The 4 Best 5.1 Soundbars - Fall 2024

The Samsung HW-Q800D is the best 5.1 soundbar that we've tested. This premium bar offers a well-balanced sound out of the box with enough low-end rumble for action-packed scenes and bassy tracks. At the same time, dialogue and instruments are clear and easy to follow. If you need a bit more control over the bar's sound, there's an EQ, presets, and even room correction, which optimizes the bar's audio based on your room's unique acoustics. 

This bar can get loud enough to fill a large room with sound. It also has support for common audio formats. If you watch many movies on streaming platforms, you've likely come across 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and object-based formats like Dolby Atmos, and the bar plays back both with ease.

That said, if there's any critique, it's in its surround performance. It relies on side-firing speakers on the bar to create a phantom surround sound, which doesn't feel as real or clear as a discrete setup. If that's important to you, you'll want to consider the Vizio Elevate instead, which comes with dedicated satellites and has a better overall soundstage. The Vizio isn't as customizable, though.

The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 is the best 5.1 soundbar we've tested in the mid-range. This 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar brings a balanced sound right out of the box, making it suitable for all sorts of audio content. Notably, voices and lead instruments reproduce clearly, and it's easy to follow along with dialogue in your favorite movies and TV shows. Plus, the sub brings all the rumble and punch for those action-packed scenes, just like at the movie theater.

This soundbar supports many audio formats, like Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos. Its satellites bring a clear and real feel to sound effects in the mix. Unlike the Samsung HW-Q800D, it also has discrete satellites to help create a more immersive surround experience. The trade-off, however, is that it lacks room correction and only support Bluetooth for wireless playback, which can be a bummer if you use Apple AirPlay or Spotify Connect to cast your audio in your home.

Vizio dominates the 5.1 market, especially if you're looking for something a bit more affordable. Compared to other bars at this price point, the Vizio M Series M51ax-J6 shines thanks to its included satellites, which bring a more life-like feel to immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital. You can position these satellites around your couch so sound effects feel like they're taking place around you. This soundbar even comes with many of the same customization features as more premium models from the manufacturer, so you can adjust its bass and treble levels to get the best possible sound.

Out of the box, this soundbar's even and balanced sound makes it suitable for many different types of audio content. Dialogue is clear and easy to follow, and there's plenty of rumble in the bass for genres like EDM and hip-hop. That said, given the price gap, there are some differences between this bar and the more premium Vizio M Series M512a-H6. Notably, this bar's fabric coverings seem more prone to ripping or tearing over time, giving it a less sleek feel. Its soundstage performance isn't as good either, so you don't get the same sense of sound stretching around your room. Still, it's worth a look if you're on a tighter budget.

The best budget 5.1 soundbar we've tested is the Vizio V Series V51-H6. It's one of the few 5.1 soundbars available at this price point and offers a great price-to-performance ratio overall. It's also tricky to find it in stock, but if you're lucky, its satellite speakers are a real draw compared to similarly-priced models since they greatly improve the surround sound experience. Plug them in to enjoy a more clear and real feel with sound effects so you feel like you're in the middle of the action on screen. You have to wire them into the subwoofer to get them to work, though, which can be inconvenient depending on the setup of your living room.

Compared to the Vizio M Series M51ax-J6, this soundbar offers many of the same sound enhancement features. Its bass and treble are adjustable, so you have some control over how the bar sounds. The main difference between these two setups is Dolby Atmos support—while the M Series can playback height content, the V Series can't. Atmos is common on both streaming platforms and Blu-rays, so if you want to take advantage of this immersive audio format, you'll want to opt for the M Series. However, if you aren't an Atmos fan, you may find that the V Series is the better value pick overall.