Craving cinematic audio without sacrificing space? Discover the top small soundbars packing a punch. From crystal-clear dialogue to booming bass, find your perfect match for movies, music, & more.
The size of a soundbar setup can increase as many speakers, and sound-enhancing technologies are packed into it. Generally, when it comes to soundbars for computer use, the best ones tend to be smaller than those designed for television use since some are too wide to keep underneath your computer monitor or your TV stand. Compared with a larger soundbar, a smaller one tends to sound less spacious, but its more compact size makes it easier to take it with you when you travel or set it up wherever you want.
Comparsion Table of Small Soundbars
| Soundbar | Price | Channels | Power | Connectivity | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bose TV Speaker | Check Price | 2.0 | 30W | HDMI-ARC, optical, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Dialogue mode, bass button, remote control |
| Sound Bar for TV with Subwoofer | Check Price | 2.0 | 60W | Optical, coaxial, RCA, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Deep bass, LED display, remote control, wall mountable |
| Hisense HS214 | Check Price | 2.1 | 108W | HDMI-ARC, optical, Bluetooth, USB | Built-in subwoofer, sound modes, remote control, wall mountable |
| Sound Bar, TOPVISION | Check Price | 2.1 | 60W | Optical, RCA, Bluetooth, USB | Built-in subwoofer, 3D surround sound, remote control, wall mountable |
| VIZIO V-Series 2.0 | Check Price | 2.0 | N/A | HDMI-ARC, optical, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | DTS Virtual:X, voice assistant compatible, remote control |
| Bose Solo 5 | Check Price | 2.0 | N/A | Optical, coaxial, Bluetooth | Dialogue mode, universal remote control |
Our Top Recommendations
Best Editor’s Choice: Bose TV Soundbar
Best Overall: Bose Solo 5 Soundbar
Best Budget Pick: Hisense HS214 Soundbar
Bose TV Soundbar
Specifications
| Speaker Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Surround Sound Channel Configuration | 2.0 |
| Weight | 8.15 pounds |
| Warranty | 1 year |
| Dimensions | 4.02 x 23.38 x 2.21 inches |
Bose TV Soundbar is a compact 2.0 soundbar connected to a TV via HDMI. Despite its small size, this product’s optical and HDMI ARC ports make it the perfect choice for Best Small Soundbar for TV. Despite its lack of low bass, its sound profile is geared towards TV content since it delivers smooth and balanced mids, which results in vocals that are quite present and clear.
The Bose TV Soundbar is relatively easy to connect and use. Unpacking, placing, and connecting your TV to the computer does not take much of your precious time. The speaker is equipped with a linear connection to connect to the television with the help of an optical audio cable. However, you must purchase an HDMI cable separately to connect the speaker with the tv.
Bose remains the number one choice among many of its customers when choosing audio products. All this is possible because of the attention to detail that the company puts into its product design and the fact that it does not compromise the quality at all. The Bose TV speakers are compact and small, making them suitable for a wide range of TV sizes. No upfiring or side-firing drivers exist, so that you can place it in a compact location. Furthermore, this also gives you a greater degree of flexibility.
The company uses a strong plastic material for the hardware, ensuring that it lasts for a long time. Furthermore, the Bose TV Soundbar has rounded corners per the company’s policy to unify its design. Like other products, the Bose TV Soundbars offer a solid metal grille like the Bose 500 and 700 soundbars.
The Bose TV Soundbar can enhance the vocals of audiobooks, podcasts, and even TV shows. You can find an additional sound mode, called Dialogue mode, in addition to the default one. You can find the dialogue mode in the speakers to make sure that the sounds are as clear as they can be. By activating the dialogue enhancement feature, you can also improve the clarity of the sound.
With Bose Simple Sync technology, you can connect your TV speakers to a Bose Home Speaker and a Bose Soundbar simultaneously. This feature can be accessed by downloading the Bose Music app from the iTunes Store and installing it on your mobile.
The Bose TV Soundbar uses a 2.0 channel system. There are no additional drivers for the side-firing woofers. Bose TV speakers come with a remote control to control them easily. On the other hand, they do not come with built-in buttons, voice control functionality, or support for mobile apps.
In the middle of the speaker, two oval-shaped drivers cover the entire frequency range. To improve the soundstage, the drivers are locked at a perfect angle. Furthermore, the single twitter set up in the middle of the drivers allows for clearer dialogue while balancing the high-frequency sounds.
Bose TV Soundbar comes with an HDMI ARC input that is located on the left backside. This input is designed specifically for modern TV setups. It also has digital optical and AUX input spaces if you have an older model. Furthermore, it comes with a USB port that can be used only for service and not for playback. Additionally, a Bass port enables a subwoofer to be connected to the device.
All in all, the Bose TV Soundbar is a device that is suitable for mixed usage. Because it does not support Atmos, it would not be ideal if you watch a lot of movies. The speaker also lacks low bass, so it cannot produce a thumping sound for watching action films or listening to beat-driven EDM music.
• Bluetooth-compatible
• Bass adjustment feature available
RIOWOIS R-6405SaiYin Soundbar
Specifications
| Speaker Connectivity | RCA, Bluetooth, Auxiliary, Optical, Coaxial |
| Surround Sound Channel Configuration | 5.1 |
| Weight | 3.79 pounds |
| Warranty | One year limited |
| Dimensions | 39.37 x 5.31 x 3.94 inches |
The RIOWOIS R-6405SaiYin Soundbar features two powerful full-range drivers with a combined output of 40 Watts, allowing for a very realistic, spatial audio experience with a compact speaker system. It is a Best Small Soundbar for TV that optimizes sound clarity and creates full-bodied virtual surround sound that fills the entire room. This soundbar is suitable for any home theater system.
The RIOWOIS R-6405SaiYin soundbar can be connected to most types of your devices via Wireless Bluetooth 5.0, Optical, RCA, or Coaxial connections. It can be used with many devices, including Smart TVs, PCs, phones, projectors, DVD players, laptops, desktops, tables, pens, and many others. In addition, the soundbar can also be connected to older-style devices with an AUX port.
The RIOWOIS R-6405SaiYin Soundbar can be used for music, movies, and news. If you want to enjoy cinematic surround sound in your home, use the remote control by selecting your favorite specialized mode, and you’ll be able to enjoy a range of stereo effects throughout the room.
This soundbar is ideal for TVs, gaming, and more. It is compatible with all screen sizes. The following accessories come with the RIOWOIS R-6405SaiYin Soundbar: Remote Control, Power Adapter, Optical Cable, RCA Audio Cable, 3.5mm to RCA Cable, User Manual, and Wall Mount Kit.
Despite the compact design and wall mounting feature, this unit delivers maximum power for the smallest unit. You should set the soundbar volume to 80 percent of its total volume, and the volume of your source device should be set to a level that provides good sound quality.
When you switch or select your connection mode by pressing the “M” button on the soundbar or the corresponding button on the remote control, the connected LED indicator in the sound bar will change to blue, and the sound bar will be ready to use.
The audio cable must be connected to a connector on your TV marked Line OUT or Audio OUT by inserting it into the corresponding connector on your soundbar, and the audio cable must be connected to the TV sound output and the soundbar audio input by inserting it into the corresponding connector on your TV. You can also double-click on the AUX boost button on the remote control to restore the volume.
Overall, this soundbar can be used anywhere in your house. You will get the best audio possible when you hook up the optical cable to your TV.
• Bluetooth-compatible
• Compact size
Hisense HS214 Soundbar
Specifications
| Speaker Connectivity | Bluetooth, Auxiliary, USB, HDMI |
| Surround Sound Channel Configuration | 2.1 |
| Weight | 6.47 pounds |
| Warranty | Not mentioned |
| Dimensions | 25.6 x 3.7 x 2.3 inches |
The Hisense HS214 all-in-one soundbar is a compact, powerful, and competitively priced all-in-one sound system. The product has an excellent design, is well made, comes with a decent remote, and includes everything you require to quickly and easily connect with your TV. This speaker sounds larger than it is, gives off a surprising amount of bass, and offers a very affordable way to upgrade the sound on TVs with screens up to 55 inches.
Hisense’s HS214 certainly does not depart from the standard all-in-one soundbar model, featuring a simple, black cabinet that’s reasonably well-made but doesn’t stand out compared to other soundbar models. Besides the mesh grille, there are speakers and a series of LED indicators on the back, touch-sensitive controls on top, and two ports on the sides.
This soundbar features two screw holes on the rear of it in case you wish to wall mount the HS214, a recess on the left (as you face it) for the connections, and a recess on the right for the two-pin power cable. Multiple touch-sensitive controls allow one to turn the device on/off, switch inputs and adjust volume up/down. A removable sticker is also provided that displays all the different colors of the LEDs and what each color stands for.
In terms of the remote control included with the soundbar, it’s quite good for a product of this price range. It’s easy to use and has all the most valuable buttons in a logical pattern. On the device, you can turn it on and off, mute the sound, change the volume, switch between sound modes, choose sources, dim the display, adjust the bass, play/pause/skip, select the surround mode, and pair with Bluetooth devices.
The connections are pretty standard for a budget soundbar, but you will find that they provide everything you need to upgrade the sound on your TV quickly and easily. It consists of an HDMI-ARC connector that enables audio to be sent back from the TV and allows basic control through the TV’s remote control. Alternatively, if your TV does not support ARC, you can use optical or coaxial digital input, which is becoming increasingly common nowadays.
The Hisense HS214 is a 2.1-channel all-in-one soundbar with a horizontally-firing 3-inch woofer mounted in the cabinet and two front-firing full-range 44x100mm drivers with an eight-ohm impedance each, and a downward-firing 4-inch driver located at the back of the cabinet.
Dolby Digital and 2- and multi-channel PCM are supported by the HS214, but DTS decoding is unavailable. The Hisense can handle various audio files, including WAV (48K), WMA, MP3, and FLAC. Also included are a virtual surround enhancement and three sound modes: Movie, Music, and News.
While the Hisense HS214 might be basic in terms of its design and features, it does offer the Chinese manufacturer an opportunity to concentrate its efforts on delivering decent sound quality at an affordable price. Two full-range speakers that fire forward-firing and a downward-firing woofer create a soundstage much more significant than you would expect from such a compact cabinet.
Overall, the Hisense HS214 is the Best Small Soundbar for TV and an excellent entry-level TV speaker that’s straightforward and great for those who don’t have a lot of space, and in alternate you may checkout soundbars that fits small rooms.
• Clear vocal projection
• Compact size
TOPVISION 36 Inch Soundbar
Specifications
| Speaker Connectivity | Bluetooth, HDMI |
| Surround Sound Channel Configuration | 2.0 |
| Weight | 3.84 pounds |
| Warranty | One Year |
| Dimensions | 24 x 3.2 x 2.28 inches |
A TOPVISION 36 Inch Soundbar has a slim and stylish design, and due to its smaller size makes it much easier for you to carry around or install in any location you choose. The TOPVISION 36 Inch Soundbar is equipped with a 3.5mm (AUX and RCA) and optical wired audio input to be used with a wide range of devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, TVs, computers, projectors, set-top boxes, etc. These inputs allow the soundbar to be used with a wide range of different devices.
You first have to make sure that your TV audio settings are set to PCM for ARC/optical input before you start using the device.
The Bluetooth 5.0 standard makes TOPVISION 36 Inch Soundbar possible to establish a wireless connection between mobile phones and soundbars that is both fast and reliable, as well as efficient and stable. To use this sound bar, you can wirelessly connect it to your phone via Bluetooth so you can use it to soundtrack your next party, or you can listen to a good album in rich, audiophile quality as a way to relax while you listen to a good album.
Using the built-in DSP technology of the soundbar ensures that the output of the sound is more accurate and stable than ever. To match your favorite voice, the Equalizer has three modes (Music, Movie, News) to choose from. With Movie Mode, you can hear every rip and rumble from your favorite action film with deep bass and loud, room-filling sound.
Using the Music Mode, you will be able to listen to music that is clear and pleasing to the ear. In News Mode, you can get a list of all the words and expressions in your favorite movies to ensure that every conversation sounds clear and crisp.
The TOPVISION 36-Inch Soundbar features a power output of 50W, meaning it can play a wide variety of music with its power output. If you use the soundbar in conjunction with your TV, you will be able to listen to the sound much louder and more immersive than you would be able to hear by simply relying on your TV speakers alone. As mentioned earlier, two powerful full-range speakers provide hi-fi audio, providing a relaxing atmosphere and immense stereo effects to any room, whether a living area or a bedroom.
It has an excellent Bluetooth feature, which allows me to listen to music via my phone, enabling this Grammy to enjoy the music while doing household chores simultaneously. As well as the small footprint, I also adore how compact it is.
All in all, the excellent sound quality, reasonable price, and minimal size of this soundbar make it an excellent buy and the best small soundbar for TV. it can reproduce voices and with great detail.
• Dialogue enhancement feature
VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar
Specifications
| Speaker Connectivity | RCA, Bluetooth, Auxiliary, USB |
| Surround Sound Channel Configuration | 2.1 |
| Weight | 3.41 pounds |
| Warranty | Not mentioned |
| Dimensions | 15.7 x 3.4 x 2.8 inches |
Vizio released the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar in 2021 as a Best Small Soundbar for TV 2.1 setup that offers a high image quality for the price. While this soundbar emphasizes bass, it does not mean that the vocals and lead instruments are not reproduced clearly and with detail, even though its bass profile provides an extra punch and boom to your audio. It has several EQ presets that can be used to customize the sound but lacks several more premium features that enhance the sound.
The design of this soundbar is simple and sleek, which makes it the Best Small Soundbar for TV. The front and sides are covered in fabric, mainly made of plastic. With the help of four rubber feet, it sits on the ground. It is mainly made of melamine and rests on four plastic pegs with rubber grips that allow it to move freely. Under the speaker, you will find a port in the rear and a port at the bottom of the speaker.
Even though the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar is wide, it should still be able to fit between the legs of most 55-inch television stands despite its width. Also, it is not that tall, so unless your TV is flush with your table, it shouldn’t be able to obscure your TV screen when it’s sitting on your table. Subwoofers have about the same width as desktop computers, but they’re not very tall. The device connects to the bar wirelessly, so all you have to do is plug it into an outlet to get it to work, and you’re good to go.
The VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar provides a decent stereo soundstage performance. Compared to the bar itself, the soundstage of this bar appears to be a bit wider than its width. As far as the focus of this device is concerned, it works well, so sound objects like voices can be pinpointed to an exact location with a good degree of accuracy. However, it can sometimes seem like a more general area is moving.
Surround performance is poor on the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar. For the player to be able to play surround content, it has to down-mix the content into stereo. A surround sound system gives the impression that objects in the room, such as voices and footsteps, come not from all around you but rather from speakers in front of you.
There is good audio format support via ARC for the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar. Among all the streaming platforms and Blu-ray discs available on the market, it supports Dolby Digital, one of the most frequently used surround sound formats.
Bluetooth is the only connectivity option available on the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar. With
Bluetooth, you can stream audio wirelessly from your mobile device directly to the bar, but you won’t be able to connect via Wi-Fi, Chromecast built-in, or Apple Airplay.
There is an impressive performance regarding the latency of the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar. In terms of latency, the device has fairly low latency via both ARC and Optical, so the audio you hear is in sync with the video you see most of the time. Because of this, it is suitable to watch videos over these types of connections as a result. Latency can be compensated for differently by different apps and TVs, so you may have a different experience depending on what you use.
On the left side of the bar of the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar, there are a number of indicator lights that show you the status. Depending on the input that you choose, they flash different colors and patterns at the same time. If you switch between the four preset modes of the EQ simultaneously, you will also hear audio feedback as you switch between the four preset modes.
All in all, regarding dialogue-centric content centered around TV shows and movies is concerned, the VIZIO V20-J8 Soundbar is satisfactory. Because of its well-balanced mid-range, it can reproduce voices and with great detail.
• Bluetooth-compatible
• Compact size
Bose Solo 5 Soundbar
Specifications
| Speaker Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Surround Sound Channel Configuration | 2.1 |
| Weight | 3.7 pounds |
| Warranty | One Year |
| Dimensions | 3.4 x 21.5 x 2.8 inches |
With the Bose Solo 5, you get a small and compact soundbar that will not take up too much space in your existing setup, which makes it a perfect addition if you are looking for the best small soundbar for TV. With its fairly balanced and neutral sound profile, particularly in the mid-range, it can reproduce voices and lead instruments clearly and concisely, so it can reproduce the impression of a live performance. However, even with this, it is not easy to produce low bass with the built-in subwoofer, and the volume is not very loud for a device of such a small size.
Bose Solo 5 is an all-black soundbar with a straightforward design. The front part of the bar is mainly composed of plastic, and the sides are made of metal. The front portion of the bar is covered with a metal grille. There is also a subwoofer embedded in the bar, and a port on the back can be seen. With this soundbar setup, no external subwoofer is connected to it. This Soundbar have embedded subwoofers.
The Bose Solo 5 is a reasonably compact Soundbar. This is a smaller soundbar than others that are 2.0 in size, such as the Yamaha YAS-109, and it should easily fit between the legs of a 55-inch TV stand. Furthermore, it is not very tall, so you shouldn’t have any problems seeing the TV screen unless the TV screen is completely flush with the surface of the table.
It has a very plain back. On the right side of the screen, you will see a section for all of the input ports; on the left, you will see the port for the built-in subwoofer. Also, two holes in the back of the unit can be used for wall-mounting, but if it is wall-mounted, the subwoofer port could be blocked.
The Bose Solo 5 has a good reputation in terms of build quality. Besides the metal grille surrounding the bar on the sides and at the front, it’s solid plastic. At the back of the bar, there is a port for the subwoofer, which is embedded in it. I feel that the entire build is solid, although it is not too high-end.
Bose Solo 5 has a good stereo frequency response, especially for a device of its size, but it, unfortunately, lacks noticeable bass response. While it has a relatively high low-frequency extension, which means it has a hard time reproducing deep thumps and rumbles, it still produces much more low-bass than the LG SK1 and the Vizio SB3220n-F6 as well.
A lack of sound enhancement features is one of the main complaints about the Bose Solo 5. You have the option to enhance the dialogue to make it sound more clear and crisp, and you can also adjust the bass to make the sounds more tailored to your tastes. Despite this, it does not have a full graphic EQ, which is a huge drawback. In case if you want to control your bose soundbar with remote control, you can check our guide on it.
Despite having a limited number of inputs, the Bose Solo 5 has a particular set up you will need to follow when connecting it to the rest of your devices. It has optical audio, which can be used for surround sound, and a coaxial connection that can be used with older devices that use coaxial. It is not equipped with HDMI ports, but it has an Analog 3.5mm port that can be used to connect a mobile phone or any other device that doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilities.
An optical port on the Bose Solo 5 allows it to decode Dolby Digital, though it downmixes it to 2.0. Most streaming platforms and Blu-ray players can decode Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
Regarding mixed usage, the Bose Solo 5 is Best Small Soundbar for TV. With its balanced mid-range, it can reproduce dialogue-heavy content like podcasts and TV shows with great clarity. For some music enthusiasts, the integrated subwoofer does not produce a low bass level, which can be disappointing as it cannot create a deep bass.
• Bluetooth-compatible
Conclusion:
Selecting one from a vast selection of soundbars that are compatible with a Best Small Soundbar for TV can be a challenge. Each soundbar has specifications and features, so you should choose one based on your preferences.
To make things easier for you, we have gathered the top picks from this category to help you choose a soundbar from this list. All the soundbars included in our list of the best soundbars for small rooms are top picks. Bose TV Soundbar can easily take the top spot because it is the best soundbar that delivers quality sound with the most excellent features, plus it is an editor’s pick, so it gives it the award for the best soundbar.