The 8 Best Soundbars With Subwoofer - Spring 2024 Reviews

The best soundbar with a subwoofer we've tested is the Samsung HW-Q990C. This premium 11.1.4 setup is the next generation of the Samsung HW-Q990B and comes with a large, powerful subwoofer to bring all the thump and rumble in the bass range. This model offers a better bass performance than its predecessor, as the sound is more even and controlled out-of-the-box, ensuring that vocals and other instruments remain clear in the mix while you listen to your favorite tunes. Since the bar is super customizable in terms of sound, you can adjust the amount of bass with its graphic EQ and other presets.

This top-of-the-line soundbar shines with everything from movies to music to TV shows. Immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos are supported on this bar, and its satellites help spread sound effects to the space all around you for a clear and real feel. Its stereo soundstage isn't as impressive as other premium models, like the Sonos Ultimate Immersive Set with Arc and the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module. These are good options, especially if you already own products in those manufacturers' respective ecosystems. However, the Sonos and the Bose don't have as many sound customization tools, which isn't ideal for everyone.

If you're nearly sold on the Samsung but want something newer, you'll have to check back once we've tested the 2024 Samsung HW-Q990D; we'll update this article then!

If you're looking for a premium bar with a subwoofer at a more affordable price, check out the Samsung HW-Q930C. This 9.1.4 setup also comes with a subwoofer that packs a punch, so you feel all the thump and rumble in intense movie scenes and bass-heavy music. As with its more premium cousin, there are lots of sound enhancement features to make the most of its performance. You can use the 7-band graphic EQ to amp up the bass or its room correction tool to optimize its sound based on your room's unique acoustics. Built-in Alexa is on hand if you prefer hands-free control, too. It seems it's only available from the manufacturer's website and Best Buy in the US.

While this soundbar comes with two fewer surround channels than the Samsung HW-Q990C, it still offers a clear and immersive sound with lots of different audio content. It especially shines with multi-channel content like Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos, which you'll find on most streaming platforms and Blu-rays. Audio stretches into the space all around you thanks to its two discrete satellite speakers, so you feel like the action is happening right in your room. It doesn't get quite as loud as its more premium cousin, and there's some compression in the bass and treble when you push it to max volume. Still, for the price, it's a stand-out choice that may be worth the value depending on your needs.

Wallet-conscious shoppers can also look at another more affordable option, the Vizio Elevate. This setup is a great choice for listening to many different types of audio content. Like most Vizio soundbars, its dedicated subwoofer can reproduce a deep, thumpy low bass, ensuring you feel all the rumble in action-heavy movies or bass-heavy music genres. There's already some extra emphasis in the bass right out of the box, and you can use its bass adjustment feature to add more if you like. Unlike the Samsung HW-Q930C, you have to wire the satellites to the sub to get them to work, which isn't ideal for every living area.

The Vizio stands out from the crowd thanks to its unique design, with sides that automatically rotate upwards when you watch Dolby Atmos or DTS:X height content. It's a tool that brings more width and dimension to its soundstage, giving you the sense that audio is coming from all around you. You can also turn this feature on when you watch other kinds of content, like Dolby Digital. Its rear satellites bring a more immersive feel, meaning sound effects seem clear and real in the space around you. This soundbar offers a stand-out performance for the price, and it's worth a look if you want a bar with a subwoofer.

The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 is an alternative to the Vizio Elevate that's available for less. It's a 5.1.2 setup that comes with two rear speakers in addition to a dedicated sub. Like the top-of-the-line models, it brings plenty of thump and rumble in the bass, so you feel the excitement in everything from bass-heavy music to more intense movie scenes. It has the same enhancement features as the Elevate, including bass and subwoofer level adjustment features, letting you control how much rumble you feel. Dialogue remains clear and present in the mix, too, so overall, it's a versatile choice suitable for all sorts of audio content.

If you watch lots of movies, especially on different streaming platforms, this bar's a good choice for you, too. It supports surround sound formats like Dolby Digital in addition to Dolby Atmos. The resulting sound is fairly immersive, especially with its satellites on hand to bring sound effects to the space around you, as if you were in the middle of the action. It doesn't feel as clear or real as what you get with our top picks. You also won't find rotating sides like the Vizio Elevate, and its satellites don't have up-firing drivers for Atmos content, either. As a result, you don't feel as much height in the soundstage, which is especially noticeable in scenes where objects fly over your head. For the price, it's a good value, but it's not the best of the best.

If you're looking for a solid bar in the budget range, check out the Vizio V Series V51-H6, the best soundbar with a subwoofer in the budget category we've tested. Its dedicated subwoofer brings plenty of thump and rumble in the low bass, so you feel the excitement in bass-heavy genres like EDM and intense scenes in your favorite movies. You can use its bass and subwoofer level adjustments to customize its sound if you prefer a little more boom. Its mid-range remains quite balanced, too, so you don't have any trouble following the action on your screen, even with its punchy bass.

This soundbar stands out from other similarly-priced models thanks to the included rear satellites. These two speakers are a handy add-on, especially if you like to watch a lot of multi-channel content found on many different streaming platforms. Essentially, they bring greater clarity to your audio, so sound effects seem more real in the space around you, as if your favorite movies were taking place in your living room. That said, like most bars in its price range, it doesn't enable you to take advantage of more immersive formats like Dolby Atmos, which is unfortunate. However, if you don't watch much Atmos content, it's still a solid option for bass lovers at a wallet-friendly price.

Not everyone has space in their living room for a dedicated subwoofer. In these cases, bars with built-in subwoofers offer a great alternative. The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar MAX is the best one we've tested, and it's one of the few bars with a built-in sub that can reproduce a similar low-frequency extension to the top models on our list. You feel the deep thump and rumble in your seat, whether listening to bass-heavy music or action-packed movie scenes. Simply bump up the bass using the included bass adjustment feature to ensure you hear these frequencies at the same volume as others.

This soundbar supports many commonly used audio formats, including Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos. Thanks to its unique 3D virtual surround mode, sound comes from over and around you, replicating the experience you get from systems with wireless speakers. That said, it's a large and heavy soundbar, which may not be ideal depending on the setup of your living space. If you want a more compact soundbar with a solid bass performance, check out the Sonos Arc or the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar. Neither of these bars replicates a low-frequency extension as impressive as the Sennheiser, but they still bring a solid amount of bass for standalone bars.

Depending on the shape and size of your living room, you may prefer a smaller and more compact soundbar like the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). At less than 26 inches in width, this soundbar easily fits into your existing setup. It keeps the same style as the original Sonos Beam, but the second generation adds support for Dolby Atmos content that you're likely to find on many different streaming platforms and Blu-rays. Despite its small size, the bar uses psychoacoustic principles to stretch sound well past the edges of the bar itself, so you feel as immersed in your audio as you would with some of the larger options on the market.

While the bar is available on its own, adding the Sub Mini dramatically improves its bass reproduction. The small subwoofer packs a punch in the bass range, so you feel the thump and rumble in action-packed movie scenes and bass-heavy music genres. Plus, the subwoofer levels are adjustable, so you can add even more punch to the bass if you like. As with the larger Sonos Arc, you can access a room correction feature called Trueplay, which optimizes the bar's output based on your room's unique acoustics. That said, this setup doesn't get as loud as the larger models, and more astute audiophiles will recognize that it doesn't reproduce as much height with Atmos content. Still, it's a solid pick if you're low on space.

Similarly, if you have a larger and more open living space, you'll want a soundbar capable of filling the room with sound. In that case, the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 eARC is your best bet. It's a unique 9.2.4 setup with two subwoofers and four satellites to bring an immersive sound to your living room. The extra sub balances the bass reproduction throughout your room, so you don't notice any 'holes' or gaps in the soundstage, while the added satellites bring sound effects all around your room for a clear and life-like feel. Whether you're listening to surround sound or height content like Atmos, you feel right in the middle of the action on the screen.

This bar is the upgraded version of the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch with additional features, including eARC support, meaning you can enjoy DTS:X content on your favorite Blu-rays. However, sound enhancement features are limited compared to top picks like the Samsung HW-Q990C. It doesn't offer a true room correction feature either, as it doesn't have a microphone to analyze your living space. That said, its unique Spatial Surround Elevation technology lets you choose between three different sound presets based on the size of your room, which is a nice touch. This setup's hefty design isn't ideal for all living spaces, and you may not have room for the extra sub and satellites. Still, it's a solid choice if you have a unique shape in your listening area.