Saturday, November 7, 2020

What is the Best Soundbar Under $100?

Best Soundbars under $100

Getting a good soundbar for a cheap price is possible, but it isn’t easy. If you aren’t careful, you would end up paying for something you would either toss out later or return to the seller.

If you don’t want to waste money or handle the stress of online customer service, this list is for you. Our audio experts tested multiple soundbars and found these most reliable models for just $100 and below.

Small & Compact
VIZIO SB2920-C6
Best Overall
WOHOME 2.1
Best for Smart TV
TAOTRONICS
This small soundbbar isn’t only perfect for and easy and neat setup, it also offers clear dialogues, and a panoramic sound.
Greatly designed with full-range speakers, different watch modes, DSP tech, and Bluetooth, this soundbar will make you feel like you’ve paid more than a hundred dollars.
Taotronics soundbar’s equalizer modes and easy connectivty features makes it a great budget soundbar for your Smart TV.
Small & Compact
VIZIO SB2920-C6
This small soundbbar isn’t only perfect for and easy and neat setup, it also offers clear dialogues, and a panoramic sound.
Best Overall
WOHOME 2.1
Greatly designed with full-range speakers, different watch modes, DSP tech, and Bluetooth, this soundbar will make you feel like you’ve paid more than a hundred dollars.
Best for Smart TV
TAOTRONICS
Taotronics soundbar’s equalizer modes and easy connectivty features makes it a great budget soundbar for your Smart TV.

Reviews of Top 4 Soundbars Under 100 Dollars

1. WOHOME 2.1 Channel Bluetooth Soundbar

WOHOME 2.1 Channel Bluetooth Soundbar​

The Wohome soundbar features four full-range speakers, a built-in sub, and an output power of 95 dB. Despite being in the under-$100 price range, our experts agree that it delivers the sound quality that you need.

Like many soundbars today, this product has Bluetooth, allowing you to connect your mobile phone for music streaming. WOHOME is also compatible with most major brands including Sony, Samsung, and LG, so there’s no issue there.

With default, news, movie, and music mode, you can expect the best audio quality that’s suited for the content you are watching. The dialogue is clear as well, thanks to its DSP technology.

For under 100 bucks, this soundbar is definitely one of the best your money can get. It’s a great upgrade from your standard TV sound. Even at a low price, this soundbar is a worthy investment for the sound quality it gives.

Pros

  • Pumps out deep bass with the 5.5-inch wide subwoofer
  • Produces 95dB of high-quality sound
  • Setup is incredibly easy with both wired and wireless connections
  • Connects to your devices with built-in Bluetooth
  • Features Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology for enhanced dialogue clarity
  • Features 4 modes to choose from, ensuring the best sound quality depending on the content playing
  • It comes with a wall mount kit and remote control
  • Satisfaction guarantee and lifetime tech support
  • Great value for the price

Cons

  • Drywall anchors that come with the package aren’t that good
  • Not compatible with universal remote controls

2. SB2920-C6 29-inch 2.0 Channel Sound Bar

Vizio SB2920-C6

This Vizio unit delivers 95 dB of crystal clear sound, minimal harmonic distortion, DTS studio sound ™ , tru volume ™, and Trusurround ™ technology. It also comes with full range speakers, giving you a wide soundstage.

If you don’t like wired connections, you can easily bypass that by pairing the sound bar via Bluetooth connectivity. Setup is easy as well. Just connect the soundbar to your TV with the included cable and you’re done.

At 29 inches, the Vizio sound bar has a compact size.  It’s minimal and streamlined, so it easily fits into small spaces. And while it doesn’t have a subwoofer, the features of the SB2920 C6 sound bar are still top-notch.

Pros

  • This soundbar has a small design that fits right under your TV set
  • Low distortion makes the bass sound better even at a loud volume
  • Provides 95db sound even without a subwoofer
  • Features DTS studio sound ™ , tru volume ™ and Trusurround ™
  • Supports Bluetooth and can be paired with mobile devices for easy streaming at home
  • Easy setup with just one connection to your TV

Cons

  • Has a noticeable speaker rattle
  • Customer service needs improvement

3. TaoTronics Soundbar Three Equalizer Mode Audio Speaker

TaoTronics Three Equalizer Mode Soundbar

When it comes to choosing the best soundbar under $100, you should at least look for different modes like this soundbar does. TaoTronics features 3 different equalizer modes—game, movie, and music mode.

You can choose between them to fine-tune your TaoTronics sound bar for the optimal audio settings, whether for music, movies, and other content.

These modes can be set via the remote control that’s included with your purchase of the speakers. We find the remote control comfortable to hold in the hand, which is extra points for us.

With its Bluetooth connectivity feature, you can easily stream music from any Bluetooth-compatible device. However, if a set wired connection is more stable for you, you can connect the soundbar to your TV using the audio cable connection, RCA, or optical input.

As most soundbars are, this design is slim, measuring at 32 inches. The setup is incredibly easy as well and can be done with the touch of a few buttons.

All in all, our experts say that this soundbar effectively provides a full panoramic sound experience despite being a  cheap model.

Pros

  • For under 100, you can enjoy better full range sound with this soundbar
  • Features three sound modes for optimum settings in every type of content
  • Wired and wireless connections are all easy to set up
  • Wired connections include optical, coaxial, AUX, and RCA audio input
  • Allows Bluetooth connection and streaming
  • Remote control is included
  • The slim sound bar design fits into small spaces and blends well with the room
  • At 32 inches, the sound bar is easy to mount or place on your TV cabinet.

Cons

  • Although the optical cable is provided, it might not fit into the input
  • The remote is pretty small and easy to lose

4. Cowin Sound Bars for TV

Cowin Sound Bars for TV

As a 43-inch sound bar, Cowin is the largest we have on our list of best soundbars under $100.

This soundbar unit produces bass with minimal distortion, giving great sound even without a subwoofer. Plus, its DSP feature offers amazing precision for each of the different modes (news, movie, music).

As for the setup, Cowin supports two connections—wired and wireless. Wired connections include UX, RCA, and optical audio input. You can also connect other devices with this Cowin sound bar via Bluetooth, which also allows you to stream music and movies from a mobile device.

Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about extra purchases because this soundbar provides everything you need in one package for a home theater experience. You get the necessary cables, a remote, and the user manual to help you power up the sound bar.

Another thing that our experts like about this soundbar is the 18-month warranty. That provides an additional safety net for you just in case you need to return or repair the product.

Pros

  • This sound bar is still wall mountable even at 43 inches
  • The good, deep bass with minimal distortion provides clear and crisp audio quality regardless of the volume
  • Features DSP technology for enhanced audio clarity
  • Built-in Bluetooth for streaming content
  • Wired connections include AUX, RCA and optical
  • Optical cable is included
  • Your purchase comes with an 18-month warranty

Cons

  • The remote can be tricky to use
  • Side controls are not intuitive

Soundbar Under $100 Buying Guide

For this budget, you can still buy a good soundbar that rivals those produced by higher-end brands. After all, great sound doesn’t need to be thousands of dollars in price.

If you’re not really much of an audiophile and you want to save a little money, a new soundbar under $100 is enough to complete your room entertainment system. A budget soundbar fits the needs of those just looking to have a bit of improvement and to experience surround sound.

But even with a budget, you don’t want your money to go to waste. Let’s look at some features you need to consider when buying soundbars.

(Interested in learning more about soundbars? Read our comparison of the Sonos Playbar and Beam, next!)

Subwoofer

A subwoofer does make a difference in sound quality, but it still depends on your preference if you find it necessary. If you love to get that good heavy bass, built-in or separate subwoofers should be on top of your list. 

A good quality subwoofer will give you the home theater experience right on your couch. Some soundbars even offer a wireless subwoofer which you can place in an ideal spot in the room.

top soundbars below 100

That said, there are still soundbars don’t come with a subwoofer at all, and this might reflect in the price as well. Consider if you need a subwoofer, and whether or not you need it wired or wireless.

Another thing to consider is the size of the soundbar, as some are best with TVs that are 55 inches or over. So, the TV size would come into play here as well.

Channels

The channels refer to the point where sound is projected from the soundbar. As you can imagine, the more channels you have, the more likely you will get to experience that good surround sound.

An extra note: numbers you see accompanying the title of the product (2.1, 5.1, 7.1, etc) indicate how many channels and subwoofers the soundbar has. The first digit refers to the number of channels, and the number after the decimal refers to the number of subwoofers.

best soundbar under $100

In this list, a number of soundbars only have two channels (2.0 channels like these soundbars from Vizio), but that’s a given since we’re talking about under $100 soundbars here. If you want to have more channels, soundbars like that usually have a higher price.

So, set how many channels you want or need before buying a soundbar.

Sound Modes

It’s good to have sound modes included in the soundbar, particularly because it optimizes sounds for different content. At some point, you would need to use some of these to hear the best audio that fits the type of content.

The most common modes  we see people use are news, standard, movie, music modes. For the news mode, the dialogue will be enhanced, while for movie mode the treble and bass are amped up to the quality you want.

These sound modes ensure that you’re getting the best audio experience no matter what you’re viewing. This is one of the features that set a soundbar apart from a TV speaker. 

Connection

Having both wired and wireless connection options is a good sign that your soundbar is more flexible when it comes to compatibility. They also make the setup easy, as with this Vizio soundbar.

Bluetooth is most commonly seen as the wireless option in today’s soundbars. On the other hand, wired audio connections would include aux, RCA, optical cords, USB, and HDMI. By far, HDMI is the easiest connection to set up. Some soundbars may have two HDMI inputs, which is useful if you want to connect two components to your soundbar.

Depending on the preference you set, having both wired and wireless options is ideal as it gives you more flexibility with sound bar placement. Most connectivity options are pretty simple, but if you need any help, just consult the user manual.

If you have an LG device, here are more specific setup instructions for LG soundbars.

Remote

A remote control adds more convenience in a soundbar. IWith it, you can set and control your settings right from your living room couch.

Many manufacturers include one with the package so there is no need to go out and search for a universal one. Remember where you put the remote after use though, as some remotes are a little bit on the smaller side when it comes to size.

In case you lose the remote, another way to control your soundbar is through the onboard buttons on the bar itself. However, many will agree that using a remote control is far better.

Conclusion

There is no need to fork out hundreds or thousands of dollars if you can find a pretty decent soundbar under 100, right?

Although even the greatest soundbars under this price point do not come with a lot of the fancy features such as voice control, these budget sound bars could be the best option if you’re only looking for enhanced audio.

features of good soundbars for 100 or less

Soundbars enhance the sound of your TV speakers and may also offer virtual surround sound to simulate a cinematic experience. If you don’t have any specific audio needs, any of the above products will add power and quality to your entertainment system.

If you have a few more bucks to spend, you’re looking at wider options, some of which we included in this comparison for the models under 150 dollars.

Our Top Pick for the Best Soundbar Under $100: WOHOME 2.1 Channel

WOHOME 2.1 Channel Bluetooth Soundbar​

While other options are quite top-notch, the Wohome gets our top pick vote for many reasons.

Other than the warranty and satisfaction guarantee, the fact that the Wohome soundbar features a subwoofer just blows its competitors out of the water. It also offers different sound modes, wired and wireless connections, and full range speakers as well.

This soundbar also has a good design that blends well with your room interior, so you don’t have to worry about coordination and color matching.

For under $100, this soundbar delivers good improvement over your standard TV speakers. It’s definitely top of the line at this price point.

The post What is the Best Soundbar Under $100? appeared first on The Product Analyst.



from The Product Analyst https://theproductanalyst.com/soundbar/best-under-100/

No comments:

Post a Comment