluetooth Audio

Create an immersive home theater experience with LG sound bars and wireless speakers designed to deliver every note in stunning clarity – without cluttering your space. Featuring clean lines, compact designs and innovative technology for big, booming sound and nuanced notes, our speakers and sound bars will transform your favorite entertainment. Just a few of the features available in our collection include:

• Dolby Atmos®: Originally created for the cinema, Dolby Atmos delivers moving audio that flows all around you, even overhead. And with a Dolby Atmos sound bar, you can have the same experience at home.

• High-Resolution Audio: With higher sampling rates and bit depth, you’ll get sound quality that surpasses CDs—and a sound bar for your TV that delivers audio closer to the quality that filmmakers intended.

• Google Assistant: Google Assistant is built into select smart sound bars and wireless speakers, so you can control your sound bar and your connected home using just your voice.

• AI Room Calibration: When you choose a surround sound system for your TV that uses spatial awareness technology to measure your room’s unique characteristics, you’ll get balanced audio settings tailored to the environment – for more natural, accurate sound in any environment.

• Connection Options: With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® connectivity, you can create the home theater you want without the wires, or you can use optical or HDMI cables to get the connections you need.

• Slim Designs: Our Bluetooth sound bars and wireless speakers feature sleek, slim designs that virtually disappear into your space. This way, they can enhance your space and your favorite entertainment – without being the star of the show.

Whether you’re looking for a wireless sound bar featuring Dolby Atmos technology for audio that flows all around you, or high-res wireless speakers for your TV, LG has you covered with innovative solutions and sleek, slim designs that will elevate your home theater. Explore our complete collection, as well as our newest TVs and video solutions – and get more from the entertainment you love.

**Dolby, Dolby Atmos and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

***For DTS patents, see http://patents.dts.com. Manufactured under license from DTS, Inc. or its affiliates. DTS trademarks and logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of DTS, Inc. in the United States and other countries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Images may be simulated and dramatized for illustrative purposes. Actual features, functionality, and other product specifications may differ and are subject to change without notice. Prices, promotions, and availability may vary by model, store, and online. Prices subject to change without notice. Quantities are limited. Check with your local retailers for their final price and availability.

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How to connect a soundbar to a TV? All methods + step-by-step instructions

Modern television sets are equipped with their own sound system, usually consisting of several speakers. They work well, but are far behind external sound devices. Home theaters have long lost popularity due to their large dimensions, in their place came the soundbar. It provides multi-channel sound, is very compact and practical. With it, the special effects in the cinema become more real, multifaceted, the effect of immersion is better achieved. Of course, first you should choose the right soundbar and we talked about selection criteria, as well as good models, earlier. Here we will understand, how to connect a soundbar to a TV on your own.

Where is the best place to mount the soundbar?

To get the most out of your soundbar, you need to position it correctly. Here are a few key features to be aware of when choosing a location.

Location Tips:

• Under the TV is the best option in terms of space saving and sound quality. Here, the soundbar can be fixed, either with a wall mount, or placed on a cabinet.
• In front of TV. This is true in the case of setting the TV on a special cabinet. It will feel like the sound and picture are in sync.
• The optimal height is at the level of the head or body of a person. In this case, the signal goes directly to the listener, which means that the upper frequencies will sound much more voluminous and brighter.
• Do not install away from the TV. Placement of the soundbar on the side of the TV will result in a loss of spatial sound, and the emphasis on the image will constantly shift.

Connecting the soundbar to a TV

Today there are several popular ways to connect the soundbar to a TV from Samsung, LG, Philips and others. All of them are described below, in order from best to least preferred. If possible, choose those that are located earlier in the list, as they have globally important advantages. An analog connection is undesirable, it makes sense to use it only if nothing else can be configured.

Bluetooth connection

Bluetooth is the most convenient connection option in terms of ease of setup. Its other plus is the absence of cables that can spoil the design of the room. There are also weaknesses in the connection, the main among which is the sound delay. There may be a slight lag between the audio track and the movie. This is usually not very noticeable, but can be observed with a busy background in an apartment building, a large distance between the TV and the soundbar, or interference from walls, cabinets, etc. If the devices are nearby and have no obstacles between them, you should not worry about this . There is one more problem – some sound enhancement modes, such as DTS, Dolby ATMOS, do not work with a Bluetooth connection. In other words, you overpaid for a soundbar with high-quality sound, but you are not using it to its full potential.

How to connect the soundbar to a Samsung TV via Bluetooth:

1. Start the visibility of the soundbar via Bluetooth. It may be active by default or you may need to press an additional button on the case (remote control).
2. On the TV, go to “Settings” in the “Bluetooth” section and start searching for devices.
3. We are waiting for the soundbar to be detected and click on it to create a connection.
4. You may need to enter a password now. Default: 0000 or 1111.

Important! If the soundbar is connected to any device via HDMI, it cannot be connected via Bluetooth as well.

Sound should be output to stereo by default, but there are exceptions. On some TVs, you additionally need to open “Settings” and select the output device in the “Sound” section.

Via HDMI

This is the best option for connecting a soundbar. Although a cable is required, HDMI offers high data transfer rates. It is he who allows you to fully reveal the capabilities of the soundbar. We are talking, among other things, about the possibility of using all the sound enhancement technologies that are embedded in the device by the developer. This is the only connection method that can provide the best sound quality. It also reduces audio latency to a minimum, preventing audio and video from being out of sync.

It’s only important to know if your TV and panel support HDMI ARC. Reversing horn technology allows sound to be transmitted from the soundbar. Almost all modern models, even the budget category, support the ARC system. If it refuses to work, you should check the activity of Control for HDMI and find information about the Auto Return Channel in the technical documentation.

See also: How to connect headphones to LG or Samsung Smart TV?

Wi-Fi soundbar connection

Not all soundbars support Wi-Fi connectivity, but it is likely that the technology will become more widespread every year. This item is for the future. In addition to a Wi-Fi-enabled soundbar, you also need a 2013 Smart TV.

How to connect the soundbar to a Samsung TV via Wi-Fi:

1. Press the Source button on the soundbar (or on the remote control) and select the Wi-Fi mode. If it is not there, most likely the device does not support this type of connection.
2. We download Samsung Smart Things to the smartphone and in it on the main page we press the tab “Devices” – “Add devices”.
3. In the “Add device” menu, select the AV item from the list and specify the device model.
4. On the TV, go to “Settings” section “Sound” and “Speaker selection”.
5. Click on the “Select Soundbar” option.

Using optical or coaxial cable

Most audio devices have a dedicated Toslink interface. It just makes it possible to connect via an optical cable. The sound quality will be quite decent, with the exception that DTS technologies and the like will not work. In our case, it is comparable to HDMI.

How to connect an optical cable to a TV and soundbar:

1. We connect the cable with one side to the soundbar, and the other side to the TV.
2. On the TV, go to the menu, and then to the “Sound Out” section.
3. We are waiting for the inscription on the soundbar “LG OPT” – this means that the pairing was successful.

Depending on the brand and model of the TV, the names of the sections may differ, but usually everything remains intuitive.

Much less common in TV receivers are connectors for digital coaxial cable. They can become a replacement for an optical connection. The connection process itself is practically the same, just insert the appropriate cord with one side into the Digital / COAX connector on the TV, and the other into the soundbar. The sound quality with this connection remains good.

See also: Why is there no sound on the TV and how to fix it?

Analog connection

In the case of older TVs where there is no possibility of using digital connections, it is worth resorting to the only alternative in the form of an analog interface. In the people, it is better known as “tulips” or RCA ports. The main condition is to check the TV and soundbar in advance for the presence of the corresponding inputs. With such a connection, you can not count on high-quality sound.

What should I do if there is no sound after connecting?

Things don’t always go smoothly, there are many cases where the connection doesn’t work the way we expect it to. Below we list some common problems and how to fix them if possible.

In the following cases:

• No sound is output from the soundbar , continues to play on the TV. In the TV menu, sometimes you need to additionally set the port to which the sound will go. It is usually called: “Sound outputs”, “Sound Out” or simply “Sound”.

• The sound does not come through the soundbar only when watching movies . The problem is that TV plays through the soundbar, and in movie-watching apps it plays through the TV’s speakers. The problem is the lack of some audio decoders. It is solved by using an external decoder (device) or by turning on the usual stereo sound in the TV settings (called PCM 2.0). You can also format movies, but it’s too tedious.
• Soundbar connected but not working . It is worth checking the sound source on the soundbar. It is possible that another device is selected instead of the TV (especially common with a Bluetooth connection) or a different channel.
• Soundbar not connected . If it behaves strangely: it does not reproduce sound, some indicators are lit, others are not, then you should check the cable. It may not support HDMI ARC, it’s just HDMI, no return channel. It needs to be replaced. You also need to use the correct ports on your TV and soundbar, they are usually labeled accordingly. Often, devices have both regular HDMI and HDMI ARC. Incorrect selection will cause the device to malfunction.

Provided that the connectors are intact, and the devices themselves support the selected connection type, everything should work smoothly. When all options have been tried, and the situation does not change, the budget option would be to switch to using a different type of connection.

We hope that users were able to connect the soundbar to the TV and the sound is working properly. It should be an order of magnitude better than the acoustics built into the TV. If something did not go according to plan, leave comments with a detailed description of the problem, and we will try to help fix them.

Andrey

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How to connect a soundbar (soundbar) to a TV, optical cable for soundbar

At present, a steady trend has been outlined in the field of multimedia. With all the versatility of modern TVs and the implementation of the latest technologies in them to improve image quality, such as, for example, OLED screens, support for 4K resolution, HDR, the sound of standard TV acoustic devices leaves much to be desired. Therefore, home theaters with a large number of acoustics and their compact counterparts, the so-called “soundbars” or, as they are sometimes called “surroundbars”, have become widespread. These devices deliver high-quality surround sound and immersive audio for an unparalleled movie and video experience.

The user only needs to purchase such a soundbar, install and connect it correctly. And if the first two steps do not cause any difficulties, there would be the necessary funds and a room where TV viewing would be carried out, then how to connect the soundbar to the TV remains a problem for many users. Therefore, among the frequently asked questions, you can hear, for example, how to connect a Samsung, LG, Denon or other brands soundbar, which connection option is preferable, and others. Even with the right instructions, the many different inputs and outputs on TVs and panels can be confusing, so detailed explanations on these issues will never be superfluous.

A few words about the location of acoustics

Before talking directly about connecting the panel to the TV receiver, you should pay attention to its location. The fact is that if you make a mistake in this matter, then no subsequent options for connections and settings will correct the situation with poor sound.

In cases where the TV is installed on a special stand or cabinet, it is better to install the soundbar right in front of it.

This arrangement is considered ideal because it gives the impression that the surround sound comes directly from the image on the TV screen. There is, however, one limitation here. Before installation, you need to make sure that the acoustic device will not block the screen. Today you can even find acoustic models that are fixed directly on the TV stand.

The same arrangement, under the TV, must be provided with a TV wall mount. Fortunately, the design of modern acoustics and the mounts that come with it or special templates allow you to do this without problems. Sometimes there is the possibility of attaching the surround bar directly to the TV panel.

In cases where the TV is installed on a rack and it is decided to place the soundbar on a shelf inside the rack, then it must be pushed as far forward as possible. This is necessary in order to ensure the unimpeded passage of sound so that the side walls of the furniture do not interfere. Moreover, if it is known that the acoustic device supports Dolby Atmos or DTS:X sound processing technologies that work with sound reflected from the ceiling, then the installation of the sound device on a shelf or in any other niches should be completely abandoned. Another obvious rule when installing acoustics is to provide free space in front of it. Installation in front of the speakers of any objects that prevent the passage of sound is strictly prohibited.

Separately, you should pay attention to sound panels with digital sound projection. Their design is quite complex, which in turn complicates the setup process itself. In order for such acoustics to work with all its efficiency and with coverage of all the possibilities inherent in it, you must first select the necessary configuration in which the driver array is to function, and then connect the microphone. The tuning principle is that the panel plays test sounds, and the microphone picks up both their original version and the signals reflected from the walls, which are sent to the soundbar for analysis. Thus, the soundbar itself adjusts the sound of the speakers to the conditions of a particular room.

The result is a perfect sound setup. However, there is a “pitfall” here as well. All this can be realized only in a room where the walls reflect the sound well. If the room has a large area and the walls are located far from the sound source, or at least one such wall is missing, then purchasing a device with digital tuning is not the best option, because there will be an overpayment for unrealized technology and mediocre sound quality.

Basic independent audio device connections

Modern equipment offers several connection options: HDMI, optical or coaxial input, analog audio channel.

The main conditions for a successful connection, regardless of the option chosen, is to first turn off the standard acoustics of the TV panel. To do this, go to the TV menu, turn off the built-in TV speakers and enable the option for external acoustics. The procedure for turning off standard acoustics is as follows:

TV SETTINGS > SOUND > ADVANCED > TV SPEAKERS > OFF

Most likely, after these steps, the TV itself will offer a list of possible audio outputs, from which you will need to select the one you need. In some “smart” TVs, these manipulations can be omitted, because they themselves determine which audio output to send a signal to.

How do I connect a soundbar to a TV using an HDMI connector?

The best way to connect the soundbar to your TV is HDMI functionality.

Currently, almost all audio and video equipment is equipped with outputs for HDMI cables, which have great capabilities and are able to transmit video and audio signals of the highest quality in different directions. Today, this feature is implemented through ARC technology – which provides audio signal reversal on HDMI devices. This technology also allows you to use just one cable instead of five or six others.

Before connecting using this functionality, you should make sure that both the TV and the panel support Audio Return Channel – HDMI ARC. The principle is that the video signal received from, for example, a DVD player, a TV game console connected to the TV, or any other source, goes to the TV, where the sound is separated and transferred to the soundbar. A similar effect of the interchange of video and audio signals will be realized if the connection is made directly to the soundbar, which “separates” the sound, converts it, and transmits the video to the TV without any changes.

The ARC function in most models of modern equipment is enabled by default. However, there are exceptions. Therefore, if it does not work, you need to make sure that the Control for HDMI parameter is in the on state – “ON”, the TV supports Auto Return Channel, whether the equipment is connected to each other, whether it supports this function and whether it is powered at all. Available when connected via HDMI and their pitfalls. For example, if the purchased soundbar supports 5.1 sound, but the TV does not, then you will not be able to get multi-channel sound at the output of the soundbar, only stereo.

Optical connection

You can often hear the question, how to connect a soundbar to an LG or other brand TV using an optical input? Everything is simple. Surroundbars have a digital optical interface – Toslink, and a special optical cable is used for connection. In terms of quality, such a connection is in no way inferior to HDMI and can be safely used.

As a clear example, you can give the order of how to connect an LG soundbar to a TV of the same brand. First you need to make sure that the TV itself has the LG soundsyng function. Then you need to go to the menu section and find the audio output item – “Sound Out”. The appearance of “LG OPT” on the screen of the surround bar after pressing this position means that the connection has been successfully completed. The undoubted advantages of this connection is the support for 5.1 multi-channel sound of the Dolby Digital standard or DTS technology. The principle is simple – the sources of audio information and video signals feed them to the TV, and then the audio information is fed through an optical cable to the surround bar.

Coaxial connection

Some models of television receivers have connectors for digital coaxial cables, which can be used as an alternative to optics. The connection is made in the same way, but selecting digital signals as a source – Digital/COAX. The sound quality with this type of connection is also on top.

Analog connection

If it is not possible to use an HDMI ARC panel or other digital connection options to connect, then you can try using the analog interface with the familiar red and white RCA connectors.

The main thing is that both the TV and the soundbar have these connectors. Of course, this is not the best solution, because with this option, multi-channel sound cannot be obtained. There is only one advantage of this type of connection – in some cases, good stereo sound is still better than the standard acoustics of the TV receiver.

Headphone connection

In critical cases, when a digital connection cannot be made, and there are no audio inputs, you can try connecting via a mini-jack – 3.5 mm through the headphone jack on the TV. In some cases, adapters may be required.

With this option for connecting the soundbar, please note that only analog sound is available through this connector. This type of audio signal is transmitted much slower than a digital signal, so there may be problems with the synchronization of the image and sound.

Via Ethernet port

Many users ask questions about how to connect a Samsung soundbar or models from other manufacturers without cables at all. Indeed, models of modern soundbars are equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless interfaces, which allows you to make connections without physically connecting the equipment to each other. You just need to decide on the network connection option.

Soundbars with these features allow you to connect to your home network, and through it to various streaming services, and even integrate them into multi-room systems.

Now that you know the options for connecting a soundbar to a TV, we can compare modern soundbars by the interfaces they implement. For comparison, seven most popular models from the budget segment according to PULT.ru were taken.

It should be noted that all these models also have HDMI connectors.