The 8 Best Soundbars With Subwoofer - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best soundbar with a subwoofer we've tested is the Samsung HW-Q990C. This premium 11.1.4 setup is the next generation of the Samsung HW-Q990B and comes with the same large, powerful subwoofer to bring all the thump and rumble in the bass range. This model offers a better bass performance, as the sound is more even and controlled out-of-the-box, ensuring that vocals and other instruments remain clear in the mix while you listen to your favorite tunes. Since the bar is super customizable, you can adjust the amount of bass with its graphic EQ and other presets, too.

This top-of-the-line soundbar shines with everything from movies to music to TV shows. Immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos are supported on this bar, and its satellites help spread sound effects to the space all around you for a clear and real feel. Its stereo soundstage isn't quite as impressive as other premium models, like the Sonos Ultimate Immersive Set with Arc and the Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module, which are good options, especially if you already own products in those ecosystems. However, the Sonos and the Bose don't have as many sound customization tools as they lack graphic EQs. Therefore, the Samsung is the better choice overall.

If you're looking for a premium bar with a subwoofer at a slightly more affordable price, check out the Samsung HW-Q930B. This high-end model can bring plenty of thump and rumble in the low-bass, making it a great choice for bass-centric music and intense movie scenes. It comes with a dedicated subwoofer, and while it's a little smaller than what you get with the Samsung HW-Q990C, it has no trouble reproducing an impressive low-frequency extension. Plus, it has lots of the same customization tools as its more premium cousin. You can use the bass and treble adjustments and the graphic EQ to add more punch to your audio if you want.

While we haven't tested the next-generation Samsung HW-Q930C yet, this model is still a great choice for more immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital. It's a 9.1.4 setup, meaning that it comes with two fewer surround channels than the Q990C, but it can still provide an all-around feel right in your living room. Its two satellite speakers reproduce sound effects for a clear and real feel, and dialogue is easy to follow in the mix. The sub isn't quite as controlled as what you get with the Q990C, but you can still adjust its performance with the customization features. Overall, it offers similar performance at a lower price, and you may find it's a better value depending on your listening habits. We'll update this article once we've tested the Q930C, too.

Wallet-conscious shoppers can also look at another more affordable option, the Vizio Elevate. It's the best mid-range bar we've tested and a good choice for listening to many different types of audio content. Like most Vizio soundbars, its dedicated subwoofer can reproduce a deep and thumpy low-bass, ensuring you feel all the rumble in action-heavy movies or bass-heavy music genres. There's already some extra emphasis in the bass right out of the box, and you can use its bass adjustment feature to add more if you like. Unlike the Samsung HW-Q990C, you have to wire the satellites to the sub to get them to work, which isn't ideal for every living area.

The Vizio stands out from the crowd thanks to its unique design, with sides that automatically rotate upwards when you watch Dolby Atmos or DTS:X height content. It's a tool that brings more width and dimension to its soundstage, giving you the sense that audio is coming from all around you. You can turn this feature on when you watch other kinds of content, like Dolby Digital. Its rear satellites bring a more immersive feel, meaning sound effects seem clear and real in the space around you. This soundbar offers a stand-out performance for the price, and it's worth a look if you want a bar with a subwoofer.

The Vizio M Series M512a-H6 is an alternative to the Vizio Elevate that's available at a more affordable price. It's a 5.1.2 setup that comes with two rear speakers in addition to a dedicated sub. Like the top-of-the-line models, it brings plenty of thump and rumble in the bass, so you feel the excitement in everything from bass-heavy music to more intense movie scenes. It has the same enhancement features as the Elevate, including bass and subwoofer level adjustment features, letting you control how much rumble you feel. Dialogue remains clear and present in the mix, too, so overall, it's a versatile choice suitable for all sorts of audio content.

If you watch lots of movies, especially on different streaming platforms, this bar's a good choice for you, too. It supports surround sound formats like Dolby Digital in addition to Dolby Atmos. The resulting sound is fairly immersive, especially with its satellites on hand to bring sound effects to the space around you, as if you were in the middle of the action. It doesn't feel as clear or real as what you get with our top picks. You won't find rotating sides like the Vizio Elevate, and its satellites don't have up-firing drivers for Atmos content, either. As a result, you don't feel as much height in the soundstage, which is especially noticeable in scenes where objects fly over your head. For the price, it's a good value, but it's not the best of the best.

If you're looking for a solid bar at a more affordable price, check out the Vizio V Series V51-H6, the best soundbar with a subwoofer in the budget category we've tested. Its dedicated subwoofer brings plenty of thump and rumble in the low-bass, so you feel the excitement in bass-heavy genres like EDM and intense scenes in your favorite movies. You can use its bass and subwoofer level adjustments to customize its sound if you prefer a little more boom. Its mid-range remains quite balanced, too, so you don't have any trouble following the action on your screen, even with its punchy bass.

This soundbar stands out from other similarly-priced models thanks to its included rear satellites. These two speakers are a handy add-on, especially if you like to watch a lot of multi-channel content, including 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital that are found on many different streaming platforms. Essentially, they bring greater clarity to your audio, so sound effects seem more real in the space around you as if your favorite movies were taking place in your living room. That said, like most bars in its price range, it doesn't enable you to take advantage of more immersive formats like Dolby Atmos, which is unfortunate. However, if you don't watch much Atmos content, it's still a solid option for bass lovers at a wallet-friendly price.

Not everyone has space in their living room for a dedicated subwoofer. In these cases, bars with built-in subwoofers offer a great alternative. The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar MAX is the best one we've tested, and it's one of the few bars with a built-in sub that can reproduce a similar low-frequency extension to the top models on our list. You feel the deep thump and rumble in your seat, whether listening to bass-heavy music or action-packed movie scenes. Simply bump up the bass using the included bass adjustment feature to ensure you hear these frequencies at the same volume as others.

This soundbar supports many commonly used audio formats, including Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos. Thanks to its unique 3D virtual surround mode, sound comes from over and around you, replicating the experience you get with systems with wireless speakers. That said, it's still a large and heavy model, which may not be ideal depending on the setup of your living space. If you're looking for a more compact soundbar with a solid bass performance, check out the standalone Sonos Arc or the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 900. They don't have built-in subwoofers, and their low-frequency extension isn't quite as impressive as the Sennheiser, but you still feel a solid amount of bass for a standalone model.

Depending on the shape and size of your living room, you may prefer a smaller and more compact soundbar like the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). At less than 26 inches in width, this soundbar easily fits into your existing setup. It keeps the same style as the original Sonos Beam, but the second generation adds support for Dolby Atmos content that you're likely to find on many different streaming platforms and Blu-rays. Despite its small size, the bar uses psychoacoustic principles to stretch sound well past the edges of the bar itself, so you feel as immersed in your audio as you would with some of the larger options on the market.

While the bar is available on its own, adding the Sub Mini dramatically improves its bass reproduction. The small subwoofer packs a punch in the bass range, so you feel the thump and rumble in action-packed movie scenes and bass-heavy music genres. Plus, the subwoofer levels are adjustable, so you can add even more punch to the bass if you like. As with the larger Sonos Arc, you can access a room correction feature called Trueplay, which optimizes the bar's output based on your room's unique acoustics. That said, this setup doesn't get as loud as the larger models, and more astute audiophiles will recognize that it doesn't reproduce as much height with Atmos content. Still, it's a solid pick if you're low on space.

Similarly, if you have a larger and more open living space, you'll want a soundbar capable of filling the room with sound. In that case, the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 eARC is your best bet. It's a unique 9.2.4 setup with two subwoofers and four satellites to bring an immersive sound to your living room. The extra sub balances the bass reproduction throughout your room, so you don't notice any "holes" or gaps in the soundstage, while the added satellites bring sound effects all around your room for a clear and life-like feel. Whether you're listening to surround sound or height content like Atmos, you feel right in the middle of the action on the screen.

This bar is the upgraded version of the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2Ch with additional features, including eARC support, meaning you can enjoy DTS:X content on your favorite Blu-rays, too. However, sound enhancement features are limited compared to top picks like the Samsung HW-Q990C. It doesn't offer a true room correction feature as it doesn't have a microphone to analyze your living space, for example. That said, its unique Spatial Surround Elevation technology lets you choose between three different sound presets based on the size of your room, which is a nice touch. This setup's hefty design isn't ideal for all living spaces, and you may not have room for the extra sub and satellites. Still, it's a solid choice if you have a unique shape in your listening area.