There are lots of cheap soundbars on offers, but here's a little secret: if you want to make movie nights really special, you're better off buying a Dolby Atmos soundbar.
These models use overhead height effects to give movie soundtracks a "spatial" sound, meaning you can feel the roar of a jet and pinpoint far-off explosions. You needn't pay a fortune for this impactful home cinema upgrade, either.
Ready for an immersive Atmos experience at a surprisingly low price? Here's our pick of 2022's top Dolby Atmos soundbar deals for movie fans...
Top 3 Dolby Atmos soundbar deals
- UK – JBL Bar 5.0
£350£239 at Amazon (save £110) (opens in new tab) - UK– Sony HT-G700
£450£349 at Amazon (save £101) (opens in new tab) - Samsung Q800A
£799£492 at Amazon (save £309) (opens in new tab)
- US – TCL Alto 8i 2.1 $149 at Amazon (opens in new tab) ($114 renewed (opens in new tab))
- US – Samsung Q700A
$699$379 at Amazon (save $321) (opens in new tab) - US – Polk Audio MagniFi Mini AX $499 $464 at Amazon (save $35) (opens in new tab)
UK: Best Dolby Atmos soundbar deals
US: Best Dolby Atmos soundbar deals
What is Dolby Atmos?
Dolby Atmos is an object-based audio format that expands upon a traditional surround set-up by adding channels to produce sound from overhead. Filmmakers use the technology in the mixing stage to place sounds and voices at exact points in the soundfield rather than simply assigning them to channels, creating an enveloping soundstage even from the confines of a small soundbar.
As well as adding thrilling movement to action sequences, Dolby Atmos enhances perspective and immersion in both effects and music. Most premium Atmos soundbars use upward-firing drivers to disperse sound vertically and reflect it off your ceiling – giving the effect of having overhead speakers and adding realism to vertical sounds such as planes and helicopters.
A slew of excellent Dolby Atmos soundbars have recently hit the market, and there’s now a range of models to suit all budgets. Some pocket-friendly models offer ‘virtual’ decoding of the format, using psychoacoustics instead of upward drivers. While realistic overhead sounds are a bit of a stretch for these more affordable Dolby Atmos soundbars, having the ability to decode the format well means that you will still find that movies and games have more compelling and nuanced soundtracks.
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