Soundbars are a versatile alternative to a complete speaker setup because they are packed with many speakers’ side-by-side. Their long, slim design allows them to fit neatly under your TV without taking up too much room, while yet providing the spatial, 3D audio experience you desire.
Most recent systems even feature their own subwoofers to assure this. We’ll go over the top gaming soundbars on the market right now and list it down below.
With the acoustic quality of a soundbar, you can have a best gaming experience on your own PlayStation 5. If you start with a soundbar, you’ll get the perks of surround sound in a more compact, space-saving package for your gaming pleasure.
The Sony PlayStation 5 is expected to be one of the most popular gaming systems ever when it comes worldwide. The Tempest 3D AudioTech audio engine will be included in the PlayStation 5, and we recommend that you have a Dolby surround speaker to take benefit of the PS5’s new and upgraded strong audio engine.
Good luck with your gaming: With our recommendations, we hope you can find the TOP 10 BEST PLAYSTATION 5 SOUNDBARS on the market.
Comparison Table
Bose Soundbar 900
Bose is going after Sonos with this soundbar, and while it has a sleek design, the glass top makes it highly reflective, which makes it a poor choice for outdoor use. Despite this, this model is a significant upgrade over the previous 700 model, thanks to a significantly larger soundstage created by up-firing speakers and Dolby Atmos capability.
There’s no doubt in our minds that Bose is one of the premium audio brands out there. The company’s NC 700 Headphones, for example, have left a lasting impression on us, while its soundbar line has shown to be both attractive and capable (maybe more the former than the latter).
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is a direct successor of the bose 700 from earlier this year, with up-firing speakers and Dolby Atmos object-based surround capability.
That new design element addresses one of our primary issues with the previous model, and the Soundbar 900 does give an outstanding audio performance.
Pros
- Bold and crisp and great for music.
- HDMI eARC available
- Built-in Alexa
- ADAPTiQ room calibration
Cons
- Reflective glass top catches light from the TV
- No DTS:X support
- Power cable is too short.
- No additional HDMI input
Design
In the past, people thought that soundbars didn’t look very good because they were just long speaker enclosures. But Bose’s design touch is better than what most of its competitors can come up with.
The Soundbar 900, on the other hand, looks incredibly sleek, with a fine metal front grill and a glass carafe that’s perfectly gap-spaced for an extra layer of aesthetic perfection. The issue stems from the material selection. Glass reflects light naturally. Soundbars are located beneath televisions. When the television is turned on, it emits light. You can see where this problem is going: the top of the 900 mirrors what’s on screen, almost as if you’re looking out over a canal. This isn’t ideal.
There are no on-product or on-screen menus in terms of visual feedback – which is perhaps for the best, as more light emission would be even more distracting – just a simple LED area to show when the ‘bar is on, off, updating, seeking connectivity, and so on. It’s unobtrusive enough to go overlooked.
Sound Quality
The most important aspect of any soundbar, though, is how it sounds. With this Bose, there are numerous levels to that, as we’ve found it to be capable as a living room speaker – established through Wi-Fi, for example, with AirPlay 2 – or even as a Bluetooth audio source. Because of its physical size, it has an excellent front stereo soundstage.
It’s even more versatile as a soundbar, capable of handling Dolby Atmos audio sources to further enhance your TV viewing experience. For a more comprehensive sound, Dolby Atmos, an object-based format, sends output to firing channels besides the standard front center/left/right and side left/right channels. You won’t ever feel as if the sound is genuinely behind you, because it isn’t, but as a more immersive experience, it’s a significant improvement above the standard.
However, because there is no additional subwoofer or speakers included in the box (you may buy them as accessories if you have a fat enough wallet), you won’t be able to hear the deepest of lows without spending more money. If you have neighbors across a wall, though, we doubt you’ll notice: the Soundbar 900’s bass power is more than adequate, considerably exceeding that of practically any TV set.
This Bose soundbar has a superb sense of melody in its overall output. It excels at isolating higher frequencies and presenting them with punch and sparkle, as well as a soundstage with good height. If you find that the normal sound on your TV is fairly ‘low down’ – something that lower-quality soundbars sometimes suffer from – the Bose is a wonderful answer for you.
Technically, the Bose soundbar is a 5.0.2 channel system (the ‘0’ refers to the lack of a sub, and the ‘2’ refers to the up firing speakers), but with all the accessories, it can be upgraded to a 7.1.2 channel system. The wired ports on the ‘bar are designed to add on the two rear channels (the side ones remain ‘virtual’, as output by the soundbar at the front of the room), and the central subwoofer. This isn’t something we’ve tried in our setup because we don’t have the additions, but the wired ports on the ‘bar are designed to add on the two rear channels (the side ones remain ‘virtual’, as output by the soundbar at the front.
Verdict
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 is one of the most appealing soundbar models on the market. But that’s also one of its flaws: while the glass top is attractive in daytime, it’s also reflective, resulting in distracting reflections when watching in low light.
The Soundbar 900 is a significant upgrade over the previous 700 model. The addition of Dolby Atmos decoding, which is enabled by the two visible upward-firing speakers, significantly improves height and immersion, resulting in a one-box solution that will improve any TV’s output.
However, if you play music through this soundbar – whether over AirPlay, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth – it becomes a capable speaker system that’s suitable for a living room setting. If that’s your thing, there’s even voice control.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 has been a great addition to our TV as well. While it does improve TV audio, some competitors provide even more – a built-in subwoofer, for example, to boost bass – and, given the overall price, you might be able to find a less attractive soundbar that would deliver a little more for a little less.
JBL Bar 9.1
The JBL Bar 9.1 is the next item on the list. This is also one of the greatest soundbars for PS5 gaming that you can get your hands on.
The soundbar provides a wonderful audio experience and transports you to a movie theater in your own house. The soundbar’s coolest feature is that it has two detachable surround speakers, as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound.
As a result, you can position the soundbar to create a surround sound experience. You’ll also enjoy powerful and crystal-clear audio thanks to the system’s 820 watts of power.
It also includes a 10-inch subwoofer for heart-pounding bass. You may also turn it down and listen to music using Chromecast and AirPlay.
JBL Bar 9.1 also provides a true 3D sound experience that will undoubtedly improve your game audio. It includes Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and four upfiring speakers that bounce music from the ceiling down to you.
Batteries are used in detachable batteries. As a result, you may put it anyplace in your space and enjoy fantastic sound. It also has a 10-hour playback time and can be recharged by docking it to the soundbar.
Pros
- Dolby atmos drivers
- Bold audio
- Deep bass
- Wireless rear channel speakers
- Setup is simple.
Cons
- Costly
- Large
- EQ controls might be more accurate.
Design
With the rechargeable speakers magnetically docked, the Bar 9.1 measures 2.4 by 48.4 by 4.7 inches (HWD), and that’s the most important measurement because even if it measures 2.4 by 34.8 by 4.7 inches when they’re not attached, you’ll need to plan for that extra space—6.8 inches on either side—wherever you place or mount the bar (the system ships with mounting supplies for both the soundbar and the two surround speakers). The bar and speakers are black, and the divers are protected by black metallic grille paneling. The 24.5-pound subwoofer measures 17.3 by 12.0 by 12.0 inches and weighs 17.3 pounds.
The 400-watt soundbar features four racetrack-style drivers, two up-firing full-range drivers, and three 1-inch tweeters on the inside. A single up-firing driver and a 1-inch tweeter power the two 60-watt surround speakers. The Dolby Atmos drivers are the four up-firing drivers in the bar, as well as the two side speakers.
The 300-watt sub contains a 10-inch down-firing speaker, as well as a bass port for optimum airflow, a power/pairing button, and a connection for the provided power cable. When powered up, the sub instantly couples with the system. The system has a frequency range of 34Hz to 20kHz with a total output of 820 watts.
The Bar 9.1 supports Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Cast. Bluetooth 4.2 and AAC codecs are also supported. Bluetooth pairing is straightforward and rapid.
The side speakers can play for about 10 hours before needing to be recharged, although your mileage may vary depending on your volume settings.
Sound performance
With the bass at the intermediate level (3), we played music. We also turned down the Atmos drivers, so they were at their lowest setting. There are some games that have a lot of sub-bass sounds, like Call of Duty and Battlefield. The Bar 9.1 could make the sound of thunder or a more refined bass experience. At mid-level, the sub has a bass-heavy sound. At low levels, the sound is more refined and delicate, and at max, it sounds like a club PA. The Bar 9.1 doesn’t distort at very high volumes, and at more moderate listening levels, the system gives off a balanced, bass-forward sound.
If there’s one thing lacking, it’s a treble volume adjuster—it’d be good to fine-tune the system to your musical preferences. There are no listening modes here; instead, there are many customizable parameters. Many soundbars include neutral or music modes to contrast with the audio output for movies, but there are no such options here. However, the audio is well-balanced and clear enough that it isn’t a deal-breaker.
When listening to music, the back and Atmos levels appear to play a much smaller part.
The kick drum loop on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild” has a lot of high-mid presence, which keeps the attack sharp, but it also has a lot of bass thud, which is more than we usually hear on this track, even at mid subwoofer levels. Surprisingly, the sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are less strong than the beat’s thump, which isn’t typically the case. The bass is more noticeable with the drumbeats/gunshots than with the sub-bass synth hits, regardless of what the sub-volume level is set to—often. It’s the other way around. This indicates that the majority of the sub’s bass depth is concentrated in the lows and low-mids, tapering off in the true sub-bass region.
You wouldn’t describe this system as thin or brittle—pounding it’s and powerful—but as you get to truly low frequencies, the concentration of bass depth dissipates a little. The voices on this track are presented with excellent clarity and no sibilance. With some considerable additional wallop, this is a sharp, precise sound signature.
Depending on the subwoofer settings, orchestral tracks like the opening scene in John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary can sound natural, somewhat enhanced, or absurd. For classical and jazz, we recommend maintaining it at 2-3 since the higher-register instrumentation will preserve its fine precision while the lower-register instrumentation will serve as a solid anchor. Some listeners will prefer it louder than this, but above 4 or 5, the bass begins to disrupt the mix’s balance.
Verdict
The JBL Bar 9.1 is a force to be reckoned with. At $1,000, it’s a costly soundbar, but you get an immersive, wireless rear channel experience with Dolby Atmos, a powerful sub that can be adjusted, and a remote that makes switching between sources a breeze. For the price, we’d like to see more EQ settings, and you could argue that a properly calibrated, broader soundbar (with a sub) may deliver comparably immersive audio for a similar or lower price. However, there isn’t anything to complain about here. We also like the $1299 2.1 LG SL10YG and the $2,500 Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar in the $1,000-plus range, albeit neither includes rear channels. If none of these options are within your budget, the JBL Bar Surround 5.1 is a good compromise at $500.
Sonos Playbar
The Sonos Playbar is the next item on the list. You may also take a look at the best soundbar for PS5. It’s a wall-mountable soundbar that delivers powerful bass from wall to wall.
Crisp dialogue and excellent sound quality can be found in this Playbar. As a result, gaming with this would be a whole new level of fun for you.
Oscar-winning sound experts even tweaked it to highlight the sound of the human voice. As a result, you will undoubtedly enjoy high-quality sound.
The soundbar’s biggest feature is that it automatically tunes itself for the best sound quality based on where you position it.
It also has nine speakers that have been boosted, so it has more sound. It also lets you add speakers to make more channels, like 3.1 or 5.1, so you can have more sound. Six mid-woofers produce a wide range of sound effects, as well.
Plus, there’s more. It has a quality and elegant appearance. Due to its slim appearance, the soundbar will not take up much room.
Overall, putting the soundbar together is a breeze. The mobile app, which is available for iOS and Android devices, can be used to set it up. However, it does come with a hefty price tag.
Pros
- Beautiful sound
- Goes well into the sonos system
- Can wirelessly add sub and satellites
- Unique audio modes
- Compatible apps
Cons
- Can be paired with specific TVs.
- No remote in the box
- Only one input
Design
First and foremost, the Playbar sounds best to us when orientated with the broader edge facing out, so even if you’re not wall mounting it, we recommend standing it on the thin edge if at all possible.
If you choose the traditional laid-down position, keep in mind that the Playbar’s feet don’t raise it very high, so it won’t straddle a TV pedestal like the Yamaha YSP-2500 does.
Setup is a breeze with the Android or iOS app, which guides you through adding the Playbar just like any other Sonos component and walks you through the connection procedure step by step.
A pair of ethernet plugs are tucked away among the other connectors, allowing you to connect other components, such as a smart TV, to the internet over the Sonos network.
The IR sensor allows you to program the Playbar to respond to the volume controls on your TV’s remote, and there’s even a repeater built in to ensure that all of your remote’s other commands reach your TV, even if the Playbar is in front of it.
There’s no voice control here, unlike the newer Sonos Beam. If you want Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri, you’ll need the Beam.
Of course, if all you want is a lot of music, you can get a simple Sonos One or Sonos Move. The Playbar differs in that it also links to your television. Regrettably, there is only one way to do this, and that is through a digital optical cable.
The IR sensor allows you to program the Playbar to respond to the volume controls on your TV’s remote, and there’s even a repeater built in to ensure that all of your remote’s other commands reach your TV, even if the Playbar is in front of it.
There’s no voice control here, unlike the newer Sonos Beam. If you want Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri, you’ll need the Beam.
Sound Performance
Of course, the major question is how the Sonos Playbar sounds, so we start (pardon the pun) with some Premier League football.
It’s evident after just a few seconds that this is a significant upgrade over even the most impressive sounding flatscreen TV. The depth and breadth of the soundstage created is incredible, and there’s detail, weight, and tonal balance that a TV can’t match.
Having said that, it appears that Sonos has chosen a sound that is more atmospheric than impactful. If you’ve laid it flat, it sounds like it’s firing sound upwards rather than out into the room and to the listening location. This appears to be a design choice more than a flaw, although it does make the presentation less engaging than it could be.
Switch to Ed Harcourt’s lovely The Cusp and the Wane, and that trait is still present, but the sound is also amazingly detailed and dynamic, which means you can hear all the track’s natural emotion even though it’s simply a Spotify streaming MP3.
The good news continues when you switch to a lossless rip of James Blake’s Limit To Your Love, with detail levels benefiting from the higher bitrate and the individual strands of the music occupying their own space in the soundstage while fitting together to create a coherent whole.
The Playbar can go very deep for a product of its kind, albeit it struggles with the track’s lowest bass note. It’s impressive that it even comes close, but if you want to hear even those near sub-sonic notes, you can add a Sonos Sub.
Adding the Sonos Sub to your system via the app is a simple process that includes a few stages for level trimming so that it merges in with the Playbar, and the sound is noticeably better as a result.
Not only does this mean that the system can now achieve James Blake-level bass with rousing strength, but it also gives large movie effects more weight and helps the entire presentation fill the space more thoroughly.
It’s all profit therefore, but it’s profit that comes at a high price – and given the Playbar’s own level of quality, it’s a stretch that only the rich or extremely dedicated should consider.
Verdict
If you only want great game sound, there are better options, such as the Yamaha YSP-2500, which provides one of the most convincing virtual surround sound experiences available.
The Sonos Playbar, on the other hand, is a wonderful alternative if you’re looking for a simple gadget that will vastly improve the sound from your TV (rather than a true surround sound setup) and provide you fast access to more music than you could possible to listen to.
Other Sonos speakers are the major alternatives; the Playbase is a soundbase for under your TV rather than a soundbar, but the sound isn’t as good as we’d like, and the Sonos Beam is a more compact, terrific sounding smart TV speaker with voice control.
Sound BlasterX Katana
The Sound BlasterX Katana might just be a good option if you’re on a low budget. It has a low-price tag and is designed to meet all of your gaming needs. It is small enough to fit under your display and has a basic design.
Nonetheless, it manages to produce excellent sound quality. Because it has a multi-core audio DSP. It allows you to have an immersive audio experience while playing your favorite games.
The soundbar combines our most powerful 24-bit high-resolution DAC with a clever 5-driver system to provide the optimum sound.
It also includes a lighting system that reacts along with the beats. From edge to edge, it has 49 programmable LED lights. So, if you enjoy RGB, this is a great option for you.
Furthermore, it sports a 5-driver configuration with two upfiring midbass drivers and two high excursion tweeters. In addition, the subwoofer contains one long-throw driver.
The good news is that each driver is chambered independently and driven by a DSP-controlled amplifier for ultra-precise sounds.
A multi-core Digital Signal Processor is also included in the soundbar (DSP). This aids in the delivery of excellent audio quality. Furthermore, two of the drivers are specialized to driving mids, while the other two are responsible for providing high frequencies. A dedicated bass driver is also included. As a result, you will be able to clearly hear everything.
Pros
- Bluetooth
- Powerful sound
- Optical audio input
- RGB light show
Cons
- No Wireless subwoofer
- No HDMI
- 1 sound only
Design
The Katana is made of high-quality materials. It’s 59cm long and has two small feet underneath it, leaving roughly a millimeter of space between it and the desk.
With the speaker oriented slightly up towards the user, create a nice floating look. That’s a superb audio design, with a separate 7cm speaker grille on each end that allows the Katana to project music somewhat to the sides.
With a height of just 4.5cm, a depth of 8cm, and a black, brushed aluminum finish, it looks super-sleek (except for an over-the-top company logo) despite its heavyweight feel and 1.5kg mass.
The Katana is a little tough to fit on a desktop due to its size. The subwoofer must be linked to the soundbar using a pretty short wire, not because there’s anything wrong with the main unit.
It’s roughly two metres long, which may seem like a lot, but it’s not enough once you’ve dragged a cable behind a desk and positioned the subwoofer in a handy location. The same goes for the sound bar’s power line, which connects to an external power source before connecting to a wall outlet.
Sound Performance
The fact that the user must sit rather near to the Katana is the main reason for its effectiveness. Unlike a soundbar, which attempts to disseminate sound over a room with varied degrees of effectiveness, Katana’s two tweeters, two mid-bass drivers, and one separate subwoofer bring the listener closer to the speakers that will enhance the gaming experience of the PS5 users .
There are some good audio effects, but the touted 7.1 virtual surround sound effects are barely audible. The dominating sensation, though, is one of volume. This is a serious volume. As in, there’s a lot of it. We only went about a quarter of the way through its volume capabilities before it became loud. Both game soundtracks and music are well-received, with plenty of mid-range and bass, but treble detail is the distinguishing feature.
It has a 24-bit/96Hz lossless DAC that allows you to stream hi-res FLAC and WAV music files through USB or optical. Close-up clarity is outstanding, with some exceptional detail exhibited by what functions as an add-on PC soundcard.
On the other hand, even music streamed over Bluetooth from a phone have a treble detail. Overall, the subwoofer performs admirably, but it might sound a little harsh at times.
Verdict
Soundbars are popular, with sales increasing by 15% every year, so it’s no wonder that Creative is seeking to bring the trend to the desktop with a ‘under monitor audio system.’ We’re not sure why so few other speakers and soundbar companies have given it a shot, because the Katana is a resounding triumph.
To begin with, it saves a significant amount of space. Anyone with a compact desktop, especially those who have a super-wide monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio and no room for separate left/right speakers, is going to be short on space, and the Katana’s 59cm length and 4cm height come in useful
If the Katana’s elegant build quality wasn’t enough, it is packaged in a box with photos of the Northern Lights
We thought this was hilarious at first, if Creative felt a lovely picture of a magnetic storm would boost sales. However, it quickly became apparent that it had a cool RGB light show.
It’s obviously not a Northern Lights display, and it certainly doesn’t match the colors emitted by a Philips Amberlite TV, but an LED button on the remote switches between various light modes, one of which is for a rainbow of colors (16.8 million, to be exact) that gently projects downwards onto the desk. It changes subtly and covers the entire spectrum of colors, and it’s quite pleasant when the lights are turned out.
Please be aware! There is no optical connector on the PS5. Connecting a soundbar to your TV using an arc connection is simple.
Final Thoughts
Because there are so many cheap PS5 soundbars on the market, choosing the best one will be a careful process. You’ll have to think about what you need and how much you need.
But if you need a soundbar that is both durable and simple, you can’t go wrong with the Bose Soundbar 900. You can use it for gaming as much as you want. People use it in the industry for a reason.
Some soundbars with all of their features can be hard to work with, and it can be hard to figure out how to use them. The Bose Soundbar 900, on the other hand, works right out of the box, without any fuss.
FAQs
Do sound bars work with PS5?
What is the best audio for PS5?
PCM is the best audio format for your PS5 because the audio is uncompressed and doesn’t need to be compressed. If you want to use Dolby Digital or DTS as your default audio format, you’ll need to have TOSLINK. This is because these formats are compressed and need to be decompressed before they can be used.
Can PS5 connect to the Bluetooth soundbar?
The PS4 and PS5 don’t come with built-in Bluetooth speakers. The Remote Play app, an audio cable, or a Bluetooth adapter will still let you connect your Bluetooth speakers to your console and play music from them.
Hi, my name is Afnan Bin Ibrahim, and I’m an aspiring freelance writer. Read more
