Best Soundbars with Built-In Subwoofers: What Users Recommend

Denon DHT-S216 dominates all-in-one category at £160-200 with DTS Virtual:X and built-in downward-firing subs praised by Expert Reviews. Yamaha YAS-209 wins with separate wireless sub at £150-200 when available. Avoid relying on built-in drivers for cinema bass: separate wireless subwoofer outperforms at same price per Which? testing 2024. Choose all-in-one only for small rooms under 4x4 metres or dialogue-focused use.

🔍 Why These Recommendations?

• Denon DHT-S216: Entry-level all-in-one with dual built-in downward-firing subwoofers. DTS Virtual:X creates surround experience without satellite speakers. Which? independently tested and rated positively. Expert Reviews praises "lovely sound for daily watching" and "surround sound experience minus high price tag." Wall-mountable. HDMI ARC. £160-200 represents best value all-in-one at this tier. Limitation: built-in drivers cannot match dedicated wireless sub for bass impact.
• Sonos Beam Gen 2: What Hi-Fi? Award 2025. No separate subwoofer but premium drivers and TruePlay room calibration deliver clear sound in small-to-medium UK rooms. Dolby Atmos support. HDMI eARC. Voice assistant built-in (Alexa and Google). Sonos ecosystem allows multiroom expansion. Compact 65cm length suits UK flats. Limitation: lacks low-frequency impact for action movies without adding Sonos Sub (£699 extra).
• Denon DHT-S316: Step up from DHT-S216 adds wireless subwoofer. Expert Reviews notes "significant upgrade" in soundstaging, dynamism, and low-frequency presence versus built-in drivers. 2.1-channel system at £279 represents sweet spot for UK buyers wanting proper bass without £400+ spend. Compact soundbar design. Better than all-in-one for movies while maintaining small footprint.
• Yamaha YAS-209: Proven choice from 2019 with wireless subwoofer included at £150-200 when available. AVForums users confirm it "fills the living room" with impressive sound for price. Alexa built-in. DTS Virtual:X. HDMI ARC. Stock increasingly limited — Yamaha YAS-408 is current successor at similar price. Remains excellent value second-hand or clearance stock.
• Built-in driver limitation: Which? testing confirms even cheapest soundbar beats TV speakers but dedicated subwoofer provides room-filling bass soundbars physically cannot produce. Built-in drivers max out at 80-100Hz — cinema explosions and deep bass sit at 20-60Hz. Good for dialogue enhancement and news but inadequate for action movies or music bass.

Sources: Expert Reviews, Which?, What Hi-Fi, TechRadar, AVForums, Trusted Reviews. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Last updated February 2026.

Built-In Subwoofer vs Separate Wireless Sub: UK Testing Shows Clear Winner

Which? independent testing 2024 confirms enhanced low-frequency performance is what sets soundbar-with-subwoofer systems apart. By design subwoofers process bass tones far better than any typical soundbar can manage on its own. Even best soundbars have decent if not spectacular bass without dedicated external subwoofer. However if into movies, music or gaming your soundbar will benefit from added low-frequency sounds that external subwoofer offers. Dedicated subwoofer with large bass driver specifically engineered for low frequency effects provides powerful room-filling bass soundbars lack which is critical for home theater realism with action movies.

"Even the cheapest soundbar will beat the audio of an average TV's built-in speakers, and the best soundbars have decent if not spectacular bass even without a dedicated external subwoofer. However, if you're into movies, music or gaming, your soundbar will certainly benefit from the added low-frequency sounds that an external subwoofer can offer."

— Which? UK, Sound bars with subwoofers testing (2024)

When to Choose All-In-One: Room Size and Use Case Matter

UK buyers should choose all-in-one soundbars with built-in subwoofer drivers for specific use cases where separate wireless sub unnecessary or impractical. Small UK bedrooms (under 4x4 metres) where space limited and loud bass inappropriate. Rental properties where cannot place wireless subwoofer optimally due to furniture restrictions. Dialogue-focused viewing — news, documentaries, daytime TV where deep bass not critical. Budget under £200 where soundbar-plus-sub combo exceeds spend. Temporary setups where single-unit simplicity valued. Senior users wanting simple one-remote operation without subwoofer pairing complexity.

• Small bedrooms (under 4x4m) where bass overpowers room acoustics
• UK flats where subwoofer bass disturbs neighbors even at moderate volume
• Dialogue-focused viewing (news, documentaries, sport commentary)
• Budget under £200 where quality soundbar+sub combo unavailable
• Desk/monitor setups for PC use where subwoofer placement impractical
• Senior users wanting simple setup without wireless pairing steps
• Rental properties with furniture placement restrictions

FAQ: Built-In Subwoofer Soundbar Questions

Can Built-In Subwoofer Soundbars Deliver Cinema Bass?

No for true cinema bass. Built-in subwoofer drivers typically extend to 80-100Hz lower limit due to physical size constraints. Cinema explosions and deep bass effects sit at 20-60Hz requiring dedicated large-driver subwoofer. Denon DHT-S216 with dual downward-firing drivers delivers adequate bass for dialogue and casual viewing but cannot match separate wireless sub for action movie impact. Which? testing confirms dedicated subwoofer provides room-filling bass soundbars physically cannot produce. For cinema experience choose soundbar with separate wireless subwoofer at minimum.

Is Denon DHT-S216 Better Than Soundbar With Separate Sub?

No for movies. Denon DHT-S316 with wireless sub offers "significant upgrade in soundstaging, dynamism, and low-frequency presence" versus DHT-S216 all-in-one per Expert Reviews direct comparison. £279 DHT-S316 outperforms £160-200 DHT-S216 for action movies and music bass. DHT-S216 better for dialogue-focused viewing, small rooms, and buyers prioritizing single-unit simplicity over bass impact. For £120 difference the wireless sub justifies cost if watching movies regularly. For news and documentaries the £160-200 DHT-S216 sufficient and saves money.

Do I Need Separate Subwoofer for Music?

Depends on music genre and listening volume. Electronic music, hip-hop, and bass-heavy genres benefit significantly from dedicated subwoofer hitting 30-50Hz extension. Classical music, acoustic, and vocal-focused genres work well with all-in-one soundbar built-in drivers. Sonos Beam Gen 2 praised for music performance without separate sub for acoustic and vocal content. Rock and pop sit middle — acceptable on all-in-one at moderate volume but separate sub adds impact for louder listening. SVS and Burton's Blog both note dedicated subwoofer enhances music realism if budget allows £200+ for quality wireless sub.

Choose soundbars with built-in subwoofer drivers only for small UK rooms under 4x4 metres or dialogue-focused use. Denon DHT-S216 at £160-200 delivers best all-in-one value with DTS Virtual:X and dual downward-firing drivers per Expert Reviews and Which? testing. Denon DHT-S316 at £279 adds wireless subwoofer for "significant upgrade" in bass impact worth £120 difference for movie watchers. Avoid relying on built-in drivers for cinema bass — Which? confirms dedicated wireless subwoofer outperforms soundbar-only at same price. For action movies and music choose separate wireless sub. For dialogue and small rooms all-in-one sufficient.