If you don't have a lot of space in your living room, a standalone soundbar is a great option to upgrade your TV speakers. These setups are designed to offer an immersive listening experience without the need for a dedicated subwoofer or satellite speakers. Thanks to side-firing and up-firing drivers built into the bar, many all-in-one setups can play surround and Dolby Atmos content.
We've tested over 245 soundbars; below, you'll find the best soundbars without subwoofers to buy. You can see our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best small soundbars.
Our recommendations are built upon our thorough testing and rigorous reviews. Every soundbar we evaluate goes through multiple testing stages with different teams to ensure accurate, authentic results. No cherry-picked units or data.
Curious how we've tested over 200 soundbars (and counting)? Look at our How We Test Soundbars article for a behind-the-scenes look at our lab and process.
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Best All-In-One Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesDialogue/TV ShowsBuild QualityStereo Frequency Response With Preliminary CalibrationCenterMusicSee all our test resultsStereo SoundstageThe best all-in-one soundbar we've tested is the 5.1.2-channel Klipsch Flexus Core 300 with its balance of cinematic sound and modern connectivity options. This bar is a collaboration with Japanese brand Onkyo and features a free version of Dirac Live Room Correction. You get comprehensive format support, covering all major Dolby and DTS formats, as well as HDMI 2.1 connectivity with 4k passthrough at 120Hz, in case you want to use it as a hub between a console and display for gaming.
The default sound is balanced for a standalone bar, with plenty of detail in the mid and treble ranges. While it can't output as much bass as a setup with a dedicated subwoofer, it's still an impressive amount of low-end for an integrated sub, adding boom and punch to cinematic sequences. The soundstage is quite wide too, and it does a solid job of reproducing 5.1 and Atmos content, despite its lack of rear speakers. If you find yourself craving more immersive listening and low-end rumble, there's a clear upgrade path via the Klipsch Flexus Core 300 with Sub 200 + Surr 200.
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Best Mid-Range All-In-One Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesDialogue/TV ShowsBuild QualityStereo Frequency Response With Preliminary CalibrationCenterMusicSee all our test resultsStereo SoundstageThe 5.0-channel Samsung HW-S60D is our pick for best standalone soundbar in the mid-range; it's well-made and blends in with your decor without drawing too much attention to itself. That said, its stereo soundstage isn't as wide, and due to the absence of up-firing drivers, the sensation of height cues is lacking compared to the high-end Klipsch Flexus Core 300. However, the Samsung gets a bit louder at max volume and offers more manual control over the sound settings. You can use the room correction tool, which automatically adjusts the sound to suit your space's unique acoustics. Plus, a plethora of tools like graphic EQ and EQ presets, as well as dialogue and night modes, let you tweak the sound further.
With its expansive wireless connectivity, you can easily connect via Bluetooth and Chromecast, alongside Wi-Fi and more, so you can hit play on your tunes at a moment's notice without the fuss of setup. There's support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, and DTS, which works for most media, though it has to downmix Atmos content. Still, for older TV shows and stereo music, it's a nice choice that offers you a lot of control over the sound.
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Best Budget All-In-One Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesDialogue/TV ShowsBuild QualityStereo Frequency Response With Preliminary CalibrationCenterMusicSee all our test resultsStereo SoundstageThe TCL S45H is the best budget all-in-one soundbar that we've tested. It represents an upgrade to your TV's built-in speakers at a price that's easy on your wallet. While it's a 2.0-channel soundbar without a center channel, it's decently built and is compatible with Dolby Atmos content (even if it has to downmix it). The soundbar includes a surprising array of features for an affordable price, such as room correction, dialogue and night modes, alongside EQ presets and bass and treble sliders, so you can sculpt the sound to your tastes and space, even if it doesn't output much bass rumble.
It gets louder with less compression at max volume than most TV built-in speakers, and it supports Dolby Digital and DTS, too. Unlike the Samsung, however, it doesn't offer as much wireless playback compatibility, limited to just Bluetooth. While it lacks a discrete center channel for greater speech clarity, you get a few tools to enhance the dialogue, and it's a reasonable choice for watching TV shows and listening to music. For tight spaces and tight budgets, it's a great option that includes features you won't find on many soundbars under $100.
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Best Small All-In-One Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesDialogue/TV ShowsBuild QualityStereo Frequency Response With Preliminary CalibrationCenterMusicSee all our test resultsStereo SoundstageWant a smaller all-in-one soundbar without compromising on quality? Check out the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). At less than 26 inches in width, like the Samsung HW-S60D, this soundbar is a great choice for those who don't have space for a larger standalone bar. Despite its small size, the bar can still bring a wide and immersive sound, thanks to its side-firing speakers that beam sound throughout your room. Compared to the first-generation model, this version adds support for Dolby Atmos content commonly found on streaming services. Plus, support for DTS means you can watch Blu-rays too.
You'll find a selection of sound enhancement features similar to the Klipsch Flexus Core 300. Like most premium bars, there's a room correction feature, 'TruePlay,' accessed via the app on compatible iOS devices. With it on, vocals and lead instruments reproduce pretty clearly, and there's a touch of extra boom in the bass to bring action-packed scenes to life. That said, since this setup is on the smaller side, it doesn't get very loud. It brings an immersive feel with Atmos content, but it's not as life-like as what you get with the Klipsch. Still, it's a solid pick for those without a lot of space who want a premium bar.
For more recommendations that work well for speech-heavy viewing, like reality TV and dramas, check out the best soundbars for dialogue.
Notable Mentions
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Klipsch Flexus Core 200:
The Klipsch Flexus Core 200 is a straightforward soundbar that offers a good low-end extension for an all-in-one and plenty of features like EQ to tailor the sound. It has up-firing drivers to correctly deliver 3D audio formats like Atmos, which the Samsung HW-S60D lacks, but it downmixes surround sound and lacks room correction.
See our review -
Marshall Heston 120:
The Marshall Heston 120 employs the brand's iconic amplifier livery, adorning a 5.1.2 bar that features dual built-in subwoofers. It can output a solid amount of bass and comes with a 5-band EQ for dialing in adjustments. Its soundstage isn't as wide as the Klipsch Flexus Core 300, though, and it's a fair bit pricier.
See our review -
LG Sound Suite H7:
The LG Sound Suite H7 is an expandable standalone bar with a built-in subwoofer that's able to output quite a bit of low-end. It's equipped with up-firing Atmos drivers too, giving it a comparable height performance to the Klipsch Flexus Core 300. It lacks compatibility with DTS formats, though, which limits its functionality with Blu-Rays and some streaming platforms.
See our review
Recent Updates
Jun 24, 2026:
We've significantly trimmed the article to provide clearer buying guidance. Several picks mentioned as alternatives were removed, and we retired our gaming pick as our top pick supports HDMI 2.1 video passthrough and works for gaming just as well.
Mar 27, 2026:
We've swapped out the Sonos Arc Ultra as the top pick and replaced it with the Klipsch Flexus Core 300. The Arc Ultra is still mentioned in the text as a comparison. We've also revamped the Notable Mentions, adding the Marshall Heston and the newly tested LG Sound Suite H7.
Dec 18, 2025:
The Klipsch Flexus Core 300 is our new Best Integrated Sub pick for its strong performance and broad set of connectivity options. We also added the KEF XIO to our Notable Mentions for anyone who'd prefer a more stylish, if expensive, all-in-one bar. Finally, we removed the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus from our Notable Mentions.
Aug 04, 2025:
This article's format has been updated without any changes to the picks, with minor adjustments to the text. The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 8 is mentioned as an alternative to the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9, and the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus was added to the Notable Mentions. Discontinued and out-of-stock soundbars were removed from the Notable Mentions.
Feb 26, 2025:
We added the Klipsch Flexus Core 200 as a Notable Mention. Otherwise, the picks are unchanged, and we've checked the text for accuracy with only minor edits.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best all-in-one soundbars and the best soundbars without subwoofer add-ons for most people to buy. We factor in the price (a cheaper soundbar wins over a pricier one if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no soundbars that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our standalone soundbar reviews. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. No soundbar is perfect. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.