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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

  1. Sony HT-A7000

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.

  1. Sonos Beam Gen 2

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.

  1. Sony HT-A9 speaker system

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.

  1. Roku Streambar

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.


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Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images, Product Titles, and Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API


Buying Guide

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.


Final Thoughts

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.


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