The 3 Best 5.1 Soundbars of 2025

The Samsung HW-Q800D is the best soundbar 5.1 system that we've tested. This premium bar offers a well-balanced sound out of the box with enough low-end rumble for action-packed scenes and bassy tracks. At the same time, dialogue and instruments are clear and easy to follow. If you need a bit more control over the bar's sound, there's an EQ, presets, and even room correction, which optimizes the bar's audio based on your room's unique acoustics.

This bar can get loud enough to fill a large room with sound. It also has support for common audio formats. If you watch many movies on streaming platforms, you've likely come across 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and object-based formats like Dolby Atmos, and the bar plays back both with ease.

That said, if there's any critique, it's in its surround performance. It relies on side-firing speakers on the bar to create a phantom surround sound, which doesn't feel as real or clear as a discrete setup. If that's important to you, you'll want to consider the LG S80TR instead, which offers a better 5.1 surround performance at a similar price point. Its default sound isn't quite as balanced, though, and it doesn't feel quite as solidly built as the Samsung.

The best mid-range 5.1 soundbar we've tested is the Samsung HW-B750D. It's one of just a few 5.1 soundbars available at this price point and offers a great price-to-performance ratio. While it doesn't have dedicated satellite speakers, its side-firing drivers add a nice sense of width to your audio, and its center channel keeps dialogue sounding focused and comprehensible. You can add the Samsung SW-9200S if you'd like to place additional speakers behind you. This soundbar's frequency response is balanced through the mid- and treble ranges, ensuring voices sound clear and effects like clashing swords have plenty of detail. There's a lack of rumble and thump in the bass, but since the bar has a good dynamics performance, you can turn it up to max volume without hearing much compression.

This Samsung doesn't support Dolby Atmos, unlike the Samsung HW-Q800D. This format is common on both streaming platforms and Blu-rays, so if you want to take advantage of this immersive audio format, you'll want to opt for the more premium option. However, if you aren't a Dolby Atmos fan, you may find that this Samsung is the better value pick overall, as both bars have many similar sound enhancement features. For example, you can adjust the subwoofer level and use the graphic EQ to fine-tune the sound. You'll miss out on some connectivity options, though, as the Q800D features Wi-Fi, Chromecast, AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect compatibility.

Vizio has traditionally dominated the 5.1 market, but it's become harder to find their older models as of late. Compared to other bars at this price point (and even the Samsung HW-B750D), the Vizio Elevate SE SL512X-0806 shines thanks to its included satellites, which bring a more life-like feel to immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital. You can position these satellites around your couch so sound effects feel like they're taking place around you. This soundbar even comes with many of the same customization features as more premium models from the manufacturer, so you can adjust its bass and treble levels to get the best possible sound.

Out of the box, this soundbar's even and balanced sound makes it suitable for many different types of audio content. Dialogue is clear and easy to follow, and there's plenty of rumble in the bass for genres like EDM and hip-hop. That said, given the price gap, there are some differences between this bar and the more premium Samsung HW-B750D. Notably, the frequency response isn't quite as balanced, as the bass doesn't extend as low as the Samsung, and the treble range is a little more veiled. The Vizio also lacks an HDMI In port and passthrough possibilities, for those who want to use the bar as a hub between a console and a TV. Still, the lower retail price and its Atmos-compatibility make it a compelling option at this price point.