CES 2026 showcased a dazzling array of new TVs, but soundbars remained surprisingly scarce as I navigated the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center and nearby hotels.
Still, I did find a few soundbars on display, some of which could end up among the best sound bars of CES 2026 once we test them. Highlights range from a high-tech Dolby Atmos sound bar to a simple, slim soundbar and sub-combo featuring Bang & Olufsen audio. Here are the standout soundbars I encountered at the show.
Advertisement
Advertisement
AdvertisementLG Sound Suite H7 Soundbar
This is the first soundbar with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect.
The Sound Follow feature adjusts the sound based on your seating location using Ultra Wideband (UWB), a short-range wireless communication technology.
Launched at CES Audio Tech, LG’s SoundSuite speaker family is led by the H7 sound bar, the world’s first to support Dolby Atmos flex-connect. The H7 is compatible with any HDMI/ARC-compatible TV you connect to. It can be paired with LG’s Sound Suite M7 or M5 wireless speakers and the W7 subwoofer to create a full 13.1.7-channel Dolby Atmos home theater audio system.
Supporting a 9.1.4 channel 20 driver array including four built-in woofers, eight passive bass indicators, and three dedicated up-firing speakers, the H7 itself is an impressive all-in-one sound bar. Its upgrade readiness, along with its room calibration, pro-automatic room calibration, a sound-follow feature that tunes the sound to your specific seating location using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, AI Sound Pro plus spatial audio upmixing, and 3D audio processing, really make it an exceptional Atmos sound bar.
The LG H7 soundbar is now available for pre-order in the US for $999.99.
Focal Mu-so Hekla.
All-in-one system with a base extending to 30 Hz.
Extensive streaming support and multi-room playback.
The Hekla is made from a sleek slab of black aluminum, and it’s packed with impressive audio technology. Inside, you’ll find 15 drivers, including up-firing and side-firing speakers, all powered by 660 watts of Class D amplification. It supports up to 7.1.2 channel Dolby Atmos, and the base reaches down to a deep 30 Hz, which we definitely noticed during the demo.
Within the first few minutes of our CES demo, the Hekla showed it was more than just a stylish speaker – the sense of immersion was truly immersive. Whether we played an Atmos music track or a movie scene, we could hear sounds swirling above, behind, and all around us from a single speaker.
Setting up the Mu-so Hekla is easy. High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) eARC and an optical digital input handle connecting to your TV, and if you want extra bass, there is a Noise Reduction Coaxial Audio (NRCA) output for adding a separate subwoofer.
The real advantage comes from Focal working with Naim. The Pulse platform runs everything, supporting music streaming services like Tidal, CoBos, and Spotify Connect; casting technologies such as Google Cast and Apple AirPlay; and file-sharing and streaming via UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and Bluetooth. You can stream high-resolution audio files up to 32-bit/384 kHz and sync music across as many as 32 Focal and Naim speakers in your home.
You can control the soundbar using your phone, smartwatch, or voice assistant. Alternatively, you can simply walk up and turn the large volume dial on top, which is designed to look like a luxury watch crown. Details like this can make it feel truly high-end.
However, there’s more than just power and connectivity. The Mu-so Hekla features ADAPT Focal’s room-tuning technology, which uses digital processing to adjust the sound to suit your space. Even in the busy demo area at CES, the soundstage felt tight, focused, and evenly distributed throughout the room. Focal also created two custom listening sounds called Spear Music and Spear Movie. These aren’t just gimmicks; they use beamforming (directing sound waves toward specific areas) and cross-talk cancellation (reducing interference between left and right audio channels) to shape the sound more accurately into your space.
In other words, when watching a movie, voices seem to come from the center of the screen. Effects move across the room. Music feels open and layered, even when you are just streaming in stereo. It’s not true multi-channel audio, but the illusion is pretty convincing and a massive upgrade over a standard soundbar, making it best for movies.
SVS R | Evolution.
SVS, previously known for its speakers and subwoofers, now expands into soundbars with the R | Evolution. You can pair it with wireless surround speakers and two subwoofers.
SVS, a US-based speaker company, introduced its first soundbar at CES. This is expected news for home theatre fans familiar with SVS’s well-known.
The SVS R | Evolution offers enhanced clarity and immersive sound with a three-way setup for left, center, and right channels powered by nine drivers (specialized speakers) and 180 watts. Dolby Atmos virtualization (which simulates 3D surround with fewer speakers) delivers spacious audio, while auto EQ adapts the sound to your room, providing a balanced listening experience.
The system pairs the sound bar with an SVS R | Evolution subwoofer that has a 600-watt amplifier for deeper bass. It supports wireless streaming via Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth, and can handle up to 24-bit/96-kHz high-resolution audio (with more detail and clarity than standard CD quality).
You can choose a soundbar and subwoofer for a streamlined upgrade or add wireless surround speakers for a more enveloping home theater experience. Adding two subwoofers is also supported for deeper bass.
A 5.1-channel system using the new SVS R | Evolution wireless surround speakers for a more enveloping home theater experience
Also supports adding two subwoofers for a deeper bass.
SVS expects to start shipping the R Evolution in late Q2, marking a new chapter for this lineup.
TCL-A65K
Super slim soundbar and subwoofer combo.
Audio by Bang & Olufsen Tuning.
The TCL-A65K Design Series 3.1.2 Channel Soundbar adopts a minimalist approach compared to the maximalist Focal above, packaging left, right, center, and two up-firing Dolby Atmos speakers in an ultra-slim 27-inch-deep enclosure. The included subwoofer is just 4.7 inches deep.
TCL’s Best TV, The A65K, uses Bang & Olufsen audio tuning and supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS-X. It delivers 460 watts of power, which is impressive for such a compact soundbar. TCL has not yet announced pricing or availability for this model, but one hopes it will offer the best value for money.
