Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Sound bars give you a huge upgrade in sound quality over your TV's built-in speakers. With a sound bar connected, you'll hear dialogue better, movies and games will have more impact, and you can even use it to stream music. A sound bar lets you have big sound without taking up a lot of space in your room.
Shop Crutchfield's entire collection of sound bars: crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/g_316150/Sound-Bars.html
We've compiled our list of top picks for 2026 using a non-scientific formula consisting of our in-house experience, plus Crutchfield customer reviews. We've tried our best to come up with recommendations for sound bars to fit some different uses.
*Here's our list of top sound bars for 2026:*
1. Best budget sound bar: Yamaha SR-B20A crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_022SRB20A/Yamaha-SR-B20A.html
2. Best for small rooms: Polk MagniFi Mini AX crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_107MAGMNAX/Polk-Audio-MagniFi-Mini-AX.html
3. Best for music lovers: Sonos Arc Ultra crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_616ARCULTW/Sonos-Arc-Ultra-White.html
4. Best for big rooms: Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_018SMUSBBK/Bose-Smart-Ultra-Soundbar-Black.html
5. Best with wireless surrounds: JBL Bar 1300XMK2 crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_109B130MK2/JBL-Bar-1300XMK2.html
6. Best-sounding: Sennheiser AMBEO Max crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_143AMBEOSB/Sennheiser-AMBEO-Soundbar-Max.html
7. Best bass in a standalone sound bar: KEF XIO crutchfield.com/p_991XIOSBBK/KEF-XIO-Slate-Black.html
8: Best for Dolby Atmos: Yamaha True X Surround 90A crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_022SR90AB/Yamaha-True-X-Surround-90A.html
Read our in-depth article on crutchfield.com: crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/learn/best-sound-bars.html
*Skip to video section:*
0:00 Quick & easy TV sound upgrade
0:26 Yamaha SR-B20A
1:20 Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX
1:52 Sonos Arc Ultra
2:33 Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
3:19 JBL Bar 1300XMK2
4:00 Sennheiser AMBEO Max
4:53 KEF XIO
5:32 Yamaha True X Surround 90A
6:22 Outro
Crutchfield, America's trusted electronics specialist since 1974, has award-winning customer service, free lifetime tech support, and free shipping on most orders. Shop for all your audio and video needs at Crutchfield.com and sign up for the catalog and email newsletter at crutchfield.com
Read articles, in-depth reviews, how-to guides, and watch videos at crutchfield.com/Learn
See more home and car electronics videos on our channel: youtube.com/user/crutchfieldtv
_12 reasons to buy from Crutchfield: crutchfield.com/about/valueprops.aspx_
Sound bars give you a huge upgrade in sound quality over your TV's built-in speakers. With a sound bar connected, you'll hear dialogue better, movies and games will have more impact, and you can even use it to stream music. A sound bar lets you have big sound without taking up a lot of space in your room.
Shop Crutchfield's entire collection of sound bars: crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/g_316150/Sound-Bars.html
We've compiled our list of top picks for 2026 using a non-scientific formula consisting of our in-house experience, plus Crutchfield customer reviews. We've tried our best to come up with recommendations for sound bars to fit some different uses.
*Here's our list of top sound bars for 2026:*
1. Best budget sound bar: Yamaha SR-B20A crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_022SRB20A/Yamaha-SR-B20A.html
2. Best for small rooms: Polk MagniFi Mini AX crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_107MAGMNAX/Polk-Audio-MagniFi-Mini-AX.html
3. Best for music lovers: Sonos Arc Ultra crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_616ARCULTW/Sonos-Arc-Ultra-White.html
4. Best for big rooms: Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_018SMUSBBK/Bose-Smart-Ultra-Soundbar-Black.html
5. Best with wireless surrounds: JBL Bar 1300XMK2 crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_109B130MK2/JBL-Bar-1300XMK2.html
6. Best-sounding: Sennheiser AMBEO Max crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_143AMBEOSB/Sennheiser-AMBEO-Soundbar-Max.html
7. Best bass in a standalone sound bar: KEF XIO crutchfield.com/p_991XIOSBBK/KEF-XIO-Slate-Black.html
8: Best for Dolby Atmos: Yamaha True X Surround 90A crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/p_022SR90AB/Yamaha-True-X-Surround-90A.html
Read our in-depth article on crutchfield.com: crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc36P/learn/best-sound-bars.html
*Skip to video section:*
0:00 Quick & easy TV sound upgrade
0:26 Yamaha SR-B20A
1:20 Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX
1:52 Sonos Arc Ultra
2:33 Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar
3:19 JBL Bar 1300XMK2
4:00 Sennheiser AMBEO Max
4:53 KEF XIO
5:32 Yamaha True X Surround 90A
6:22 Outro
Crutchfield, America's trusted electronics specialist since 1974, has award-winning customer service, free lifetime tech support, and free shipping on most orders. Shop for all your audio and video needs at Crutchfield.com and sign up for the catalog and email newsletter at crutchfield.com
Read articles, in-depth reviews, how-to guides, and watch videos at crutchfield.com/Learn
See more home and car electronics videos on our channel: youtube.com/user/crutchfieldtv
_12 reasons to buy from Crutchfield: crutchfield.com/about/valueprops.aspx_
