Sunday, June 20, 2021

The Best Soundbars Under $200 – Comparison & Reviews

21 Soundbars Tested
76 Hours of Research
170 Reviews Examined
No Ads & Biased Reviews

Finding a good soundbar below $200 isn’t only about the price—it’s about the audio quality, design, compatibility, connectivity and a lot more.

So our audio lab testers compiled the top ones that passed their rigorous testing in this one informative list. Here are the most durable, reliable, and best soundbars under $200:

Best Overall
Bose Solo 5
Bose Solo 5
Runner-up
Samsung 2.1 HW-R450
Samsung 2.1 HW-R450
Best Budget
TCL Alto 6+ no background
TCL Alto 6+

Our Reviews

1.

Bose Solo 5

Bose produces some of the most popular audio products and offers options depending on whether you’re adding it to an existing entertainment unit or mounting it on the wall. 

For a soundbar below $200, this features a better performance compared to your TV speakers. We find that it performs well and the characters’ lines can be heard clearly, whether you’re watching movies or TV shows.

If you prefer going wireless, Bluetooth connectivity is available for a seamless streaming experience. Simply connect the Bose Solo 5 soundbar to your device and you’ll notice the difference with better and clearer sound. Great option if you love to sing, too! Many models like the Polk Audio Signa S2 and Roku Streambar feature this as well.

Overall, this is the best soundbar under $200 in our list.

Bose Solo 5

Pros

Cons

2.

TCL Alto 6+

It’s not every day you can find a model that’s affordable and comes with a separate subwoofer. The TCL Alto 6+ doesn’t leave out the bass while it improves your audio content. The soundbar subwoofer combo supports Dolby Digital and offers music, news and movie sound modes that will further elevate your listening experience.

The connections are straightforward and simple, with the Alto 6+ providing the best options such as HDMI, Bluetooth and optical connections. These cabled connection methods are plug-and-play and allow you to go from unboxing to listening in just minutes.

TCL Alto 6+

Pros

Cons

3.

Samsung 2.1 HW-R450 – Runner Up, Best Overall

Samsung is one of the well-trusted brands that produces some of the most popular headphones and  surround speakers for music and movies. We’ve included the Samsung R450 in our list, and it boasts a strong wireless subwoofer capable of producing a frequency response of 43Hz to 20 kHz. Similar models include the HW-T450 and the HW-R550.

The first on our list with smart technology, this 2.1 channel soundbar will automatically analyze the content and adjust the settings to the optimal level. It also has Bluetooth if you prefer connecting it that way.

This Samsung soundbar works best with Samsung TVs as they are designed for a seamless connection. If you’re a Samsung TV owner, then this is definitely one of the top soundbars for Samsung TV you could buy, at a price point of less than 200.

Samsung 2.1 HW-R450 budget soundbar for tv shows

Pros

Cons

4.

TaoTronics Three Equalizer Mode – Excellent Connectivity

This top soundbar from Taotronics provides audio that fills up your living room, similar to surround sound products. For those looking to be enveloped in the audio experience, this is a great upgrade for the price.

You can augment and tune this soundbar with the 3 different equalizer modes. The bar also offers three distinct modes (like in other soundbars such as the Yamaha ATS 1080 and the YAS-108) to customize the soundbar TV audio as you please.

Despite the compact size of the built-in speakers, you can bring home the full home theater experience with the TaoTronics Three Equalizer Mode Soundbar.

Taotronics Three Equalizer Mode Soundbar

Pros

Cons

5.

WOHOME 2.1 – Great Value for the Money

You get a choice of the 34-inch with 60 watts or the 38-inch with forty watts both less than $100! This dirt-cheap Wohome 2.1 Sound Bar is perfect for your tight budget, and is compatible with most TVs.

This 2.1 channel soundbar features an impressively loud audio  that comes from a full-range speaker, 3-4 drivers, an output of 100-105 dB, upgrading its performance. If you want other products, the Vizio V21-H8, V51-H6, Q Acoustics, Polk Audio Signa S2 and Sony HT-S350 are nice bar upgrades to your TV speaker as well.

As for the setup, you can choose from the wired and wireless connections for your TV. You can use the coaxial and optical input, RCA, AUX, or the built-in Bluetooth. Based on our testing on site, you won’t have compatibility issues as this soundbar works with computers, TVs, projectors,and other devices.

WOHOME 2.1

Pros

Cons

6.

VIZIO SB2920-C6 – Best in Compatibility

Vizio is a known brand to produce excellent entertainment technology. This sound bar product from Vizio is a relatively small (29-inch) soundbar that matches most TVs. As such, it’s a great solution if you’re a bit tight on money.

For soundbars under one hundred dollars, you can enjoy a listening experience with 95 decibels (dB) of crystal clear sound with barely audible (1%) total harmonic distortion.

The frequency of the Vizio soundbar sits at 70Hertz (Hz) to 19 Kilohertz (kHz). It boosts the sound and transforms an otherwise mundane movie into a full theater mode. You can easily set up the speakers and adjust the volume levels with the remote or the control pad.

Aside from the great audio experience, the Vizio SB2920-C6 gives you an easy time with the setup (find our review here). Simply connect the soundbar to your TV with the cable and you’re done.

VIZIO SB2920-C6

Pros

Cons

7.

BYL 100Watt Soundbar – Best Sound For Cheap

Depending on your TV and space, you can choose between the 28-inch or the forty-inch BYL 100 Watt Soundbar which have both been upgraded.

This model allows you to adjust the settings and choose from different EQ sound modes with the remote control. This extremely simplifies the setup and starting process with TVs. For bass fans, the external subwoofer enhances the low end in music and movies.

If you want to change this excellent soundbar back to its factory settings, you can do so with the simple push of the reset button. The treble and bass can also be adjusted to ensure on-point audio quality.

For a soundbar under $200, this is a smart choice since you get a 1-year warranty and lifetime technical support like many mid-range models.

BYL Bestisan S9920-W Soundbar

Pros

Cons

Soundbar Under $200 Buying Guide

For many people who are coming into this without any prior knowledge, knowing what to look for can greatly decrease the amount of research you do. You may not have the time to spend scouring every site for different choices, so we’ve done the legwork and come up with a few key factors to look for before your next purchase.

Subwoofer(s)

The subwoofer is incredibly important if you’re a fan of impressive audio effects when you listen to music, watch movies, or play games. The subwoofer is a speaker on the soundbar that produces the bass, and you can find soundbars with subs at this price tag. 

The bass extension is also responsible for providing the full-body vibrations you feel when standing next to heavy-duty speakers. And for TV owners who want an even more diverse stereo separation, adding satellite speakers do the job. It would cost more money than entry-level sound bars, but full setups will provide way more value.

Connection

In an affordable price range, you might only be able to get Bluetooth connectivity in budget soundbars. This allows easy access to the soundbar, turning it into a stereo speaker when connected to a mobile phone. Optical connection and USB are also common in soundbars at this price.

An HDMI cable or other digital audio outputs connect your new device to TVs, mobile phone, laptops, and gaming systems, and finding a subwoofer that offers a lot of these features is already a great deal. 

While many are HDMI-compatible like the Roku Smart Soundbar and Roku Streambar, not all soundbars feature HDMI ARC, eARC, and a USB port. Soundbars with eARC are likely premium-priced.

Bose Solo 5 Soundbar In a TV

Smart Soundbar

A smart soundbar greatly lessens the work you need to do and the settings you need to optimize (e.g. Polk Audio soundbar with Voice Adjust). While you may not be able to get Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Siri assistant with soundbars under $200, there are a few soundbars that can automatically tune the settings and volume to suit the acoustics of the room.

If you’re interested in advanced features, many of the top soundbars under three hundred dollars like the Roku Smart Soundbar offer them on a budget.

Sound Channels

The more channels or drivers the soundbar features, the better the audio. When you get up to 5, it will mimic surround sound speakers. It might feature 4K HDR sound, Dolby Digital (like the Vizio V21-H8), or even Dolby Atmos. Aim for ones with at least 3 channels (left right and center). When we reviewed Bose Soundbar 500 with 3.0 channels, it produced incredibly detailed sound in most types of content. 

Some great options include the Vizio V21-H8, Vizio V51-H6, Sony HT-S350, Sony HT-CT390, Samsung HW-T550, Samsung HW-T450, Samsung HW-R550, TCL Alto 7+, Polk Audio Signa S2, and JBL Bar Studio. From Roku, the Roku Smart Soundbar and Roku Streambar (audio and video) are nice soundbars for any content. 

If you want better dialogue and sound effects in action scenes, the Zvox Accuvoice is a compact soundbar that does the job, even if it costs less money than most.

tv and BYL Bestisan S9920on wall

Remote Control

To make your home life easier, good soundbars would have a remote or a compatible app. 

Most soundbars including outstanding Dolby Atmos soundbars come with a front display panel with physical control buttons. Look for a sound bar that does have this if you want easier setups.

Mount

Another thing you should consider is the placement of your soundbar. Are you putting it on the table? Laying it on your entertainment unit close to your TV, or mounting it on the wall? Some products come with wall mounts or a mounting stand to provide more value. Many options like the Signa S2 already have mounting holes.

In some cases, you may need to purchase this in addition to the soundbar. The size comes into play as well. Soundbars such as the Roku Streambar, Polk Audio Signa S2, YAS-109, TCL Alto 7+. TCL Alto 8i, Sony HT-S350, Sony HT-CT390 Vizio V21-H8, Samsung HW-R550, and Samsung HW-T550  have a compact size.

Samsung R450 on wooden cabinet

Warranty/Guarantee

Soundbars under $200 would not only sound great, but also have warranties and guarantees. It not only gives you peace of mind, it shows that their product is good enough for them to stand behind. After all, soundbars should be something you use to upgrade your system.

Want to find more soundbars that didn’t make it to our list? See our review of the Vizio M21d-H8 and find out if it is worth it.

Our Top Pick for the Best Soundbar Under $200: Bose Solo 5

Bose Solo 5

The Bose Solo 5 may be the priciest product out of the options above but Bose is one of the reputable brands when it comes to sound. They have time and time again proven their excellent craftsmanship in the product they produce and their understanding of audio systems. Their skill is reflected in many of the features and power of their headphones, speakers, etc.

You will no longer strain to hear what the characters’ dialogue on TV. Each word in the content will be enunciated and heard with the excellent sound quality model. It also supports Dolby Digital content that’s found on most Blu-ray discs. The Bose Solo 5 is our best budget soundbar that lets you experience great sounds without breaking the bank.

Hopefully, our “what to look for” guide and review can take some of the pressure off and help you find the perfect soundbar for your home entertainment system.

Thinking of eventually building your home theater system? You might want to peruse our list of the best floor standing speakers under 10000 dollars.

Writer

Willie Greer
Willie Greer
Willie Greer is the founder of The Product Analyst. A cinephile, he has made it a personal quest to achieve the awesomest home theater possible. He now shares what he has learned through the years on the site, and has enlisted the help of tech-savvy colleagues in providing more insight about today’s most sought-after gadgets.

The post The Best Soundbars Under $200 – Comparison & Reviews appeared first on The Product Analyst.



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