The best soundbars for your listening pleasure

Whether you have a small TV, or only a tiny place to fit an external speaker, there's no reason to sacrifice sound quality as a result. There are quite a few great-sounding soundbars that can fit into cramped spaces, and they come with a surprising number of features. For example, the Roku Streambar is not only a compact soundbar but also a capable video streamer — which is great for a bedroom setup. Or if making dialogue easier to understand is your aim, the Polk or the Yamaha may be a better fit.

All of the systems here feature soundbars which are about a foot in width, though one of these systems does include a separate subwoofer. While you will need to find a place to put that sub, it does bring with it an elevated level of performance. Read on to check out three of CNET's top picks for small soundbars.

WHAT Roku Streambar

THE COST $129.99

AVAILABLE FROM roku.com

If there was ever a solid gold bargain, it's undoubtedly the Roku Streambar, which combines both audio and streaming in one device. This is a two-channel soundbar with a fully fledged 4K streamer onboard, and even if you don't use the streaming functions it works well as a stand-alone soundbar.

As a smaller soundbar it doesn't have the deepest bass, but it does offer an expressive midrange with a dedicated voice mode for clearer dialogue. It's an unbeatable value and frequently on sale for less than $100.

WHAT Yamaha SR-C20A

THE COST $149.95

AVAILABLE FROM usa.yamaha.com

Yamaha is one of the most dependable makers of soundbars, but its designs tend to cost a little more than competitors. The SR-C20A, on the other hand, is affordable and also manages to sound great when paired with your TV.

Yamaha's Clear Voice processing makes dialogue sound sharper. The soundbar also has a built-in subwoofer and two passive radiators for enhanced bass response.

WHAT Polk Audio MagniFi Mini

THE COST $299

AVAILABLE FROM polkaudio.com

At 13 inches wide, the soundbar part of the Polk MagniFi Mini fits the moniker, even if you do need somewhere to put the gallon-sized subwoofer. The inclusion of the sub is worthwhile, however, as the system punches well above its weight with great sound for movies and with music.

In addition, having Google's Chromecast tech built in enables a wealth of streaming and multiroom capabilities.