Streaming speakers to up your sound
A good soundbar will enhance the sound profile of your TV and consolidate the number of boxes on your TV cabinet. Voice assistants, music streaming and even video streaming are features you can expect from the best soundbars out there. Soundbars of good quality don’t cost an arm and a leg anymore, either, with prices starting around $130.
It’s worth noting that there are considerable differences between a smart soundbar and a smart TV. Smart TVs come with onboard streaming apps. On the other hand, a smart soundbar usually means the speaker has an onboard voice assistant — usually either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. The main exceptions here are the Roku Streambar and Streambar Pro (previously the Smart Soundbar), which do have streaming apps and an optional always-on assistant.
Of course, all soundbars work with most TVs, regardless of whether either device is smart or not. But if you’re looking for an all-in-one streaming speaker and voice assistant, we hereby offer three of the best models CNET has tested.
BEST SMART SOUNDBAR: ROKU STREAMBAR
The compact Roku Streambar plugs into your TV’s HDMI ARC port and works as a 4K streamer and a soundbar.
We’ve found the Streambar easy to set up, and it sounds good for the size, particularly with dialogue. To make the soundbar truly smart, the $30 Voice Remote Pro adds an always-on voice assistant that’s
handy for finding new shows, and even the remote itself.
Pros
Compact and easy to set up.
Affordable.
Excellent dialogue reproduction.
Tried-and-true Roku experience.
Cons
Lacks bass in movies and music.
BEST SMART SOUNDBAR AND SUB COMBO: YAMAHA YAS-209
The Yamaha YAS-209 offers excellent sound quality in a compact soundbar with Amazon Alexa voice control built-in. The mics work well in loud environments and you can use them when you’re streaming music.
The soundbar offers DTS Virtual:X surround sound processing and a wireless subwoofer. The YAS-209 doesn’t use the company’s MusicCast system, though, so you can’t sync up with other Yamaha speakers. It’s currently on sale for $159.
Pros
Excellent sound in a compact size.
Amazon Alexa onboard.
DTS Virtual:X.
Articulate subwoofer.
Cons
No onscreen display.
BEST SINGLE BAR WITH DOLBY ATMOS:
SONOS ARC
The Sonos Arc is the grown-up version of Sonos’ Beam and offers a number of upgrades for the extra cash.
The first is the use of dedicated, upfiring Dolby Atmos speakers, which gives it an edge in movies, and the second is more drivers and a bigger cabinet for better bass performance. Otherwise this is another great Sonos offering with the choice of voice assistants and the best music streaming ecosystem.
Pros
Excellent sound for everything from Dolby Atmos movies to jazz piano.
All-in-one unit doesn’t need a subwoofer.
Feature-packed including voice assistant and multiroom music.
Cons
Single HDMI eARC port limits Atmos. More expensive than other single-bar competitors.
No Bluetooth streaming.