Best 2.1 Soundbars With HDMI for Every TV and Living Room (2026)

A 2.1 soundbar with HDMI pairs a dedicated subwoofer with a single-cable connection to the TV, but not every bar with an HDMI port sounds the same or carries the same formats. This guide compares eight best 2.1 soundbars with hdmi for dialogue, movies, music and gaming, and states exactly which HDMI connection each model offers.

Quick verdict: the best 2.1 soundbars with HDMI at a glance

Start with the Samsung HW-Q600F for Dolby Atmos at a lower tier, or the Samsung HW-B750F for a full 5.1 package without Atmos. The other six picks cover clearer dialogue, a compact bar, a tidy single-bar setup and the simplest HDMI connection, so read the table first and then the section that matches your room.

Our lead pick for most living rooms is the Samsung HW-Q600F, because it is the only system here that combines real up-firing height channels with a wireless subwoofer at its tier. If dialogue matters more than height effects, the Samsung HW-B650 and the LG S60T are the stronger choices.

Quick comparison table

The table below gives you the fastest way to compare the eight picks by channel layout, included hardware, sound formats and HDMI connection. Channel numbers describe the published speaker layout, not a sound quality score, so use them with the product sections before you decide.

Two picks are single bars rather than true 2.1 systems: the Samsung HW-S60D has built-in bass with no separate subwoofer, and the Sony HT-S100F is a 2.0 bar with no subwoofer at all. Each product section states that limit plainly.

How we selected the best 2.1 soundbars with HDMI

Every model in this guide is a real product sold in the United States, with published specifications from its manufacturer or a retailer listing. We compared channel layout, included hardware, Dolby Atmos and DTS support, HDMI connections and expansion options, and we left out models whose HDMI connection could not be verified.

This guide is based on published manufacturer specifications and independent review coverage. It does not claim testing of its own, and it does not rank products by review scores. Instead, each pick earns its place for a clear reason: the most affordable Atmos system with a subwoofer, the lowest-tier 5.1 package, the clearest dialogue, the best fit for an LG TV, the most compact Atmos bar, or the simplest 5.1 setup without rears.

Eight soundbars that fit the brief, from Atmos to a single bar

Eight bars cover very different rooms and budgets, so the order below follows the decision most buyers face first: an Atmos system, a full 5.1 package, clearer dialogue, a compact bar or the simplest single-bar connection. Each section states what is in the box, which HDMI port it uses and what it gives up.

Samsung HW-Q600F: the entry-level Atmos pick

The Samsung HW-Q600F is the entry-level Atmos pick in this guide, and it earns that place with real height channels rather than virtual processing alone. It ships as a 3.1.2 system with nine speakers, two up-firing channels, a dedicated centre speaker and a wireless subwoofer in the box.

Samsung lists Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, with Wireless Dolby Atmos, Q-Symphony, Adaptive Sound and SpaceFit Sound Pro on compatible Samsung TVs. Retailer listings put its total output at 380 watts, so treat that figure as retailer-listed rather than a manufacturer headline. It connects through HDMI eARC and supports 4K at 60Hz HDR10+ passthrough, and optional SWA-9250S rear speakers can be added later. The bar is 40.6 inches wide, so it suits a 55-inch TV and larger.

One point needs care: some retailer listings claim DTS:X for this model, but the manual-based comparison lists DTS Virtual:X only, and this guide follows the manual-based source. Buy it if you want the most affordable route into Atmos with a real subwoofer and height channels. Skip it if you need DTS:X, or if your TV has no HDMI eARC port, since Dolby Atmos needs that connection.

Samsung HW-B750F: the affordable 5.1 package

The Samsung HW-B750F is the affordable pick for buyers who want real surround in the channel count without paying for Dolby Atmos. It ships as a 5.1-channel system with six speakers and a wireless subwoofer with a 6-inch driver, and it suits a living room where movies and sport matter more than height effects.

Samsung lists 400 watts of total power, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Virtual:X, with Q-Symphony, Bass Boost, Adaptive Sound and Voice Enhance. It connects through standard HDMI ARC rather than eARC, with one HDMI input, optical and Bluetooth for music, and optional SWA-9250S rear speakers can be added later for true surround. The bar is 40.6 inches wide, and the centre channel keeps dialogue clear while the subwoofer adds the low end a bar alone cannot produce.

There is no Dolby Atmos here, so this is a 5.1 system that plays surround sound well rather than a height-effects system. Buy it if you want a complete bar-and-subwoofer package at the lowest tier in this guide and you can live without Atmos. Skip it if you need Dolby Atmos, DTS:X or an eARC connection, or if your TV is small enough that a 40-inch bar will overhang the stand.

Samsung HW-B650: the clearest dialogue in a 3.1 system

The Samsung HW-B650 is the dialogue pick, built around a dedicated centre channel and a wireless subwoofer rather than surround or height speakers. It is a 3.1-channel system with seven speakers and a 6.5-inch wireless subwoofer, and it suits viewers who mainly want voices to sit forward and bass to sound full.

Samsung lists 430 watts of total power for the HW-B650, with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Virtual:X, Bass Boost, Surround Sound Expansion, Game Mode, Adaptive Sound Lite and Voice Enhance. It has an HDMI input and an HDMI output with ARC, plus optical and Bluetooth, and the bar is 33.9 inches wide, so it fits a 55-inch TV without dominating the stand. There is no Dolby Atmos and no rear speakers in the box.

Check the model suffix before you buy: Samsung also sells the HW-B650D at 370 watts and the HW-B650F as a 2025 variant, and the figures here are for the HW-B650. Buy it if dialogue clarity and strong bass matter more than surround speakers. Skip it if you want Dolby Atmos or rear speakers included.

LG S60T: clearer dialogue for everyday LG TVs

The LG S60T is the everyday pick for a viewer who mainly wants clearer dialogue and stronger bass, without Dolby Atmos or rear speakers. It is a 3.1-channel system with a wireless subwoofer, and the dedicated centre channel is why it suits news, drama and everyday TV better than a two-channel bar.

It supports Dolby Audio rather than Dolby Atmos, so films will sound fuller and voices will sit forward, but you will not get height effects. Retail listings put its total output at 340 watts, a figure that comes from retail listings rather than an LG specification page opened for this guide. LG lists it for TVs of 49 inches and up, which makes it a natural fit for a NanoCell or UHD set as well as a smaller OLED, and it connects over HDMI ARC or optical. WOW Orchestra works with compatible LG TVs.

The trade-off is format support and surround: there are no rear speakers, no height channels and no Dolby Atmos, so a film fan who wants immersive sound should look at a higher-tier LG bar instead. Buy it for dialogue clarity and bass on an everyday LG TV. Skip it if Dolby Atmos is a must-have.

Sony HT-S2000: a compact Atmos bar with built-in bass

The Sony HT-S2000 is the compact Atmos pick, a single bar with built-in bass that suits a smaller television or a bedroom. It is a 3.1-channel system with five speakers and 250 watts of total power in an 800 mm cabinet, and its three front speakers include a dedicated centre channel for dialogue.

It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, but it has no up-firing drivers, so height effects come from Sony's Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force Pro processing rather than physical overhead speakers. Two built-in subwoofers handle bass without a separate box. It connects through a single HDMI eARC output, with an optical input, and that single-port count rests on retailer listings and Sony's Australian specification page, so it has no HDMI input for a console or player. Optional Sony wireless subwoofers and SA-RS3S rear speakers can be added later.

The built-in bass suits a small room but will not match a separate subwoofer in a large living room. Buy it if space is limited and you want Atmos decoding and clear dialogue from one bar. Skip it for a large room, or if you need an HDMI input on the bar itself.

JBL Bar 500: the simplest 5.1 setup without rears

The JBL Bar 500 is the pick for buyers who want 5.1 sound without placing rear speakers anywhere in the room. It ships as a 5.1-channel system with a 40-inch bar and a 10-inch wireless subwoofer, using MultiBeam processing to create the surround effect from the front of the room.

JBL lists 590 watts total, 290 from the bar and 300 from the subwoofer, and this guide uses the JBL figure because some secondary listings show a lower 440-watt figure. Dolby Atmos is supported through HDMI eARC with 4K Dolby Vision passthrough, PureVoice keeps dialogue clear, and Wi-Fi, Chromecast, AirPlay and Bluetooth 5.0 cover music. The limits are clear: the Bar 500 does not support DTS, and it does not support add-on rear speakers, so the surround effect stays virtual.

Buy it if you want 5.1 sound and deep bass with only two boxes and no speaker wire running behind the sofa. Skip it if you need DTS support, or if you want real rear speakers rather than a virtual surround effect.

Samsung HW-S60D: the tidy all-in-one bar

The Samsung HW-S60D is the tidy single-bar pick, a compact all-in-one bar with no separate subwoofer box to place. Samsung lists a 5.0-channel system with seven speakers, built-in woofers, Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, plus Q-Symphony and SpaceFit Sound Pro on compatible Samsung TVs.

It connects through HDMI eARC and optical, according to the Samsung user guide, whose bottom-panel diagram shows both a digital audio optical input and an HDMI eARC port, and Tom's Guide lists its connectivity as HDMI, optical and Bluetooth. Wireless Dolby Atmos is limited to select Samsung TVs, so buyers with a non-Samsung set get a simpler bar. The bar is only 26.4 inches wide, its rated output is 200 watts, and optional SWA-W510 subwoofer and SWA-9200S rear speakers can be added later.

State it plainly: this is a 5.0 bar, not a true 2.1 system, because no subwoofer is included. Buy it if you want one slim bar with HDMI eARC and no subwoofer box, and you own a compatible Samsung TV. Skip it if you want deep bass for action movies without adding a subwoofer, or if your room is large.

Sony HT-S100F: the simplest single bar with HDMI ARC

The Sony HT-S100F is the simplest bar in this guide, a single 2.0-channel bar for a second TV or a small room. Sony lists 120 watts of total power, a bass-reflex speaker, an integrated tweeter and S-Force Pro front surround in a bar 35.5 inches wide, with no subwoofer in the box.

Its HDMI connection is verified: the Sony specification sheet lists HDMI OUT (TV ARC) alongside optical and USB, with Bluetooth 4.2 for music, so a single HDMI cable carries sound from the TV. Sony's sheet lists Dolby Digital, Dolby Dual Mono and LPCM, and the absence of DTS rests on a secondary RTINGS summary rather than on Sony's own sheet. No add-on subwoofer path is listed for this model.

State it plainly: this is a 2.0 bar, not a 2.1 system, and it is included as the lowest-tier HDMI ARC option for buyers who want the simplest possible upgrade over TV speakers. Buy it if you want one cable, one bar and nothing else. Skip it if you need bass for movies or music, since there is no subwoofer in the box and none can be added.

What to check before you buy a soundbar

A soundbar is a room purchase as much as an electronics purchase, so the checks below matter more than the channel count on the box. Measure the TV stand, find the HDMI port on the TV, and think about where a subwoofer and any rear speakers will sit before you choose.

How to choose among the best 2.1 soundbars with HDMI

Start with the room and the TV, then match the channel layout to what the household actually watches. A 2.1 system with a wireless subwoofer suits most living rooms, while a 3.1 system adds a centre channel for dialogue and a 5.1 system adds surround width.

For most buyers the decision runs in this order: does the room need a subwoofer, does dialogue need a centre channel, and does the household watch enough Atmos content to need height channels. A small bedroom needs only the simplest bar, while a large open room needs a wider bar, a real subwoofer and, for films, rear speakers behind the sofa. A large subwoofer in a small bedroom can overwhelm dialogue, so the Bass Boost and night modes on the Samsung models are worth using.

HDMI ARC, eARC and optical: what actually matters

The connection on the back of the TV decides which sound formats the soundbar can receive, so check it before you buy. HDMI eARC carries the highest-quality audio, including Dolby Atmos from Dolby TrueHD, while standard HDMI ARC carries compressed Atmos and Dolby Digital 5.1.

Four picks in this guide use HDMI eARC: the Samsung HW-Q600F, the Sony HT-S2000, the JBL Bar 500 and the Samsung HW-S60D. Four use standard HDMI ARC: the Samsung HW-B750F, the Samsung HW-B650, the LG S60T and the Sony HT-S100F. Optical carries Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, but it cannot carry Dolby Atmos at all. The Sony HT-S2000 has no HDMI input, so every source must connect to the TV first, while the Samsung HW-Q600F passes 4K at 60Hz HDR10+ and the JBL Bar 500 passes 4K Dolby Vision.

Do you need Dolby Atmos, DTS:X or a separate subwoofer?

Dolby Atmos adds height to the sound, DTS:X adds a similar object-based effect from a different format, and a separate subwoofer adds the low end that makes action scenes feel physical. Not every buyer needs all three, so match the formats to what the household actually watches.

A separate subwoofer is the single most noticeable upgrade for movies, music and sports, because a slim bar cannot move enough air for deep bass on its own. The Sony HT-S2000 is the exception, with built-in dual subwoofers, and the Samsung HW-S60D has built-in woofers, but both bars can add an optional subwoofer later. DTS:X matters mainly for Blu-ray collections; if the household streams only from services that use Dolby Atmos, a Dolby-only bar such as the JBL Bar 500 will not miss anything in daily use.

Frequently asked questions about 2.1 soundbars with HDMI

The questions below cover the doubts that come up most often before a purchase, from whether eARC is required to which size fits a common TV. Each answer follows the same rule as the rest of this guide: it states what the specifications support, and it names the case where the answer changes.

Do the best 2.1 soundbars with HDMI need eARC?

No, but the answer depends on the sound formats the household wants. Dolby Atmos from Dolby TrueHD needs HDMI eARC, while Dolby Digital 5.1 and compressed Atmos work over standard HDMI ARC, so a 5.1 or 3.1 system without Atmos is fine on an older TV.

If the TV has only an optical output, the bar will still play Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, but it will not receive Dolby Atmos at all. Check the port label on the back of the TV before you buy.

Can a 2.1 soundbar work without a subwoofer?

A 2.1 system is defined by its separate subwoofer, so a bar without one is a 2.0 or 5.0 bar, not a 2.1 system. Two picks here are single bars by design, and only the Samsung HW-S60D lists an optional subwoofer, while the Sony HT-S100F has no add-on subwoofer path.

If the subwoofer is unplugged, the bar still plays, but bass and the physical weight of action scenes disappear. A single bar with built-in woofers, such as the HW-S60D or the HT-S2000, covers everyday TV better than a bar with no bass hardware at all.

What size soundbar fits a 55-inch TV?

A 55-inch TV is about 48 inches wide, so a bar between 33 and 46 inches wide looks balanced on the stand. Measure the stand, not the TV, because a bar that overhangs the stand is a daily annoyance, and check the depth if the bar sits in front of the screen.

In this guide the Samsung HW-B650 at 33.9 inches, the JBL Bar 500 at 40 inches and the Samsung HW-Q600F and HW-B750F at 40.6 inches all fit a 55-inch TV, while the Sony HT-S100F at 35.5 inches and the Samsung HW-S60D at 26.4 inches suit smaller sets.

Conclusion

Start with the Samsung HW-Q600F for Dolby Atmos with a real subwoofer at a lower tier, or the Samsung HW-B750F for a full 5.1 package without Atmos. If dialogue matters more, the HW-B650 and the LG S60T cover it well. Check the HDMI port on the TV first, then choose the system that fits the room today.