Soundbars have become one of the most popular alternatives to speakers for a home entertainment setup. But how many times have you been listening to the dialogue in your favorite movie and found it nearly impossible to hear? You turn the volume up to catch the quiet dialogue just to then have your eardrums assaulted by a max-volume explosion and gunfight seconds later, forcing you to turn the volume back down - and miss the next set of dialogue.
While nightmarish, this is more than avoidable with the right soundbar. Some soundbars come with features that are made to make dialogue easier to understand, while others have an audio quality that makes even the quiet, whispered parts crisp and clear. We’ve gathered our favorite soundbars together for you to consider when you’re designing your next entertainment center.
Updated July 27, 2025 by Kenny Kimberly:There’s no shortage of soundbars, but finding the right one is a bit tougher. We’ve come back to brush off some of the dust of this article and provide you with a new choice, the ZVOX AccuVoice. Enjoy!
ZVOX AccuVoice AV100 Compact TV Soundbar
Six settings for your ideal choice
Looking for a compact soundbar that can handle the dialogue you want to hear most? The ZVOX AccuVoice AV100 Compact TV Soundbar comes with six different levels of voice boost to customize your sound.
If you’ve been using other soundbars and feel that you don’t have enough control over the sound, ZVOX is a great brand to look at. We’re featuring this soundbar because we’re in love with its Voice Booster settings. This setting does what it says on the tin - boosts the voices in your media to be a bit louder and clearer.
Another perk is that this soundbar is exceptionally compact, making it easy to find a spot for it on your display. A wired connection ensures that you don’t have to worry about dropping sound quality from wireless connectivity. Overall, the only con is that some people may prefer a larger soundbar.
Bose Smart Soundbar 600
For crisp, clear dialogue
The Bose Smart Soundbar 600 brings the company’s famous sound quality to bear without making you break the bank to enjoy it. This option also has a variety of features, including voice control functions and support for Dolby Atmos.
Bose is one of the mosttrusted and reputablenames in audio of all sorts. You likely know them from their headphones and headsets, but they’re one of the biggest players in the speaker and soundbar industry as well. Their Bose Smart Soundbar 600 is our choice for the best soundbar overall due to its exceptional features and decent price.
One of the best things you’ll find as far as dialogue goes is the support for Dolby Atmos. This, along with the quality of the speaker itself, gives you crisp and clear audio that can help you understand even the quietest whisper of dialogue better. For accessibility, it also has a built-in microphone that will help with smart voice commands, though you won’t want to be too far away from it for voice commands to work well. As a wireless Bluetooth speaker, this soundbar also makes cable management easier by not adding more to the mix. Overall, it’s an affordable, high-quality speaker stacked with exceptional features to help you get the most out of your sounds.
Hisense HS214 Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer
Quality without the high cost
Hisense is well-known for it’s quality, but you’ll usually pay top dollar for it. With the HS214 Sound Bar, you’ll enjoy a built-in subwoofer to get the most performance you can out of your equipment.
Hisense is another name that you’re likely familiar with in the audio world, but you’d be surprised to see how affordable some of their products can be - especially since they’re often listed as a more expensive brand. Their Hisense HS214 Soundbar is our choice for the best budget soundbar, coming in at a relatively affordable price without compromising on the quality you’d expect.
One of the most important features of this piece beyond its price is its built-in subwoofer. By having the subwoofer built in, you won’t need to add an external or third-party subwoofer to your setup, which helps you keep your entertainment system sleek and cut down on cables - as well as cutting down on price. Compared to most soundbars in this range, this soundbar has an unparalleled price. However, while it’s an excellent budget piece, it isn’t so much cheaper than its competitors that the gap between prices is life-changing. This is a great choice if you’re interested in trying out a high-quality soundbar without paying a top-quality price, but if you’re an audiophile, you may look at other options.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus
Sennheiser’s premium, luxurious quality
Sennheiser is a leader in the audio industry, and soundbars are no exception. The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus is an expensive option, but you’ll enjoy the most luxurious sound available for your purchase.
When it comes to audio, audiophiles are often willing to pay top dollar for the best, crispest sound. Sennheiser is often the brand to keep your eyes on when you’re looking for luxury, but you should expect to be paying for that luxury. On that, let’s get the only downside of this piece out of the way: it’s exceptionally expensive. While this isn’t themostexpensive soundbar you’ll find on the market, it’s certainly close, costing enough to outprice the rest of an average entertainment setup as a whole.
But for that price, you’ll have the best, most luxurious sound quality you can find in a soundbar. The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus comes with an untouchable sound quality that will make every second of your audio sound better, from whispering dialogue to soaring orchestral scores. As such, this is an excellent choice not just for watching films but for any use-case scenario, including your favorite albums. Its sleek aesthetics also make it easy to fit in with the rest of your setup without it sticking out. With its design, it’ll be nearly unnoticeable unless you choose to make it a centerpiece of your display.
Sony S100F 2.0 Channel Soundbar
Easy to setup without a hefty price tag
Sony is an unmissable name in entertainment, and the S100F is a great reason as to why. This piece comes with several features that can help to make the dialogue in your shows crisper and easier to hear.
When you’re shopping for soundbars, you’re likely to find plenty of options that are full of features you aren’t familiar with. Fancy names for audio settings or extravagant lists of voice commands can make it difficult to understand what’s actually being offered to you in a soundbar. If you prefer a more stripped-back and “simple” choice that puts its whole focus into great sound, Sony’s S100F 2.0 Channel Soundbar is our favorite choice.
That isn’t to say that this is a featureless piece. You’ll enjoy multiple audio-boosting features, but the most important is the Voice Enhancement, made to make television and film dialogue easier to understand. This piece also comes with a Bass Reflex speaker which will make all sounds better, from whispers to explosions. Beginners are certain to enjoy the easy setup and the simple process of connecting via Bluetooth, helping to make this our favorite choice for beginners who are just stepping into the world of soundbars. Finally, at its price, you can consider this a great budget soundbar.
Vizio M-Series 5.1.2 Soundbar
Ideal for a whole entertainment system
Vizio’s M-Series 5.1.2. Soundbar is an excellent option for people who want more than a single soundbar. This choice comes with separate speakers and a wireless subwoofer to help you get the best performance possible out of your speakers.
One of the drawbacks to soundbars is that they’re typically only a single bar-shaped speaker - something we really should expect, given the name and all. But if you’re looking for surround sound or want to have more than a single speaker, this can feel inadequate. Thankfully, there are plenty of soundbars that come with auxiliary speakers for better, crisper, rounder sound.
Vizio’s M-Series 5.1.2. Soundbar is our choice for anyone who wants to find a soundbar that provides more speakers. This piece comes with two side speakers that you can place wherever you’d like, as well as a deep bass wireless subwoofer. The speaker also comes with Dolby Atmos and DTS: X features for a more “cinematic and life-like” audio quality. We suggest this soundbar kit for people who focus on streaming movies and shows who want phenomenal audio quality.
LG S95QR Sound Bar with Surround Speakers
A bit pricy, but hard to beat
LG’s S95QR is a great choice for anyone who wants a sound-rich subwoofer for their entertainment system. With features like Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced, your audio will be as beautiful as it’s ever been.
While you search for soundbars, you’ll often find subwoofers - but what’s the point? A subwoofer is a speaker that’s dedicated to low-frequency sounds, usually used to bring a deeper bass to your audio display. These areideal for musicand film, but aren’t typically necessary for gaming. Many soundbars come with subwoofers either built in or secondary.
LG’s S95QR is an example of the latter, and the quality of this sound-rich subwoofer is nearly impossible to match. It also comes with a pair of speakers that you can place to your preference for surround sound. These speakers are great for hearing dialogue better - something that isn’t necessarily true about the fantastic subwoofer. With a slim body, exceptional audio quality, surround sound speakers, Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced features, and a high-quality subwoofer, this is an option worthy of your attention. Not to mention that theLG brandis a classic, trusted name in home tech.
FAQ
What Makes A Soundbar Good For Dialogue?
For most soundbars, it comes down to the features they offer. Some soundbars will offer features that are made to make dialogue crisper and easier to understand. For others, it’s as simple as high-quality audio.
Where Can I Find A Good Soundbar?
Amazon and Walmart are excellent choices due to their wide variety of soundbars on offer and the ease of having them delivered. Local tech stores and chains like Best Buy are also great options.
Are Soundbars Better Than A Standard System?
Not by default, no. Soundbars are generally simpler, easier to set up, and better for minimalist entertainment systems.
