10 Best Soundbars With Hdmi Input 2026 in the United States

The Arc Ultra Soundbar by Sonos is designed to elevate your audio experience, especially for home theater setups. One of its standout features is the impressive 9.1.4 surround sound capability powered by Dolby Atmos, creating a spatial audio experience that places sound all around you. This makes it particularly appealing for those who enjoy movies and music with immersive sound. The soundbar also boasts a sleek, elegant design that blends well with most home decors, ensuring it enhances rather than detracts from your space.

Another strength is its versatility in connectivity. With HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay 2, it easily integrates with various devices, allowing for hassle-free streaming and control using your TV remote or voice commands through Alexa and Sonos Voice Control. The Trueplay feature helps you fine-tune the audio based on your room's acoustics, ensuring you get the best sound quality possible.

However, there are some drawbacks to consider. While the soundbar performs excellently on its own, truly maximizing its potential often requires additional purchases, such as the Sonos Sub and Era 300 rear speakers for a full surround sound experience. This could be a bit of a turn-off for budget-conscious consumers. Moreover, the soundbar is not waterproof, which means it needs to be placed in a safe environment away from potential spills or moisture.

The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 is a powerful soundbar designed to bring a cinematic surround sound experience into your home. Featuring 13 speakers and support for advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, it delivers rich, immersive sound that fills the room and enhances movies, games, and music. Its 360 Spatial Sound Mapping and room optimization technology adjust audio to your specific space, creating a clear and balanced listening experience.

For connections, it includes HDMI 2.1 input, which is ideal for modern TVs and gaming consoles, ensuring smooth, high-quality audio and video signals. Wireless streaming options such as Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi make it easy to play music from your phone or other devices without extra cables.

In terms of design, the soundbar is large (about 51 inches wide) and weighs just over 12 pounds, making it suitable for medium to large TVs and living rooms. It can be mounted on a wall or placed on a table, offering flexible setup options. The included remote control and simple setup process enhance user-friendliness. While the base model does not include additional wireless subwoofers or rear speakers, these can be added for deeper bass or full surround sound if desired. This soundbar is ideal for users seeking a high-quality home theater experience with clear, layered sound and modern connectivity options, especially those with larger rooms and TVs who enjoy movies, gaming, and music streaming.

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a compact soundbar designed to enhance your TV and music experience with clear dialogue, deep bass, and a roomy, surround sound feel thanks to Dolby Atmos technology. Its 2.0 channel setup may not have separate rear speakers, but the soundstage feels immersive for most living rooms. With HDMI input and support for streaming via Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2, and Ethernet, it offers flexible ways to connect to your devices. Setup is straightforward, requiring just two cables and using the Sonos app for easy control and sound tuning.

The design is sleek and small, fitting well on shelves or TV stands. You can also expand the system later with other Sonos speakers for true surround sound or multiroom audio. However, it does not include a dedicated subwoofer, so very deep bass might feel less powerful compared to systems that do. Its single power level and absence of water resistance mean it’s best suited for indoor home use.

If you want a stylish, user-friendly soundbar with good sound quality and modern features that integrates well with smart home setups, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a solid choice. It focuses on balanced sound and convenience rather than booming bass or multiple audio channels.