Best soundbars and home audio for the holidays
-
Creative Stage
Best soundbar under $100
$80 at Amazon -
Vizio V21
Best soundbar under $200
$190 at Target -
Yamaha YAS-209
Best smart soundbar
$350 at Crutchfield -
Roku Streambar
Best streaming soundbar
$100 at Target -
Sonos One
Best multiroom wireless speaker
$199 at Audio Advice
-
Fluance RT82
Best affordable turntable
$300 at Amazon -
Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2
Best bookshelf speakers under $350
$400 at Walmart -
Vizio SB36512-F6
Best Atmos soundbar
$310 at Amazon -
Onkyo TX-NR696
Best receiver for the money
$650 at Best Buy
This story is part of Gift Guide, our year-round collection of the best gift ideas.
With a lot of people still staying close to home, many of us have been spending a lot of time hunkered down watching TV and?listening to music. So if there’s a music fan or movie buff in your life, this year it makes sense to give them home theater gifts that will take watching their favorite movie to the next level. Maybe a streaming device or something that will crank the audio capabilities of their smart TV up to 11?
Perhaps you don’t have a cinephile on your holiday gift list, but maybe you do have a music lover who’s really into vinyl. Then you want to make sure their speaker system is as good as it can be. After all, when you have a library of old records, you shouldn’t skimp on sound quality.
Whether it’s a soundbar for the games room, a new AV receiver?for a movie lover’s home theater system or a new turntable for a music enthusiast’s living room, there’s a perfect gift here for practically everyone.
And now, on to our holiday gift guide for top audio gifts.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Creative Stage
Best soundbar under $100
The Creative Stage offers everything you need for sound on a smaller TV or gaming system: HDMI, a separate subwoofer and a clear display. It also helps that the sound is light years ahead of other systems at the $100 mark.
Read our Creative Stage review.
$80 at Amazon
Ty Pendlebury/CNET
Vizio V21
Best soundbar under $200
The Vizio V21 is a 2.1-channel soundbar, which offers a host of connections including HDMI. Stepping up to $130 gets you better sound than the Creative can muster, plus a wireless subwoofer. No more wires trailing across the room!
Read our Vizio V21 review.
$190 at Target
$175 at Amazon
Sarah Tew/CNET
Yamaha YAS-209
Best smart soundbar
Dec 2020
You can certainly spend more on a smart soundbar — the two Sonos cost $400 and $800 respectively — but the Yamaha YAS-209 offers excellent bang for buck. It sounds fantastic and it offers Amazon Alexa for controlling your smart home.?
Read our Yamaha YAS-209 review.
$350 at Crutchfield
$350 at Amazon
$350 at Best Buy
Roku Streambar
Best streaming soundbar
The Roku Streambar is an all-in-one entertainment system with a streamer and a speaker in one. It offers 4K video output and excellent dialogue reproduction in an easy-to-use unit. If you want to upgrade a loved one’s older TV, this is the best way to do it.
Read our Roku Streambar review.
$100 at Target
$99 at Amazon
$100 at Best Buy
Sarah Tew/CNET
Sonos One
Best multiroom wireless speaker
Oct 2021
The Sonos One has been around for a little while now but it’s so versatile that I’ve seen it anywhere from living rooms to shops to restaurants. For $200 it offers excellent sound, great multiroom capabilities and the choice of either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice control, and it’s AirPlay compatible, too.
Read our Sonos One review.
$199 at Audio Advice
Sarah Tew/CNET
Fluance RT82
Best affordable turntable
May 2021
The Fluance RT8X range offers excellent value for vinyl fans, with the RT82 sitting right in the sweet spot. It includes convenience features like a speed switch, height adjustable feet and auto-stop. In our breakdown of five $300 turntables, the Fluance came out on top. It sounds great and it’s built to last.
Read our Fluance RT82 review.
$300 at Amazon
$300 at Walmart
Sarah Tew/CNET
Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2
Best bookshelf speakers under $350
Jun 2021
The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 speakers offer a taste of the high end in a relatively affordable bookshelf speaker model. They offer a tidy build, front-firing reflex ports for better flexibility and a detailed, enjoyable performance for a TV or movie night. Partner it with a high quality amp or receiver for the best results.
Read our Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 review.
$400 at Walmart
$350 at Audio Advice
Sarah Tew/CNET
Vizio SB36512-F6
Best Atmos soundbar
Jun 2019
When the Vizio SB36512-F6 came out it proved that you didn’t need to spend a grand to get an Atmos soundbar, you needed less than half that. Unlike the still-great Sonos Arc, the Vizio includes both a wireless subwoofer and dedicated rears for the best surround sound experience.
Read our Vizio SB36512-F6 review.
$310 at Amazon
Sarah Tew/CNET
Onkyo TX-NR696
Best receiver for the money
Nov 2019
The Onkyo TX-NR696 is the best receiver of 2020 so far. It offers a wealth of features, including numerous streaming options — like Chromecast built-in — and it sounds really good into the bargain.
Read our Onkyo TX-NR696 review.
$650 at Best Buy
$650 at Amazon
More holiday recommendations
- Best holiday gifts under $500
- The 32 best movies to watch on Netflix
Find The Perfect Gift
107 results
LG C1 OLED 65-inch
$1,797 at Amazon
The Mirror
$1,495 at Mirror
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
$1,166 at Amazon
Dell G15
$1,100 at Best Buy
Vizio MQ7 65-inch
$1,000 at Amazon
HP Pavilion Aero 13
$1,000 at HP
MacBook Air M1
$1,000 at Best Buy
TCL Series 6 TV 65-inch
$999 at Amazon
iPhone 13 Pro
$999 at Apple
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
$900 at Amazon
Lenovo Yoga 7i (2-in-1)
$850 at Best Buy
iPhone 13
$799 at Apple
Arcade1Up Arcade Machine
$600 at Best Buy
DJI Minin 2 Fly More Combo
$600 at Amazon
Google Pixel 6
$599 at Amazon
Acer Chromebook Spin 713
$530 at Amazon
TCL Series 4 TV 65-inch
$529 at Amazon
iPad Mini 2021
$500 at Best Buy
Sony PlayStation 5
$499 at Amazon
iPhone 11
$499 at Apple
Xbox Series X
$499 at Amazon
Apple Watch Series 7
$399 at Best Buy
Apple iPad 2021 (9th generation)
$309 at Amazon
Nintendo Switch OLED
$298 at Amazon
Carrie Hoffman X studs earrings
$290 at Carrie Hoffman
Apple Watch SE
$269 at Amazon
Sony WF-1000XM4
$250 at Walmart
Aarke water carbonator
$230 at Bed Bath & Beyond
Atlas Tea Club
$199 at Atlas Tea Club
Theragun Mini
$199 at Amazon
Fitbit Charge 5
$179 at Amazon
Madewell Transport Tote
$178 at Madewell
Apple AirPods 3
$168 at Amazon
Perfect Pot
$165 at Our Place
Coravin Wine Preservation System
$150 at Target
Bose SoundLink Flex
$150 at Best Buy
Illy Y3.3 Espresso and Coffee Machine
$149 at Amazon
Sarah Chloe diamond locket
$145 at Sarah Chloe
MakiMaki sushi roll kit for 2
$125 at MakiMaki
Best of Dylan’s Candy Bar Gift Basket
$100 at Dylan’s Candy Bar
Ingarden microgreens garden
$100 at Amazon
The Bouqs Co. Pixie bouquet
$99 at The Bouqs Co.
Wolf Circus Toni gold bracelet
$95 at Wolf Circus
A bouquet of exotic meats
$90 at Man Crates
Disney Plus Gift Subscription
$80 at Disney
EarFun Air Pro 2
$80 at Amazon
Keurig K-Slim Coffee Maker
$79 at Amazon
Letterfolk Customizable Tile Mat
$75 at West Elm
Maison Miru heart nap earrings
$75 at Maison
Mosaic Plant-Based Meal Delivery
$70 at Mosaic
Shun Sora Japanese petty knife
$70 at Amazon
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera
$69 at Amazon
Echo Dot with Clock
$60 at Amazon
Jacques Torres bonbons
$55 at Jacque Torres
JBL Go 3
$50 at Amazon
Crown & Paw Pet Canvas
$50 at Crown & Paw
Nintendo eShop Gift Card
$50 at Amazon
SteelSeries Arctis 1
$50 at Amazon
Lunya Silk Sleep Mask
$48 at Lunya
Botley 2.0
$47 at Amazon
Blockaroo Blocks
$40 at Amazon
Barrel Aged Hot Hive Honey and Reaper Salt Series
$40 at Fuego Box
Trade Coffee Subscription
$40 at Trade
Biolite TraveLight 135
$40 at Biolite
Roku Express 4K Plus
$39 at Amazon
Flavored Truffle Gift Box
$38 at La Maison du Chocolat
Max Brenner chocolates
$37 at Max Brenner
Parks Project Candle
$36 at Parks Project
ThisWorx Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner
$36 at Amazon
Wyze Cam v3
$36 at Amazon
Sweet heart bamboo
$35 at Plants.com
Five S Kneading Massager
$35 at Amazon
Hydro Flask
$35 at Hyrdo Flask
Lenovo Smart Clock
$35 at Best Buy
Gloomhaven: Jaws of The Lion Board Game
$32 at Amazon
Lego Speed Champions Corvette
$30 at Amazon
A delivery of fresh pasta
$25 at Goldbelly
Three-piece cheese knife set
$20 at CB2
Nixplay smart digital photo frame
$20 at CB2
Lodge Cast-Iron Grill Pan
$20 at Amazon
Spanish-style Wine Glasses
$20 at Amazon
Croissant Light
$19 at Amazon
Italian olivewood serving board
$17 at Sur la table
Cote des Roses rosé
$16 at Wine.com
Lite-Brite
$13 at Target
Fox in the Forest
$12 at Amazon
Wanna Date? sweet date spread
$12 at Uncommon Goods
Champagne Gummy Bears
$9 at Sugarfina
Slip silk pillowcase
See at Amazon
Mario Badescu face spray set
See at Ulta
State cashmere blanket throw blanket
See at Amazon
Bokksu Japanese snack box
See at Amazon
Tiki fire pit
See at Amazon
HyperChiller
See at Amazon
Online cooking classes
See at Online Cooking School
Washable Silk Tee & Shorts
See at Quince
Ouai Chill Pill Bath Bombs
See at Ulta
60 Hour Candle
See at TheraBox
