The 6 Best Soundbars Under $500 - Fall 2021 Reviews

The Vizio M Series M51a-H6 is the best soundbar under $500 that we've tested. This 5.1 setup comes with a dedicated subwoofer and two satellite speakers, and it's available on Costco and the manufacturer's website. While the next generation Vizio M Series M51ax-J6 was released in 2021, this soundbar offers better overall performance, with a more extended low-bass that helps you feel more thump and rumble in your audio.

Out-of-the-box, this soundbar has a very neutral, balanced sound profile that's suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. You can also use its bass and treble adjustments as well as its EQ presets to help customize its sound. It supports Dolby Atmos content, too, and its discrete satellites help offer a good surrounds performance.

Unfortunately, this soundbar lacks some more premium sound enhancement features, like a graphic EQ or room correction, so it may sound a bit different depending on the room you're listening in. Also, it doesn't have built-in voice assistant support, so you can't control it using your voice. That said, it's still a solid option for listeners shopping on a budget.

The best soundbar under $500 that we've tested is the Klipsch Cinema 600. Thanks to its dedicated center channel, this 3.1 setup helps to more clearly and accurately reproduce voices in dialogue-centric content like TV shows, podcasts, and audiobooks. You can also use its dialogue enhancement feature to help voices sound more crisp and clear or its auto-volume mode to help balance the volume level between different programs.

Out-of-the-box, it has a very neutral, though slightly bright sound profile that's suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. There's also a subwoofer level adjustment to help you customize its sound more to your liking. It's Bluetooth-compatible, so you can wirelessly stream podcasts and audiobooks from your smartphone or tablet to the bar.

Unfortunately, while it supports surround content, it has to downmix it into stereo to play it, which doesn't sound as immersive. It also doesn't support Dolby Atmos content, and it doesn't have a Full HDMI In port, so you can't really use it as a hub between different devices. However, if you're looking for a more simple setup for listening to vocal-centric content, it's a solid choice.

If you're looking for a small soundbar, the Sonos Beam is the best soundbar under $500 that we've tested. This premium-looking 3.0 model has a very compact design, so it shouldn't take up too much space in your existing setup. Thanks to its dedicated center channel, it can reproduce dialogue in movies clearly and accurately.

Out-of-the-box, it has a pretty neutral sound profile that makes it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. You can customize its sound more to your liking using its bass and treble adjustments, and there's even a room correction feature that can automatically optimize audio reproduction based on the unique acoustic characteristics of the room you're listening in. While it doesn't support Bluetooth, it's still compatible with Wi-Fi and Apple AirPlay, making it easy to wirelessly stream content from your phone to the bar.

Unfortunately, it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content, and it has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it, which isn't very immersive-sounding. Also, like many small soundbars, it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass, which can be disappointing if you like to feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. You can purchase a subwoofer separately, but we haven't tested it in this configuration.

If you're looking for a 2.1 setup, the best soundbar under $500 that we've tested is the Samsung HW-A550. This premium setup offers a neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, making it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. It gets pretty loud, too, so you can crank up the volume when hosting parties or movie nights.

This soundbar comes with lots of different sound enhancement features. If you prefer a different sound, you can use its graphic EQ and presets as well as its bass and treble adjustments to customize its sound profile. Its 'Adaptive Sound' preset is a dialogue enhancement feature that can make voices sound more clear and crisp.

Unfortunately, this soundbar doesn't support Dolby Atmos content, and its surround performance isn't very impressive. It also struggles to reproduce some low-bass, so you may not feel a lot of thump and rumble in bass-heavy music and action-packed movies. That said, it's still a solid choice for listeners who prefer a 2.1 setup.