Nearly every soundbar now carries a Dolby Atmos logo, but only some can actually put sound over your head. These six have real up-firing drivers, chosen from RTINGS' lab tests, from a budget 5.1.4 system to an 11.2.6 setup for big rooms.
The best Dolby Atmos soundbar is the Samsung HW-Q990F (~$1,200): an 11.1.4 system with four up-firing drivers, wireless rear satellites, a sealed subwoofer, and room correction.
The JBL Bar 1000MK2 (~$1,200) has detachable battery-powered surrounds, the TCL Q85H is the best mid-priced 7.1.4 system, and the Hisense AX5140Q (~$400) is the best budget pick with real height and rear speakers.
Almost every soundbar now has a Dolby Atmos logo, but many only decode Atmos and play it through forward-facing speakers. To actually hear sound from above, you need up-firing drivers that bounce sound off the ceiling, and for a real sense of being surrounded, you need rear satellite speakers. The channel count tells you what's there: in "5.1.4," the 4 is the number of up-firing (height) channels. A bar with ".0" height channels is doing virtual Atmos.
Our picks follow RTINGS' lab measurements, which test every soundbar for height and surround performance in the same room. For a deeper look at the format itself, see Dolby Atmos vs DTS:X and 5.1 vs 7.1 vs Atmos.
| Soundbar | Channels | Up-firing | Rear speakers | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung HW-Q990F | 11.1.4 | 4 | Yes, wireless | The most immersive system | ~$1,200 |
| JBL Bar 1000MK2 | 7.1.4 | 4 | Detachable, battery | Movie nights without permanent rears | ~$1,200 |
| TCL Q85H | 7.1.4 | 4 | Yes | Real Atmos for less | ~$498 |
| Hisense AX5140Q | 5.1.4 | 4 | Yes | Budget Atmos with rears | ~$400 |
| Bose Smart Soundbar | 3.0.2 | 2 | Optional | Small rooms, one-piece setup | ~$399 |
| Nakamichi Shockwafe Wireless | 11.2.6 | 6 | Yes, large | Big, open rooms | ~$1,677 |
RTINGS' top Atmos soundbar, and ours. The bar and both rear satellites have up-firing drivers, so height effects come from in front of and behind you, and the discrete rears put effects all around the room. Dialogue stays clear, the sealed subwoofer adds plenty of rumble without rattling, and room correction tunes the whole system to your space. RTINGS judged it a better value than Samsung's newer HW-Q990H.
Worth knowing: it's a big system with four boxes to place and power. If you don't want rear speakers or a separate sub, the Klipsch Flexus Core 300 in our soundbars with subwoofer guide builds them into the bar.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.The JBL's party trick is its surround speakers: they detach from the ends of the bar and run on batteries, so you can set them behind the couch for a movie and snap them back on afterward. With four up-firing drivers, it handles height effects well, dialogue is easy to follow, and the 10-inch subwoofer has real weight in action scenes.
Worth knowing: RTINGS found it can't pass 4K at 120Hz through its HDMI input and has higher audio latency, so plug consoles into the TV and use eARC instead.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.A full 7.1.4 system for less than the JBL. RTINGS found its four up-firing drivers, split between the bar and the satellites, handle overhead objects moving front to back convincingly, which makes it one of the most immersive bars at its price. It also has room correction and an HDMI input for a streaming box or console.
Worth knowing: out of the box, the center and surround channels sound a bit closed-in compared with the JBL. For music, wireless options are limited to Bluetooth and AirPlay 2.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.It's rare to find four up-firing drivers and rear speakers at this price. RTINGS measured height effects reaching about a foot and a half above the bar, both in front of and behind you. You can raise the height channels separately, which helps because Atmos playback is a little quiet by default. It's also our top pick in soundbars under $500.
Worth knowing: the main bar has two fewer side channels than the TCL, so the soundstage is a little narrower, and Bluetooth is the only wireless connection.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.For smaller TVs and apartments, the Bose fits under the TV with no subwoofer or satellites to place, and still has up-firing drivers. RTINGS found it creates a real sense of height for a bar its size, and side-to-side movement is easy to follow. It's the simplest way to hear Atmos height effects from a single box.
Worth knowing: without rear speakers, the sound stays in front of and above you rather than around you. If you care more about music than height effects, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) (~$499) has a wider stereo soundstage but no up-firing drivers.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.Big, open living rooms swallow sound, and this system is built for them. Two subwoofers spread the bass evenly, so there are fewer spots in the room where it disappears, and the large satellites push effects into every corner. It has more advanced adjustments than most soundbars, including crossover and per-channel levels.
Worth knowing: there's no microphone for automatic room correction like Samsung's; instead you enter your room's dimensions. In a small room, the Samsung HW-Q990F is the better buy.
Check price on Amazon Prices change often — verify current pricing on Amazon.Up-firing drivers work by reflecting sound off the ceiling, so the room has a big say in how well they work. They're at their best with a flat ceiling about 8 to 12 feet high, made of a hard surface like drywall. Vaulted, very high, or acoustic-tile ceilings scatter or absorb the reflection, and height effects get much weaker. If your ceiling isn't suitable, a bar with strong rear satellites will still give you most of the immersion. For the ultimate version, a receiver with in-ceiling speakers beats any soundbar; see in-ceiling vs up-firing Atmos.