The best soundbars for creatives

Best soundbars
Image credit: Samsung

Choosing the best soundbar for your home office or studio can be tricky – but get it right, and your creative space could be transformed. This is especially true for anyone who works with film or video, particularly if you watch your work back on a slim TV or monitor; after all, those thin displays don’t leave much room for a good speaker system to be built in. 

Soundbars also look far sleeker than most stereo speaker setups; their long, slim builds complement most decor styles and the best soundbars are designed to look just as good as they sound. 

How to choose the best soundbar

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

But how do you know which is the best soundbar for you? One of the first things to consider is budget. Soundbars cost from anywhere between $120/£100 to well over $1500/£1200. If you want one to simply enhance your movie watching experience, the lower-end models will certainly suffice. But if you're after a soundbar to enhance and complement your creative work, you might want to look at slightly more expensive options. 

It’s also worth thinking about how your new soundbar will work in your home or studio. While most soundbars are designed to sit in front of your TV or monitor, many can be wall mounted, making them a cool design focal point as well as a great way to listen to music or boost audio playback on your films.

There are also lots of options when it comes to connectivity; while the cheapest models usually have the most basic connections, many soundbars offer 4K HDR passthrough and wireless streaming through Bluetooth or Apple AirPlay – great if your studio is low on space and you want to avoid irritating cables.

Sound considerations when buying a soundbar

Most importantly, you should think about how you want your new soundbar to sound. If you want the audio to be super-immersive (if you're a filmmaker, for example), it’s worth considering a soundbar that supports object based surround sound like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. These audio technologies position sound within a 3D space, and are probably best suited to filmmakers who need to envision how their creations will work in a cinema setting – or anyone who wants to experience super-immersive audio when watching films or listening to music. 

Similarly, up-firing tweeters will send sound right up to your ceiling while soundbars that come with subwoofers will provide pumping bass that's perfect for parties, if you want to take the soundbar out of your studio for special occasions. 

At the top of our list is the Samsung HW-MS650, thanks to its fantastic audio quality, reasonable price tag, and high number of connection options. 

But, it’s not the only good soundbar out there. We’ve put together this guide to the best soundbars money can buy, so you can choose the perfect soundbar for your needs. 

Samsung HW-MS650

Image credit: Samsung

01. Samsung HW-MS650

The best soundbar overall is a great all-rounder

Specifications

Dimensions: 1060 x 78 x 130mm (W x H x D)
Power: 9 x 20W
Weight: 7 kg
Speaker configuration: 3.0 speaker array
Design: Wall mounted or free standing
Wireless: 2-way Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Inputs: Single 4K/HDR HDMI loopthrough, one optical audio input, 3.5mm audio port

Reasons to buy

+
Powerful audio
+
Lots of connection options

Reasons to avoid

-
Stereo effect can be limited
-
Can be too tall for some TVs

There's a lot to love about the

. From its reasonable price tag to the plethora of connection options it supports, there are lots of reasons why this soundbar is a fantastic option for any creative who wants to enhance their studio sound setup – whether you want to use it to playback your own films, listen to music as you work, or watch TV in your spare time. 

Thanks to a powerful 3.0 speaker array, it sounds great, and can handle bass frequencies admirably, which means it will handle even the bassiest 'concentration' playlists. It also looks great, with a classic rectangular design and an industrial-looking grille.

However, this soundbar is relatively tall, and could obscure the bottom of your TV display. It can be wall mounted if this is an issue, which means it should work well in most homes or studios, and can even make a cool focal point if mounted away from your monitor or TV display. 

Creative X-Fi Sonic Carrier

Image credit: Creative

02. Creative X-Fi Sonic Carrier

The best soundbar if money is no option is extravagantly glorious

Specifications

Dimensions: 521 x 151 x 96mm (W x H x D)
Power: 2000W
Weight: 16 kg
Speaker configuration: 11.2.4 channel array
Design: Wall mounted or free standing
Wireless: 2-way Bluetooth
Inputs: 2 x digital optical, 3 x HDMI (ARC), 1 x Ethernet port, 1x 3.5 mm jack, two ¼” microphone connectors, two USB 2.0 type A connector for USB flash drives and HDDs, one SD card slot and three MicroSD card slots alongside

Reasons to buy

+
A whopping 11.2.4-channels
+
Powerful and precise sound   

Reasons to avoid

-
Very, very expensive
-
Might annoy your neighbours 

The

is the crème de la crème of the soundbar world – and it comes in at an eye-watering $3,999 / £2,870. With 17 speakers in an 11.2.4 channel array, this soundbar packs an unbelievable audio punch, and can fill any room with sound – but be warned – if you work in an apartment or share a studio wall with a neighbour, you might want to turn it down just a little. 

It also comes with a subwoofer to handle all your bass needs, and with so many input options, it's a great choice for audiophiles, as well as filmmakers who want to really immerse themselves in their work. 

Q Acoustics M4

Image credit: Q Acoustics

03. Q Acoustics M4

Cinephile sound on shoestring, this is the best budget soundbar

Specifications

Dimensions: 1,000 x 90 x 142mm (W x H x D)
Power: 100W
Weight: 4.9 kg
Speaker configuration: 2.1 channel
Design: Wall mounted or free standing
Wireless: Bluetooth aptX
Inputs: 1 x HDMI, 1 x digital optical, 1 x 3.5mm

Reasons to buy

+
Good value for money
+
Simple to use

Reasons to avoid

-
Stereo only
-
Bulky design

If you want to improve your studio sound setup but you don't want to break the bank, the

could be a brilliant choice. Compared to more expensive rivals, its short list of inputs and stereo speaker configuration may seem disappointing, but its sound quality more than makes up for that. 

It does have a sightly bulky design, and will stick out a little way from the wall if you decide to wall mount it. However, its odd shape could be perfect for that awkward nook in your studio or home office that you've been struggling to fill, and its low price makes it a great choice for any creative who would rather spend money on materials and tools for their craft than audio tech. 

Denon HEOS Bar

Image credit: Denon

04. Denon HEOS Bar

The best soundbar for music has well-balanced sound and a cool design

Specifications

Dimensions: 72 x 1100 x 148 mm (W x H x D)
Power: N/A
Weight: 4.8 kg
Speaker configuration: 2.1 channel
Design: Wall mounted or free standing
Wireless: Bluetooth, 802.11ac Wi-Fi
Inputs: 4K HDMI Input and HDMI Output

Reasons to buy

+
Stunning sound
+
Cool, angular design

Reasons to avoid

-
Relatively pricey

If you're looking for a soundbar that will do your music justice, the

could be your new best friend. With nine drivers and a virtual surround mode, this soundbar is balanced beautifully, making it a great choice for listening to music while working. 

It also features a cool, angular design – although this won't appeal to everyone's tastes, we think it would look stunning in pretty much any space, particularly if your studio has already been decorated with a minimalist aesthetic.

There's one big downside to this musically adept soundbar: its price. At $480 / £569, the Denon HEOS is a hefty investment, and will probably only appeal to the most discerning audiophile creatives for that reason.

Due to its size, it won't suit very small offices or studios, and probably won't work in front of your desktop's monitor – however, it could be wall-mounted above it to lend a striking focal point to your working area.

Sony HT-ST5000

Image credit: Sony

06. Sony HT-ST5000

The best soundbar for 4K TV is made for Ultra-HD viewing

Specifications

Dimensions: 1180 x 80 x 145 mm (W x H x D)
Power: 120W
Weight: 8.2 kg
Speaker configuration: 7.1.2 channel
Design: Wall mounted or free standing
Wireless: Bluetooth, 802.11ac Wi-Fi
Inputs: 3 x HDMI inputs, 1 HDMI Out (ARC), analogue audio in/out, Ethernet, optical audio in

Reasons to buy

+
Dolby Atmos support
+
'Enhanced' setting for 4K

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive

The only reason the

hasn't made the top of our list is because of its price; at $1,500 / £1,500, it's much more expensive than many of its competitors. 

However, we think its high price is justified by its exceptional sound quality, support for Dolby Atmos, and built-in Chromecast functionality – this is a great soundbar for anyone who creates (or watches) 4K content.

All four of its HDMI inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.2 ready for 4K passthrough, which means it will work brilliantly with your 4K devices and TV. Its support for High-Res Audio codecs means that it works just as well for music playback as it does for watching film, too. 

So, if you eat, breathe, and sleep 4K content in your creative practice, (and you have deep pockets), the Sony HT-ST5000 could be the way to go. 

Razer Leviathan

Image credit: Razer

06. Razer Leviathan

The best soundbar for gaming is a mini soundbar that fits on your desk

Specifications

Dimensions: 500 x 76 x 71 mm (W x H x D)
Power: 30W
Weight: 2 kg
Speaker configuration: 5.1 channel
Design: Wall mounted or free standing
Wireless: Bluetooth aptX
Inputs: 3.5mm audio jack or optical connection

Reasons to buy

+
Great price
+
Space saving design

Reasons to avoid

-
Limited surround sound

You may not associate Razer with high quality soundbars, but the

is a fantastic, budget option for the gamer (or any creative) who wants to boost the sound of their desktop PC or Mac. 

At around half the size of most soundbars, it's designed to sit in front of your computer monitor, and has an optical input so you can plug it straight into your Xbox or PlayStation, or an auxiliary input for using with your PC or TV. 

The Razer Leviathan's size also makes a fantastic option if your home office or studio is on the small size, or if you rent your space and can't wall mount your new soundbar.

The top of the Leviathan features a preset button that means you  can switch between game, music and movie modes – perfect if you like to stream TV shows and movies on your desktop when you're not working. And, at $199 / £159, it's wallet-friendly, too. 

As it comes with a subwoofer, this diminutive soundbar packs an audio punch well above its small size – although its surround sound capabilities do leave a little to be desired compared to its higher-spec competitors. 

Read more:

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Ecommerce Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Editor, Digital Art and 3D Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson and Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The 3D World and ImagineFX magazine teams also pitch in, ensuring that content from 3D World and ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq.