Tuesday, January 5, 2021

What is the Best Budget Soundbar in 2020? Low Cost & Affordable Options

best budget soundbars

When you stick to a budget, there are two things that can happen: you get a value-for-your-money product or you get ripped off. Obviously, you want the former, and that’s why we listed some great budget soundbars below. These are some of the best products we’ve tested that are a bang for your buck, so you can expect great quality at an affordable and cheap price.

Best Compact Model
TaoTronics 3 Equalizer Mode
#1 Budget Soundbar
Vizio SB2920-C6
Best Bass
Polk Audio Signa S2
TaoTronics Three Equalizer Mode
Vizio SB2920-C6
Polk Audio Signa S2
This compact soundbar offers user-friendly features that you can customize to fit your needs. All its sound modes give off quality and full-range sound for games, music, and movies.
A budget model that can compete with high-end onnes, this soundbar will give you realistic 3D audio that doesn’t hold back on power, balance and clarity—all for less than a hundred bucks.
The Signa 2 proves that great bass can also come in more affordable packages. This model provides a wireless subwoofer and Dolby Digital decoding for an impressive audio experience.
Best Compact Model
TaoTronics 3 Equalizer Mode
TaoTronics Three Equalizer Mode
This compact soundbar offers user-friendly features that you can customize to fit your needs. All its sound modes give off quality and full-range sound for games, music, and movies.
#1 Budget Soundbar
Vizio SB2920-C6
Vizio SB2920-C6
A budget model that can compete with high-end onnes, this soundbar will give you realistic 3D audio that doesn’t hold back on power, balance and clarity—all for less than a hundred bucks.
Best Bass
Polk Audio Signa S2
Polk Audio Signa S2
The Signa 2 proves that great bass can also come in more affordable packages. This model provides a wireless subwoofer and Dolby Digital decoding for an impressive audio experience.

The 5 Best Cheap Soundbars On A Budget

1. Vizio SB2920-C6 29-Inch 2.0 Channel Soundbar (Bluetooth)

Vizio SB2920-C6

A popular budget option, this soundbar comes with a variety of features like DTS Studio Sound ™, Tru Volume ™, and TruSurround ™. This gives you a virtual surrounding effect that delivers an immersive experience.

Measuring 29 inches, this sound bar is a good fit for any TV above that size. It’s able to pump out 95 dB (decibels) of room-filling sound, and our reviews show that there’s only minimal distortion at top volume.

Bluetooth is also a noteworthy built-in feature in the easy to set up Vizio soundbar. You can take advantage of Bluetooth streaming by connecting your mobile device and playing your favorite tunes. 

At this cost, this doesn’t have a subwoofer or Dolby Atmos surround technology as well. But overall, if you want an affordable rig that gets the job done every time, this is the best budget soundbar on our list.

Pros

Cons

2. TaoTronics Three Equalizer Mode Audio Speaker Soundbar for TV

TaoTronics Three Equalizer Mode Soundbar

This TaoTronics rig is another proof that the best soundbars don’t need to cost over three digits. Measuring at just 32 inches, it’s quite a slim profile that glides into small spaces so you can easily put it in front of your TV or wherever convenient.

Other than the value of excellent room-filling sound, this supports many connections for TVs, wireless or otherwise. Also, despite being a budget soundbar, this gadget contains modes (game mode, music mode, movie mode) that optimize the sound quality according to the content. 

In our review, our experts agree that this produces an impressive full sound that many new products at this level might not provide.

Pros

Cons

3. Polk Audio Signa S2 Ultra-Slim TV Soundbar (Subwoofer Included)

Polk Audio Signa S2 Soundbar

If you have a larger space and you want something with more bass, the Polk Audio Signa S2 is among the best budget speakers in our list and reviews. It’s an affordable TV soundbar that includes a dedicated wireless subwoofer, making the low frequencies pop.

Including Polk’s voice adjust technology and Dolby Digital decoding, this sounding bar is capable of producing clearer sound and reducing delays. When we tested this in our listening room, its performance rivals some of the best midrange products you can buy on the market.

When it comes to setup, the available connections aren’t sparse. This supports HDMI inputs, optical input, and AUX inputs as well. Just connect the soundbar to your TV through the HDMI and you’re good to go.

Pros

Cons

4. TCL Alto 7+2.1 Channel Home Theater Soundbar

TCL Alto 7+ Soundbar

From the TCL models, this is one of the best budget soundbars from the brand. It’s equipped with two channels and one wireless sub to give you a satisfyingly punchy and rumbling bass. While the design is unassuming, this soundbar is pretty high-tech. 

TCL gives you the freedom of choosing between 3 modes (music, movies, news) to make sure you get the best sounds depending on the content. The tweeters also work to balance the bass.

The setup is seamless in our review, with the flexibility to connect the soundbar to your TV through multiple connections including IR pass-through, HDMI arc, optical digital, and AUX inputs.

Overall, this TCL 2.1 channel soundbar delivers great quality and excellent performance.

Pros

Cons

5. BYL Bestisan Soundbar Wired and Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker for TV

BYL Bestisan Soundbar

The last soundbar on our list is the BYL Bestisan. It’s a pretty basic soundbar with no bells and whistles, but it’s a good upgrade to your normal TV speakers.

Equipped with DSP technology, the dialogue on this soundbar is crystal clear. If you’re someone who loves watching movies or TV shows, you can skip the captions because the voices really pop.

In our reviews, we found the remote control to be highly sensitive and intuitive, which is plus points in our book. It makes the setup extremely easy to use so you don’t have to stand up and use the side panel buttons for control.

Overall, this is one of the best soundbars in our review for those looking for a basic upgrade.

Pros

Cons

Cheap Soundbar Buying Guide

Even on a budget, the best budget soundbar can still potentially create a cinematic feel in the absence of multiple speakers. But you do have to review a couple of things to make sure you’re still getting your money’s worth with a soundbar.

wall-mounted TV and red chair beside it

Design and Size

If you have limited space, a soundbar should be small and slim enough for you to easily set up. Then again, even if you have a large space in your living area, it’s better for your soundbar and sub to look sleek as well. 

You should also consider the size of your TV when picking out the right design. Some soundbars are better suited for fifty-five inch sets ang large TVs than others.

Surround Sound

This can be simulated in more than one way. The best option  you can buy is one with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. Like our top choice on the list, it should generate Studio Sound ™, Tru Volume ™, and TruSurround ™ to give you an almost full and immersive sound in your living room. You can add a sub for loud sounds, especially in low frequencies.

Since the purpose of purchasing a new soundbar is to elevate your TV speakers and your overall entertainment, we recommend to at least go for a sound bar with Virtual Surround Sound support.

Connections

Buying something with optical, aux, RCA, ARC, and HDMI inputs is a good way to get much more connectivity support. Review your choices because it gives you the flexibility to link different devices or components, such as a sub. Although, if you have a really tight budget, it’s much harder to find a cheap speaker with HDMI ARC capability.

RCA cables

Wireless Connectivity

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are the wireless connection options that the best soundbars have. Make sure the product you buy on Amazon has these features as well.

A lot of new devices, high-end or at a lower price range such as TCL Alto 5, support Bluetooth. For many users, a sound bar built with Bluetooth provides much more value due to streaming.

Some quality soundbars like the Yamaha YAS 209 can also support Wi-Fi, but you have to read the specs if it’s available. Plus, keep in mind that the connection stability depends on the signal strength, so it may be a little sloppy at times.

Cheap and Smart Soundbar Options

For the best budget devices, you may be able to get extra smart home functions aside from excellent sound quality. Voice assistant features such as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa can be pretty handy for users looking for smart functions.

Sonos speakers like the Sonos Beam are great examples of soundbars with smart functions. The system supports streaming from Airplay 2 as well, making it even better for Apple users. You may even play TV shows directly by voice. However, having Amazon Alexa built right in can be expensive.

Still, a smart soundbar can have Amazon Alexa without Google Assistant. The Yamaha YAS 209 is an example of this.

Audio Modes

Aside from the fixed settings, the best soundbar should have audio modes to automatically analyze the media being played and determine which settings will provide the best sounds.

For example, soundbars with gaming mode are great for gamers. Movie mode is good for TV shows too. So whether you buy from brands such as Samsung, Yamaha, or Sonos, read the label if the unit supports different modes.

Channels

The number of channels directly affect the audio quality, regardless whether you buy from brands like Yamaha or Samsung. In our reviews, a lot of budget soundbars have 2 channels. This means that the sounding bar has left and right speakers which are points of sound emission. 

If you’re looking for the best soundbar on a budget, a 2.1 channel system like that on the Yamaha YAS 209 is best.

Remote

Most soundbars include their own remote control, but there are also models that can operate with a universal remote. If you’re one who doesn’t want the hassle of using multiple remotes for every device, then you may want the latter option.

Of course, soundbars with built-in Alexa can read and accept voice commands. 

Easy Setup

For an easy assembly, the box should have everything you need. In some units, they add in a mounting bracket if you choose to mount the sounding bar on your wall.

man holding remote and sitting beside woman

If everything’s complete, including the cable, you should be able to get your speaker up and running in no time. It’s supposed to be simple, although you might need to make a quick Google search and read some reviews.

Need more recommendations? Read our review on soundbars from iLive that are best known for their versatility.

Are Soundbars Worth the Money?

Yes, soundbars are worth the money even if you find your TV sound acceptable. For some, TV speakers can be passable or up to standard, but an excellent soundbar, even one for budgeteers, can still elevate the sound experience [1].

What Size Soundbar is Best for Me?

Sound bars come in different sizes, and similar to your TV, a large soundbar usually provides a far better sound quality. You shouldn’t exceed the width of your TV when you buy this device, though.

Smaller sound-bars have more variety and flexibility with the TVs they can complement. If you have a smaller TV or limited space, compact soundbars like the Yamaha YAS 209 and Sonos Beam are best.

Our Top Cheap Soundbar Pick: The SB2920 C6

Vizio SB2920-C6

As far as budget soundbars go, nothing beats the SB2920 C6 29-Inch 2.0 Channel Soundbar. For an affordable product, Vizio is the best soundbar that comes with top tier tech, 3D room-filling entertainment, and focused details which makes it the best cheap soundbar.

It can pump out up to 95 dB of quality audio with minimal distortion. It also features built-in Bluetooth and a slim profile for ease of use.

Overall, if you’re looking for a budget soundbar that’s capable of going toe to toe with higher-end models without taking a chunk out of your wallet, then this is the right choice for you.

The post What is the Best Budget Soundbar in 2020? <br> Low Cost & Affordable Options appeared first on The Product Analyst.



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

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