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The thing about the best TVs in the world is that they look stunning, but sound average at best and woeful at worst. That’s why you need one of the best soundbars in Australia.
These sleek, long speakers are designed to bounce sound off walls and the ceiling to create an immersive, surround sound experience, without necessarily requiring you to run cables through your walls.
To help you choose the right soundbar for your home, we’ve tested a range of models and done research through leading review sites to come up with this list of the seven best models currently available in Australia.
We’ll even help you get them for the best price.
These are the best soundbars in Australia right now:
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Recommended by 6/10 review sites
The second generation of the Sonos Beam is a compact unit balancing price and performance.
The big change over the first generation device is the addition of Dolby Atmos support. Despite not offering dedicated upwards drivers like some other soundbars, this compact beast can deliver punchy audio that fully immerses you in your entertainment.
Sonos has a long history of wireless audio excellence, and here it means you can easily pair the Beam with a Sonos Sub or smaller speakers to create a complete home cinema without having to run cables through the walls.
With its compact footprint, this is ideal for apartments or smaller family rooms.
Sonos Arc
Recommended by 6/10 review sites
The current flagship of the Sonos soundbar lineup, the Arc offers powerful audio performance out of the box.
Like the Beam Gen 2, the Sonos Arc can seamlessly connect into your home’s Sonos wireless ecosystem to stream music, while a single HDMI port will connect to your TV for your video entertainment needs.
On the specs front the Arc offers 11 Class-D amplifiers, 8 woofers and 3 tweeters inside its long, thin body.
It uses intelligent software to help create that immersive sound, with Sonos’ Trueplay functionality letting you optimise the audio for the speaker’s placement and the individual room it’s in. It’s worth flagging that Trueplay is iOS only, though.
Samsung HW-Q990C
Recommended by 6/10 review sites
Samsung’s flagship 2023 soundbar is designed to perfectly compliment its 2023 TV lineup, but it will work just as well no matter what TV you have.
What you get is an impressively balanced surround sound system. It comes with both a subwoofer and two wireless satellite speakers (they still need power), creating an immersive 11.1.4 channel surround sound.
The HW-Q990C supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, so no matter the source your audio is going to sound fantastic.
Crisp dialogue, immersive explosions and effects and plenty of distortion-free volume make this an easy choice for anyone owning a Samsung TV, and a solid choice for everyone else.
Sony HT-A7000
Recommended by 4/10 review sites
Sony is an audio company first and foremost, so it’s no surprise it has some skin in the game when it comes to exceptional soundbars.
The HT-A7000 is sleek and immersive. It effortlessly offers Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support out of the box, and is capable of delivering 7.1.2 channel surround sound with its up-firing speakers, side beam tweeters, and a built-in dual subwoofer.
It will support optional rear Sony speakers for a wider surround environment as well, though the sophisticated placement of its speakers and software means it does a pretty solid job all on its own.
It also offers dual HDMI inputs, adding to the versatility and helping ensure it’s future-proofed.
Sonos Ray
Recommended by 3/10 review sites
Sonos launched the Ray back in 2022 as a way to help introduce homes to its audio prowess at a more affordable price.
The Ray is a compact soundbar, just 557 mm wide, but it still packs a punch. It can seamlessly integrate into a more comprehensive Sonos surround system, but is the only current Sonos soundbar that doesn’t offer support for Dolby Atmos.
Setup is quick and painless, and being a Sonos product comes with a range of easy music streaming options.
If you can afford it it’s definitely worth opting for the Beam 2, but the Ray is still an admirable product for a more affordable (but not quite cheap) price
LG S95QR
Recommended by 3/10 review sites
Like the Samsung above, LG’s S95QR soundbar is more of a whole home theatre system than a mere soundbar. It comes with a subwoofer and satellite speakers in the box, creating a full 9.1.5-channel Dolby Atmos in moments.
The soundbar itself is sleek and wall-mountable, with two HDMI inputs that support 4K 60fps, a must for anyone with a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.
Sound quality is solid, in no small part thanks to its partnership with British audio company Meridian, though the wireless integration with the subwoofer and satellite speakers doesn’t deliver the kind of balance you might expect from a setup at this price.
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
Recommended by 3/10 review sites
Bose is a brand with a large fanbase, which you only get by creating great products. Those products typically have a premium price though.
The Smart Ultra soundbar is the company’s top of the line soundbar, offering Dolby Atmos support, built in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control and the ability to add a Bose subwoofer and satellite speakers.
With immersive surround sound that sounds great at all volumes, clear, detailed speech and impressive music playback, the Bose Smart Ultra soundbar is a great option for kitting out your loungeroom with premium audio.
How we chose the best soundbars in Australia
Review sites – including this one – are subjective by nature. Everybody has a different opinion of what is best.
So to try and counter the fact that every best guide on the internet has a different opinion of what is best, we approached our list by combining the results of some of the top sites recommending soundbars in Australia today.
To determine this list, we followed the same journey most consumers would follow: we went to Google.
We searched for “Best soundbars in Australia” and identified 10 of the top results. Note that Google results change often, so we outlined the full list of sites referenced below:
Referenced sites:
We listed out all of the soundbars listed on each site, tidying up any slight differences in spelling for consistency.
We calculated the frequency in which each product was mentioned across those 10 guides. The more frequently a product is mentioned, the more agreement there is between experts reviewing these products that it is, indeed one of the best products available.
We set a minimum of three mentions across all 10 guides to be eligible for inclusion here. This means that at least 30% of the sites surveyed recommend each product.
Before we created this page we took some time to remove products that are either unavailable, or difficult to find in Australia.
We also leveraged our own experience with products to ensure that we wouldn’t be recommending any product that doesn’t deliver.
What to look for when choosing a new soundbar
There’s no single best product for everybody, and the choices above may not be right for you. But if you’re looking to buy a new soundbar, this is what you need to consider:
Sound quality
The single most important factor to consider when buying a soundbar is the sound quality. A good soundbar should offer clear, balanced audio with good bass.
It should also be able to handle a wide range of frequencies without distortion. Look for soundbars with multiple speakers or channels inside the bar itself, as these models can provide more immersive audio.
Size and design
Size and design matter, especially if you’re planning to place the soundbar in a specific spot in your living room.
Measure the space where you plan to put it and ensure the soundbar fits perfectly. If you want to wall mount it, make sure it can be wall mounted at the right height.
Additionally, you will want the design to complement your TV and the overall aesthetics of your room.
Connectivity
Check the connectivity options of the soundbar. It should have at least one HDMI input for the best sound quality, but other connections like optical, USB, and 3.5mm auxiliary inputs can be useful too.
If you have a newer games console, you’ll want that HDMI port to support 4K 60fps video so you can get the most from your gaming.
Also, consider if you want a soundbar with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for streaming music from your devices.
Surround sound capabilities
If you’re a movie buff or a gamer, you might want a soundbar with surround sound capabilities. This means the soundbar can create a sound that seems to come from all around you, not just from the front.
Some soundbars come with additional satellite speakers to create a true surround sound experience.
Most of the best soundbars in Australia support Dolby Atmos, which immerses you in directional sound. It’s worth having if you can afford it.
Smart Features
Some soundbars come with smart features like voice control (Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa usually), app control, and more. This can help you better control your home theatre setup without needing a remote.
Budget
Soundbars come in a wide range of prices, from budget to high-end. Determine your budget first, then look for the best soundbar within your price range. Remember, the most expensive soundbar isn’t necessarily the best one for you.
Update history
- 28 February 2024 – First Published
