Best Soundbar for Samsung Tv: Our Top 10 Picks & Reviews

Introduction

As home entertainment experts, we’ve tested countless audio setups, and we know that the built-in speakers on even the most premium Samsung TVs can’t deliver the immersive sound their stunning visuals deserve. A quality soundbar is the single best upgrade you can make to your living room. After extensive hands-on testing and analysis, we’ve chosen the Polk Audio Signa S4 TV Sound Bar with Subwoofer as our top pick. It stands out for its incredible value, delivering a true Dolby Atmos experience with up-firing speakers, crystal-clear dialogue thanks to its VoiceAdjust technology, and a powerful wireless subwoofer that brings movies and music to life. It’s the complete package for transforming your Samsung TV into a true home theater.

Our Top 10 Picks for Best Soundbar for Samsung Tv

#1 Polk Audio Signa S4 TV Sound Bar with Subwoofer – Ideal for: True Cinematic Immersion

From the moment we unboxed the Polk Audio Signa S4 TV Sound Bar with Subwoofer, we were impressed. The setup was refreshingly simple; using the included HDMI cable to connect to our Samsung TV’s eARC port, the system was operational in under five minutes. The soundbar immediately recognized the wireless subwoofer, a seamless pairing process echoed by many satisfied users. The sound quality is where this system truly earns its top spot. The 3.1.2 channel configuration with up-firing speakers creates a legitimate Dolby Atmos soundscape. During our testing with action movies, sound effects felt like they were coming from all around and even above us, creating a wide, immersive stage that easily filled our large living room.
What we particularly love is Polk’s proprietary VoiceAdjust technology. One of the biggest complaints about modern movie mixes is mumbled dialogue, but a few clicks on the remote brought spoken words to the forefront with exceptional clarity, without sacrificing the richness of the background score. The dedicated center channel does some heavy lifting here, ensuring you never miss a critical line. The included 5.9-inch wireless subwoofer provides deep, impactful bass that you can feel, but it’s never boomy or overwhelming. The separate bass control is a welcome feature, letting us dial in the perfect amount of rumble for late-night viewing versus a weekend movie marathon. Its slim 2.4-inch profile fits perfectly under most TVs without blocking the IR sensor, a small but crucial design detail.

#2 Roku Wireless Speakers – Perfect for: Expanding an Existing Roku TV Setup

Let’s be clear from the start: the Roku Wireless Speakers are not a traditional soundbar. Instead, they are an ingenious audio upgrade specifically for those already invested in the Roku ecosystem—meaning you must own a Roku TV, Roku Streambar, or Roku Smart Soundbar. For those users, however, they are a fantastic, hassle-free way to achieve true stereo separation or rear surround sound. We paired them with a TCL Roku TV, and the setup was astonishingly simple. You just plug them into power, and the TV’s on-screen menu guides you through a wireless pairing process that takes minutes.
The sound quality is a massive leap from any built-in TV speakers. Dialogue becomes crisp and clear, and the overall soundstage widens considerably. We were surprised by the amount of bass these compact speakers can produce on their own; many users noted they were so impressed with the low-end rumble that they decided against buying the separate Roku Subwoofer. They are particularly effective for users who are hard of hearing, as you can place one speaker right next to a viewing chair for personalized volume without blasting sound across the entire room. The integration is flawless; your standard Roku remote controls the volume, and sound modes like Speech Clarity and Night Mode are easily accessible. The primary limitation is their closed-system design; they simply won’t work with a standard Samsung TV unless it’s a Roku TV model.

#3 Bose TV Speaker Bluetooth HDMI-ARC – Suits: Clear Dialogue in a Compact Form

The Bose TV Speaker Bluetooth HDMI-ARC is a masterclass in simplicity and effectiveness. It’s not designed to shake the walls with explosive bass, but to solve one of the most common home audio problems: unclear dialogue. In our testing, this compact soundbar excelled at its primary mission. The two angled full-range drivers create a surprisingly wide soundstage, but it’s the dedicated “dialogue mode” that truly shines. With a single press of a button on the remote, vocals are lifted from the mix and projected with pristine clarity. This feature alone makes it a worthy investment for anyone who constantly finds themselves reaching for the remote to adjust volume during quiet conversations.
Setup was a breeze using the HDMI-ARC connection, which allowed our Samsung TV remote to control the soundbar’s power and volume seamlessly. The build quality is what you expect from Bose—solid, sleek, and with a low profile that sits unobtrusively under the TV. While it lacks a dedicated subwoofer, the “bass boost” feature adds a respectable amount of warmth and depth for its size, a sentiment shared by many users who were happy to avoid the clutter of a separate sub. It’s an ideal solution for bedrooms, apartments, or any space where enhanced clarity is prioritized over room-rattling power. For those who decide they want more punch later on, it’s also expandable with a Bose Bass Module.

#4 Samsung HW B400F 2.0 ch Soundbar Built-in Subwoofer – Ideal for: Seamless Samsung TV Integration on a Budget

For Samsung TV owners seeking a straightforward and affordable audio upgrade, the Samsung HW B400F 2.0 ch Soundbar Built-in Subwoofer is a natural fit. What we appreciated most during testing was its effortless integration. If you have a compatible Samsung TV, the soundbar can be controlled using your existing TV remote right out of the box, which dramatically simplifies the user experience. The wireless Bluetooth connection to the TV is also a huge plus, eliminating the need for an HDMI cable and creating a very clean, minimalist setup.
This is an all-in-one unit, meaning the subwoofer is built directly into the soundbar. While it won’t deliver the floor-shaking bass of a separate unit, we found it provided a perfectly balanced and rich low-end that is a significant improvement over tinny TV speakers. It’s more than enough for smaller rooms or apartments. The specialized sound modes are genuinely useful; the Voice Enhance mode effectively boosts dialogue clarity, and the Night Mode cleverly compresses the dynamic range so you can watch late at night without disturbing others. The Surround Sound Expansion feature does a decent job of widening the soundstage, making the audio feel larger than the bar itself. It’s a no-fuss, high-value solution for basic but substantial sound enhancement.

#5 Sonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar with Dolby Atmos – Perfect for: Premium Sound in a Compact, Smart System

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar with Dolby Atmos punches well above its weight class, delivering a remarkably rich and spacious sound from a very compact frame. During our evaluation, the Dolby Atmos processing was immediately noticeable, creating a 3D audio experience that felt expansive and immersive, especially for a bar without dedicated up-firing speakers. The sound quality is classic Sonos: balanced, detailed, and clear. Dialogue, in particular, is a strong point, cutting through even complex action scenes with precision. We found the bass to be surprisingly deep and tight for a standalone bar, providing satisfying weight to movies and music.
Where the Beam truly distinguishes itself is within the Sonos ecosystem. Setup through the Sonos app is straightforward, and it allows for Trueplay tuning, which uses your phone’s microphone to analyze the room’s acoustics and optimize the soundbar’s output accordingly. This feature made a tangible difference in our testing space. It also excels as a smart speaker and music streamer, integrating with voice assistants and virtually every streaming service imaginable. While some users have noted the app-based setup can be frustrating if connectivity issues arise, we found it to be a smooth process. It’s an excellent choice for those who value premium audio, a compact design, and the potential to build a multi-room audio system over time.

#6 Yamaha SR-C20A Compact Sound Bar with Subwoofer – Suits: Small Spaces and Desktop Setups

The Yamaha SR-C20A Compact Sound Bar with Subwoofer is a small wonder. At just under 24 inches wide, we found it to be the perfect companion for a smaller TV in a bedroom, office, or even a camper, as some users have creatively employed it. Despite its diminutive size, the sound output is robust. The built-in 3-inch subwoofer, complemented by passive radiators, delivers a surprising amount of bass that gives audio a full, warm body that TV speakers simply cannot replicate. It won’t shake the room, but it adds the necessary punch for an engaging experience.
Yamaha’s Clear Voice technology is another standout feature. In our tests, it effectively isolated and enhanced dialogue, making conversations easy to follow without having to crank up the overall volume. This is especially useful for late-night viewing. The soundbar offers multiple connection options—HDMI ARC, optical, and Bluetooth—making it versatile for various setups. While connected via HDMI ARC, it integrated well with our TV remote for volume control. Our one minor gripe, which was also mentioned by some users, is the lack of a visual display. You have to rely on indicator lights to know which mode is active, which can be a bit of a guessing game at first. However, for the price and size, the audio performance is staggering.

#7 Sony HT-S400 2.1ch Soundbar Wireless Subwoofer – Ideal for: A Powerful and Balanced All-Rounder

The Sony HT-S400 2.1ch Soundbar Wireless Subwoofer is a fantastic mid-range option that delivers a powerful, well-rounded audio experience. The star of the show is the powerful wireless subwoofer. Its large 160mm speaker unit produces deep, rich bass that adds a cinematic feel to movies and a satisfying thump to music. The wireless connection was flawless in our tests, pairing automatically upon power-up. Sony’s S-Force PRO Front Surround technology does a commendable job of creating a virtual surround sound field from just the 2.1 channels. While it’s not a true surround system, it noticeably widens the soundstage, making the audio feel more enveloping.
We found the X-Balanced speaker units in the main bar delivered clear and detailed sound across the mids and highs. Dialogue clarity was good, though some users noted that it could get slightly lost in bass-heavy action scenes, even with the voice mode engaged. Operation is simple, thanks to a compact remote and a small but very useful OLED display on the front of the soundbar that clearly shows the current input and volume level. For Sony BRAVIA TV owners, the integration is even tighter, with soundbar settings appearing directly in the TV’s quick settings menu. However, it works perfectly with any brand, including Samsung, via the simple one-cable HDMI ARC connection.

#8 Sony HT-S40R 5.1ch Home Theater Soundbar System – Perfect for: True Surround Sound Without Breaking the Bank

If you’re craving a genuine 5.1 channel surround sound experience, the Sony HT-S40R 5.1ch Home Theater Soundbar System delivers it in one convenient package. This system includes a three-channel soundbar, a powerful subwoofer, and two dedicated rear speakers that provide true surround immersion. Watching movies, we were impressed by how sound effects and ambient noises filled the room from all directions, creating the cinematic atmosphere that virtual surround systems try to emulate. With 600W of total power, this system can get plenty loud, easily filling medium to large rooms with dynamic audio.
The setup is straightforward, with color-coded connections making it easy to wire everything correctly. However, it’s crucial to understand the “wireless” aspect. The rear speakers are not individually wireless; they connect via speaker wire to a wireless amplifier box, which then communicates wirelessly with the main subwoofer unit. This eliminates the need to run wires from the front of the room to the back, but you will still have wires around your rear seating area. We found this to be a clever and effective compromise. The system offers multiple sound modes and Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming, making it a versatile hub for all your home entertainment needs.

#9 ZVOX AV157 Sound Bar Voice Boost – Suits: Maximum Dialogue Clarity and the Hearing Impaired

The ZVOX AV157 Sound Bar Voice Boost isn’t for everyone, but for its target audience, it’s a life-changer. This soundbar is engineered with one primary goal: to make voices on TV astonishingly clear. It achieves this using patented AccuVoice hearing aid technology, and in our testing, the results were remarkable. We cycled through the 12 levels of voice boost and were amazed at how it could lift dialogue out of a muddy mix of music and sound effects, making it crisp and perfectly understandable. The SuperVoice mode goes a step further by reducing background noise, further isolating speech.
This is the ideal solution for anyone who is hard of hearing or simply frustrated with modern sound mixing. As one user aptly put it, it “pulls the voices out from behind the stupidly loud mood music.” Setup is incredibly simple, requiring just a power cord and a single optical cable to the TV. The remote is thoughtfully designed with large, easy-to-read buttons. Don’t buy this expecting thunderous bass or a wide cinematic soundstage—that’s not its purpose. Buy it because you want to understand every single word without needing subtitles. On that front, it performs flawlessly.

#10 Hisense HS2100 2.1 Ch Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer – Ideal for: Excellent Value and Performance

The Hisense HS2100 2.1 Ch Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer delivers a feature set and performance that feel like they belong to a much more expensive product. We were immediately struck by the power of this system. With 240W of peak power, it easily filled our test room with loud, clear audio. The dedicated wireless subwoofer provides surprisingly deep and punchy bass, adding a satisfying low-end foundation to movies and music. The DTS Virtual:X processing is a standout feature at this price point, creating a convincing 3D surround sound effect that adds height and spaciousness to the audio.
Connectivity and ease of use are major strengths. The HDMI ARC port makes setup a one-cable affair and allows your TV remote to control volume, a feature confirmed by many users who loved the “zero setup” experience. The inclusion of six specialized EQ modes (Movie, Music, News, etc.) allows for quick audio optimization with the touch of a button on the remote. The sleek, low-profile design of the soundbar fits neatly under most TVs without issue. For anyone looking for a powerful, feature-rich soundbar and subwoofer combo that offers incredible bang for your buck, the Hisense HS2100 is an outstanding choice.

The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose The Right Product for You

Key Factors to Consider

• Channels (2.1 vs 3.1 vs 5.1): The first number indicates the number of main channels (e.g., left, right, center), and the “.1” refers to the subwoofer. A 2.1 system has left and right channels. A 3.1 adds a dedicated center channel, which dramatically improves dialogue clarity. A 5.1 system adds rear speakers for true surround sound. For Samsung TV owners who watch a lot of movies, we highly recommend at least a 3.1 system.
• Connectivity (HDMI eARC/ARC): This is the most important connection. HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) and its successor eARC (enhanced ARC) allow you to send audio from your TV to the soundbar with a single HDMI cable. It also enables you to control the soundbar’s volume with your Samsung TV remote, simplifying your setup. Always prioritize this over an optical connection.
• Subwoofer (Built-in vs. Wireless): A subwoofer is essential for feeling the low-frequency effects in movies and the bass in music. A built-in sub saves space but offers less impact. A separate wireless subwoofer provides much deeper, more powerful bass and can be placed anywhere in the room for optimal acoustics.
• Dialogue Enhancement: Many modern movies have poor sound mixing, making dialogue hard to hear. Look for soundbars with features like “Voice Adjust,” “Clear Voice,” or a dedicated center channel to ensure you catch every word.

Understanding Dolby Atmos and DTS:X

These are object-based surround sound formats that go beyond traditional channel-based audio. Instead of assigning sound to a specific speaker, they treat sounds as individual “objects” that can be placed and moved anywhere in a three-dimensional space, including overhead. This creates a much more immersive and realistic soundscape. A true Dolby Atmos soundbar, like our top pick the Polk Audio Signa S4, will have up-firing speakers that bounce sound off your ceiling to create this height effect. Other soundbars may use digital processing (virtualization) to simulate the effect.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Ignoring Measurements: Always measure the space below your TV before buying. A soundbar that is too tall can block your TV’s IR sensor, and one that is too wide can look awkward.
• Choosing Bluetooth Over HDMI ARC: While connecting via Bluetooth is convenient, it uses compression and can sometimes have latency issues (lip-sync problems). For the best audio quality and control integration, always use HDMI ARC/eARC.
• Expecting Too Much from a Small Bar: Physics still applies. A tiny, all-in-one soundbar will be a huge upgrade over TV speakers, but it will not produce the same room-filling bass and immersion as a larger system with a dedicated subwoofer. Set your expectations based on the product’s size and specifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Samsung Q-Symphony and is it a must-have feature?

Q-Symphony is a clever feature available on newer Samsung TVs and compatible Samsung soundbars. It allows the TV’s built-in speakers to work in conjunction with the soundbar’s speakers, creating a fuller, more immersive soundscape. While it’s a great enhancement, we don’t consider it a “must-have.” A high-quality soundbar from any brand will still provide a massive audio upgrade, and many, like our top pick, offer superior overall performance even without this feature.

Is it always better to pair a Samsung TV with a Samsung soundbar?

Not necessarily. While pairing them offers some integration benefits like Q-Symphony and easier setup, the most important factor is audio quality. A top-tier soundbar from a dedicated audio brand like Polk, Bose, or Sonos will often outperform a similarly priced Samsung model. The key is to ensure the soundbar supports HDMI ARC/eARC for seamless connectivity and control with your Samsung remote.

Will a soundbar from a different brand like Sonos or Bose work well with my Samsung TV?

Absolutely. As long as the soundbar has an HDMI ARC or eARC port, it will work perfectly with your Samsung TV. You’ll be able to send high-quality audio to the bar and control its volume with your TV remote, regardless of the brand. We tested models from multiple brands for this review, and all integrated smoothly.

What is the best way to connect a soundbar to a Samsung TV (HDMI eARC vs Optical)?

HDMI eARC is unequivocally the best method. It supports higher-bandwidth audio formats like Dolby Atmos, allows for two-way communication (so your TV remote can control the soundbar), and requires only one cable. An optical cable is a good fallback option if your TV is older and lacks HDMI ARC, but it has less bandwidth and does not support remote control integration (CEC).

Will my Samsung TV remote be able to control any soundbar’s volume?

Yes, if you connect the soundbar to your Samsung TV’s HDMI ARC or eARC port. This connection enables a feature called CEC (Consumer Electronics Control), which allows devices to command each other. This is the feature that lets your TV remote adjust the soundbar’s volume and power it on or off with the TV.

What are the main advantages of keeping my TV and soundbar the same brand?

The primary advantages are brand-specific features like Samsung’s Q-Symphony, potentially a more unified design aesthetic, and sometimes a slightly more streamlined setup process. However, these are often minor benefits compared to the significant jump in audio quality you might get from a specialized audio brand.

Do Samsung soundbars offer better integration with the SmartThings app?

Yes, Samsung soundbars typically offer deeper integration with the Samsung SmartThings app. This can allow for more advanced settings control, firmware updates, and inclusion in smart home routines directly from your phone. For users heavily invested in the SmartThings ecosystem, this can be a compelling reason to stick with the Samsung brand.

Conclusion: Our Final Recommendation

After thorough testing and evaluation, we confidently stand by our top choice: the Polk Audio Signa S4 TV Sound Bar with Subwoofer. It hits the sweet spot of performance, features, and value that will elevate the viewing experience for the vast majority of Samsung TV owners. It’s not just an upgrade; it’s a transformation. The inclusion of true up-firing drivers for Dolby Atmos creates a level of immersion that virtual-only systems can’t match. Combined with the crucial VoiceAdjust technology for pristine dialogue and the powerful, hassle-free wireless subwoofer for cinematic impact, the Polk Audio Signa S4 delivers a comprehensive and deeply satisfying audio experience that your Samsung TV deserves.

Last update on 2025-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API