Gear to Get Better Sound From Your TV
We’ve updated this list with our latest picks.
If you just brought home a new TV, you’ve probably noticed that it sounds nowhere near as good as it looks. Whether you’re putting a TV in the living room or assembling a dedicated home theater, our AV reviews team has spent thousands of hours testing and listening to the best-sounding speakers, receivers, and soundbars to make your listening experience the best it can be.
Simple options for better TV sound
TV speakers universally sound terrible. Upgrade your audio with a soundbar, stereo speakers, or headphones if you don’t have room for surround sound.
Soundbars
Soundbars combine multiple speakers into one body that can sit in front of your TV or hang on the wall underneath it.
Despite being simple, small, and affordable, the MagniFi Mini AX outperforms many larger, more complicated competitors.
The Best Soundbar
Despite being simple, small, and affordable, the MagniFi Mini AX outperforms many larger, more complicated competitors.
Vizio’s M-Series Elevate uses dedicated surround speakers and upward-firing speakers to produce more immersive sound from Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks.
The Best Soundbar
Vizio’s M-Series Elevate uses dedicated surround speakers and upward-firing speakers to produce more immersive sound from Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks.
The Yamaha SR-C30A sounds much more natural than most inexpensive soundbars, even if it can’t match the volume and envelopment of more expensive models.
The Best Soundbar
The Yamaha SR-C30A sounds much more natural than most inexpensive soundbars, even if it can’t match the volume and envelopment of more expensive models.
The S95QR includes a powerful subwoofer, surround speakers, five upward-firing Atmos speakers, and lots of inputs and audio streaming options.
The Best Soundbar
The S95QR includes a powerful subwoofer, surround speakers, five upward-firing Atmos speakers, and lots of inputs and audio streaming options.
Wireless headphones for TV
If you don’t want to disturb the person sitting next to you or sleeping in the same room, TV headphones are for you.
The NS-HAWHP2 over-ear headphones are comfortable, with no audio lag and solid sound. The transmitter doubles as a charging base, but the system supports only a single pair of headphones.
The Best Wireless TV Headphones
The NS-HAWHP2 over-ear headphones are comfortable, with no audio lag and solid sound. The transmitter doubles as a charging base, but the system supports only a single pair of headphones.
The HP-902RFT comes with two pairs of headphones and produces no audio lag. But it lacks a recharging base, and you have to purchase a separate AC adapter.
The Best Wireless TV Headphones
The HP-902RFT comes with two pairs of headphones and produces no audio lag. But it lacks a recharging base, and you have to purchase a separate AC adapter.
Stereo speaker systems
Although not as sleek and convenient as a soundbar, the combination of a good bookshelf speaker pair and a stereo amplifier or receiver can elevate both your TV watching and music listening.
The Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets we’ve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass.
The Best Bookshelf Speakers for Most Stereos
The Borea BR03 is one of the best bookshelf speaker sets we’ve heard, with extraordinary clarity and spaciousness plus plenty of bass.
The 3020i speakers deliver great detail and a wide soundstage, and their design and build quality are fantastic—but they don’t offer as much bass as our top pick.
The Best Bookshelf Speakers for Most Stereos
The 3020i speakers deliver great detail and a wide soundstage, and their design and build quality are fantastic—but they don’t offer as much bass as our top pick.
Powered speakers omit the need for an amplifier, and the S1000MKII delivers best-in-class sound, looks nice, and comes with useful features such as built-in Bluetooth, bass and treble controls, and a remote.
The Best Bookshelf Speakers for Most Stereos
Powered speakers omit the need for an amplifier, and the S1000MKII delivers best-in-class sound, looks nice, and comes with useful features such as built-in Bluetooth, bass and treble controls, and a remote.
The STR-DH190 handles phono, Bluetooth, and more, and it delivers a lot of power for its price.
The Best Stereo Amplifiers and Receivers Under $300
The STR-DH190 handles phono, Bluetooth, and more, and it delivers a lot of power for its price.
This integrated amplifier has three different digital inputs, an analog input, a separate phono input, Bluetooth connectivity, and a subwoofer output. But its distinctive appearance may not appeal to everyone.
The Best Stereo Amplifiers and Receivers Under $300
This integrated amplifier has three different digital inputs, an analog input, a separate phono input, Bluetooth connectivity, and a subwoofer output. But its distinctive appearance may not appeal to everyone.
This stereo integrated amp adds Wi-Fi streaming to deliver better sound than you can get over Bluetooth, plus an optical digital and HDMI ARC port to connect to a TV.
The Best Stereo Amplifiers and Receivers Under $300
This stereo integrated amp adds Wi-Fi streaming to deliver better sound than you can get over Bluetooth, plus an optical digital and HDMI ARC port to connect to a TV.
Home Bluetooth speakers
Even a single tabletop speaker can sound better than the puny speakers in your TV. Connect one of these speakers to the TV wirelessly via Bluetooth (but beware of audio lag) or through the analog audio jack.
Klipsch’s compact The One Plus has a lot of power for its size and produces a clear, room-filling sound. The only thing missing is a play/pause button.
The Best Home Bluetooth Speaker
Klipsch’s compact The One Plus has a lot of power for its size and produces a clear, room-filling sound. The only thing missing is a play/pause button.
The Högtalare has a big, full sound and a minimalist but stylish design—though its shape may look out of place next to a TV.
The Best Home Bluetooth Speaker
The Högtalare has a big, full sound and a minimalist but stylish design—though its shape may look out of place next to a TV.
This speaker offers more bass and higher max volume for the ultimate action-movie experience, and it can connect to almost anything.
The Best Home Bluetooth Speaker
This speaker offers more bass and higher max volume for the ultimate action-movie experience, and it can connect to almost anything.
The B03 wirelessly transmits your TV’s audio signal to a Bluetooth speaker. This one is easy to use and offers the lowest latency of any transmitter we’ve tested.
The Best Bluetooth Transmitters for Home and Portable Use
The B03 wirelessly transmits your TV’s audio signal to a Bluetooth speaker. This one is easy to use and offers the lowest latency of any transmitter we’ve tested.
For true surround sound
The most immersive audio experience from your movies and TV shows comes from a surround-sound speaker system.
AV receiver
An AV receiver is the glue that holds together a surround-sound setup. Not only does it power the speakers and connect to your TV, but it also handles input switching for everything from gaming consoles to turntables, all through one device.
The AVR-X1800H is a great-sounding, easy-to-use, 7.1-channel receiver that has enough features to satisfy movie fans and gamers alike.
The Best AV Receivers for Most People
The AVR-X1800H is a great-sounding, easy-to-use, 7.1-channel receiver that has enough features to satisfy movie fans and gamers alike.
The Denon AVR-X3800H is a great pick for the home-cinema enthusiast thanks to its better room correction, variety of amplified channels, and host of advanced features—but it represents a big step up in price.
The Best AV Receivers for Most People
The Denon AVR-X3800H is a great pick for the home-cinema enthusiast thanks to its better room correction, variety of amplified channels, and host of advanced features—but it represents a big step up in price.
The Denon AVR-S570BT is simple to set up and use, and it’s a solid choice if you just want to put together a good 5.1-channel speaker system.
The Best AV Receivers for Most People
The Denon AVR-S570BT is simple to set up and use, and it’s a solid choice if you just want to put together a good 5.1-channel speaker system.
Surround-sound speakers
Along with a great AV receiver, surround-sound speakers and a subwoofer can turn a room into a home theater.
Polk’s ES15 bookshelf speakers sound great, look cool, and are surprisingly affordable. You can pair them with the smaller ES10 surround and ES30 center speaker.
The Best Surround-Sound Systems Under $2,500
Polk’s ES15 bookshelf speakers sound great, look cool, and are surprisingly affordable. You can pair them with the smaller ES10 surround and ES30 center speaker.
The B6.2 bookshelf speaker has a powerful sound, and a matching Dolby Atmos add-on module is available. But it’s bulky and not very attractive. Pair with the B5.2 if you need something smaller, or with the matching center C5.2.
The Best Surround-Sound Systems Under $2,500
The B6.2 bookshelf speaker has a powerful sound, and a matching Dolby Atmos add-on module is available. But it’s bulky and not very attractive. Pair with the B5.2 if you need something smaller, or with the matching center C5.2.
The Monolith by Monoprice THX-265B is bulky and plain-looking, but it plays movies at commercial-cinema volume and has an upward-firing Atmos speaker built in. Pair with Monoprice’s THX-365C.
The Best Surround-Sound Systems Under $2,500
The Monolith by Monoprice THX-265B is bulky and plain-looking, but it plays movies at commercial-cinema volume and has an upward-firing Atmos speaker built in. Pair with Monoprice’s THX-365C.
High-performance subwoofers
Bring your home audio system to the next level with a good subwoofer. These picks deliver excellent performance without breaking the bank.
This 10-inch subwoofer offers an ideal blend of bass power and finesse in a compact package, but you can buy it only directly from the manufacturer.
The Best Subwoofer
This 10-inch subwoofer offers an ideal blend of bass power and finesse in a compact package, but you can buy it only directly from the manufacturer.
This model delivers the best performance we’ve heard or measured from a subwoofer at this price, but its design leaves a lot to be desired.
The Best Subwoofer
This model delivers the best performance we’ve heard or measured from a subwoofer at this price, but its design leaves a lot to be desired.
The VTF-2 MK5 is large and powerful, and it offers more tuning options to tailor the sound to your taste and room.
The Best Subwoofer
The VTF-2 MK5 is large and powerful, and it offers more tuning options to tailor the sound to your taste and room.
If you need high performance but don’t have space for a big subwoofer, the SB-1000 is a great choice.
The Best Subwoofer
If you need high performance but don’t have space for a big subwoofer, the SB-1000 is a great choice.
