The 5 Best Budget Soundbars - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best cheap soundbar we've tested so far is the Sony HT-S100F. This entry-level soundbar from Sony can be a viable option if you're looking to upgrade the sound from your TV's integrated speakers without spending a fortune. The overall build quality is decent and it has a simple, straightforward design that's easy to set up.

While it sounds a bit muddy, this standalone soundbar still performs alright overall, especially compared to other cheap soundbars we've reviewed. It's not a top-of-the-line product, but is an affordable option for streaming music over Bluetooth or watching some TV shows here and there. It'll even downmix Dolby Digital surround content to stereo, which some cheap soundbars can't do at all.

Unfortunately, it's quite large for a standalone bar. It might not fit directly under your TV, which can be an issue if you're tight on space. If you don't mind it taking up a bit of room, though, it provides decent overall value for the price.

The best budget soundbar under $200 we've tested is the TCL Alto 7+. This 2.1-channel setup provides pretty good value for the price thanks to its fairly neutral sound profile and surprisingly good build quality. Both the bar and the wireless subwoofer feel quite well-built overall, especially compared to similarly-priced models we've reviewed, and even comes with all the different audio cables you might need.

This soundbar has a pretty well-balanced sound profile that's fairly versatile. It reproduces voices and dialogue accurately, which can help you hear your favorite shows more clearly. It doesn't produce much thump and rumble, unfortunately, which is a bit disappointing during action-packed scenes, but it still packs a decent punch. It can also get very loud, which is great if you're throwing a party or playing in a large room. It compresses quite a bit in the bass range at max volume, though, so you might not want to push it too far.

Unfortunately, this soundbar only supports Dolby Digital surround content, which can be an issue if you have Blu-rays that are DTS-only. It also doesn't have a full HDMI-in, so you can't use it as a connectivity hub between your different home theatre devices. The Yamaha YAS-108/ATS-1080 has a full HDMI input and supports both Dolby Digital and DTS, but it's more expensive and feels quite cheaply made. Overall, the TCL is one of the best value soundbars we've reviewed so far.

The best value soundbar under $300 we've tested so far is the Yamaha YAS-207. This 2.1 setup comes with a dedicated wireless subwoofer that can producer much deeper bass than all the other options on this list. The newer Yamaha YAS-209 has even better bass performance, but it's still a bit more expensive, so it's worth snagging the 207 while you still can.

When it comes to sound, the stereo performance of this soundbar is quite surprising. Its sound profile is very neutral and is suitable for a wide variety of content, from classical music to horror movies. It supports most surround formats found on Blu-ray discs or content coming from streaming apps. It has a dialogue enhancement feature that can help make voices a bit clearer, and you can also adjust the subwoofer level to get a bit more bass.

While the soundbar feels decently well-built overall, it’s covered by a mesh fabric that feels like it could quite easily rip, and tends to collect dust. Nevertheless, it’s still one of the best affordable soundbars we’ve tested so far thanks to its impressive cost-to-performance ratio.