Best Soundbars With Sub Out for Adding Your Own Subwoofer (2026)

A subwoofer output turns a soundbar into a starting point instead of a finished system, because it lets you connect a powered subwoofer you already own. This guide compares the best soundbars with sub out jacks, checks which bars truly have one, and names the wireless alternatives for the models that do not.

Quick verdict: the best soundbars with sub out at a glance

Only a small number of soundbars have a genuine wired subwoofer output, and the ZVOX SB500 is the strongest of them, with a mono RCA output, built-in subwoofers and dialogue help. The Denon DHT-S218 and the Bose TV Speaker are the other verified wired picks, while the Sony, Samsung and Sonos bars below add bass only through a wireless subwoofer.

The split in the table is the whole story of this guide. Four bars let you plug in a powered subwoofer with a cable, one ships with a wired subwoofer already in the box, and three respected bars accept only a wireless subwoofer from the same brand. If you already own a powered subwoofer, start with the first four rows and ignore the rest.

How we selected the soundbars in this guide

We checked the subwoofer output of every model against manufacturer specifications, retailer specification tables and user guides, and we kept a bar in the wired group only when a wired output was confirmed. Models with no verified wired output were grouped separately and labelled wireless only.

This guide is based on published specifications and does not claim listening tests of its own. It uses price-tier language only and never states a current price, because prices change by retailer and by week. Each pick earns its place for a clear reason: a verified wired output, a wired subwoofer in the box, or a strong wireless expansion path when a cable is not practical.

Wired sub-out picks: bars that take your own subwoofer

Four bars in this guide have a confirmed wired subwoofer output, so they are the only ones that fit the strict reading of this search. They differ in size, sound formats and dialogue help, but they share the same useful trait: a powered subwoofer you already own can plug straight in.

ZVOX SB500: the wired sub-out pick for dialogue and big rooms

The ZVOX SB500 is the lead pick because it is the most complete wired sub-out bar here. It has a mono RCA subwoofer output on the rear panel, two built-in 4-inch subwoofers, three 2-inch full-range drivers and a 140-watt Class D amplifier, so it already produces real bass before any external subwoofer is added.

ZVOX states that the subwoofer output is a full-range mono output, which means the powered subwoofer you connect should have its own volume and low-pass controls to filter out the mid and high frequencies. The SB500 manual even gives a setup path for this: a menu setting stops the bar from playing deep bass once an external subwoofer is connected, so the two do not fight over the same low notes. That detail matters, because a sub-out without a way to hand over the bass can sound muddy rather than powerful.

The rest of the bar suits a large TV and a household that struggles with dialogue. Six levels of AccuVoice boost speech, Output Leveling tames loud commercials, and PhaseCue processing widens the soundstage. There is no HDMI connection, so the bar connects by optical or analog RCA, with Bluetooth for music. The bar is about 44 inches wide, which suits larger TVs.

Buy it if you own a powered subwoofer, you watch on a large TV and you want the clearest wired upgrade path in this guide. Skip it if your TV has only HDMI outputs and no optical or analog audio output, or if you want Dolby Atmos, which this bar does not support.

Denon DHT-S218: the Atmos bar with a wired sub-out

The Denon DHT-S218 is the only bar here that pairs a verified wired subwoofer output with Dolby Atmos, which makes it the pick for buyers who want both height effects and a cable to their own subwoofer. Denon lists the subwoofer output in its specification table, and retailer listings describe it as a dedicated RCA pre-out.

The bar itself is a 2.1-channel design with six drivers: two 1-inch tweeters, two racetrack midrange drivers and two 3-inch down-firing subwoofers built into the bar. Dolby Atmos is virtual rather than physical, because there are no up-firing drivers, so the height effect comes from processing rather than speakers aimed at the ceiling. It connects through HDMI eARC, with optical and analog inputs and Bluetooth LE Audio, and Denon Dialog Enhancer lifts speech. The bar is 35 inches wide, which fits a wide range of TV sizes.

Buy it if you want Dolby Atmos from a single bar and you still want a wired path to a powered subwoofer later. Skip it if you need true overhead height from up-firing drivers, or if you want DTS:X, which Denon does not list for this model.

Bose TV Speaker: the compact bar with a wired sub-out

The Bose TV Speaker is the smallest verified wired sub-out bar in this guide, and that is exactly why it earns a place. It has a 3.5 mm subwoofer output, so a powered subwoofer can connect with a simple cable, and the bar itself is only about 23.4 inches wide, which fits a bedroom TV or a small living room setup.

Bose lists a 3.0-channel layout with a centre tweeter and two angled full-range drivers, plus a Dialogue Mode that can be switched on from the remote. It connects through HDMI ARC or optical, with Bluetooth 4.2 for music, and it decodes Dolby Digital up to 5.1. There is no Wi-Fi and no Dolby Atmos, so this is a deliberately simple bar: it improves TV sound and speech, and it leaves the deep bass to the subwoofer you add.

Buy it if your room is small, your TV is modest in size and you want the cheapest wired route to a real subwoofer. Skip it if you want Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi music streaming or a bar that fills a large open room on its own.

ZVOX AccuVoice AV157: the dialogue bar with a sub-out

The ZVOX AccuVoice AV157 is the specialist pick for viewers whose main complaint is speech, not bass. It is only 17 inches wide, with three 2-by-3-inch full-range speakers and a 24-watt Class D amplifier, and it offers twelve levels of voice boost through six AccuVoice levels and six SuperVoice levels.

Its subwoofer output shares a jack with the headphone output, which is a practical detail to know before you buy: the bar can drive a powered subwoofer, but the connection is a simple analog output rather than a dedicated RCA pre-out like the SB500. The bar connects by optical or 3.5 mm analog input and decodes Dolby Digital. There is no Bluetooth and no HDMI, so it suits an older TV or a second TV where the remote and the dialogue controls matter more than streaming features.

Buy it if dialogue clarity is your top priority, your TV is small and you want a wired sub-out on a compact bar. Skip it if you need HDMI, Bluetooth or Dolby Atmos, or if you want a bar that can fill a large living room without help.

Creative Stage V2: a wired subwoofer already in the box

The Creative Stage V2 takes a different route to the same goal: instead of a spare output for a subwoofer you own, it ships with a wired subwoofer in the box. The subwoofer connects to a dedicated SUB output port on the bar through a cable of about 2 metres that is tethered to the subwoofer, so the bass is wired rather than wireless.

The system is a 2.1-channel setup with two 2.25-inch drivers in the bar and a 5.25-inch driver in the subwoofer, with up to 80 watts RMS and 160 watts peak in total. It connects through HDMI ARC, optical, USB-C audio or AUX, with Bluetooth 5.0 for music, and it offers Clear Dialog and Surround modes from Sound Blaster. The bar is about 26.8 inches wide, which suits a desk or a small TV, and the subwoofer cable length sets how far the subwoofer can sit from the bar.

Buy it if you want wired bass without buying a separate subwoofer, especially for a desk or a small room. Skip it if you already own a powered subwoofer you want to reuse, since the included subwoofer fills that role, and check availability first, because retailer listings mark this model as discontinued.

Wireless-sub alternatives when a cable is not an option

Three strong bars have no wired subwoofer output at all, and they belong in this guide only as clearly labelled alternatives. Each one adds bass through a wireless subwoofer from the same brand, which keeps the setup tidy but locks you into that brand and rules out a subwoofer you already own.

Sony HT-S2000: compact Atmos with a wireless sub only

The Sony HT-S2000 is a 3.1-channel bar with dual built-in subwoofers, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and a single HDMI eARC output that carries audio only, with no video passthrough. Its specification table lists the subwoofer output as wireless, so the only way to add a separate subwoofer is one of Sony's optional wireless models, the SA-SW3 or SA-SW5.

The bar itself is about 31.5 inches wide with 250 watts of total power, and it uses Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO processing to create height and surround effects without up-firing drivers. It also has an optical input, a USB input for music and Bluetooth 5.2, and optional SA-RS3S rear speakers can turn it into a larger system. The built-in subwoofers mean it does not sound thin on its own, which softens the lack of a wired output.

Buy it if you want Dolby Atmos and DTS:X from a compact bar and you are happy to add a Sony wireless subwoofer later. Skip it if you already own a wired powered subwoofer, because there is no jack on this bar to connect it to.

Samsung HW-S60D: the tidy all-in-one with a wireless sub only

The Samsung HW-S60D is a 5.0-channel all-in-one bar with seven speakers, built-in woofers and a passive radiator, and it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X. Its user guide covers connecting a Samsung wireless subwoofer, the SWA-W510, and wireless rear speakers, the SWA-9200S, and no wired subwoofer output is listed for this model.

The bar is about 26.4 inches wide with 200 watts of total power, and it connects through HDMI eARC and optical, with Bluetooth, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast for music. Q-Symphony can play the bar together with the speakers of a compatible Samsung TV, and wireless Dolby Atmos is limited to select Samsung TVs, so the best features depend on the TV in the room. SpaceFit Sound Pro and Adaptive Sound adjust the sound to the room and the content.

Buy it if you own a compatible Samsung TV, you want a compact bar and you would add the matching wireless subwoofer later. Skip it if you own a wired powered subwoofer, or if your TV is not a Samsung and you were counting on the wireless Atmos and Q-Symphony features.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2): the compact bar with a wireless sub only

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a 5.0-channel compact bar with five Class-D amplifiers, one centre tweeter, four midwoofers and three passive radiators, in a bar only 25.6 inches wide. Retailer specification tables list its outputs as none and its subwoofer output as wireless, so a Sonos Sub or Sub Mini is the only subwoofer path, connected over Wi-Fi.

The bar decodes Dolby Atmos through HDMI eARC using virtual height processing, because it has no up-firing drivers, and it connects by Wi-Fi and Ethernet, with AirPlay 2 and an optical adapter included. Speech Enhancement in the Sonos app clarifies dialogue, and Era 100 rear speakers can be added for surround sound. There is no Bluetooth, which matters if the household streams music from a phone without Wi-Fi.

Buy it if you want a compact bar for a small room and you are comfortable building a Sonos system with a wireless subwoofer later. Skip it if you own a wired powered subwoofer, or if you need Bluetooth for music.

What to check before you buy a soundbar

A sub-out jack is only useful if the rest of the setup fits around it, so check the cable, the subwoofer and the TV connection before you order. The checks below take a few minutes and they prevent the most common mistake in this category: buying a bar and then finding the subwoofer cannot connect to it.

How to use the best soundbars with sub out with a subwoofer you already own

Start by confirming that your subwoofer is powered, which means it has its own amplifier and a line-level input, because a sub-out jack sends a low-level signal rather than speaker power. Connect the bar's sub-out to the subwoofer's line input, then set the subwoofer's low-pass control near the point where the bar hands over the bass.

The ZVOX SB500 makes this handover explicit: its sub-out is a full-range mono output, so the subwoofer needs its own low-pass filter, and a menu setting stops the bar playing deep bass once the external subwoofer is connected. The Denon DHT-S218 and the Bose TV Speaker use the same idea in simpler form, with an RCA pre-out and a 3.5 mm output respectively. Place the subwoofer near the TV first, then move it only if the bass sounds uneven.

Wired, wireless or built-in bass: which expansion fits your room

Wired expansion suits buyers who already own a powered subwoofer or who want to choose any brand later, because the cable does not care which badge is on the subwoofer. Wireless expansion suits buyers who want a tidy room with no cable run, but it limits the choice to the same brand and usually to one or two matching models.

Built-in bass is the third option, and it suits buyers who want one box and no extra purchase at all. The ZVOX SB500, the Denon DHT-S218 and the Sony HT-S2000 all have built-in subwoofers or woofers, so they sound fuller on their own than a slim bar with no bass drivers. The trade-off is that built-in bass cannot match a separate subwoofer for deep movie effects, which is why the sub-out question matters in the first place.

Cables, placement and the settings that matter

Measure the distance from the bar to the subwoofer before you buy a cable, because a sub-out jack is useless if the cable cannot reach. A mono RCA cable suits the ZVOX SB500 and the Denon DHT-S218, while the Bose TV Speaker needs a cable that fits its 3.5 mm output, so check the jack type on the bar you choose.

Placement matters as much as the cable. A subwoofer in a corner sounds louder and boomier, while a subwoofer near the TV usually blends better with dialogue. Start with the subwoofer level low and raise it slowly, and use the bar's dialogue or night mode if speech gets lost under the bass. If the bar has a menu setting for an external subwoofer, as the SB500 does, switch it on so the bar and the subwoofer are not both playing the same low notes.

Frequently asked questions about sub-out soundbars

The questions below cover the doubts that come up most often before a purchase, from whether any powered subwoofer will work to which popular bars lack a sub-out jack entirely. 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.

Can the best soundbars with sub out work with any powered subwoofer?

Mostly yes, with one condition: the subwoofer must be powered and must have a line-level input, because a sub-out jack sends a low-level signal rather than speaker power. The ZVOX SB500 also needs the subwoofer to have its own low-pass filter, since its output is full-range mono, so check the subwoofer's controls before you buy the bar.

Do the Sony HT-S100F and TCL S45H have a sub-out jack?

No, neither bar has a verified subwoofer output, so neither belongs in a wired sub-out shortlist. The Sony HT-S100F is a 2.0-channel bar with HDMI ARC, optical, USB and Bluetooth, and its Sony specification sheet lists no subwoofer output. The TCL S45H is a 2.0-channel bar with virtual Dolby Atmos and no subwoofer output either.

Is a wireless subwoofer as good as a wired one?

For most living rooms the difference is practical rather than audible: a wireless subwoofer avoids a cable run and pairs easily, while a wired subwoofer lets you reuse any powered model you already own. The real trade-off is choice, because wireless subwoofers only work with the same brand, while a wired output accepts any powered subwoofer.

Conclusion

Start with the ZVOX SB500 if you own a powered subwoofer, because its wired output is verified and its built-in bass already covers everyday viewing. If you want Dolby Atmos with a wired output, take the Denon DHT-S218, and if your room is small, take the Bose TV Speaker. Check the jack type and confirm your subwoofer is powered.