Soundbars on a Budget: The Best Picks for Every Price Point
Finding the right soundbar can be hard enough without also having to consider your budget and which of the plethora of brands and models you should buy. If you’re looking to purchase a new soundbar but have no idea where to start, look no further than this guide on the best soundbars for every budget. We’ve done all the hard work for you so that you can easily decide which model will work best in your home or apartment. Whether you want excellent audio quality or Dolby surrounds sound, we’ve found the perfect soundbar for every budget!
Our Top 5 Budget Buys
Budget soundbars typically have fewer features, but for the price, these picks can provide rich, full sound that rivals some more expensive models. Our favorites are detailed below.
If you want to upgrade your TV sound quality without breaking your budget, consider one of these top 5 picks. They offer impressive audio performance that can easily compare to many more expensive soundbars. For $100, you’ll get excellent bass and stereo imaging with Polk Audio’s RTI A1 Plus soundbar. If you prefer Bluetooth connectivity, go with LG’s SJ5 Soundbar. It offers an easy wireless connection and improved treble response, making it great for voices like dialogue from news or talk shows and movie/TV scenes where actors are talking in quiet rooms.
5 high-value soundbars in the $200-$300 range
The best soundbars in the $200-$300 range come with Dolby Audio and Harman Kardon Connect built-in. One standout option is the Samsung HW-K950 which can be controlled by your Amazon Alexa devices and Spotify app. Another budget-friendly alternative is the VIZIO SB36512-F6 with Wireless Subwoofer, which offers THX certification. You’ll also find speakers from brands like Onkyo, Yamaha, and Sony priced in this range. All of these soundbars come with wireless Bluetooth pairing, 2 or more HDMI inputs, and digital optical input to offer value at this price point.
3 mid-range soundbars that deliver top value between $300-$500
Yamaha YAS-108 – This soundbar is best for use with high-end TVs, as the high price reflects top-of-the-line features. It’s also one of the most compact speakers in its class, making it an appealing option if you want something unobtrusive that doesn’t take up too much space.
Logitech Z906 – Although this soundbar may be aimed at more serious gamers, the Logitech Z906 provides an excellent listening experience regardless of whether you’re playing games or watching movies and TV shows. A smaller unit than some others in its class, it delivers surprising deep bass even though it’s only 1/3 of the weight of others in its category.
4 audiophile quality soundbars under $1000
Let’s face it, the market is currently flooded with a plethora of soundbars. To make things easier, we narrowed down the list to only audiophile-quality soundbars under $1000. Our lineup includes Klipsch R-10B Soundbar System, Sceptre E455WI-4K Television Wireless Speaker System, Yamaha YAS-108 Sound Bar with Integrated Subwoofer and Dolby Atmos, Sony HTNT5 Soundbar High-Resolution Audio at an Affordable Price. It may seem complicated to purchase just one when there are so many options out there, but our goal is to help you find the best possible solution that will meet your specific needs and budget. The ideal soundbars offer excellent performance without requiring room calibration or expensive subwoofers.
Our top pick – MartinLogan Crescendo X2 ($1800)
If you have deep pockets, the MartinLogan Crescendo X2 is our top pick. It has excellent sound and an attractive design to boot. That being said, it’s also pretty pricey at $1800 (it’s worth noting that it comes with subwoofers as well). It sounds great, but if you’re looking for something a little more affordable you may want to check out our other picks.
Lowest Price Range Options (up to $100)
At the lower end of the price spectrum, you’re probably not looking to do anything but boost the sound coming from your TV. If that’s what you want, any $50 soundbar will do it. In addition to just making everything louder, if you want to make your television sound better, opt for soundbars that have a center channel speaker and dialogue enhancer. This will ensure dialogues come through clearly and the music is rich with tones in all ranges – because watching an action movie without a booming bass isn’t fun. These tend to be closer to $100 (though they are usually cheaper).
Middle Range Options ($100-$200)
If you’re looking to spend somewhere in the middle, the Seiki soundbar is a popular option that usually retails around $200. Reviews rave about its crisp highs and booming bass. A bit more expensive but also garnering tons of reviews is the Samsung HW-J355 soundbar that can be found online at Target, Walmart, Costco and other retailers. Lastly, if you’re willing to splurge you’ll find that the Vizio S4251w-B4 soundbar is easy to use and delivers room filling audio at an affordable price.
Mid Range Options ($200-$500)
If you are in the market for a budget soundbar, then check out the Vizio S4251w-B4 or the Sony HT-NT5. Vizio has one of the most powerful budget soundbars and it can be had for less than $200. However, if your budget is around $500 or higher, we recommend upgrading to one of our other options.
The Mid Range Options ($200-$500) column includes several sound bars from Vizio and Sony that are just as powerful as models in much higher price ranges. But they are also more economical at under $500. So what is wrong with these soundbars?
High End (above $500)
If you’re willing to invest in your home theater sound, then this is the category for you. You’ll notice that at the high end of our price point, we start getting into soundbar packages that are actually multiple speakers which are designed to blend together in order to create a wraparound sound experience. High-end models usually use high-quality components and are built with fewer compromises than lower-priced models. This means they often provide excellent low-frequency response, great vocal clarity, detail in the mid-range, and good localization of individual sounds as well as distinct directionality. As such, it’s no surprise that most audiophiles prefer them over other options at this price range.
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