If you’re starting the new year with a brand new TV, you might be impressed by the picture but discover the sound is nothing short of disappointing. That’s because the slim bezels that are popular on newer TVs leave little room for beefy speakers, so they can sound tinny and quiet. Fortunately, there is an easy solution to this problem: Treat your new TV to a companion soundbar. These low-profile bars sit under your TV and provide a real boost in sound, and many even come with subwoofers for an even more immersive cinematic experience. To save some money on your next sound system purchase, we’ve rounded up some of the best soundbar deals to be found on the internet.
- Hisense HS214 2.1ch Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer — $79, was $150
- Sony S100F 2.0ch Soundbar — $98, was $130
- Samsung 2.1-Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer — $130, was $280
- VIZIO M-Series Elevate 5.1.2 Immersive Sound Bar — $600, was $800
- Samsung HW-Q750B/ZA 5.1.2ch Soundbar with Wireless Dolby Atmos — $650, was $800
- How to choose a soundbar
Hisense HS214 2.1ch Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofer — $79, was $150
One of the most affordable soundbar options on the market, the Hisense HS214 can instantly improve the sound of your home theater for an incredibly reasonable price. It features a built-in subwoofer, delivering you high-quality bass that contributes to a full-bodied listening experience. Hisense’s HS214 gives you a delicate blend of low tones with bright high and mid-range frequencies all in one compact package. The soundbar is Roku TV ready, meaning it’s completely compatible with any Roku TV via HDMI, and it works with the Roku TV remote, as well. With Hisense’s Quick Touch EQ modes, you can change the audio performance based on the movie or show you’re watching with the touch of a remote. Simply select from any of its preset EQ settings. The Hisense HS214 comes with an HDMI cable, optical cable, and wall mounting kit, ensuring that it’s ready to get to work the second you take it out of the box.
Sony S100F 2.0ch Soundbar — $98, was $130
If you’re looking for a soundbar that brings the sound quality of a movie theater into your living room, Sony’s S100F soundbar might be just what you’re looking for. The S100F brings top quality sound with a Bass Reflext speaker that deepens your audio experience. Sony’s made it easier than ever to connect it to your TV via HDMI ARC, and it is powerful enough to fill your entire space with S-Force Pro Front Surround. It’s slim, low-profile design makes ensures that the S100F fits into your home seamlessly and goes with just about any home decor. The soundbar can easily be controlled with the same remote as your television. Better still, you can connect to your Sony S100F with by way of USB or stream wirelessly so you can enjoy all of your favorite music with the best quality sound. If you are lacking in space, fear not because the Sony S100F is wall mountable, leaving virtually zero footprint.
Samsung 2.1-Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer — $130, was $280
The Samsung 2.1 Channel Soundbar was designed to optimize sound, elevating your listening experience and the way you enjoy all of your favorite movies and shows. With the touch of button, you can transform the sound by instantly boosting your bass, or turn your soundbar into one piece of a full surround sound system by adding Samsung’s optional rear speakers. Samsung allows you to seamlessly control your Samsung TV and your soundbar with one remote. As if Samsung didn’t make it easy enough to enjoy instantly improved sound, setting up the Samsung soundbar couldn’t possibly be easier because it connects wirelessly. Best of all, the subwoofer is part of the of package, so booming bass is available to you as soon as you open the box. Also included are the remote controller, wall mount kit, optical cable, and a battery for the remote control so you don’t have to rummage around in your junk drawer to find one before you can get started watching.
VIZIO M-Series Elevate 5.1.2 Immersive Sound Bar — $600, was $800
One of the leading brands of home audio, Vizio’s M-Series Elevate soundbar is one of the most advanced on the market. It features adaptive height speakers within the soundbar that are programed to rotate up or forward, depending on the media, for optimal performance. The result is immersive sound with unbelievable power and stellar dynamics. With Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio technology, your viewing experience will feel more realistic than ever, immersing you in the world of your show instead of leaving you as merely an observer. Vizio’s soundbar creates the feeling of speakers being placed all throughout your space, and features full support for 4K HDR and Dolby Vision passthrough. All you need to set it up is an HDMI eARC connection and you’re ready to rock.
Samsung HW-Q750B/ZA 5.1.2ch Soundbar with Wireless Dolby Atmos — $650, was $800
Samsung’s top of the line Q750B soundbar doesn’t dissapoint. It delivers 5 channels, 1 subwoofer, and two up firing channels that deliver a 3D listening experience that feels more like being in a movie theater than your home theater. The soundbar is smart to say the least, and it automatically analyzes the space it’s in to calibrate the optimal upper range tones. The rear speakers serve to project high-quality sound both above and around you, and Q Symphony synchronizes audio, using every compatible Samsung speaker. It also works seamlessly with all of your favorite voice assistants, so you can control not only your TV, but all of your other smart devices completely hands free. Gamers can enjoy Game Pro Mode, which elevates your gaming sessions by incorporating 3D audio that moves all around you as you move throughout your game.
How to choose a soundbar
There are a few main features you’re going to want to keep an eye out for when searching for the soundbar of your dreams, and you’re in luck because we’ve done all the hard work for you, making sure all of the bars we’ve selected have all the tools you need to create an immersive home viewing experience.
Having said that, there are some soundbars that bundle features that aren’t necessarily required but could be a welcome addition to your entertainment setup. For example, Vizio’s SmartCast bars have Chromecast Audio built in, opening up the door to a Sonos-like multi-room music-streaming experience with support for both Google Play Music and Spotify right out of the box.
It’s also worth checking the soundbar you’re eyeing up has an HDMI slot on board (all of the ones we’ve featured do), since it supports far more audio formats than a standard optical cable, including Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS:X. You’re going to want at least one of these if you’re hoping to create the home theater to rule all home theaters — or something close.
Optical |
HDMI |
| Stereo | Stereo |
| Dolby Digital |
Dolby Digital |
| DTS | DTS |
| DTS:X | |
| Dolby Digital Plus | |
| Dolby Atmos | |
| Dolby True HD |
And if you’re only just starting to spruce up your home entertainment setup and haven’t invested in one already, you will probably benefit from a soundbar that comes with a subwoofer in the box. Fortunately, almost all bars on the market can be purchased as part of a bundle that includes a wireless subwoofer, so you shouldn’t have to search far and wide for this.
Whatever the case, for anyone looking for a soundbar the core features are: HDMI with support for either a Dolby or DTS format (or both), and a subwoofer if you want to add some floor-shaking kick to the experience.
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