The Best Cheap Soundbars of 2023
Tom Power Sep 21, 2023 6:26 PM
You may have discovered recently that despite spending big on a 4K TV and searching for endless streaming services, your 'home cinema' experience is still essentially impressive.
From trying to hear dialogue to engaging action sequences, judging on your TV's built-in speakers is like using the headphones that came with your phone: they do the job, but when you upgrade, it costs a lot. But the good news is that you can do something without spending a lot of money just by adding a budget soundbar to your setup.
Below is our recommendation of what we consider the Best Cheap Soundbars of 2023.
Top picks
A 7.1.2 stereo, this Dolby Atmos soundbar features two flare speakers, two beam tweeters, five front-facing drivers, and a dual subwoofer built into a single chassis. Using a combination of psychoacoustic techniques and driver placement, the Sony HT-A700 delivers a wide and high soundstage, whether you're watching content come alive or not, while keeping the music intact, presence and detail.
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a high-performance soundbar. When viewing Atmos content, two of the five front audio strips are dedicated to ambient sound reproduction. The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a soundbar that uses HRTF technology to give the impression of height without the need for verticality.
Sony's HT-A9 offers the compact, plug-and-play streaming and streaming features of a top-quality soundbar, but with the integration and immersive sound of a traditional surround package. Consisting of a hub that connects to your TV and 4 identical gray wireless speakers, the Sony HT-A9 is a versatile, complete Dolby Atmos cinema in a box.
Think of the Roku Streambar as an upgrade on your TV, rather than an entry into a proper home cinema, and it ticks pretty much every box. While it doesn't quite reach five-star status, it easily nailed the aspects where it's most commonly used: projection and clarity.
The stream bar will work with any TV with an HDMI input, outputting 4K HDR at up to 60fps for those with a compatible set. Everyone else will get Full HD 1080p, with an upscaled lower resolution signal.
Sonos Arc - The Premium Smart Soundbar for TV, Movies, Music, Gaming, and More - Black
View on Amazon- SCORE9.4BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandSonos
80Watt 34Inch Sound bar, Bestisan Soundbar Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless and Wired Home Theater Speaker (DSP, Bass Adjustable, Optical Cable Included)
View on Amazon- SCORE8.8BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandBESTISAN
- Prime
- SCORE8.8BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandSAMSUNG
- Prime
Sound Bar, BESTISAN 100 Watt Sound Bars for TV with Built in Subwoofer and Sub-Out Port Home Theater System (32 inch, Bluetooth 5.0, 3 Audio Modes, Bass Adjustable, Touch Control, 2022 Upgraded)
View on Amazon- SCORE8.8BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandBESTISAN
- Prime
BESTISAN 100 Watt 40 Inch TV Sound Bar, Home Theater System Wired and Wireless Soundbar Speaker(Bluetooth 5.0, 105dB, Dsp Audio, Bass Adjustable, Wall Mountable)
View on Amazon- SCORE8.8BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandBESTISAN
- Prime
Sound bar, BESTISAN Soundbar Wired and Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker for TV (28 Inches, Optical Cable Included, DSP, Bass Adjustable, Wall Mountable)
View on Amazon- SCORE8.8BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandBESTISAN
- Prime
- SCORE8.8BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandJBL
- Prime
Wohome Soundbar S89 28-Inch 80W with HDMI-ARC, Bluetooth 5.0, LED Display, Optical USB AUX Connection, 4 Speakers, 4 EQs, 110dB Surround Sound Bar Home Theater Audio Soundbar System for TV (28-Inch)
View on Amazon- SCORE8.6BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandWohome
- Prime
Sound Bars for TV with Subwoofer Deep Bass Soundbar 2.1 CH Home Audio Surround Sound Speaker System with Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 for PC Gaming with Wired Opt/Aux/Coax Connection Mountable 29-Inch
View on Amazon- SCORE8.6BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandRIOWOIS
- Prime
Sound Bars for TV with Subwoofer, Sound Bar 2.1CH Deep Bass Speaker Home Audio Surround Sound System with Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 for PC Gaming with Wired Opt/Aux/Coax Connection Wall Mountable 32-inch
View on Amazon- SCORE8.6BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandRIOWOIS
- Prime
Polk Audio Signa Solo Sound Bar - Works with any TV | 10X More Bass | Voice Adjust Technology | Dolby Digital Surround Decoding | Black
View on Amazon- SCORE8.4BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandPolk Audio
- Prime
TV Sound Bar, MZEIBO Split Sound Bars for TV 50W 32inch Wired & Wireless Bluetooth Sound Bar Home Theater Audio Speakers with Optical/HDMI/AUX/Remote Control/Bases, Model KY-2020D
View on Amazon- SCORE8.4BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandMZEIBO
- Prime
Majority Bowfell Small Sound Bar for TV with Bluetooth, RCA, USB, Opt, AUX Connection, Mini Sound/Audio System for TV Speakers/Home Theater, Gaming, Projectors, 50 watt, 15 inch
View on Amazon- SCORE8.0BTV Score
BTV Score is a ranking system developed by our team of experts. It from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our AI Consumer Report tool based upon the data collected. This score has no relationship or impact from any manufacturer or sales agent websites. Learn more
- BrandMajority
- Prime
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API
Price: If you want the best soundbar tech has to offer, you can consider the AU$800 / AU$800 / AU$1,000 or more price tag. There are plenty of budget soundbars on the market right now with some costing less than $100 / £100 / AU$150.
Where to place: Usually, you have two choices when placing a soundbar: mount it on the wall or place it below the TV on a TV cabinet.
Connection: There are three main ways to output the soundbar: digital optical, analog (3.5mm or RCA headphones), and HDMI. Make sure the soundbar accepts the same connections as on your TV. The common input on the soundbar is HDMI, and if your TV is under 5 years old it should be compatible, but you should double-check.
Compared to the sound of your TV, these soundbars are well worth it. Spending just $100 on a soundbar can improve your TV viewing experience tenfold. The TV's speakers are facing downwards so a lot of detail is lost, and a dedicated soundbar can make voices easier to understand. We hope that you can find the best cheap soundbar for you.