The best Black Friday soundbar deals, chosen by our reviewers and experts

If you've snagged yourself a Sonos soundbar like the Arc, Beam or even splashed out for the Arc Ultra, then did you know you can also connect the Sonos Era 100, pictured above, as a rear speaker for a more immersive sound?

What's useful is that the Era 100 has had its price dropped to $199 at Amazon in the US and down to £178.98 at Amazon in the UK.

Sonos Era 100 speaker: was $249.99 now $199.99 at Amazon
Sonos Era 100 speaker: was £249.99 now £178.98 at Amazon

Looking for a decent soundbar for under $50? Amazon has a Black Friday deal on the Majority Naga 60, now just $46. That’s an incredible price for a soundbar that we said had “plenty of volume on tap” in our Majority Naga 60 review.

It’s not just volume that the Naga 60 has to offer; it’s also surprisingly good-sounding with music. A 3D audio option gives the sound some extra spaciousness, though it’s nowhere near as good as what you’ll get with the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. But hey, this soundbar only costs $46, the same price as a cheap set of earbuds, so Amazon’s Black Friday deal is one worth checking out.

Majority Naga 60 soundbar deal: was $54.95 now $46.11 at Amazon

Hi all, this is Reviews Writer Harry Padoan back again to highlight some of the best Black Friday soundbar deals around. For my first trick, I present to you the Roku Streambar SE, which is incredibly cheap for Black Friday. That's right, this mini soundbar can be yours for just $69 – that's more than 30% off! It's worth noting that this deal is for US folk only, however.

This soundbar is ideal for those of you working with limited space, clocking in at just 9.6 inches wide (around 243mm). And something to love here is that the Roku Streambar SE doubles up as a streaming device. It packs in 4K HDR streaming alongside access to all of your favorite apps, including: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. So, if you want a super-cheap, compact soundbar, look no further than the Roku Streambar SE!

Roku Streambar SE US deal: was $99.99 was $69 at Amazon

Hey Black Friday shoppers! Home Entertainment editor Al Griffin here with a deal tip. Bose’s Smart Soundbar 600 is now $399 at Crutchfield. That’s $100 off its initial cost and a solid deal on the ‘best compact Dolby Atmos’ choice in our best soundbars guide.

In my Bose Smart Soundbar 600 review, I said, “It may be small, and not that expensive, but the 600 sounds both bigger and better than one would expect.” I liked the 600 so much that I ended up recommending it to friends, and they’ve been thrilled with it.

While still available, the Smart Soundbar 600 is being phased out for a newer model, the Bose Smart Soundbar, which has a Personal Surround Sound feature that gives you enhanced immersion when used with Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (sold separately). Both soundbars are priced at $399, so the Smart Soundbar would be an obvious choice if you want to take advantage of Personal Surround Sound.

Bose Smart Soundbar 600 US deal: was $499 now $399 at Crutchfield

Bose Smart Soundbar US deal: was $499 now $399 at Amazon

Bose Smart Soundbar UK deal: was £499 now £399 at Amazon

If you want to score a saving on an excellent soundbar and don’t mind getting a pre-loved sound system – either one that’s second-hand or has been refurbished – have you tried eBay? Hamish Hector here, TechRadar’s senior news writer, checking in this Black Friday to remind you that you don’t always have to go for something new.

Second-hand systems can be hit or miss as you have to trust they’re still in great condition, but certified refurbished units – sometimes from the original brand themselves – can be a fantastic bargain. They’re like-new and come at a fraction of the cost – with Black Friday codes and coupons sometimes knocking even more off. I upgraded to a full Sonos sound system earlier this year thanks to some eBay deals for less than half the full-price I would have paid, and I’m so glad I did.

If you’re rocking a Sonos soundbar – or just bought one – then you might want to enhance it with a Sonos subwoofer, especially if you’re opted for the Sonos Beam Gen 2. It’s great, but doesn’t offer the same bass support as the Arc.

You can go for the full-on Sonos Sub Mini, which is $679 at Best Buy and £675.48 at Amazon, or if you opt for the cheaper and still worthwhile Sonos Sub Mini. It’s $343 at Amazon in the US, or £320.93 at Amazon in the UK. It’s perfect for people with limited space and offers a solid performance for the price – especially with these great deals!

Next up, here's one for those that want to add some low-end power to their TV set-up at an ultra-low price. The Ultimea Nova S50 pairs a mini soundbar with a chunkier-sized subwoofer and offers virtual Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC connectivity and a dedicated gaming mode. Not bad for less than $100 / £100!

If you're an audiophile, or someone who's generally picky on sound, you may find the Ultimea Nova S50 to have slightly unimpressive audio quality. But if you're just interested in adding a bit of expansiveness for movie night, it could be a good fit for you. The included sub offers fairly meaty bass, which really elevates movie sound effects and scores, with HDMI eARC connectivity enabling a super-easy setup process. At $30 / £50 off, you're getting great value for a 2.1 channel soundbar and sub double act.

Ultimea Nova S50 US deal: was $119.99 now $89.99
Ultimea Nova S50 UK deal: was £149.99 now £99.99

If you've bought a new soundbar, why not look at a TV upgrade while you're at it? One of our top deals today is on the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED. It's got solid picture quality, a good set of gaming features and Fire TV as its smart TV interface.

The 55-inch model has fallen to $419.99 at Amazon in the US and £419.99 at Amazon in the UK too - superb value. But, the Omni could do with a sound upgrade, so what better place to pair your new soundbar?

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED 55-inch US deal: was $599.99 now $419.99 at Amazon
Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED 55-inch US deal: was £749.99 now £419.99 at Amazon

So you've bought a soundbar to add to your TV, but how about completing your home theater setup with a4K Blu-ray player? There's none better than the Panasonic DP-UB820. It has excellent picture reproduction, as well as Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.

There's deal in both the US, where it's hit $399.99 at Amazon and in the UK where it's hit £299 at Amazon. It's excellent value even at full price, so jump on this deal while you can.

Panasonic DP-UB820 US deal: was $497.99 now $399.99 at AmazonPanasonic DP-UB820 UK deal: was £349 now £299 at Amazon

If you're looking for a soundbar that can do a bit of everything, then the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) could be for you. Its versatile sound makes it great for movies, with good Dolby Atmos reproduction and music, thanks to its spacious but hefty sound.

In the US, the Sonos Beam has had its price slashed to $369 at Amazon and in the UK, it's fallen to £331.43 at Amazon, close to the cheapest we've ever seen it.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbar US deal: was $449 now $369 at Amazon
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbar UK deal: was £449 now £331.43 at Amazon

If you're looking for a straightforward budget soundbar, then you can't wrong with the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar. While it may be light on features, it does what it needs to by delivering clear dialogue and a good sense of spatial sound as well.

It's fallen to its cheapest ever price of $89.99 at Amazon in the US and it's also hit its lowest ever price in the UK, falling to £99 at Amazon. If you're looking for a cheap, basic soundbar, you can't really go wrong with the Fire TV Soundbar.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar US deal: was $119.99 now $89.99 at Amazon
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar UK deal: was £119 now £99 at Amazon

Our favorite budget Dolby Atmos soundbar is the Hisense AX5125H, because it delivers great power and an immersive, dynamic sound with 'real' Dolby Atmos effects (thanks to its separate units) at an extremely affordable price.

For Black Friday, the Hisense AX5125H has hit $249.99 at Amazon in the US and £249 at Currys in the UK – a return to their lowest ever prices in each area.

Hisense AX5125H Dolby Atmos soundbar US deal: was $499.99 now $249.99 at Amazon
Hisense AX5125H Dolby Atmos soundbar UK deal: was £449 now £249 at Currys

When buying a new soundbar, you might notice that some of them have optional speech enhancement modes. Some will be a whole sound mode called something like "Dialogue", while other might just have a "Speech Boost" mode or something like that.

These modes emphasize the parts of the audio frequency range that are most likely to include speech – around the upper mid-range. But this affects the overall balance of the sound, usually reducing bass, and generally dragging the whole sound profile 'higher', and leaving the sound less deep and impactful.

That's no problem at all when watching the news, but is a bit of a shame in movies. But if it helps you understand what's going on better, then it's probably worth it.

This could be tempting if you're willing to take a gamble. An Amazon US seller is offering the Samsung HW-Q990D elite Dolby Atmos surround soundbar system for $1,199 in a bundle with an Apple TV 4K.

Other retailers are selling the soundbar alone for $1,499, so there's no argument about the value here. The question is whether you're willing to with a third-party seller. I generally keep all my prices here to official deals fulfilled by the retailers themselves, but if you want a potential mega-bargain, you can take a look here.

Samsung HW-Q990D & Apple TV 4K 64GB: was $1,728 now $1,199 at Amazon

I've added more information about our top-rated soundbars to the start of this guide, with the latest deals prices for them, to help you decide which may be right for you.

This is Reviews Writer Harry Padoan back again with an alarmingly good soundbar deal on the Ultimea Poseidon D50. If you want to experience the wonders of surround sound, but you're on a tight budget, this soundbar system could be a great option for you. Given that it's a 5.1 channel soundbar, the Ultimea Poseidon D50 was already extremely low-priced, but this Black Friday it's available for 25% less in the US and a jaw-dropping 41% off in the UK.

I personally reviewed the Ultimea Poseidon D50 and found that it offered impressively expansive surround sound, despite omitting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support. The Poseidon D50 packs in a mini soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers, which is sure to add a new layer of immersion to movie night.

It's also super easy to setup and has Bluetooth connectivity, allowing it to double up as a music-playing companion. At less than $100 / £100, you're gonna struggle to find a cheaper surround sound system, so make sure to snap this deal up before it's too late!

Ultimea Poseidon D50 US deal: was $119.99 now $89 at Amazon
Ultimea Poseidon D50 UK deal: was £169.99 now £99.99

The big, powerful Dolby Atmos soundbar surround system deal to beat in the US remains the LG S95TR for $999 – a five-star soundbar according to our review!

And in the UK, it's the Samsung HW-Q990D for £999 at Peter Tyson, which is another five-star surround system, and was crowned as Soundbar of the Year at the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024.

LG S95TR US deal: was $1,499 now $999 at Best Buy
Samsung HW-Q990D UK deal: was £1,699 now £999 at AO.com

Hi everyone, this is Harry Padoan, Reviews Writer here at TechRadar with a top-drawer Black Friday deal for you. on the Sony HT-S2000 Having personally tested this soundbar, I can vouch for its excellent, expansive audio output, awesome Dolby Atmos effects and pleasingly compact design.

The Sony HT-S2000 is a standalone, 3.1 channel soundbar and although you can purchase a compatible subwoofer and rear speakers separately – it performs fantastically well on its own. You get crisp vocal clarity, room-filling virtual surround sound and impressive verticality. That's not to mention its stylish, diminutive build, which makes it the perfect addition to any TV setup.

Right now, you can grab this soundbar for less than $300 at Amazon US and £300 with Currys in the UK, meaning you're scoring over $100 / £100 off overall – don't miss out on incredible savings!

Sony HT-S2000 US deal: was $499.99 now $298 at Amazon
Sony HT-S2000 UK deal: was £399 now £299 at Currys

I've checked all the prices on this page, ready for your Black Friday spree…

Good morning, Black Friday home theater fans! The day is here at last, at least in the UK and on the Eastern Seaboard. I'm going to dig into today's deals and update this page with any price changes, or juicy new offers.

That's it from me for now at least. We'll be back tomorrow on Black Friday itself with more soundbar deals for you to browse, but in the meantime you can continue to check out the discounts we've shared on this page!

This is Reviews Writer Harry Padoan here with a fantastic Black Friday deal for those of you in the UK. Do you want to level up from standalone TV audio but you're on a super-tight budget? Well, great news, the Panasonic SC-HTB100 is on sale now for just £63.36 – that's more than 20% off!

This standalone soundbar is adept at drawing out vocals, meaning you'll be able to easily understand dialogue – no need to rewind for a second listen or go to the trouble of turning subtitles on. On top of that, it's super easy to set up, thanks to HDMI ARC connectivity and has three different sound modes: Movie; Music; and News. There are no fancy features like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, but if you want an effective, ultra-cheap soundbar, this is an absolute steal.

Panasonic SC-HTB100 deal: was £79.99 now £63.36 at Amazon

OK, so you really want to elevate movie night, but you're on a tight budget. Fear not, the LG S60TR has you covered. This soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers combo is now just $199.99 which is $100 less than usual. That's astonishingly good value-for-money

We've not had a chance to test this one ourselves just yet, but the 5.1 channel configuration will ensure you get improved audio placement and immersion when watching your favorite TV shows or the latest blockbusters. We haven't had a chance to test this one yet, but LG's soundbars are generally good value, so this cut-price makes it even more tempting.

LG S60TR deal: was $299.99 now $199.99 at BestBuy

I've just scrubbed trough all the deals above and updated every single one to make sure it matches the currently listed price on Amazon, Walmart, Currys, or wherever the best deal on that soundbar can be found.

Things seem to be stable, but who kows if tomorrow (Black Friday proper) will bring with it some major last minute price drops?

This is Harry Padoan, one of TechRadar's reviews writers, here to tell you about an awesome deal on one of the best soundbars around. And I'm talking, of course, about the Samsung HW-Q800C, which is just $629 on Amazon right now – that's an incredible 37% off!

In our Samsung HW-Q800C review, we talked up the soundbar's brilliant Dolby Atmos effects, clear-cut vocal clarity and booming bass output. The HW-Q800C came out last year and I tested it's near-identical successor recently, and found it to be one of the best soundbars I've ever used. Samsung's SurroundFit Pro optimizes output for your living space, with Game Mode Pro and Wireless Dolby Atmos also on offer to give you a top-tier user experience.

This is a record-low price for the Q800C, so ensure that you snap it up while it's still available for so cheap!

Samsung HW-Q800C deal: was $997.99 now $629 at Amazon

You know what I'm really hoping for tomorrow? An extra price drop on the Samsung HW-Q990D. I doubt we'll see it go as cheap as the $999 of its LG S95TR rival, but $1,499 is a pretty standard sales price for it, so hopefully another $200 or $300 off is realistic.

It's such an excellent soundbar, I think it'll fly off the shelves with home theater aficionados who want something with plenty of power for average-sized rooms.

The Samsung HW-Q850D looks to be quite the deal at Best Buy. I haven't tested this model, but given how powerful and impressive every other Samsung soundbar is, I think it's a pretty safe bet.

It's a 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos surround system, featuring the soundbar, subwoofer, two rear speakers, and a box that powers the rear speakers, and connects wirelessly to the soundbar.

Samsung HW-Q850D: was $1,099 now $599 at Best Buy

Let's step away from soundbars for a second, to an adjacent space. There's a great deal on an Onkyo AV receiver at Best Buy, if you wanted to think about going the traditional separate speaker home theater route.

The Onkyo TX-SR494 7.2-channel receiver is now $299 at Best Buy, reduced from $499. Pair it with some half-price Klipsch reference speakers and you've got something powerful going on.

How about a compact soundbar from a reliable brand for a super-low price? TCL makes some very impressive soundbars, and while we haven't had the chance to test the TCL S4BH, I'll bet it's great package for this $74.99 price.

Being a stereo soundbar, I wouldn't put much stock in its promise of virtual Dolby Atmos and DTS:X positional effects, but if you want louder and more powerful TV audio for cheap, I think it looks tempting.

TCL S4BH soundbar: was $149 now $74.99 at Best Buy

The excellent Hisense AX5125H is now officially a great deal in both the UK and and US. Our Hisense AX5125H review gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, and marvelled over just how immersive the 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos sound was, considering how affordable it is.

If you're building a budget home theater experience, you can't do better than this for the price.

Hisense AX5125H US deal: was $499 now $249 at Amazon
Hisense AX5125H UK deal: was £299 now £249 at Currys

Speaking of expanding your Sonos system, I should point out that there are deals on Sonos speakers to use as your rears for a Sonos system, and on its subwoofers.

The Sonos Era 100 speakers have fallen to a good price, and in the US you can get a pair bundle from Sonos for the best price – in the UK, you're actually better off buying two individually.

Sonos Era 100 pair, US deal: was $498 now $374 at Sonos
Sonos Era 100 UK deal: was £249 now £179 at Fenwick

Sonos Sub 4 US deal: was $799 now $679 at Best Buy
Sonos Sub 3 UK deal: was £799 now £639 at Currys

The Sonos Arc has dropped further in price in the UK! You can now get it in white for under £600 at Amazon.

If you want an all-in-one soundbar, it's easily the best-sounding option for that price – and you have the option to expand in the future, but adding Sonos rear speakers or a subwoofer.

The Samsung HW-Q600C is a great price in the UK now, falling to £349 at Currys. This is a model from last year, but there's very little change year-on-year in these soundbars, so being older is no problem at all.

Our Samsung HW-Q600C review gave it four stars, and praise its "substantial, quite articulate movie sound" and good bass performance, and we said that it's "usefully compact and discreet". Its Dolby Atmos spatial performance was a little weak, but the overall sound was great at full price – for this low price, any minor issues are easily forgiven.

Samsung HW-Q600C: was £549 now £349 at Currys

I've added some new deals fresh today and checked the prices of all my recommendations – there's a couple of great-value new options in the list above!

Here we are – it's one day until Black Friday. There's a good chance we'll see a couple of big new deals go live today, as teasers for the big event. As always, I'll be on top of adding anything worthwhile here, and updating any prices that change.

This is Reviews Writer Harry Padoan back again with an alarmingly good soundbar deal on the Ultimea Poseidon D50. If you want to experience the wonders of surround sound, but you're on a tight budget, this soundbar system could be a great option for you. Given that it's a 5.1 channel soundbar, the Ultimea Poseidon D50 was already extremely low-priced, but this Black Friday it's available for 25% less in the US and a jaw-dropping 41% off in the UK.

I personally reviewed the Ultimea Poseidon D50 and found that it offered impressively expansive surround sound, despite omitting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support. The Poseidon D50 packs in a mini soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers, which is sure to add a new layer of immersion to movie night.

It's also super easy to setup and has Bluetooth connectivity, allowing it to double up as a music-playing companion. At less than $100 / £100, you're gonna struggle to find a cheaper surround sound system, so make sure to snap this deal up before it's too late!

Ultimea Poseidon D50 US deal: was $119.99 now $89 at Amazon
Ultimea Poseidon D50 UK deal: was £169.99 now £99.99

Hi everyone, this is Harry Padoan, Reviews Writer here at TechRadar with a top-drawer Black Friday deal for you. on the Sony HT-S2000 Having personally tested this soundbar, I can vouch for its excellent, expansive audio output, awesome Dolby Atmos effects and pleasingly compact design.

The Sony HT-S2000 is a standalone, 3.1 channel soundbar and although you can purchase a compatible subwoofer and rear speakers separately – it performs fantastically well on its own. You get crisp vocal clarity, room-filling virtual surround sound and impressive verticality. That's not to mention its stylish, diminutive build, which makes it the perfect addition to any TV setup.

Right now, you can grab this soundbar for less than $300 at Amazon US and £300 with Currys in the UK, meaning you're scoring over $100 / £100 off overall – don't miss out on incredible savings!

Sony HT-S2000 US deal: was $499.99 now $298 at Amazon
Sony HT-S2000 UK deal: was £399 now £299 at Currys

I have a Sonos Ray soundbar at home, to pair with the slightly older 50-inch TV in my spare room, and for this purpose, it's a really impressive piece of kit – especially at its current discount.

It adds plenty of clarity and meat to the soundtracks of movies, and a big boost to naturalness of voices. It's also amazingly good at bass consider how tiny it is – I interviewed Sonos about it, and I was told that they developed a whole new approach to bass ports to make it possible to get heftier low end with better control and precision to the sound (fighting against how a curved port will cause issues for this).

Sonos Ray US deal: was $279 now $169 at Amazon
Sonos Ray UK deal: was £279 now £135.67 at Amazon

If you have a small room, with your couch right against the wall, can you still have surround sound? Absolutely! You don't need loads of space around you for these small speaker systems, unlike big beefy real home theater speakers.

Pretty much all these soundbar surround system will have a way to control the volume of the rear speakers, so you can compensate for them being close, if needed.

Feel free to move the rear speakers slightly off to the side, if they can't go literally behind your seating, for a start. That makes life easy. But all these rear speakers will have a way to wall-mount them using a bracket too, if you can't fit in a stand, or don't have anywhere else to put them.

And Samsung's Picture Frame speakers are a very interesting option for some of its TVs and soundbars – these are flat speakers that look like, yes, picture frames, so are very easy to mount on the wall, or have leaned up against a wall.

How important is a subwoofer to soundbars? If you want big cinematic bass, it's basically a must, because creating deep, rumbling low end requires a large volume of air to be moved, which requires a large cabinet and speaker driver.

The Sonos Arc Ultra does better at this than most similarly sized soundbars by using an innovative new speaker that can push air in two directions at once, but there really is no substitute for a big eight- or 10-inch sub.

I've just re-checked and updated all the deals in this guide, to make sure everything is as up to date as possible – we're getting deep into the Black Friday crunch time now!

The Sennheiser AMBEO Plus soundbar at Amazon is $990 (was $1499) this Black Friday, with a massive $510 discount, this is an excellent opportunity to own a very impressive soundbar.

You'll need to act quickly as there aren't many left on Amazon, but if you do decide to take the plunge, the AMBEO Plus will drastically enhance your at-home entertainment system.

In TechRadar's Sennheiser AMBEO Plus review we raved about the soundbar, saying "As a 7.1.4 channel sound system, it offers dynamic sound that gels expertly together, allowing hushed voices to swing convincingly into the rush of an action scene with ease."

The AMBEO Plus is one of the best Sennheiser deals this Black Friday, so don't miss out on this opportunity to completely overhaul the way you watch movies and TV shows.

There are two major sound formats used for home theater: Dolby and DTS. Some soundbars, particularly Sonos soundbars, don't support higher-end DTS sound – specifically, uncompressed DTS-HD audio and the DTS:X 3D data that's equivalent to Dolby Atmos.

Is this a major problem? DTS-HD really only comes up on 4K Blu-rays, so this aspect usually isn't, especially because your TV or player may be able decode this and turn it into high-quality LPCM audio that the soundbar can handle nicely anyway. Even basic players, like the PS5, can do this.

The DTS:X might come up more often, because it's now used in IMAX Enhanced movies on Disney Plus. But again, these things will still play on soundbars without full DTS support, you just don't get all the same whizbang effects… and sometimes, Dolby Atmos is available as an alternative sound option anyway.

We've just posted our Samsung HW-Q800D review, ready for you to read before jumping on the Black Friday deals for that model!

The short version is that it's an exceptional mid-range Dolby Atmos soundbar, full of power and cinematic precision to the audio. It doesn't come with rear speakers, but you can add them later if you want.

Sony is a brand synonymous with soundbars and this year, its flagship soundbar, the Bravia Theater Bar 9, comes packed with features for gaming, incluidng 4K, 120Hz and VRR passthrough in its HDMI ports, and Sony TV-centric features incluidng Audio Center Sync, where a compatible Sony TV can be used aas the center channel with the soundbar.

It also features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, with 13 speakes for sound including up-firing channels for height, 360 Spatial Sound Mapping and IMAX Enhanced ceritifcaion.

Usually a premium product, we're seeing some big discounts that put the Bravia Theater Bar 9 more in line with rival products such as the Sonos Arc Ultra.

Sony Bravia Theater 9 Bar US deal: was $1,399.99 now $998 at Amazon
Sony Bravia Theater 9 Bar UK deal: was £1,399 now £999 at John Lewis

If you're thinking of buying a Sonos soundbar (the Beam models, the Ray, the Arc, or the Arc Ultra), don't forget that they have an extra trick: they work with the Sonos Ace headphones.

You can pair your soundbar with your Ace headphones, and beam all audio from the TV to the headphones just by pressing a button on the Ace. It'll come over in head-tracked 3D spatial audio, with full Dolby Atmos support, so it'll sound like you're sitting in a home theater setup, not like the sound is being pumped straight into your ears.

And the Sonos Ace do an amazing job with movie audio – better than they do with music in my opinion. In my Sonos Ace review, I said that this is easily their best feature, and the strong noise cancellation means you can watch or game without being disturbed, and with no noticeable latency.

Sonos Ace headphones: was £449 now £299 at Sevenoaks
Sonos Ace headphones: was $449 now $349 at Amazon

If your TV doesn't have many HDMI ports (or even if it does, but you have too many things to connect), you probably want to consider getting a soundbar that has an HDMI passthrough port.

This means that instead of only having one HDMI port to connect to your TV (using up that precious port on your TV, the soundbar has a second HDMI port that you can plug a video device into, and the visuals will be sent through to the TV (with the soundbar grabbing the audio along the way).

It can really ease up cable concerns, but not all soundbars offer it, so check the descriptions if it's something you want!

LG has a mega-cheap surround-sound system available, for those who want something from a well-known brand on the most limited budget possible.

The LG S60TR has a soundbar, two small rear speakers, and a subwoofer to add bass meat. It's all fairly compact and good-looking, and for $199, it looks like a real bargain.

LG S60TR 5.1-channel soundbar system: was $299 now $199 at Best Buy

Good morning! We're T-2 days from Black Friday itself, and while I don't expect any more giant new deals to drop between now and then, I bet we'll see more price fluctuations, and one might exactly the change you're looking for. I'll be updating this article with any changes today, naturally.

'Real' Dolby Atmos sound doesn't have to be expensive, as proven by the Hisense AX5125H. It's a fantastic 5.1.2 channel soundbar with four units – soundbar, subwoofer and rear speakers – delivering a dynamic, punchy sound for a budget price. It's why it's our favorite budget Dolby Atmos soundbar!

Prices have plummeted for the AX5125H and it's available for a super-cheap $249 in the US at Amazon, and a brilliant £299 at Argos in the UK. You won't find many better soundbars than this at this price range.

Hisense AX5125H US deal: was $349.99 now $249.99 at Amazon
Hisense AX5125H UK deal: was £349 now £299 at Argos

Looking for a compact soundbar that's great for both movies and music and comes with a great list of features, including Dolby Atmos and Wi-Fi support? The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) ticks those boxes.

Black Friday is also one of the best times to grab a Sonos soundbar, as discounts are notoriously scarce on Sonos products, with Black Friday being one of the few times they happen.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) US deal: was $449 now $369 at Amazon
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) UK deal: was £449 now $335 at Amazon

One thing you may be wondering with soundbars from TV brands – think LG, Samsung and Sony – is do you need to have the same brand TV? The answer is no, but in some cases it does help to.

While you can pair any soundbar with any TV provided they have the same required connections, optical or HDMI ARC, some soundbars have special features that unlock when connected to the same brand TV.

Some of Sony's soundbars can use compatible Sony TVs as a center channel for added clarity and Samsung's soundbars, while Samsung's soundbars like the HW-Q990D (pictured above connected to the Samsung S95D) have a Q Symphony feature for optimized listening when they're connected.

So while it's not a necessity, it may be worth checking out if there are bonus features a soundbar the same brand as your TV has!

I've updated this page with a handful of great new deals, and double-checked all the prices of the existing ones – there are some amazing offers out there!

Speaking of Blu-ray discs, if you want to start your collection with some great-sounding and -looking movies, we've got a recommendation of 5 great 4K Blu-ray Black Friday deals that are too good to resist.

Our resident reviewer of Blu-ray discs and players, James Davidson, explains why he thinks each one is a great-value buy.

If you invest in a higher-end soundbar, let alone a full-on home theater system, one thing you need to know is that you'll get the most out of it if you use physical media rather than streaming.

Even when streaming services offer Dolby Atmos sound, they're using a compressed version of it, called Dolby Digital Plus (DD+). If you watch a 4K Blu-ray, you get the uncompressed version of it, called Dolby True HD (DTHD).

DD+ is capable of supporting the object-based 3D data of Dolby Atmos, but uses less data, so is preferable for streamers. But using less data means you lose some of the dynamic range of the sound – which is retained in the DTHD version.

The same goes for non-Atmos movies – comparing a compressed 5.1-channel stream of Interstellar from Apple TV to a DTS-HD full-quality 4K Blu-ray, there's a huge change in how it takes advantage of the subwoofer, and can make complex parts of the soundtrack come across clearer and more defined.

To be clear, getting a great soundbar will be a huge upgrade over TV speakers or a lesser soundbar, but just know they have more power than you might realise, unless you're adding one of the best 4K Blu-ray players too.

A word of warning for the aesthetes out there: soundbars really pick up dust, just like TVs do. Black, hard-grilled soundbars are easy to clean at least – you can just dust them like anything else regularly.

Ones with fabric grilles are harder, naturally. Fortunately, they also show dust up less, but if you're a stickler, you can try either an extremely soft-bristled brush to disturb the dust without wrecking the fabric, or some kind of very low-power vacuum, like a desk vacuum for keyboard crumbs.

Here's a good-value soundbar. The Denon DHT-S216 is an all-in-one soundbar from a great audio brand that's reduced to just £139 at Amazon.

Our Denon DHT-S216 review gave it four stars, and praised how it focused on audio over other features – it's about just boosting your TV with loud and clear audio. You can add a sub to it later if you want – and it can be almost any sub, which is great.

Denon DHT-S216: was £199 now £139 at Amazon

One thing to consider when buying a soundbar is placement – especially if you have an entertainment unit you want to fit it into.

If you're buying a soundbar with side-firing and up-firing speakers, then putting it into an enclosure where all those angles are blocked isn't going to work. The best Dolby Atmos soundbars, in particular, really need to be out in the open.

On the other hand, some soundbars are designed with only forward-facing speakers and are quite happy to be enclosed – Sonos specifically advertises this options with the Sonos Ray, for example.

The soundbar should also be just below your TV, so that the sound can be attached to what's happening on-screen well. That's obviously easy if your TV is on a stand, but if your TV is wall-mounted, you don't want the soundbar on a console a few feet below it. If your TV's on the wall, your soundbar should be as well – they basically all have some kind of bracket option.

Want a five-star soundbar surround system for under $1000? The LG S95TR is what you need – it's a powerful and seriously impressive system, and we gave it full marks in our LG S95TR review.

One of LG's tricks here is to add a fifth upfiring channel for Dolby Atmos sound, which is just a repeat of the center surround channel, but it means it helps to add clarity to dialogue no matter how big and chaotic the soundtrack gets.

And with 9.1.5 channels in total, you're getting amazing Dolby Atmos immersion overall, and all for a really low price consider the capabilities on offer.

LG S95TR soundbar: was $1,4999 now $999 at Best Buy

So, you've got yourself a great new soundbar with a meaty matching subwoofer, and you want to test that bass. In that case, may I direct you to the movies First Man and Insterstellar. Both contain tense space vehicle scenes that will absolutely show you what you that woofer is capable of.

First Man has a few of these, but it literally opens with one, so you won't be waiting long. For Interstellar, you want to fire up the spinning docking sequence towards the end.

When you're measuring up to see if a soundbar is the right width for your setup, don't forget to check the height too! Some TVs have a very low-slung stand to make them look very cool and minimalist, but this can be a problem if you then want to put a block of plastic in front of them…

Most TVs these days are made with soundbars in mind – and some have adjustable height stands for this reason – but even just a few years ago, not all models thought about this. So just check before you cut off the bottom of your picture!

If you're doing research around soundbars, you might notice that Samsung gets talked about a lot. A lot of quarters of the internet will just answer any question about soundbars with directions to the Samsung that fits into your price bracket. Are they really that good?

Basically… yes. When it comes to quality, bang-for-buck sound, Samsung just nails it year after year. At the very cheaper end, it's a little less certain – it depends on the exact deal – but it's still a very safe pair of hands if in doubt.

The trick is the amount of clarity and scale of sound that Samsung gets out of its soundbars, for seriously great prices after discounts. You often need to spend nearly twice as much to hear an improvement. That's why we recommend the likes of the Samsung HQ-Q990D and Samsung HW-Q800C so strongly.

The fancy new Sonos Arc Ultra is out now, and that means that the original Sonos Arc has fallen to a record-low price for Black Friday. It's now $699 in the US, and just £619 in the UK.

It might be older, but it still delivers really well-balanced sound with great range for a single-unit soundbar (ie, with no separate subwoofer), and has a great sense of scale to the sound for this price. And it works with Sonos' multi-room music system, and as an AirPlay 2 speaker, of course.

While the Sonos app has been slammed a lot recently, Sonos has been updating it twice a month, and it's largely back to performing how it was before it was updated – certainly, I've had no trouble with setting up multiple Sonos soundbar system during my time testing the Arc Ultra and Arc soundbar together.

Sonos Arc US deal: was $899 now $699 at Walmart
Sonos Arc UK deal: was £899 now £619 at Amazon

I've just updated this guide with new deals, re-checked every price and deal, and tweaked my picks accordingly – we're really getting into the Black Friday spirit now!

If you're buying a cheaper soundbar, you'll see that some promise two channels of sound, and some promise three. What's the difference to what you'll hear in practice?

Three channels will mean left and right for width, plus a center channel that's focused on speech. This is, obviously, beneficial for speech clarity – so if that's a big factor in why you're looking for a soundbar, looking for a three-channel speaker is a good ideal. The Sony HT-S2000 is a perfect example of one, and comes recommended by us.

Sony HT-S2000 US deal: was $499 now $298 at Amazon
Sony HT-S2000 UK deal: was £399 now £299 at Currys

Sometimes, you're not ready to buy a soundbar with rear speakers right now, but you're hoping to be able to make that jump in the future – so if you buy smartly, you can choose an bar that has the option of adding rear speakers in the future, for a smaller outlay than buying a whole new system.

There are plenty of great bars that offer this! Sonos is the obvious one – the Sonos Ray, Sonos Beam 2, Sonos Arc and Sonos Arc Ultra can all take two Sonos speakers as wireless rears. This isn't a very cheap way to do it (two Sonos Era 100s is not a small outlay), but it sounds good.

Samsung also offers a great option here – buy the immersive and powerful Samsung HW-Q800C or the newer Samsung HW-Q800D, and you can add either the small Samsung SWA-9200S rear speakers, or the larger Samsung SWA-9500S speaker that include extra Dolby Atmos height channels as well as surround sound. This is probably the best-value way to eventually build a really powerful system.

You can also add speakers to Sony's soundbars – they're more expensive than Samsung's option, but if you don't want a subwoofer, this is my pick.

One of our favorite budget soundbar buys is the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, which is just a smart-looking, no-nonsense TV sound upgrade that's ideal for the cheaper or smaller TVs, as we explain in our full Amazon Fire TV Soundbar review.

It provides a broader and better defined sound than TV speakers can manage, in a compact package, for a great price. With no subwoofer, you're not getting room-shaking cinematic sound, and probably some people will be happy with a more chill sound, as long as it's clear.

It has some features that work specifically with Fire TV models, but it works totally normally with any TV, and is a good option no matter what you have.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar US deal: was $119 now $89 at Amazon
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar UK deal: was £119 now £99 at Amazon

What's the cheapest soundbar surround option that we recommend? That would be the Ultimea Poseidon D50, which forgets fancy features like Dolby Atmos and just focuses on providing decent 5.1 channels of sound for a low price, and does a great job of it.

It's down to just $89.99 in the US right now (if you apply a coupon at Amazon), or £109 in the UK. For that price, nothing will give you as nice simple, small surround sound – here's our full Ultimea Poseidon D50 review.

Ultimea Poseidon D50 US deal: was $119 now $89.99 at Amazon
Ultimea Poseidon D50 US deal: was £169 now £109.99 at Amazon

Let's follow up the last post that offered some showcases of Dolby Atmos' spatial effects, with another movie list – but this time focusing on movies with seriously impressive Atmos musical scores and soundtracks.

It's one thing to enjoy the whizzy sound effect placement of Atmos, but it can also be used to present just fantastic musical stagings, and these movies take advantage of that. The good thing is that these don't rely on you having surround sound in the same way as the other list – this is more about the overall soundstage than the channels.

Here's our list of 7 movies to make your soundbar or home theater sing.

If you're thinking of getting a soundbar with a full surround effect and Dolby Atmos, and you want to experience what it can really do, then take a look at this list of 10 impressive home theater movies.

These are about experiencing all the advantages of surround, and Atmos' precise sound placement' in particular – there's some big blockbusters that you'll be expecting, plus some quieter movies that just make great use of the sound.

Dolby Atmos is one of the hottest things to have in a soundbar these days, but what is it, and do you really need it?

Dolby Atmos is an 'object-based' 3D sound format. Basically, in previous surround systems, sound is assigned to one of the 'channels' – so, it comes from the front-left, or rear-right, for example. This means your speakers need to be in specific places to hear the soundtrack right.

In Atmos, each sound in the mix is its own object, existing in a mapped 3D space, meaning that if you have more speakers, they can take advantage and add more specificity to where a sound should be coming from. And in Atmos, that includes height as well as surrounding you – it's supposed to create a dome of sound.

High-end soundbars have many channels to make the most of this, such as the Samsung HW-Q990D with its 11 surround channels and four height channels, or the Sonos Arc Ultra with its nine surround channels.

You will also see that many cheaper soundbars support Dolby Atmos, even those with just a stereo two-channel setup. It is possible for these soundbars to process 'virtual' channels to create a good 3D effect, but the cheaper the soundbar, the less you should expect this to work. At the very cheap end, you're probably better off getting one the same price without Atmos, so that money is put into better speakers instead of Atmos processing.

So Dolby Atmos is not really essential at the cheap end, and pretty much everything from the mid-range up will include it anyway, so you shouldn't have to think too hard about it.

Want a super-cheap Sonos soundbar that's perfect for small or mid-size TVs? The Sonos Ray is the company’s most basic, budget soundbar, and it’s now selling for just $169 at Amazon US and £135.67 at Amazon UK.

Those are both great prices for a soundbar that will give you a big and clear upgrade over the built-in sound, adding far more bass, width and speech clarity. And as a bonus, it works as a Sonos multi-room speaker for music too., but gives you entry to the multi-room, networked Sonos ecosystem. In our Sonos Ray review, we found that its impressive sound quality for the price extended to music.

This doesn't use HDMI to connect to the TV (it's optical only), so it's great for TVs with a limited number of ports, and will suit TVs from 32 to 55 inches.

Sonos Ray US deal: was $279 now $169 at Amazon
Sonos Ray UK deal: was £279 now £135.67 at Amazon

The most common connection for high-quality soundbars today is HDMI ARC or HDMI eARC. This means they connect to your TV over an HDMI port, and take all your TV's sound over this connection.

What are the advantages and what are the differences between them? We have a guide to explain all, my friend. Read our in-depth HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC explainer.

Getting a small soundbar doesn't have to mean missing out on mod cons such as real upfiring speakers for Dolby Atmos height channels and Wi-Fi music streaming – the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 proves that.

And it's pretty inexpensive to begin with, and is even better value in today's deals. Small size, high features – it's very impressive, and got a glowing write-up in our Bose Smart Soundbar 600 review.

Bose Smart Soundbar 600: was $499 now $399 at Best Buy

Want the option of big, cinematic surround sound, but can't have speakers set up behind you the whole time due to space or aesthetic preferences? Let me introduce you to the JBL Bar 1300X.

It's a great-sounding, very powerful soundbar that's extremely wide… because the ends detach to become battery powered wireless rear speakers. Just put them behind you when you want surround sound, and attach them to the bar to recharge or when you don't want them floating around. They form part of the bar's sound profile when attached.

JBL Bar 1300X US deal: was $1,699.99 now $899.99 at Amazon
JBL Bar 1300 UK deal: was £1,299.99 now £999.99 at Amazon

A key thing that people don't always think about before buying a soundbar is whether the dimensions are a good fit for your TV. Really, I'd love to see soundbar manufacturers put suggested TV sizes on the descriptions of the soundbars.

Smaller soundbars, like the Sonos Beam Gen 2 or the Ultimea Poseidon D50 are good for TVs from 32 inches to 55 inches. They won't quite match the scale of the pictures beyond that size.

There are mid-size soundbars, like the Sony HT-S2000 or the Samsung HW-Q800C that will work from 48 inches to 65 inches nicely – probably just about to 75 inches in the Samsung's case.

And then the premium soundbars – the Sonos Arc Ultra, Samsung HW-Q990D or Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar – are all designed for TVs of 55 inches and up. They'll stick out well beyond anything smaller, which will just look odd.

For those who want a huge, all-encompassing Dolby Atmos sound, the Samsung HW-Q990D is the five-star soundbar system to beat. It gives you 11.1.4 channels of sound spread over a big bar, two rear speakers and a meaty subwoofer – and it's so impressive.

It's also practical – it has two HDMI 2.1 inputs, as well as a connection to your TV, so it can pass 4K 120Hz video through. That means it actually adds an HDMI port to your setup.

When anyone asks what the ultimate soundbar home theater system is for a realistic price, we go straight to the Q990D.

Samsung HW-Q990D US deal: was $1,997 now $1,100 at Walmart
Samsung HW-Q990D UK deal: was £1,699 now £985 at Amazon

The first thing you might be wondering when shopping for a soundbar: do I need one with a subwoofer, or will one that's just the bar itself work for me?

Basically, it comes down to the cinematic power you want. A single bar obviously takes up much less space in the room and so might be preferable for your setup overall. You can expect a soundbar like this to add more range to the sound overall, more clarity to speech because the mid-range will stand out more from other frequencies, and better width to the sound so it feels big has a difference from left to right. Some expensive models can produce pretty impressive bass.

But adding a subwoofer will add far more bass, and this means you'll get the impact of explosions, the hum of an ominous soundtrack, or the tone of a musical score all coming through much more like was intended for the movie.

It's really just about what you want from a soundbar – clarity in a compact frame, or a much bigger and more cinematic sound.