Dolby Atmos is an object-based audio format that allows audio engineers to encode positional and panning information of sound objects (like a car or plane) within a three-dimensional bubble. The largest benefit of using the format is that creators can place objects vertically, so sounds like helicopters seem more like they're coming from above you (if you have a soundbar with up-firing drivers). Even without height channels, products can still take advantage of the format by decoding information about listener-level objects like a panning car at ground level, and output audio suited to its channel configuration and layout rather than reproducing strict channel-specific output. As you'd expect, the best soundbar entries have up-firing drivers and discrete satellites to take advantage of the format and provide a more immersive listening experience.
We've tested 250 soundbars, and below, you'll find the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to buy. See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best soundbars for music, and the best soundbars for movies.
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 Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesStereo Frequency ResponseSurround 5.1Height (Atmos)See all our test resultsChannels11.1.4The best Dolby Atmos soundbar we've tested is the Samsung HW-Q990F. While you might have expected the newest Samsung HW-Q990H, we found the F-model provides better value as an all-rounder despite the omission of the Samsung's latest features available on the H-model, like Sound Elevation (which reproduces dialogue elevated vertically at the cost of its horizontal precision).
This premium 11.1.4-channel system features discrete satellites and 4 up-firing drivers for enhanced immersion. Thanks to its discrete satellites, sound effects spread around your living room, so the action onscreen feels like it surrounds you. Its sub also brings plenty of bassy thump and rumble, which is great for intense, action-packed scenes. Dialogue is clear in the mix, so it's easy to follow along with the conversation on screen. The bar and sats also feature up-firing drivers meant to bounce audio off your ceiling to enhance your sense of height. This soundbar also features a wide gamut of features, including room correction, which optimizes the audio reproduction based on your room's unique acoustics.
If you're looking to save more cash (and you can find it in stock), the older Samsung HW-Q990D may be your answer. Although the HW-Q990D model's sub gets louder and outputs more rumble, it's more prone to rattling than the HW-Q990F's sealed subwoofer.
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Best Mid-Range Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesStereo Frequency ResponseSurround 5.1Height (Atmos)See all our test resultsChannels7.1.4If you want a great Dolby Atmos soundbar at a more affordable price, check out the JBL Bar 1000MK2. Despite having fewer surround channels than our top pick, it still provides immersive playback with height content for Atmos content. The JBL stands apart from other products on the list thanks to its battery-powered satellites; with their fully wireless design, you don't need to worry about power outlet locations and speaker placement, though acoustics are still affected by speaker placement. Dialogue is easy to follow in the mix, and thanks to its 10-inch driver subwoofer, there's plenty of rumble in the bass during intense movie scenes.
This soundbar has many of the same sound enhancement features as the Samsung HW-Q990F, like room correction. Plus, there's a 7-band graphic EQ on hand if you want to make some tweaks. That said, it has less flexible HDMI In connectivity; it can't passthrough 4k @ 120Hz video and has higher audio latency across most connections, making it a less optimal choice for use with a gaming console.
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Best Lower Mid-Range Atmos Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesStereo Frequency ResponseSurround 5.1Height (Atmos)See all our test resultsChannels7.1.4The best Atmos soundbar we've tested in the lower mid-range is the TCL Q85H. Despite coming in at a lower price than the JBL, this 7.1.4 soundbar still performs comparably well for Atmos content. That said, it's a bit more pared back when it comes to refinements out of the box compared to the JBL, with a more closed-off, muffled sound in its center and surround channels. Still, the four up-firing drivers, distributed to the bar and satellites, can handle front-to-back panning of overhead objects, making the bar one of the most immersive options in this tier.
Like more premium bars, the TCL can tune the bar to your space with its room correction tool, AI Sonic. Meanwhile, its HDMI In capability offers flexibility in how you set up your home theater devices. However, if you also use your soundbar for music playback, wireless connectivity is limited to Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay 2.
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Best Budget Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesStereo Frequency ResponseSurround 5.1Height (Atmos)See all our test resultsChannels5.1.4Scoping out a soundbar equipped with not only Dolby Atmos compatibility, but the up-firing drivers to play it back properly doesn't have to burn a hole in your wallet with the Hisense AX5140Q, the best budget Atmos soundbar we've tested. The 5.1.4 configuration means you have four up-firing drivers for reproducing height effects behind and in front of you, which often isn't the case with inexpensive bars. It has two fewer surround channels at five, missing the extra two side-firing channels on the main bar compared to the TCL Q85H, which narrows the soundstage a little.
Regardless, the soundbar renders Atmos content all around you with height effect extending about a foot and a half above the height of the bar. You also get plenty of tools, like Surround modes and EQ. The Atmos playback is relatively quiet by default, but since you can change the levels of channels independently (including height channels), it's possible to emphasize Atmos in the mix manually. Besides offering a solid performance with object-based audio, the soundbar is kitted out with extensive audio format support, though it's limited to Bluetooth for wireless connections. While we haven't tested it, the Hisense AX700 (a Costco-exclusive variant) appears to have similar capabilities, though with a lower total system power, which likely throttles its performance and bass output at higher volumes.
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Best Small Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Mixed UsageMoviesStereo Frequency ResponseSurround 5.1Height (Atmos)See all our test resultsChannels3.0.2Whether you live in a small apartment or have a cramped living space, a more compact soundbar is a great way to enhance your Atmos experience without taking up a lot of room. The best small product we've tested for Atmos is the Bose Smart Soundbar, a premium soundbar that measures less than 28 inches in width. The trim and sleek design helps it fit under narrower TVs or on smaller tables, so you can enjoy your favorite Atmos movies and TV shows without needing a larger soundbar or satellite speakers. The bar also comes with built-in Alexa support.
Despite its small size, the bar does a passable job of creating a sense of height using its up-firing drivers. Of course, the sound doesn't feel as immersive as a larger set-up, but side-to-side movements are easy to track, and the audio has a palpable sense of vertical height. Sounds tend to feel like they're in front and above you rather than around you, but that's to be expected given the lack of satellites. If you're more of a music listener and are willing to sacrifice dedicated up-firing drivers for a bigger stereo soundstage, you might prefer the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). The Sonos creates a wider soundstage than the Bose, which is especially impressive given it's less than 26 inches wide, and it also supports Dolby Atmos.
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Best Atmos Soundbar For Large Rooms
Mixed UsageMoviesStereo Frequency ResponseSurround 5.1Height (Atmos)See all our test resultsChannels11.2.6The shape and size of your living room impact how you perceive sound. If you have a larger, more open living room, you're in luck: some options on the market are designed to spread sound evenly throughout your space to bring that cinematic feel to every corner of your living room. The Nakamichi Shockwafe Wireless is the best we've tested. Its unique design offers two subwoofers and two large satellites. The additional subwoofer ensures an even bass reproduction throughout your space, without any "holes" in the soundstage to take away from the immersive feel. Similarly, the larger satellites spread sound effects throughout your room for a cinematic feel.
You won't find a traditional room correction feature like the one on the Samsung HW-Q990F since there's no microphone to measure your room's unique acoustics. Still, you can use its more complex room calibration feature by plugging in your room dimensions. There are also advanced features like crossover adjustment, outer and inner surround levels, and per-channel output adjustments. If you have a big space to fill with sound, it's a solid pick.
Notable Mentions
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Klipsch Flexus Core 300:
The Klipsch Flexus Core 300 is a standalone soundbar that can reproduce a very extended low bass thanks to its integrated subwoofers. However, it's quite expensive for just a standalone bar when compared to the Samsung HW-Q990F.
See our review -
LG Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro:
The LG Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro is a soundbar system with four sats and a sub. It features Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, which allows you to place the sats where you like and still get an optimized Dolby Atmos experience. That said, it lacks HDMI In connectivity and has a higher audio latency than our top pick, making it less viable for Dolby Atmos gaming.
See our review -
Sonos Ultimate Immersive Set with Arc Ultra:
The Sonos Ultimate Immersive Set with Arc Ultra is a solid replacement for the Samsung HW-Q990F, especially if you already have Sonos speakers (which you can add as satellites to the standalone Sonos Arc Ultra). It has a wider stereo soundstage, but
doesn't have as many customization tools as the Samsung model.
See our review
Recent Updates
Aug 10, 2026:
We've updated the intro to explain the Dolby Atmos format in more detail. We also switched our large room pick to the Nakamichi Shockwafe Wireless due to its high channel count and max loudness.
Apr 30, 2026:
We've replaced the Samsung HW-Q930D with the JBL Bar 1000MK2 as our mid-range pick and mentioned newer products like the Samsung HW-Q990H and LG Immersive Quad Suite 7 Pro in various sections of the article.
Jan 22, 2026:
The out-of-stock Hisense AX5125H was replaced with the Hisense AQ5140Q for the budget pick, and the 'Best Soundstage' pick was removed to tighten up the article's intent.
Nov 27, 2025:
We've updated our review for accuracy, and added mentions of the Klipsch Flexus Core 300, Samsung HW-Q800F, and removed the Sony HT-A9 with Bass Module due to limited availability.
Aug 15, 2025:
We've updated our top pick from the Samsung HW-Q990D to the Samsung HW-Q990F, as its redesigned subwoofer sidesteps rattling and chuffing issues. We've also checked the availability and pricing of our picks to ensure they're positioned correctly.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best soundbars 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'd like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our reviews of soundbars sorted by their Atmos performance. 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.