The 6 Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars - Winter 2020
Reviews

The Samsung HW-Q90R is the best Dolby Atmos soundbar we've tested so far. This 7.1.4 solidly-built setup comes with the main soundbar itself, a subwoofer, and two satellite speakers to be positioned behind you. Although the satellite speakers do need a power source, they're connected to the soundbar wirelessly for a cleaner setup. Samsung even included wall-mounting brackets and screws in the package. The soundbar provides a variety of inputs, including 4k HDMI passthrough, HDMI ARC, and optical. If you just want to listen to music or a podcast, you can stream wirelessly through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

On the whole, this setup sounds great. It has excellent bass extension to give you that rumble and thump, while still maintaining a fairly neutral sound profile, suitable for every type of content. If it doesn't suit you, there's an EQ for further customization. The up-firing speakers do a decent job of creating a sense of height in Dolby Atmos content but don't sound as real as dedicated down-firing speakers.

If you want the most immersive Dolby Atmos experience you can get in a 7.1 soundbar setup or simply an upgrade from your TV's integrated speakers, this soundbar is worth checking out.

The best standalone Dolby Atmos Soundbar we've tested so far is the Sennheiser AMBEO soundbar. It has a unique design with 13 speakers integrated into the soundbar itself, which makes its size rather large and its positioning quite difficult. That said, if you have the room for it, this soundbar's 3D audio mode offers an immersive experience. It has a good build quality and the fabric covering the speakers can be removed for cleaning. This soundbar has an amazing amount of connectivity options, including Bluetooth support and built-in Chromecast.

The overall sound signature with the Ambeo mode disabled is disappointing. Though the mids and treble are neutral, it lacks a lot of bass, which results in a very bright sound. However, there are a few customization options available, such as room correction, dialogue enhancement, as well as a parametric EQ. When Ambeo mode is enabled, the soundbar offers great immersion and gives a good impression of height in Dolby Atmos content, though it still sounds diffused and not as real as dedicated down-firing speakers.

All in all, if you prefer standalone soundbars without a dedicated subwoofer, this one is the best so far.

The LG SL10YG is a decent soundbar but has poor Dolby Atmos performance. Its default sound profile is pretty good overall, with overemphasized bass and treble that can make music sound more exciting, but isn't ideal for TV shows. It feels very well-made, though, with a premium design and a couple of different customization features.

This soundbar has an overall great bass performance and will be able to recreate the deep thump and rumble from bass thanks to its dedicated wireless subwoofer. It also performs quite well at its max volume, but the bar seems to be limited when it comes to volume output, as it performs noticeably quieter than other models we've reviewed. Some people might also hear a bit of distortion on higher frequencies when pushing the bar to its limits. However, we don't expect people to use the max volume with real-life content, so this shouldn't be an issue for most.

Also, this soundbar has a V-shaped sound profile, with overemphasized bass and treble ranges. Some people may prefer this exciting sound signature, but it won't be the best for a more neutral or accurate listening. The sound profile also changes drastically with Atmos content: the bass seems lower than usual and there's a lot of detail missing in the treble range. On the upside, this soundbar seems to often be on sale, so it could be worth considering if you can find it at a good price, but note it won't be as good for Atmos content as the Samsung HW-Q90R or even the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar.