Report

Soundbar Market Analysis

The soundbar market was valued at USD 9.53 billion in 2025 and estimated to grow from USD 10.31 billion in 2026 to reach USD 15.31 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 8.21% during the forecast period (2026-2031). Expanding smart-TV ownership, stronger wireless-audio standards, and premium content formats such as Dolby Atmos are together shifting soundbars from discretionary upgrades to core elements of home-entertainment systems. Manufacturers are concentrating on single-chassis products that counter the acoustic compromises of ultra-thin televisions while preserving minimalist aesthetics. Supply-side innovation centers on Bluetooth LE Audio, AI-based room calibration, and bundled pay-TV hardware that embeds audio capability directly into next-generation set-top boxes. Competitive intensity is mounting as traditional hi-fi brands, consumer-electronics majors, and low-cost Asian ODMs all vie to capture share across price tiers.

Global Soundbar Market Trends and Insights



Rising demand for wireless, loss-less music streaming

Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast double effective bandwidth, allowing multi-listener sharing while preserving high-resolution audio; LG's 2025 TV lineup already supports the profile, cementing consumer expectations for cable-free fidelity. The Bluetooth SIG roadmap lifts throughput to 8 Mbps by 2026, enough for multichannel 24-bit streams crucial to premium soundbar performance. Netflix's adoption of Sennheiser AMBEO up-mixing supplies a growing library of spatial audio mastered for two-channel playback, encouraging households to invest in bar-based virtual surround. As households migrate to streaming subscriptions offering FLAC and Atmos Music tiers, embedded Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2 compatibility become table-stakes features rather than up-sell options.

Surge in smart-TV attach rates above 70% in key markets

U.S. smart-TV ownership climbed to nearly 80% of households by early 2024, and 62% of those homes stream weekly on the television itself. Thinner bezels leave little cabinet volume for speakers, intensifying the acoustic deficit that soundbars solve. Samsung now embeds its proprietary 3D Eclipsa Audio engine across both TVs and bars, locking users into branded ecosystems that promise seamless content-aware up-mixing. In tandem, 77% of smart-TV owners employ the set for music streaming, gaming, and voice assistants, all of which demand clear, dynamic sound. The resulting upswing in audio-quality expectations directly lifts the addressable base of the soundbar market.

Price erosion from ultra-low-cost Asian ODMs

Contract manufacturers in Vietnam and China are shipping Dolby Atmos-capable bars below USD 100, shrinking margin headroom for mid-tier brands. Accelerated factory expansions by Foxconn and Goertek amplify supply, enabling retailers to use sub-USD 80 promotions as traffic drivers during holiday events. Established brands must therefore pivot to ecosystem lock-in, superior build, or design differentiation to defend pricing power.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

Preference for minimalist living-room aestheticsPay-TV operators bundling soundbars with new STB generationsSupply-chain volatility for DSP chipsets

For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.

Segment Analysis

Active units dominated the soundbar market, securing a 74.62% share in 2025 as buyers gravitated to plug-and-play convenience. This dominance positions active models as the default upgrade path for households dissatisfied with TV acoustics, enabling vendors to bundle HDMI eARC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and voice-assistant modules inside a self-powered chassis. Manufacturers refine proprietary DSP to balance dialogue clarity and bass extension, evidenced by Sonos's Arc Ultra employing Sound Motion transducers to enlarge low-frequency output without a separate sub.

Passive soundbars appeal to installers aiming for nuanced room tuning and amplifier selection, driving a 9.07% CAGR projection through 2031. Audiophile retailers leverage passive designs to upsell external amplification and class-leading DACs, while custom-integration projects in luxury housing prioritize aesthetic continuity with in-wall speakers. However, the segment's growth potential hinges on awareness and willingness to tolerate higher system complexity. For most consumers, the active bar's one-cable promise delivers sufficient performance, reinforcing its dominance across the soundbar market.

Table-top placement still accounts for 59.34% of shipments, sustained by renters and small-space dwellers who avoid drilling walls. Yet the wall-mounted subcategory is advancing at 9.18% CAGR, elevated by thin OLED and QD-OLED screens that hang flush and beg for equally discreet audio companions. Makers now ship universal brackets and template-guided hole patterns, reducing perceived installation friction. The shift yields creative freedom for acoustic chambers stretching wider than furniture surface constraints allow, potentially lifting average selling prices as buyers treat brackets and cable-management kits as must-have accessories within the soundbar market.

Professional installers broaden their value proposition by bundling soundbar wall-mount services with television calibration, turning single-room engagements into multi-device projects. Commercial venues such as hotels favor wall-mounted bars like JBL Professional's PSB-2 to minimize theft and accidental disconnection, helping accelerate enterprise adoption. Table-top models remain relevant for second rooms or dormitories, but as homeowners settle into larger screens, permanent mounting gains favor, reshaping design roadmaps across the soundbar industry.

The Soundbar Market Report is Segmented by Installation Method (Active Soundbar, Passive Soundbar), Installation Type (Table-Top, Wall-Mounted), Channel Configuration (2 Channel, 3 Channel, 5 Channel, Other Configurations), Application (Home Audio, Commercial), and Geography (North America, Europe, South America, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East and Africa). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Geography Analysis

North America upheld 33.08% of 2025 revenue thanks to higher disposable incomes, entrenched home theater culture, and channel partnerships that promote premium bundles. High 4K TV replacement rates drive repeat bar purchases, particularly as QLED and Micro-LED screens arrive in sizes exceeding 75 inches, where on-board speakers underperform. The region's regulatory environment imposes minimal tariffs on electronics imports, facilitating diverse SKU availability. Still, mortgage-rate volatility could dampen discretionary upgrades, posing a mild headwind.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-expanding territory, logging an 11.05% CAGR through 2031 as middle-class populations grow in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. China's OEM base supplies both domestic demand and exports, reinforcing competitive pricing worldwide. Government incentives for local manufacturing in India enhance supply-chain resilience, while 5G proliferation fuels mobile-to-TV casting and subsequent audio upgrades. Component availability remains a concern, but proximity to upstream suppliers partially insulates the region.

Europe enjoys steady adoption, buoyed by EU ecodesign rules that reward energy-efficient single-chassis audio under 0.5-watt standby draw. German consumers rank sound fidelity highly, a behavior visible in specialized media comparative tests that spotlight Dolby Atmos capability. Pay-TV bundling through operators such as Vodafone further lowers entry barriers for premium bars. South America and the Middle East & Africa contribute small but rising volumes, with currency risk and import duties moderating uptake.

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. LG Electronics Inc. Sony Group Corporation Bose Corporation Sonos, Inc. Panasonic Holdings Corporation Koninklijke Philips N.V. Yamaha Corporation Harman International Industries, Inc. (JBL) VIZIO Holding Corp. Hisense Home Appliance Group Co., Ltd. Xiaomi Corp. VOXX International Corporation (Polk Audio, Boston Acoustics) Onkyo Home Entertainment Corp. Edifier International Ltd. Blaupunkt GmbH (Aurelius Group) Creative Technology Ltd. Pioneer Corporation Nakamichi Corp. Sennheiser electronic GmbH and Co. KG

Additional Benefits:

The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
3 months of analyst support