Best sound bar speakers

A full 5.1 speaker system sounds great, but it's absolutely going to clutter up your home theater. If you're looking for a minimalist solution to "the speaker problem," sound bar speakers are typically the best-sounding option. Unlike TV add-on speakers and sound bar home theater systems, sound bar speakers require an AV receiver, which is largely why they sound better, but it also adds to their overall cost and complexity. Also note that not every sound bar speaker does "surround effects"; some sound bar speakers just focus on high-quality stereo sound, instead of faux-surround.

If you're looking for a self-powered system that doesn't need an AV receiver, check out our best TV add-on speakers and best sound bar home theater systems instead.