Soundbars aren’t only for those who can burn a thousand dollars in one go, there are a lot of affordable options to choose from.
We have discovered great options for under 100, 150, and 200, all with quality pieces that can bring amazing audio into any home.
So if you think that $300 might be above your budget, you could still get the best soundbars under $200.
However, if you feel that you can spend $100 more to get a soundbar that really makes a difference, then this is the guide you want to stick with.
We reviewed some of the top soundbars under $300 that produce an outstanding sound performance.
The most important thing is for a soundbar to provide exceptional sound quality. Playing your favorite music and allowing for music streaming makes for the best listening experience.
Let’s dive right in and find the best soundbar for tv.
Top 7 Soundbars Under $300 Reviews
We have a list and reviews of products for all budgets out there. We have discovered great options for under $100, $150, and $200.
If you can afford something with a slightly higher price tag, we have a few suggestions in these reviews for the best soundbar under 300.
The most important thing is for a soundbar to provide exceptional sound quality. It should play your music and allow streaming for a great listening experience.
Here’s the review to find the best soundbar for tv.
1 – Sony HT-S350 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer
The first item on our reviews list for the best soundbar under 300 comes from Sony. A brand known for great surround speakers, you wouldn’t expect less from their sound bars.
Soundbars under 300 may also possess a powerful subwoofer that makes the bass audio accompanying any movies and music.
The Sony bar comes with two channels and one wireless connection subwoofer for incredibly optimized sound and bass.
A wireless subwoofer allows you to place it at the optimum location.This sound bar option comes with a 6.30 inches size speaker unit that pumps out a deeper and richer bass.
S-force pro technology offers virtual surround sound, creating a theater-like experience from the comfort of your couch.
With a whopping and impressive 7 sound modes (auto, cinema, music, game, news, sports mode and standard mode), get the most comprehensive experience all in one slim device.
Listening to dialogue and music is improved.
A smart feature the Sony HT-S350 reviewed here offers the ability to isolate voices and amplifies them effectively over background noise.
This allows you to never miss a detail of dialogue again.
Of course, we cannot forget about the built-in Bluetooth connectivity. With Bluetooth, you may stream your favorite movies, music and audiobooks from your mobile device with the best sounds for listening.
Feel the bass from the subwoofer with a power output of 320W!
Unfortunately, only the bar is wall mountable, the soundbar speaker unit needs to either sit on the ground or on your entertainment unit.
The setup is easy and simple, just connect it to your TV or media device with the HDMI optical cable. The sound bar measures 35.4 x 2.51 x 3.46 in.
The available remote control is straightforward and easy to use, with the sound mode buttons labeled clearly.
It features an HDMI arc and a 3.5mm stereo jack. Overall, it’s one of the best soundbars under 300. Customer reviews prove it too.
- The Sony brand sound bar is a good investment set within the 300 budget price range.
- Wireless subwoofer to deliver deep bass
- Music streaming from mobile devices is better and easy via Bluetooth connectivity.
- It comes with two channels and has a powerful subwoofer available to produce deep and rich bass.
- S-force Pro provides virtual surround sound, the closest performance you can get from a soundbar alone.
- It offers different input options, including an HDMI arc and optical, but no analog.
- The remote control has a clear label and lets you input your preferences like volume without having to go up to the device.
- Offers quality voice enhancement features you can use to make dialogue even more prominent.
- HDMI arc and 3.5mm stereo jack
- The device possesses an impressive 7 modes that may easily be adjusted from the remote. Overall, great performance!
- The sound quality might be disappointing.
- The bluetooth is hard to pair.
2 – Samsung Harman Kardon 5.1 Soundbar HW-Q60R with Wireless Subwoofer
Samsung soundbars often receive a high rating in reviews due to the amazing sound. For the 300 budget price range, you can get up to 5 channels and one subwoofer.
Samsung also offers higher priced sound bars with Dolby Atmos, higher wattage output, and a higher frequency response.
The Samsung Harman Kardon soundbar integrates the innovation of the brand and the expertise of Harman Kardon to create a piece of technology that packs quite the punch.
The subwoofer and the beam itself work together with such precision and accuracy you can almost hear where the action is coming from on screen before you even see it.
Using quality adaptive sound technology, the sound bar and speaker work to optimize the bass and audio effects on at any volume.
Claim glorious victories when you play using game mode pro on this best soundbar.
The thunderous applause when you get a win is immersive and the bass envelops the full room better.
The 4K pass-through with HDR10 will deliver seamless audio that will have no lag. Dive deep into your favorite movie or song with panoramic sound from speakers.
Out of the 5 channels available, the center channel is better when producing the best dialogue while supported by the other channels.
As long as you are sitting directly in front of the beam, you’ll get crystal clear dialogue.
The separate wireless subwoofer delivers sound with enough intensity and coupled with the adaptive sound.
The device automatically configures the settings depending on the scene.
This sound bar choice also offers Bluetooth, which you’d need to stream from a mobile device.
One of the only downsides is that the HDMI arc may not be recognized.
- Use game mode pro as it provides a great gaming time
- The powerful wireless subwoofer stands to deliver a more immersive and panoramic sound experience.
- Listening to music through streaming is easy via Bluetooth option
- For soundbars under 300, the sound quality is amazing on the Samsung Harmon Kardon that delivers balanced sound with technology created from expertise and skill.
- The 4K pass-through on these sounding bars present no lag and provide a seamless transition.
- Since it’s a Samsung product, it’s optimized for their TVs. If you have a QLED flatscreen available, then you’re in luck
- Some consumers claim the sound quality is average.
- The HDMI ARC might not be recognized.
- The Bluetooth connectivity is unstable.
3 – Bose Solo 5 TV Soundbar Sound System
When you think of powerful and crisp sound from the best soundbars, you might think of Bose.
Since we are looking at reviews of the best soundbar under 300, we are lucky Bose also makes the cut for the price range.
They have 3 different offers online each with a high rating. You may like the bundle with the sound bar and wall mount, the sound bar only, or the TV sound system choice with optical inputs.
If your built-in TV speakers aren’t enough, the Solo 5 will pick up where they failed providing crisp and clear sound with a high frequency response.
Connect the sound bar system to your TV via different input options available, including optical audio, coaxial audio, and aux.
For analog, you can use a 3.5mm cable. There’s no HDMI though. You also have the option to use the built-in Bluetooth in the model for streaming.
With the universal remote, you can get better control of everything with the simple push of a few buttons.
The drivers in the system are put to work when you tune the bass from the palm of your hand.
Weighing just 3.73 pounds, this top Bose soundbar system is easy to move around, and disconnect and reconnect to different media devices that you use.
The ultimate movie experience is achieved by having Full HD to 4K resolution (like the Yamaha YAS-108), and of course, crystal clear sounds for audio and music.
Dolby digital technologies is what a lot of companies strive for to provide the best experience. If you aren’t able to get exactly that, Bose soundbars are the next best choice.
- The sound of this sound bar model makes it worth the money
- Offers a lightweight design makes the sound bar extremely versatile and easy to mount and move around.
- Use bluetooth connection to pair with your mobile devices for easy streaming.
- The system setup is easy with connection to your TV, multiple input options and a universal remote control to setup everything.
- Some consumers claim the sound doesn’t live up to the Bose name.
- Stopped working very quickly.
- 3.5mm stereo cable not provided in the system
- No HDMI
4 – JBL Bar Home Theater Starter System
Forget DTS virtual surround sound, this JBL soundbar transforms your movie experience with its true wireless surround speakers.
The soundbar itself has a total power output of 300W.
With Dolby Digital, and JBL surround system, your knowledge of what good sound is like will never be the same again.
The extra 6.5 inches wireless subwoofer will pump out the deep and thrilling bass that enhances any content you play.
The placement is flexible, allowing you to enjoy rich sound without the clutter of wires.
This JBL soundbar also features an HDMI input as well as an aux and USB wired connection that give you even more options when connecting to your media devices.
Some higher models even have 3 HDMI inputs.
Of course, with the price range you can also expect to use Bluetooth features. You may stream music and enjoy listening to top sound while watching from a mobile device.
The small design is able to sit on your entertainment unit better – hidden from sight and saving on space.
Although it might not come with a remote of its own, the JBL home theater soundbar is compatible with most TV remotes.
This means you may program the soundbar to work with your existing TV remote, getting a 2-in-1 feature.
Your movie, video game, music and TV show will also come alive with the impressive sound system that enhances your overall experience.
- It comes with Dolby Digital and JBL surround system, designed with enhanced audio blasting you from all angles.
- The extra 6.5 inches wireless subwoofer just wouldn’t do the job if it was embedded in the beam. Instead, the powerful speaker may be placed anywhere you like for good bass.
- Bluetooth connectivity makes it easy to pair all your devices to the soundbar.
- Without a soundbar tv mount, the small design better saves space.
- With HDMI
- Your existing TV remote is most likely compatible with the JBL soundbar.
- The amp is less than impressive.
- The subwoofer offered no improvement to the sound.
- The bluetooth might be unstable.
5 – Polk Audio Command Sound Bar with Hands-Free Amazon Alexa Voice Control and Google Assistant
In this price range, you are lucky to find a soundbar that features Alexa voice control, but Polk Audio offers one!
While looking for reviews of soundbars under 300, we weren’t convinced that we could find one so you can imagine our excitement with this Polk product.
The Polk Audio soundbar is built with Dolby and DTS surround sound (like Yamaha YAS-108) to completely envelop you with high-quality sound.
The Polk device is compatible with fire TV, with built-in support for AMazon music, Pandora, iHeartRadio and others!
The best part about this Polk Audio soundbar (minus the price) is the built-in Alexa voice control!
You can stream music in multiple rooms and pair the device with your smart home devices as well! It’s also compatible with Google Assistant.
When an upgrade needs to be done on features, the Polk system is also automated to support them.
If you have an ultra HD TV, this Polk soundbar is compatible with it. Connect this Polk soundbar to your TV with dual HDMI inputs and optical cables.
Fill the room with high-quality audio with the included Polk wireless subwoofer. With the voice adjust technology, you may customize the levels.
- Virtual surround sound is achieved by the subwoofer, Dolby and DTS technology to offer you the best experience.
- The smart home control works with your other smart devices as well as garage doors, thermostats, and lights.
- Accessibility to Alexa provides the utmost convenience.
- Bluetooth allows you to stream music via multiple apps.
- The Polk device even offers Wi-Fi!
- Dual HDMI inputs
- The automated updates guarantee this Polk soundbar is always learning and improving.
- Alexa may suddenly stop working.
- Customer service needs to improve.
- Failed to connect to WiFi
- A lot of bugs.
6 – WOHOME TV Sound Bar Wireless and Wired Home Theater System
A different design, this 40” soundbar is made for larger flatscreen TV’s.
The full range speakers and 2 10W tweeters offer the best treble and audio quality with a frequency of 105 dB. Add more bass to your favorite music and movies.
The soundbar also features both wired and wireless connections that can pair with the built-in Bluetooth up to 33 feet away!
As for wired connections, you have a choice from RCA, USB or optical inputs with RCA and optical cables provided.
For optical connection, change the TV audio output to PCM (a digital signal used to represent analog data, optional in many TVs).
The DSP system with the 3D surround sound technology (like in Yamaha YAS-108), upgrade your home theater for under 300!
Choose from different sound modes to find the best sound balance depending on what’s on your screen, whether it’s music or dialogue.
Setup is super simple. You can choose to utilize the remote or the control buttons on the side of the soundbar to set the volume, modes, and input.
A mount kit is also provided with your purchase to give you the option of wall mounting or just placing it on your entertainment cabinet.
It supports Bluetooth, RCA, optical and coaxial input. The optical cable, RCA cable, and 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo cable provided.
One of the best parts of this system is the 100% satisfaction guarantee and lifetime technical support.
- The 40” soundbar with 4 full range speakers, 2 tweeters (a total of 6 drivers), shows you what true surround sound is about.
- For the affordable price range of under 300, most soundbars don’t come with surround sound. Still, the DSP and surround system makes this a good deal for your money.
- It’s super easy to use and control with the included remote or control panel on the device itself.
- The mount kit is provided should you choose to save more space.
- 100% satisfaction guarantee along with a lifetime of technical support.
- The rounded soundbar design allows for a more comprehensive sound
- It might stop working in under a year.
7 – VIZIO SB3821-C6 38-inch 2.1 Channel Soundbar
Last in our review is this system from Vizio. At 100 dB (decibels), there is minimal harmonic distortion or lag with this device. It comes with a wireless subwoofer speaker that enhances that beloved bass.
With the simple tap of your finger, pair your device with the built-in bluetooth to effortlessly stream your favorite movies and music.
Equipped with Dolby Digital decoding, DTS Truvolume, and DTS post audio processing, you will receive nothing but premium audio.
Connections are stereo RCA, 3.5mm stereo mini jack, coaxial, optical, and USB.
Since everything is wireless nowadays, the remote is as well. Use it to conveniently set the proper volume level, input and sound modes.
To get immersive sound, you may place the subwoofer anywhere within 60 feet of the soundbar. Just make sure it’s in its line of sight.
You may also choose to pair the wireless subwoofer or not, but if you do, you will get that good, deep bass that can be felt with every fiber of your body.
The streamlined and small design of the Vizio fits easily in small spaces and keeps out of the way.
- Fill the room with 100 dB of crystal clear sound with minimal harmonic distortion.
- Easily pair electronic devices you need with this soundbar from Vizio.
- With Dolby Digital decoding, DTS Truvolume, and DTS post audio processing, it will be hard to find soundbars that match the audio quality.
- The wireless remote allows for easy setup and configuration.
- The extra wireless subwoofer will enhance the bass to a whole new level.
- The slim design and compact size of this Vizio product make it easy to move the system
- Speakers may crackle.
- Spontaneously turns off after a few months.
- No HDMI
Our Top Pick: WOHOME TV Sound Bar
For the best soundbar under 300, we have the WOHOME TV Sound Bar.
It has the least complaints in reviews and has many online ratings.
This is no doubt due to the total of 6 drivers (4 full-range speakers and 2 tweeters) as well as the surround system, among other features.
Immersive sound is what most sound bars strive for. Being able to achieve it with this design is quite an accomplishment.
What’s more, the installation is incredibly easy for newbies and audiophiles alike. You won’t have a hard time with the setup.
You can choose to mount it on the wall or place it right under the TV.
The included remote can be used to set all the settings you like using just once without ever having to do it again.
Not to mention the customer service, technical support and 100% satisfaction on the performance.
What to Look for When Buying the Best Soundbar Under 300
For the best soundbars under 300, it’s still considered a budget soundbar. Any soundbar worth its name will have an impressive subwoofer.
Many models (like Yamaha) include a separate wireless one because it’s just too powerful for its own good to be embedded in the beam itself.
One of the worst things audiophiles can experience is the dissatisfaction with audio quality. That’s where the soundbar comes in.
So what features can you expect with the best soundbars under 300?
Subwoofer
The first thing is definitely the subwoofer. The subwoofer is what gives your new sound bar the power to project sound, namely the bass.
Ever want to feel the satisfaction of using few powerful woofers at once and feel the beat and adrenaline coursing through your body?
Then you need to make sure this feature is included. The richer bass is essentially what makes a good sound bar.
The best thing is if there are more than one subwoofers included or if they are separate. A subwoofer boosts the performance tenfold.
Channels
What does it mean when the product description claims the speaker offers 2, 3, 5, or 7 channels? They are basically the sound produced from a single point.
If your speaker offers 2 channels, it means the sound comes from two different points on your sound bar.
If you put 2 and 2 together, you can make out that the more channels you have, the better the sound quality and the more immersive the audio effect is.
Connection
How does the newly bought device connect to your TV? Some might be wireless and have bluetooth and/or Wifi built-in, like many Yamaha models.
This saves your house from the clutter of wires and allows you to pair other devices to the soundbar as well.
As for wired connections, there might be an HDMI input, AUX, USB, Coaxial and/or optical options.
We have learned that if the Bluetooth or Wifi connection isn’t especially stable, it could make the soundbar very difficult to use, somewhat reducing overall performance.
Remote Control
Since most technology can be controlled remotely, chances are your purchase will be using a remote control.
If it doesn’t there might be a compatible app you can download, which is also useful if you lose the remote.
However, you might even be able to configure it to work with universal remotes or the existing one that belongs to your TV.
You can set everything without having to get up from your chair. If all else fails, a lot of devices (like some Yamaha models) have the control panel built in.
Smart Functions
Smart functions enhance the performance of a soundbar. When we refer to a smart device, it means it’s largely automated.
Certain smart functions the higher end soundbars (or if you’re lucky, one within 300), will have include:
- Voice Enhancement – The soundbar detects a lot of background noise during a scene where the characters have a whispered conversation and enhances the speech.
- Volume Leveling – These features will ensure everything played on the screen is at a relatively balanced level. You won’t suddenly get a commercial that is much louder than the content playing.
- Automated sound detection – The soundbar will automatically find the optimal settings (sound mode) for your content.
- Self-Update/Self-Detected Update – Being able to automatically update like your mobile device will keep the software up to date with the latest technology.
- Alexa (or something similar) – You will be able to control everything via the app. Link the soundbar to the rest of your smart devices to create the ultimate smart home.
Voice Control
This is another smart function that we needed an entire section to introduce. You will be able to tell your soundbar what to do, without having to use the remote at all.
Having voice control in the form of a virtual assistant will greatly lessen the work you need to do by figuring out how the setup works, and what the best settings are.
Simply communicate what you want to the soundbar and voila!
Sound Modes
While sound modes on the soundbar while aren’t pressing, do enrich your overall experience.
The modes like news, movie, sports, game, etc. will already have optimized settings programmed in.
This means the soundbar comes with the best sound levels, bass and treble to give you the best performance whether you’re listening to dialogue, music, or movies.
You can either set this yourself or direct the soundbar to via voice control, like some Yamaha models offer.
Mount?
Where do you want to place your new best soundbar under 300? For wall mounted TVs, you may want to mount sound bars right under it.
You also have the option of placing it on a table or on the TV cabinet. You can play around to find the best sound in accordance to where you sit.
To be able to do this, soundbars that are lightweight and compact make a great choice. If you are going to permanently secure the sounding bar, then this is less of an issue.
Many products have the mount or a mounting kit included in the price.
Appearance
While most sound bars (like Yamaha) look like just a single black bar that spans the length of your TV, there are a few with color options.
The Sony soundbar for example is very sleek and consists of different finishes to give it a higher-end design for a modern room.
Although the appearance should not be at the top of your list, aesthetics are still a popular criterion for some people.
However, we don’t recommend shelling out the big bucks just because you are sold on the look and design.
Warranty/Guarantee
For your protection, we strongly suggest buying a product that comes with at least one, or both.
The warranty (for however long they offer), will allow you to get your product fixed if something goes wrong. The guarantee will leave you room for exchanges and returns.
If guarantees and/or warranties are offered by the manufacturer, you can expect a certain standard in the quality.
For your own peace of mind in the long run, we urge you to look for products that are covered.
Are TV Soundbars Worth It?
In short, absolutely! They enhance the sound and enrich your overall movie experience.
Although if you are buying a $70 sound bar option, chances are it just functions as a mini speaker. Their biggest role is to offer higher audio quality than just TV speakers alone.
The soundbars can range greatly in price, and this is due to the features they have. From under 100 to over 1000, you can be sure you are getting different components.
Some of you may be thinking your TV speakers are designed to sound just fine.
While some of you are alright with mediocre sound, most of the people out there still want a more expansive and encompassing sound.
Especially since a much advertised feature of TVs nowadays is how thin they are designed. You can imagine that offers little to no space for traditional speakers that do the job.
You will come across soundbars designed with separate woofers and tweeters for added amplification, but some have them built-in.
We spent most of our time explaining why soundbars are worth your money and all the different features you will get.
What about the downsides?
If you are alright with the uniform shape of all soundbars, then you’re good to go. Another downside is, funnily enough, the very thing they are supposed to improve – the sound.
Yes, most of them do help enhance the sound of the TV, and do perform better than mini speakers, but they do not compare to regular speakers.
Again, the culprit is the size. Soundbars are too compact to allow for all the necessary parts and components needed to give the best sound possible.
As humans we prize convenience, design, and apparently how small and compact things are designed.
But that isn’t to say there aren’t concessions we need to make for the size of these devices.
Is it worth it? Well, most people would say so if you are willing to shell out the cash, and you might even see options within your budget that would suffice.
Conclusion
All in all, soundbars are useful devices (more about it here) you should consider if the sound from your TV just isn’t doing the trick.
You might not share in the excitement when your favorite team scores a goal or when your favorite song comes right on.
Finding a soundbar that is compatible with your TV will definitely make Netflixing much more enjoyable.
Although if you aren’t willing to pay a decent price, you might end up with soundbars that barely have an audible difference compared to your TV (as we have seen some consumers claim).
If you don’t want that to be you, then you should be looking at soundbars for a few hundred dollars and that come with a guarantee and warranty just in case.
Willie Greer
