MAN WALKS INTO A BAR

Or at least, the sound placement makes him think he does. Here’s our pick of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to enhance your immersive viewing

As we always advise when it comes to buying a new TV, the addition of a separate sound system such as a soundbar is sure to enhance your viewing experience. For all of the wonderful advances in television technology, it seems that audio performance continues to be shackled by the placement, size and type of the speakers within the set itself. Of course there are limitations to the quality of amplifiers that can be used in such slim TV designs too. A good soundbar fixes all that, delivering a combination of detail, dynamics and punch few TVs, regardless of price, can even approach. Then there’s the current welcome trend towards Dolby Atmos adoption, which makes watching an appropriately encoded film or TV programme so much more immersive an experience. Essentially, Dolby Atmos allows sound mixers to create a far more expansive and atmospheric soundfield that simply pulls the watcher into the action. All of the soundbars included in this t est have impressed with their Atmos delivery, from the budget Sony HT-G700 we kick off with, via the impressive Sonos Arc, to Sennheiser’s stunning but pricey Ambeo Soundbar. Some employ an additional subwoofer to add low-end punch, while others prioritise a compact form and try to do the job in just a single unit. There’s more to factor in when choosing a soundbar, of course, such as the number and t ype of connections, Bluetooth connectivity and placement of your soundbar. Will you wall-mount the bar or place it directly beneath your TV? In the latter case you’ll want to make sure it’s small enough not to obscure your screen. Whatever your Atmos soundbar needs, though, there’s something for everyone here. Read on to find out more.