Reviews

Best soundbars under $250 – Complete list!

Best_sounbar_under_250_audiowavegeek.com

Are you frustrated with the sound coming from the expensive TV that you have just bought? Are you also limited on space or don’t want the clutter of wires all around your sleek TV? Then you are in the right place, today we will discuss the Best soundbars under $250 which will rock your TV viewing experience without digging a big hole in your pocket.

Decent soundbars that sound good not only with TV and movies but also with music used to be pricey. Soundbars offer an affordable, better-sounding alternative to the built-in speakers on today’s ultra-thin TVs. The speakers in televisions today are far better than they were in years past, but for all that’s been done to improve TV audio systems, they still pale in comparison to even the most basic soundbar you can buy.

Today you can buy soundbars that easily satisfy the audio quality needs of most listeners for less than $250. They blow away the speakers built into most flat-panel TVs while also providing wireless features like Bluetooth and Google Cast so you can stream music, internet radio or podcasts from a smartphone or tablet TVs, to pick up the slack, connect a soundbar to your TV’s audio output to enjoy bigger, better speakers, more amplifier power and, in many cases, a subwoofer to convey deep bass. Most manufacturers provide iOS or Android apps to control the soundbar, so you don’t even have to rely on a regular remote.

We thought it best to set a price cap for our guide of $250. That’s probably the maximum most people want to spend on a soundbar since TVs can be expensive, really very expensive.

 

Here are the list, top soundbars that are under $250, which we got out of searching various websites for price tags, customer review and other parameters which might make them worth buying.

Soundbar

Name

Price

Vizio SB3821-D6 Check-Price-at-Amazon_audiowavegeek.com

Samsung HW-K450

Check-Price-at-Amazon_audiowavegeek.com

LG SH6

Check-Price-at-Amazon_audiowavegeek.com

JBL Boost TV

Check-Price-at-Amazon_audiowavegeek.com

Yamaha YAS-107

Check-Price-at-Amazon_audiowavegeek.com

PIONEER SP-SB23W

Check-Price-at-Amazon_audiowavegeek.com

 

**All the prices are subjected to Amazon it may vary on other sources.

#1 Vizio SB3821-D6

 

amazon-buy-now-300x125

Out of the five soundbars we tested, the Vizio delivered the best mix of features and performance. At $180, it’s an incredible value. The separate wireless subwoofer pairs automatically with the soundbar and shares the same slender, silver-capped design — a huge improvement over the look of earlier Vizio soundbars. The Vizio sounds great with both movies and streaming music. It has a superior bass extension and is able to play the loudest of all the systems tested.

With both Bluetooth and Google Cast onboard, the Vizio makes it easy to wirelessly stream music from apps like Spotify. While it lacks HDMI jacks, the Vizio provides plenty of other connection options, including coaxial and optical digital and USB ports. Vizio’s SmartCast app makes setup easy. Use it to create audio groups with other Google Cast-enabled speakers to provide multi-room music playback.

Key features

  • From the roar of a crowd to the screech of a car chase, experience every detail in amazing clarity as loud as 100 dB with less than 1% total Harmonic distortion
  • From the rumble of a concert to the Pulse of your party playlist, the wireless subwoofer delivers roof-shaking bass as Deep as 50 Hz.
  • Dolby Audio Technologies deliver dynamic sound to your TV shows, movies, and music.
  • DTS Audio Technologies enable richer sound and dialogue with deeper bass.

Overall

Music sounded really good on the Vizio soundbar. Its full midrange presentation made vocals sound natural. Treble was crisp and for the most part clean, and the subwoofer’s potent performance lent bass guitars and drums plenty of kick. We heard a good degree of stereo separation, and the sound easily stretched beyond the confines of the bar, but Since the Vizio is a new model that arrived in late 2016, we weren’t able to find any professional reviews of it online. User reviews have been almost uniformly positive, with the Vizio earning an average of 4.1 stars on Amazon.

#2 Samsung HW-K450

amazon-buy-now-300x125

Samsung HW-K450 is a system with a compact, wireless subwoofer, it offers user-friendly features like Auto Power Link, which automatically turns on the soundbar when it detects an input signal. It has a good control app and a large, clear alphanumeric LED display on the front panel.

Like the Yamaha, the Samsung provides good all-around performance, although its small subwoofer limits its overall output. There’s nothing really wrong with the Samsung; it just doesn’t perform as well as our top choice, which costs just $30 more.

Surround Sound Expansion delivers a more realistic and immersive audio experience that feels like it’s coming right out of your TV. Control your home entertainment system from your phone or mobile device with the Samsung Audio Remote App. (Compatible Android phones can download the App) Connect wirelessly for one-touch control of your Soundbar from Bluetooth-compatible devices. Simply select the Soundbar for pairing and power it on automatically for a seamless home entertainment experience.

Also read....
- Best Bone conduction headphones
- Best headphones for air travel
- Best cheap headphone AMPs to buy
- Best headphones for bass and sound quality

Key features

  • Easy setup with Wireless Subwoofer
  • Bluetooth streaming
  • Dolby Digital 2 Ch
  • Rear wireless-capable with optional SWA-8000s Kit
  • Wall Mounts included

Overall

The Soundbar Experience is crystal clear, dialogue with a dedicated center channel speaker on the Soundbar. It provides balanced sound from one end to the other and beautifully completes your home entertainment experience. You can enjoy great sound with six built-in speakers, Each of them is designed with a dedicated amplifier to provide clear and accurate sound. You can expand your surround system by adding the SWA-8000S Wireless Surround Kit (optional) but overall gives an immersive, clutter-free audio experience by easily connecting the additional speakers wirelessly via Wi-Fi. TV SoundConnect lets you instantly enjoy movies, music, and TV shows with clearer, more impactful sound.

#3 LG SH6

amazon-buy-now-300x125

 

The LG SH6 offers an impressive mix of features and sound quality. Like the Yamaha, it has built-in subwoofers and provides HDMI input/output ports with ARC support to complement its optical digital and analog inputs. It also offers both Google Cast and Bluetooth wireless streaming.

During listening tests, the LG played loud music without strain, and the bass output delivered by its internal subs was impressive. What we didn’t love was its bulky size compared with the other bars. Setup using the LG app was problematic. We made several attempts before finally getting the app to add the speaker to the network. And while overall sound quality was good, treble could be a bit too crisp at high levels, a situation not helped by the Adaptive Sound Control EQ feature, but not to mention its one of the priciest soundbar in the list.

Key features

  • Dual Bass Sound natural, lifelike low frequencies from a soundbar. Air ducts magnify the bass response and sound to deliver great bass performance without the need for a separate subwoofer
  • Google Cast Built-In, an easy way to cast your favorite music, radio stations and podcasts from your mobile device to your speakers
  • Home Cinema Mode with just a touch of a button, it’s simple to add an LG Music Flow sound bar to your network and synchronize it with your LG Music Flow speakers to enjoy a true multichannel home theater experience.
  • Adaptive Sound Control, all different audio profiles are considered, so don’t listen to them all the same way: Adaptive Sound Control identifies what’s playing and automatically adjusts the sound mode to create the ideal audio experience.
  • 150 Watts and 4.0 Channel Audio.
  • Dual Bass Ports.
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Streaming.
  • Compatibility among Bluetooth devices may vary.

 

 Overall

All-In-One Design makes all of your movies and music come alive as never before, with 4.0 channel sound. An ideal premium audio solution for compact spaces, four specially engineered speakers to take your home audio to the next level with a bit of a pricey tag.

#4 JBL Boost TV

amazon-buy-now-300x125

The Boost TV had the smallest footprint of all the models we tested. Despite its diminutive size, it plays reasonably loudly and manages to convey a good degree of surround-sound envelopment when its Harman Display Surround feature is enabled.

What didn’t thrill us about the Boost TV was the toy-like remote control and its somewhat clunky and annoying setup process. Although it sounded good playing music, the stereo image was narrow and somewhat constrained. It’s meant for someone who wants the smallest soundbar possible and can accept the limitations that come with.

Key features

  • Optical Digital Audio with Dolby Digital
  • Wireless Bluetooth Streaming
  • Dual Bass Port Design
  • Experience virtual surround sound without the additional wires or speakers with Harman Display Surround
  • JBL Soundshift works with your TV and wireless mobile device at the same time to allow you to automatically switch between the sound from your TV and the sound from your phone or tablet

Overall

JBL Boost TV is an ultra-compact TV speaker that instantly improves your TV audio experience with JBL signature sound. At only 15″ long (380mm), JBL Boost TV delivers knockout sound quality for your bedroom or home theater TV. Elevate your television sound experience with JBL Boost TV’s deep bass, virtual surround sound and Dolby Digital for HD movies. Stream Bluetooth audio from your wireless mobile device. Go from unboxing to sitting back on the couch right away with a simple analog or digital (optical) one-cable connection to your television. Amp up the volume with JBL Boost TV’s remote control or use your own TV remote control. JBL SoundShiftTM technology works with your TV and wireless mobile device at the same time to allow you to automatically switch between the sound from your TV and the sound from your phone or tablet. But before buying check once if it’s suitable for your profile.

#5 Yamaha YAS-107

amazon-buy-now-300x125

The Yamaha YAS-106 sells for the same amount as our top choice. It has a similarly compact design, but the Yamaha’s subwoofers are built into the soundbar enclosure for even greater compactness. The design allows for either wall mounting or flat placement on a TV stand. A series of LED indicator lights provide visual feedback when you control the soundbar using the included remote or Yamaha’s excellent HT Controller app.

The Yamaha edges out the top-choice Vizio in the connectivity department, with HDMI input/output ports and HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) capability to draw sound directly from a compatible TV. The Yamaha’s RCA-jack subwoofer output lets you hook up an external subwoofer to get even better bass output. However, wireless audio connections are limited to Bluetooth, a technology that doesn’t provide the same sound quality potential as Google Cast, which can stream uncompressed audio.

Other areas where the Yamaha came up short against the Vizio were the bass extension and overall sound output. At moderate volumes, the YAS-106 sounded fine, with notably clear dialogue in movies and TV. When pushed beyond its limits, however, the Yamaha’s bass became lumpy and the sound took on a boxed-in quality. Still, if you’re looking for a compact, all-in-one solution, the Yamaha would make an excellent choice.

Key features

  • Easy Setup, Use a single optical cable (included) to connect the sound bar to your TV or use an HDMI cable for best performance
  • HDMI Terminals, 4K Ultra HD Support, The YAS-106 has one HDMI input and one HDMI output. It supports 4K / 60p (4:2:0) video signal pass-through and HDCP 2.2 digital copy protection, making it compatible with the latest sources and TVs. Also, the HDMI output supports Audio Return Channel (ARC), which simplifies connectivity with compatible TVs
  • Simple Operation, The YAS-106 comes with a sleek, easy-to-use remote control included. Also, if your TV supports HDMI CEC and you use HDMI connectivity, it is possible to adjust the volume of the soundbar using your TV’s remote to simplify day-to-day operation
  • Home Theater Control App, The YAS-106 is compatible with a free controller app for iOS and Android. The intuitive and easy-to-see operating screen uses icons that let you easily perform a variety of operations. You can also select five surround modes: Movie, Sports, Game, Music, or TV.
  • Ultra slim design perfectly complements the look of your TV Deep, rich bass from dual built-in subwoofers
  • Place it on furniture or mount it on a wall, Bluetooth wireless music streaming from a smartphone or tablet
  • Simple setup with HDMI, optical or analog connection

 

Overall

As TVs have gotten thinner and thinner, so has the sound quality from their built-in speakers. This single piece sound bar makes it easier than ever to enhance your TV sound, so you can hear all the details of your favorite shows and movies. It’s also great for listening to music Enhance your favorite shows and music with clear, full-range sound from this sleek sound bar featuring built-in subwoofers. Its ultra Slim design fits neatly in front of your TV, on a shelf or can be mounted to a wall. Bluetooth wireless technology lets you stream music from your iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

 

#6 PIONEER SP-SB23W

amazon-buy-now-300x125

Pioneer was once king of the budget speaker market, offering a host of the car and home audio speakers that pumped up the volume for a pittance. However, in more recent years, the company has found its numbers in the entry-level market slipping behind a legion of upstarts offering better performance at lower prices. To solve the problem, Pioneer called in its version of ‘The Wolf’: Chief Design Engineer and guru behind Pioneer’s renowned TAD speaker line, Andrew Jones. Jones’ expertise has paid off so far, reinvigorating Pioneer’s entry line-up with value-packed systems like the SP-PK525S.

Mr. Jones’ latest design in the home theater segment is the SP-SB23W speaker bar (don’t call it a soundbar, it’s been here for…well, months). The SB23W boasts a six pack of individually amplified drivers, a stand-alone wireless subwoofer, and a respectable bundle of features, all for only $350. We walked away impressed with our first take of the SB23W at CEDIA this year, but we’ve learned not to trust first impressions at trade shows, so now we’re back for a deeper investigation. Follow us below to find out what Jones’ latest labor can do.

Key features

  • The SB23W is attractive enough with the speaker screen attached but removing it reveals a much sexier configuration
  • unveiling an array of well-crafted drivers that look impressive considering the bar’s price class
  • Flanked out to the far sides are two 1-inch dome tweeters, while dual pairs of 3-inch midrange drivers line-up towards the center
  • Each of the drivers is individually powered with a 28-watt internal amp
  • The wireless subwoofer boasts a 6 ½-inch woofer inside, supplied with 50 watts of power
  • The total system frequency response is listed at 45Hz-20kHz.

Overall

The bar offers very little in the way of visual representation, flashing only a couple LEDs for source and sound mode, which also pull secondary duties indicating volume adjustment, etc. The stripped-down configuration gives a general idea of system status, but we wouldn’t have complained about a real display. Digital features for the system include Dolby Digital decoding, 8-channel DSP, and a trio of sound templates including movie mode, music mode, and dialog mode. The included manual appears to have mixed up the description of each template, but our testing revealed that the music and movie modes were relatively similar in sound, while the dialog mode accentuated the midrange and rolled off the bass pretty heavily – helpful for watching regular broadcast programming without accentuating music and sound effects but it’s overall feature and quality makes it worth every penny paid for it .

 

To conclude

Soundbars are the sleekest, least obtrusive way to get sound that’s as impactful as the premium picture on your TV. The best soundbars offer minimalist style, thrilling surround sound, and the ability to stream audio from your phone with no need to carve out room for a receiver or tower speakers. There are a variety of wireless connectivity options, and multiple ways to play all your favorite music, movies, and TV shows. If you’re unsure where to start, hoping that our guide to picking the right soundbar will be helpful but at last the selection of right soundbar for right price depends upon each individual needs.

2 Comments

  1. Nice post. I learn something more challenging on different blogs everyday. It will at all times be stimulating to read content from other writers and apply just a little one thing from their store. I’d prefer to use some with the content on my weblog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a hyperlink in your web blog. Thanks for sharing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.