You like to buy the best product, logically. “Best” is of course an opinion, and in this case ours. With Bright Stuff, we’re basing that “best” on our experience and taste. This time: speakers with Dolby Atmos. This is a more advanced, and therefore simpler, successor to surround sound. You no longer have to buy a full surround system to experience the effect. You can also go a long way with the soundbars below:

JBL Bar 1000

Powerful, versatile speakers for media lovers. The JBL Bar 1000 is the successor to the JBL Bar 9.1 and both models have a neat trick up their sleeve. The speaker ends are magnetically attached and can be easily detached. Then you get two wireless rear speakers, which you can place on the edge of a sofa or behind a cabinet, for example. The benefits of a surround system, without having to have a living room full of speakers and cables. The downside: You do have to charge these rear speakers, but you can do that by simply tapping them onto the speaker – which is easy enough. Charging via USB-C is also possible, but you can simply leave them behind.

The Bar 1000 supports all modern surround standards, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Sound doesn’t just come from the front and back, but from above as well. The Bar 1000 can do this too, by bouncing sound through the ceiling to the listener using upward-facing speakers. This works surprisingly well, especially after a one-time calibration.

Thanks to the large 10-inch wireless subwoofer, the Bar 1000 has a total power output of 880 watts. This produces a wonderfully full and clear sound for movies, TV shows and games, which can really surround the listener. The standard sound is very low when listening to music, but unfortunately, this is a general issue: we would prefer HDMI input settings to be different from Bluetooth or AirPlay settings, for example. The speaker is large, but everywhere in the room it is powerful enough to be felt even from a distance.

The Bar 1000 can be installed plug and play thanks to the eARC connection. It’s also a nice hub, with 3 built-in HDMI ports for gaming consoles, for example: much more convenient than having to sit behind the TV. The soundbar also supports all wireless standards: AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and more. The whole thing isn’t cheap at €945, but in our opinion the JBL Bar 1000 is more complete and sounds better than many competitors in the same price range.

The JBL Bar 1000 is available in black for just under €1,000.

Samsung HW-Q930D

Samsung started at €1,000, but has now dropped it to around €750. And then you have a very complete package, because this soundbar comes with an 8-inch wireless subwoofer and two wireless rear speakers. Then you get a total of 540 watts of sound, with 9.1. 4 channels.

So those nine channels are all around you: five in the front, four in the back, and then another four channels through the ceiling. You also have two speakers in the front and back that are angled upwards, so that the sound bounces down through the ceiling. The result: a kind of dome of sound around you, where the sound can come from anywhere.

If you also have a Samsung TV, this soundbar has an extra feature. It supports SpaceFit Sound Pro, Samsung’s AI function that adjusts the entire sound in the room. This is the TV’s smart calibration setting, and it’s shared with this soundbar. This means that the sound is transmitted in a way that best suits the room, so that the Atmos effect is even more convincing. Also very nice: you can connect this speaker set completely wirelessly to modern Samsung TVs, via WiFi: no ugly cable from your soundbar to your TV.

Another Samsung feature is Q-Symphony. On newer Samsung TVs, the soundbar can work with the TV. Normally, your TV speakers won’t work when you connect a soundbar. However, with the right Samsung TVs, the TV speakers stay on, so you get more power, more speakers, and more space. This works great with Atmos, because the technology doesn’t rely on channels, but simply distributes the sound to more speakers. What’s more, it’s 110cm wide, which is a bit narrower than its competitors, so this soundbar also looks great under 50-inch TVs, rather than 55-inch ones.

The Samsung phone is available in black, and its price has now been reduced from €1,000 to €749.

Bose 600

The perfect mid-range speaker. Not as big as a full-size model like the JBL above – they’re often 110-120cm wide, so they’re aimed at people with 55-inch TVs. The Bar 600 is just under 70cm wide, which is much less present, so it’s also suitable for people with a smaller TV.

Make no mistake: The Bose 600 still sounds bigger than you expect. With Bose TrueSpace technology, the speaker scans the room to deliver a more expansive sound. It then simulates the presence of speakers that aren’t there, so you can hear 5.1 or Dolby Atmos sound. The Bose 600 also reflects sound off the ceiling with upward-facing speakers.

The difference between the TV’s built-in speakers and the Bose 600 is night and day. The sound and music sound fuller, heavier and more spacious. It’s not as spacious as the more expensive set above, but Bose has come up with something about it. The Bar 600, for example, can be expanded with a small subwoofer for €450, and with two rear speakers for €400.

This makes the Bose 600 a good choice for those who aren’t sure about a full surround sound package, but want fuller TV sound. Support for AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth make the Bar 600 quite versatile.

The Bose 600 is available in black for €549.