As the weather heats up, our desire to be outside in the heat dissipates. What better time to consume content on your favorite streaming platform (like Netflix or Hulu)? The tinny built-in speakers on your television likely won’t deliver the audio clarity you’ll want, but we’ve got an easy fix: a soundbar.There are some things to consider before making your new purchase: Brand is important, as some soundbars are more compatible with TVs of the similar brand. LG doesn’t tend to play well with Sony, for example (a fact I learned the hard way when I purchased my LG C3 OLED). The first number in a model name, followed by ch, refers to the soundbar’s number of channels and the more the better—especially if you’re aiming for a surround sound experience. Some soundbars come with a separate subwoofer and tweeters, though many have those built in so that you just have to worry about a single speaker.Perhaps most importantly, they won’t break the bank thanks to these deals.
Our expert called the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), “a small soundbar with a big sound field” in his review, ultimately rating it a 4 out of 5. This low profile device offers five-channel audio processing that results in crisp, room filling sound. Like their other products, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) also supports easy multi-room integration with the company’s other speakers as well as voice assistant functionality.
This Sony HT-A5000 has 5 channels of sound as well as 2 height speakers that enable sound to travel around the room more freely. In short: you can achieve a surround sound experience with just this single soundbar. Each of the soundbars in this list have Dolby Atmos support, but the HT-A5000 takes it a step further with 360 Spatial Sound Mapping which will make you feel as though your TV audio is coming from all around you.
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Bose is a brand best known for home audio systems, noise cancelling headphones, and other such auditory devices. The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 utilizes Bose technology to fill your room with sound from a single bar with unparalleled audio quality. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, and Chromecast are just a few connectivity options you have that allow you to stream your content however you want. Our expert reviewed the previous model, the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 and found it to be average, but the 900 model offers some of the same features with improvements, including more speakers.
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FAQ
How much should a sound bar cost? You can get a decent soundbar for as little as $100, though we wouldn’t recommend going lower than that. We would also advise sticking to recognizable brands as a cheap, no-name brand may be more headache than it’s worth. Check out our list of The Best Soundbars for more details on brands, features, and suitable use cases.What is the difference between cheap and expensive soundbars? Typically, the more you spend on a soundbar, the better the audio performance and the more features you have at your disposal. Additionally, some soundbars are packaged with satellite speakers and/or a subwoofer while others are a single bar.How much do you need to spend on a sound bar? That depends on your needs. A single soundbar is usually the cheapest option, though if you want punchier bass or a surround setup, you’ll probably want more speakers. If you’re not sure a soundbar is a good fit for your listening tastes, we recommend going into a showroom like Best Buy and taking a test listen before committing to a purchase.What is the best surround sound bar under $300The Vizio M-Series 5.1 (M51a-H6) received high marks from our expert as an affordable 5.1 soundbar system. We’ve seen sales drop the price low as $259, but even at the current price—$298 at the time of publication—you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.Is there Another Way I Can Improve My TV’s Sound Output?Yes! Bluetooth speakers are a great option as well. Just bear in mind that they won’t deliver the same impact because they’re meant for a smaller computer monitor rather than a large TV.Do I Need a Subwoofer to Produce Good Bass?Soundbars can generate a range of sounds from low-mid to high frequencies, but they don’t usually get that punchy bass we crave when listening to music or watching action scenes. That’s where a subwoofer comes in. Many soundbars come packaged with a wireless subwoofer or at least come with subwoofer outputs so you can add one later.Bluetooth or Wi-Fi—Which is Better?Bluetooth is easy to set up and allows you to connect to your mobile device in the same way you would a pair of headphones; however, Wi-Fi offers lossless audio due to its high bandwidth. If audio quality is most important to you, Wi-Fi is the way to go.
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