Connecting a soundbar to your TV or any other media device is a wise decision to enjoy true audio quality. But the connection source matters greatly in how the end-user receives the sound.
Although WiFi and Bluetooth are most preferred for their wireless capabilities, many people still prefer connecting a soundbar to an external device using an HDMI cable. HDMI can pass both audio and video signals from the media source to the soundbar and help you achieve great results while listening to or watching the content.
Besides, this single cable generates a connection between two sources and passes the advanced audio formats like Dolby TrueHD, DTS, etc. So, you could utilize all the built-in functions of the modern-designed soundbars.
Therefore, we have included the 7 best soundbars with HDMI to make the finding easier. They offer much more than you could expect, like powerful audio quality, clear vocals, and accurate synchronization.
Let’s learn more about the best Soundbar with HDMI ARC and help you get one for your home entertainment setup.
List of the Best Soundbar with HDMI ARC in 2024
1. Bose TV Speaker
The Bose TV Speaker is a soundbar with a compact design. It improves sound quality and is a quick repair for better TV sound. The Best Soundbar with HDMI ARC features two angled full-range speakers for a more authentic audio experience, resulting in better TV sound. This finest HDMI arc soundbar was designed to improve voice quality and pronunciation for immersive listening, streaming shows, and gaming.
This Bluetooth Soundbar may be paired with any device, supporting wired or wireless connections. You can also listen to music and audio over the air. You’ll be up and running in seconds with only a single connection from this tiny soundbar to the TV through an optic audio cable or an HDMI cable, both available separately.
A speaker at this price point improves music quality by increasing bass and clarity. It isn’t a soundbar that will take your breath away while watching movies. That is why they do not promote it as a speaker.
The little TV speaker has a remote control that allows you to switch to a dialogue modeto improve speech quality or add a bass boost for extra depth.
This small soundbar is just over 2 inches tall and can be mounted on a wall or positioned next to your television. Furthermore, the portable TV speaker comes with remote control for easy access to all the functions, especially volume control from the couch comfort.
• The sound quality is excellent
• It provides clear vocals
• Great audio experience
• Value for money
2. SONOS ARC
For a 3D sensation, Dolby Atmos maps sound in place, so you can hear planes flying overhead, hear footsteps moving across the room, and feel the score all around you.
Sonos Arc discharges sound in all directions with eleven precisely engineered internal speakers, including two dedicated height channels, presenting every whisper, explosion, and beat with dramatic clarity, detail, and depth.
Arc features clear language that has been fine-tuned by Oscar-winning sound experts so that you can always follow the story. Turn on Speech Enhancement in the Sonos app for even more clarity when characters whisper, or the action picks up.
Connectivity with wireless technology and HDMI takes synchronization to the next level. With this great stereo dynamics support, the soundbar reaches the sky while reproducing the best quality sound.
The bass won’t be as powerful because Sonos doesn’t include a wireless subwoofer, but if you turn up the volume loud enough, those woofers will still get your heart racing. You can also use the handy True Play tuning tool in the Sonos app.
We can’t stress enough how fantastic the Dolby Atmos integration is if your television supports it. The sound transports you into the middle of a movie as the action swirls around you, aided by those up firing speakers that give the sound a great height. Furthermore, including both Alexa and Google Assistant is a huge plus.
• Works well as a music speaker, too
• EARC means it’s future-proofed
• An All-in-one unit doesn’t need a subwoofer
• Dolby Atmos, TrueHD, and Dolby Digital Plus
3. Sony HT-S350 Soundbar
The Sony HT-S350 soundbar was a simple 2.1 channel system released in 2019. It then moves on to Sony’s S-Force Pro Front Surround technology, which claims to simulate a thrilling surround sound experience without using powerful rear speakers.
While this feature works well with surround content such as movies or seasons, it isn’t suitable for stereo content such as music or television episodes.
Its sound profile is capable of accurately reproducing speech power. However, the audio is dark and indistinct. You won’t be able to disable this feature, either. However, there aren’t many functional customizing capabilities, like bass and treble controls.
The primary section of the Sony soundbar is a reasonably small Height, Width, and Depth (HWD) bar, with a black shape that includes touch-sensitive controls on its faux-leather top board and a rear-facing grille that houses the drivers.
The power TV, Bluetooth source, volume, and pointers for Multichannel, TV, or Bluetooth modes are controlled via the push button. They’re distinguishable from the front, but the LEDs face the grille forward. Besides, you will find the input ports at the rear panel, including optical digital or HDMI, for the stable and accurate signal catching, making it the best Soundbar with HDMI.
We like the Standard setting, although the numerous modes, particularly Cinema and Music, are also adequate. Also, remember that you can tweak the subwoofer settings within these types to get a taste of high-end music.
At mid-levels and in Normal or Music settings, the sub can be relatively quiet, but the bass depth is powerful and impressive. The replacement does not mislead maximum volume levels and can shake the walls of your home.
• Powerful, clear audio.
• Subwoofer levels changes.
• Easy to set up and operate.
4. Polk Audio Signa S2 Soundbar
The Polk Audio SIGNA S2 soundbar is a 2.1 soundbar with a wireless subwoofer that could be your home’s Best Soundbar with HDMI, considering the high-resolution audio output with the next-level clarity. Plus, it’s well-made and can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth. It also has become flashy but may not accomplish the best results when pushed beyond its limitations since compression and distortion may be heard.
Today’s glossy flat TVs may be stunning, but they all have one flaw in common: poor audio quality. Because these thin designs don’t leave many areas for designers to use an audio assembly capable of handling fantastic music, they settle for subpar audio.
Polk is a dependable audio system company that offers the most extraordinary modes without taxing your wallet. Polk’s S2 Soundbar is a famous example of its innovative products.
The kit consists mainly of a Soundbar and a subwoofer. The core unit is lightweight and portable, making it easy to complete even with limited room.
HDMI is the most commonly used port in modern home theatre equipment and was missing from older models. Thus, this is a significant upgrade. After that, there’s a regular 3.5mm slot.
It features wireless Bluetooth connectivity, too, allowing you to listen to music from any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or laptop. The device pairing is simple and quick, and the joining and connections are consistent.
The soundbar has a Night Mode that works wonders in lowering the bass because it blends in better with the dialogue and eliminates the need to adjust the main level multiple times.
It will allow you to watch your favorite movies and television shows late at night without bothering anyone sleeping in the next room.
• Amazing audio outcome.
• Loud enough for movies.
5. Polk Audio MagniFi Max Soundbar
The Polk MagniFi soundbar is the best HDMI soundbar, with a 5.1 framework and a sleek look. It comes with two bases and a separate subwoofer. To help create a more robust sound, it incorporates a Dimensional Stereo Array boundary sound capability.
With a prominent interior speaker, you’ll receive a loud and powerful sound experience for your home theatre.It includes an easy-to-use powered Subwoofer, which will connect to the soundbar as soon as it goes on without wasting any time, allowing you to enjoy a hassle-free experience.
You can stream music wirelessly from any Bluetooth-enabled streaming website or application. Thanks to the built-in Bluetooth, you can now effortlessly connect and set up your relationship with the soundbar. There are three HDMI connectors, USB, and AUX options, so you won’t be limited when connecting your device to the Polk Soundbar.
Improved technology aids in the reduction of any voice delay. Polk’s Voice Adjust Technology gives you even more control over audio quality. Outbalanced audio adjusts to your room’s acoustics so you can hear each word.
When listening to real-life content, the Polk MagniFi MAX soundbar has a relatively U-shaped sound profile with its music and audio setting, making it suited for most audio content.
• Adjust with Dialogue
• Many Connecting Options
6. JBL Bar 5.1
The JBL Bar 5.1 Surround is a 5.1 arrangement that allows current machinery to improve its surround performance without using extra speakers. Because of its clean and robust output, JBL 5.1 Speakers are better suited for action movies.
If you enjoy watching movies on your television at home, this Best Soundbar with HDMI will delight you. Dropped and mid-bass levels sound subtle, but full meter down sounds powerful.
It provides this soundbar with a solid look and feels. JBL Bar 5.1 has a solid matte dark color design. The speaker’s front has a metal appearance with a light that indicates when Bluetooth is connected.
The sound quality you receive will be in line with your television profile. The subwoofer throws a deep bass performance that hits the ground with intense power, making you enjoy every beat of the audio it produces.
The dialogue will be crisp, and you will not be irritated if you listen to it at maximum volume. You can adjust the high and low music volume using a remote control to suit your needs.
• Wireless Subwoofer
• Chromecast Supported
• Wireless connectivity.
• Room correction.
• No Atmos support
• The remote control is not effective
7. Samsung HW-Q800A Soundbar
A soundbar with a separate sub is essential if you place high importance on the low end of the audio spectrum. Nevertheless, very few soundbar subs perform as well as Samsung’s Q800A, which has a powerful, room-filling sound and a gut-busting bass in a somewhat compact design.
Three forward-facing channels are located across the front edge of the main soundbar, and two upward-facing tweeters provide height channels for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats. The small subwoofer has a side-firing 20cm driver and a rear terminal, producing a capable 3.2.1 channel with a clear, cinematic sound.
The Q800A features a vast toolset and an overall solid performance. The device has Bluetooth, two HDMI ports, one of which has eARC, an optical input, and two streaming options: Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. The built-in Amazon Alexa speech assistant can manage all these options while connected to WiFi.
You can use a new ” Q-Symphony ” feature to improve the Q800A’s audio quality even further. This feature enables the TV’s internal speakers to collaborate with the soundbar to expand the sound field’s height and space. And if you happen to own a Samsung TV, this is The Best Soundbar with HDMI ports.
The Samsung Q800A gives a present and captivating listen in addition to an epic feeling of scale and bass that a solo soundbar couldn’t hope to match. The Sonos Arc is sharper and more precise, especially when handling height components, but the Samsung is priced to compete directly with it.
• Heavy Bass
• A good selection of Modes
Best Soundbar with HDMI ARC – 2024 Buying Guide
You may have narrowed your research to the best Soundbar with HDMI, but it shouldn’t be your only concern while getting this innovative sound system technology.
A soundbar with HDMI support may offer you great sound, perfect synchronization, and sound effect support, but still, you must consider the other aspects of buying technology. Thus, a few factors demand your attention before getting a new soundbar for your home or workstation.
Where to Place?
The Soundbar Placement can be a real burden when you choose to get a soundbar with wired connection support. You have to dedicate a place to the soundbar near the other media source you want to pair with it.
So, better to decide on a better place for the soundbar and subwoofer near the TV or media player for easy access. Also, havea good time deciding whether to mount the TV on a wall or place it on furniture because you don’t want to hassle it whenever you choose to watch.
HDMI Cable
Get a long, reliable HDMI cable to connect media sources with your soundbar. Ensure it is not broken, exposed, or burnt from anywhere to not compromise the audio and video quality.
Moreover, since the HDMI cable relay on both audio and video decoding, you don’t have to mess up with a lot more cables for different purposes. So, it is a win-win for the end-user.
Sound Quality
Fortunately, connecting the media source and soundbar can be fun because you can enjoy perfect synchronization of the shows, accurate dialogue performance, DTS decoding, etc.
The sound quality will be impeccable, and there will be much fewer distortions than you could hear using the other connectivity sources.
In addition, the sound quality also depends on the channel configuration, subwoofer, and other built-in functions a soundbar could offer.
User-Interface
A soundbar should be easy to use in any case. It’s better to have a mini display to monitor the volume level, EQ preset if enabled, and other built-in functions. Besides, an HDMI cable input should be easy to reach even when the bar is mounted on the wall.
It could be great if the soundbar comes with a handy remote control, with dedicated buttons for bass push, connection switching, and sound modes. Many soundbars also come with voice control support, so choose the one that fits right to your convenience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best soundbar with HDMI ARC?
Polk Audio MagniMax can be the best soundbar with HDMI with a 5.1 system, dialogue adjustment mode, and incredibly excellent stereo dynamics. The soundbar gets loud without compromising the quality, and the background tuning is also well-balanced for different content. HDMI helps with a stable connection also.
Do soundbars need HDMI ARC?
It will be a good addition to the soundbar if it comes with an HDMI ARC. Since HDMI ARC means the soundbar only supports HDMI output, not the input, it means it will only enable the sound transmitting system.
Is HDMI ARC better than HDMI?
The HDMI source only allows for transmitting video or images; the ARC upgrade allows for sharing audio signals from the media source while polishing the quality. So, it is safe to say that HDMI ARC could be better.
Is Bluetooth or HDMI ARC better for the soundbar?
Bluetooth is better if you are looking for a wireless connection source, but HDMI ARC can deliver you a better audio listening experience, especially while connected to a TV.
What is better, HDMI ARC or optical?
It depends on your preferences. Optical digital only transmits audio signals; this input port is easily available on almost all media sources. However, HDMI ARC is not widely available, but it offers an incredible listening experience with advanced sound effects compatibility.
Read also: Samsung Soundbar Equalizer Settings
Bottom Line
Soundbars are the go-to choose of many TV lovers and audiophiles because they cannot only produce sound from the front but also create an expansive soundstage with their side speakers and create a vibe that TV speakers cannot replace.
Apart from the many benefits, the best Soundbar with HDMI input port always remains many’s top choices for obvious reasons. The HDMI cable ensures stable pairing, is cheap and can relay for both audio and video streaming from two devices.
Read also: Best Settings for Samsung Sound bar
Mia Evelyn is a soundbar specialist and she love to test and review different soundbar brands. She shares her neutral and in-depth reviews through the Soundbar Mag.