The Best Cheap Soundbars to Buy in 2022
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Whether you’re listening to Lady Whistledown’s commands in “Bridgerton” or catching the behind-the-scenes drama on the tracks of an F1 race, it’s important to create an immersive audio experience to better appreciate your favorite shows and movies.
If you aren’t looking to invest more than $1,000 in a quality soundbar quite yet but are you still looking for an improvement on your TV’s built-in speakers, there are dozens of budget-friendly soundbars that are surprisingly capable. You won’t be able to get Dolby Atmos or surround sound at less than $100, but powerful subwoofers and impressive technology like Sony’s Front Surround can certainly come close to achieving the theater experience you desire — at a fraction of the cost.
Check out the best budget soundbars to buy right now:
Sony S100F (25% Off)
Courtesy of Amazon
The most notable aspect of Sony’s S100F design is an integrated tweeter, a unique feature made to produce higher audio frequencies that simply can’t be heard with most budget soundbars, and is a dramatic improvement on built-in TV speakers. Another perk is Sony’s Front Surround technology, the closest you’ll be able to get to surround sound without spending more than $100. Paired with its own bass reflex speaker, you get a full range of deep tones that’ll instantly upgrade your immersive audio experience for both movie dialogue and music.
Creative Stage
Courtesy of Amazon
Customer reviewers and tech writers alike rave about the Creative Stage online, praising the “crazy cheap” audio equipment for packing in more features than any other budget devices on the market. An HDMI, wireless bluetooth connection, USB port and, most significantly a separate subwoofer are all additions that make it an exceptional choice for the price.
Because of its compact size (it stands 18 inches tall), it works best for small TVs and desktops; it won’t necessarily carry enough sound in a living room environment but it doesn’t make much sense to go for another soundbar if you’re planning on using it for an office or gaming room.
Roku Streambar (23% Off)
Courtesy of Amazon
If you’re looking for a twofer, this is the soundbar for you. In addition to being a premium soundbar, it also has a built-in Roku player for 4K streaming. You can watch movies, TV, live news, sports and more in HD, 4K or HDR. The soundbar has an impressive frequency range and immaculate bass. It has a voice remote with TV controls and setup is seamless.
TCL Alto 6+ (16% Off)
Courtesy of Amazon
The TCL Alto 6+, released in 2020, is a surprisingly capable soundbar for the price. The budget-friendly speaker doesn’t come with the fancy frills you might get with an $1000-plus soundbar, but it does come with a separate wireless subwoofer that packs in a powerful punch considering its small frame. The subwoofer, which allows for greater resonance, is also great for dramatic sounds and dialogue in movies. TCL’s devices are particularly convenient for Roku TV owners, who can use set up their Roku directly on their TVs and even use their Roku remote to control it.