Best soundbars

Start here: Samsung HW-Q990F. A full 11.1.4 setup with subwoofer and rear speakers — the most convincing surround for films and big TV nights, and the best-reviewed of the bunch. If you want one box and no clutter, the Sonos Arc Ultra is the pick: superb dialogue and music, and it grows with a Sonos sub later.

• Yamaha True X Bar 50A — small rooms and tight budgets; Dolby Atmos without the fuss.
• JBL Bar 300 MK2 — a simple, well-liked upgrade for a bedroom or second TV.
• Samsung HW-Q600F — Atmos with a real subwoofer, a step up from a basic bar.
• JBL Bar 700 MK2 — detachable rear speakers when you can't run wires.
• Sennheiser AMBEO Plus — the most cinematic single bar for a large room.
• KEF XIO — music-first listeners who want hi-fi sound over movie effects.

Skip the no-name 3.1.2 bar: its ratings are the weakest here.