Best Budget Soundbars of 2025, Tested by Experts
Improve your TV sound with an inexpensive soundbar from brands including Creative, Denon, Onn, Samsung, Sonos, Vizio, and Yamaha
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This is an ideal time to consider purchasing a new TV. But after you get it home, you might be disappointed with its sound. Most of the 300-plus sets in our TV ratings earn no more than a decent score for audio quality. But you can easily remedy mediocre TV sound quality by adding a soundbar.
And you don’t have to pay a lot. The top models in our soundbar ratings, available to CR members, tend to be expensive, but there are a number of very reasonably priced models that can add sonic oomph to TV and movie soundtracks.
Best Budget Soundbars
Soundbar Features
Most soundbars tuck several speakers into a thin enclosure that can be mounted on a wall or placed on a shelf above or below the TV. Pedestal-style “sound bases” are sturdy enough to support a television, but they have become less common as TVs have become larger.
Soundbars are often sold with a wireless subwoofer to enhance bass, and a few models include rear speakers for a true surround-sound experience. A growing number, even some lower-priced models, support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X “immersive” 3D audio formats, which add an element of height to the surround-sound experience.
Most models these days feature Bluetooth audio, allowing you to stream music wirelessly from a phone or tablet. Those with two-way Bluetooth let you send sound from the soundbar to Bluetooth headphones for private listening.
Some advanced models offer access to streaming video and music services directly from the soundbar itself and can be controlled using voice commands with digital assistants like Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, or Google Assistant.
Soundbar Shopping Tips
Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind.
• Make sure you can return or exchange the soundbar even if you listen to it in a store before buying it. Soundbars may sound very different in your home.
• Determine how many channels of sound you want. To simply enhance your TV sound, an inexpensive soundbar with 2.1 channels (two front channels and a separate subwoofer) will do nicely. But if you want true surround sound, opt for a 5.1-channel system, which typically features rear speakers.
• Decide whether to spring for Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. These newer immersive surround-sound technologies can give movies with specially encoded soundtracks a more dramatic, lifelike effect. This is typically achieved with speakers that incorporate upfiring drivers. Soundbars with this feature will have a third number in the channel designation. For instance, a 3.1.2-channel soundbar has three front channels, a subwoofer, and two upfiring channels.
When it’s done well, especially with models that have front and rear height-enabled speakers, the technology can really provide a three-dimensional sound experience. Sounds like a helicopter flying can appear to be coming from overhead.
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