The 6 Best Budget Soundbars - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best cheap soundbar we've tested so far is the Sony HT-S100F. This is a standalone entry-level soundbar from Sony that performs decently, despite its price. The soundbar itself is fairly unassuming. The top is covered with a faux-leather while the front grill is metal, all in a matte black color. The overall build quality is decent and you shouldn't have any issues with it. Do note, however, that the soundbar itself is quite large and won't fit between the legs of a 55 inch TV or smaller, so you may have to adjust the placement accordingly.

Unfortunately, since it doesn't have a wireless subwoofer, it doesn't perform very well with low bass and lacks deep thump and rumble. On the upside, it's a very affordable option if you only want to stream music via Bluetooth and if you only watch TV shows or movies here and then. It even supports Dolby Digital content, but it will be downmixed to stereo due to the speakers' configuration of the bar. It's an overall very straightforward bar but does a good job if you're not looking for a top-of-the-line product.

If you're only looking to upgrade the sound from your TV's integrated speakers and you're on a tight budget, this soundbar will do the job.

The best budget soundbar under $200 we've tested so far is the TCL Alto 7+. This 2.1 setup comes with a dedicated wireless subwoofer, and its design feels surprisingly sturdy for its price point. It also comes with many accessories and cables, which are welcomed as well. The bar also supports Bluetooth, which is very useful when you just want to play music off your phone.

Sound-wise, the Alto 7+ is quite surprising for a soundbar under $200. Its subwoofer performs decently well, which will provide a bit more thump and rumble than some cheaper models that don't have a wireless sub we've tested so far. A few EQ presets are available, giving you a bit more control over its sound to suit your preferences. It even supports Dolby Digital content, but you'll need to use its HDMI ARC port, and everything will be downmixed.

Also, while this bar can get very loud, it's not recommended to push it to its limits, as there's a lot of pumping and compression artifacts in the bass range. On the upside, it has a decent dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices a bit clearer and offers a decent overall performance for people who don't want to break the bank.

The best soundbar under $300 we've tested so far is the Yamaha YAS-207. It offers good overall value if you're looking for an entry-level product. Like some other options on this list, this 2.1 setup comes with a dedicated wireless subwoofer that packs a lot of bass, which is great at this price point. It supports most audio formats found on Blu-ray discs or content coming from streaming apps.

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. It also has a dialogue enhancement feature that helps make the voices a bit clearer. You can also adjust the subwoofer level, which is neat if you want a bit more bass. You can also easily stream content via Bluetooth with your phone. The bar can also get pretty loud, although we don't recommend using it at its max volume if you want the best audio quality.

Additionally, while the bar is well-built, it's covered by a mesh fabric that feels a bit cheap. It might be easy to rip and can get dirty by dust quite fast. Nevertheless, this is one of the best affordable soundbars and if you're not looking for a top-notch surround experience when watching movies, its stereo performance rivals some more high-end products.