Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars 2023
With all streaming services that support 4K and several HDR formats that offer most new LED and OLED TVs, now focus on improving the audio experience.
All streaming services support different forms of the surround sound, 5.1 is the standard, but that is old-fashioned these days.
What is Dolby Atmos?
The new surround sound format is Dolby Atmos, which adds two additional loudspeakers, which means that the noises as three-dimensional objects can be interpreted in a much more natural way.
Dolby Atmos usually has two channels in the front height, but you can also add more advanced systems to the rear.
Which streaming services do Dolby Atmos support?
Netflix currently has either Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 or Dolby Atmos. Apple TV can carry out PCM multichannel (up to 7.1), Dolby Digital 5.1 or stereo.
Disney+ plans to bring things to the next stage by adding IMAX Signature Sound of DTS to select Marvel films and more in 2023.
The IMAX signature sound has a vague description that says that it enables an increased end-to-end experience that is specially calibrated to offer fans at home pictures and sound with IMAX quality.
However, the DTS that underpins this technology are well established. DTS has a wide range of technologies that rise on DTS-HD Master Audio, which supports a practically unlimited number of surround sound channels and loss-free 24-bit audio by 192 kHz.
How do you enjoy all of these unusual sound formats without investing in an excessive complex (and expensive) multi-speaker and AV receiver?
Surround Sound soundbars
Fortunately, there are a growing number of soundbars that support many of these advanced sound formats.
Different brands achieve this in different ways. Some companies have committed loudspeakers and a subwoofer, while others contain all speakers within the soundbar. Most of them will try to virtualize the environment in any way. It is not as effective as seven (or more) loudspeakers and subwoofer woofers that were cast in your house, but it is much more comfortable.
The price of these sound bars can be expensive for the best performance, but they are a worthwhile investment if you have spent a lot of money on a large television and want to have a high -quality home theater experience.
The best surround sound bars with Dolby Atmos & more
James at Mighty Gadget has put together a list of the best surround sound bars on the market.
Sonos Beam Gen 2 – £ 425
The Beam Gen 2 is probably one of the best half -requested options that support Dolby Atmos. However, you have to combine it with tail loudspeakers if you want to really enjoy the surround sound experience.
Beam Gen 2 supports Stereo -PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Truehd, Dolby Atmos (both Digital+ and TrueHD versions), MultiChannel PCM and Dolby Multichannel PCM. The decoding for DTS Digital Surround will be later, but there will be no DTS: X.
The beam has a single earphone connection with which it can receive the audio formats with the highest quality.
Samsung HW-Q800B-5.1.2 Channel £ 749
The Samsung HW-Q800B is not exactly cheap, but one of the cheapest options that claim to support the complete surround sound with Dolby Atmos. The loudspeaker configuration is 5.1.2 and you have Dolby Atmos and DTS: X.
Similar to the Sonos beam, there is a single HDMI ports.
There is also the Samsung HW-Q930B, price for £ 949. This is the next model. The main advantage is that you receive two dedicated rear channels with two high -ranking and four side fire speakers. This claims to have a 9.1.4 channel sound that should give you a sense of height from the rear channels.
LG Soundbar S80QR – 5.1.3 Channel – £ 999
The LG S80QR has a strange surround sound design with a channel arrangement of 5.1.3. The soundbar sits at the front, which has three channels off. The Central Upwards Channel is a world for Soundbars for the first time.
It is then combined with dedicated rear loudspeakers who have a special recipient, which then connects wirelessly to the soundbar.
This supports Dolby Atmos and DTS: X to reproduce the 3D effect of sound from above. It then has Dolby Truehd, DTS-HD Master Audio and more that cover almost every need. It is also certified for IMAX Enhanced that offer LG states of deeper bass and more dynamic sound for sound channels.
This then has two HDMI connections, one with EARC and an input for another device. Unfortunately, the HDMI input is not HDMI 2.1, so the soundbar does not support 4K at 120 Hz on its entrance connection.
Sony HT-A7000-7.1.2 Channel £ 1099
This is an all-in-one soundbar that claims to do 7.1.2. It has two high -resolution loudspeakers, two beams and five front speakers. There is also a built-in dual subwoofer for additional bass.
Sony calls her virtual spatiality sound 360, which is a technology similar to the spatial sound that is used on the PS5.
You can update this system for better performance. There is an optional SA-SW3 or SA-SW5 subwoofer. Then you have the optional SA-RS3S or SA-RS5S-wireless rear speakers.
Sound Support includes Dolby Atmos, DTS: X, Dolby Truehd, DTS HD Master Audio and many more.
There are two HDMI connections. Both are HDMI 2.1, with an ear level. This means that you can use the input sport for a PS5, Xbox series X or Gaming -PC and enjoy 4K 120 Hz.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus – 7.1.4 – £ 1299
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus is the only all-in-one channel soundbar on the market. If you don’t want the inconveniences of several loudspeakers and a subwoofer, this is the best way to enjoy Surround -Sound formats.
Since everything is in one, the surround sound is virtualized, but very effective. You may not be able to precisely determine the exact place of the sound, but it is impressive how the sound seems to get you from several directions.
You can also expand the system with every subwoofer with the RCA -out or the dedicated wireless Sennheiser -Sub.
The audio compatibility includes Atmos, DTS: X and more.
This has three HDMI connections, but only the Earc connection is HDMI 2.1; The other two are HDMI 2.0A, therefore not compatible with 4k 120 Hz.
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Max is also considered. It has a superior loudspeaker design with a total of 13 speakers, but only an HDMI connection that supports Earc. It has been out for a few years, but it is your flagship product and is accordingly £ 1800.
Samsung HW-Q990B Soundbar-11.1.4 Channel £ 1299
The Samsung HW-Q990B is the same price as the Sennheiser Ambo Plus, but is a different approach.
You have the soundbar, two dedicated backs and a subwoofer. There are a total of 22 speakers plus the wireless sub, which enables a channel sound of 11.1.4. You would try to do this with separate!
Basically, it is an improved HW-Q930B. The rear loudspeakers are the same design with two high -resolution and four side fire speakers. The soundbar then has the usual left, middle and the right speaker. Then two high -resolution loudspeakers. It then improves the surround sound performance with two side firefighters and two angled speakers who claim to guide the sound from the side of your hearing position.
Sound Support includes Atmos, Dolby Mat, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby True HD.
You have three HDMI connections. An HDMI 2.1 -Earc, but the other two lacks no support for 4K 120 Hz and variable update rate.