Although there are plenty of premium soundbars available to buy, and the very concept was,at one point, an expensive accessory that only a few home theatre enthusiasts could enjoy, it’s now possible to pick up a soundbar with a budget price tag attached. Even if you only have around £100 / $100 to spend, you can still find a soundbar to elevate your TV’s audio, and thanks to the hard work of our tech experts, we know which ones are best to buy.
Even though soundbars have been around for quite some time, and we’ve honestly tested more than we care to count, there’s a good chance that you might be someone who’s looking to buy their very first soundbar, and in which case it’s worth covering the basics before we move on to the options that our team recommend.
As TVs have only gotten slimmer over the years, this has usually come at the expense of built-in speakers as there’s only so much sound quality you can derive when there isn’t a lot of space available. Soundbars offer a return to form, acting as dedicated speakers that can focus on delivering amazing audio, whilst your TV works solely on the visual side of things.
If you care about good audio quality even a little bit then we can’t recommend soundbars enough. They’re fantastic for everything from elevating vocals so that you can actually hear what characters are saying, to delivering powerful bass that makes action scenes even more intense. Regardless of how much a soundbar costs, we put them all through a series of rigorous tests to see how they perform across multiple use cases.
You can read about our testing process in greater detail below, or skip ahead to get straight to our current recommendations for soundbars that don’t break the bank. If you decide that you’d rather save up and go with a brand that costs a little more then you can find more premium options in our round-up for the best soundbars overall. Similarly, anyone wanting to do a full visual/audio upgrade in one go can also check out the best TVs.
Best cheap soundbar at a glance
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How we test soundbars
Soundbars were created to boost TV sound quality – which means we end up watching a lot of TV. We play everything – news reports for voices, movies for scale and effects steering – to ensure that the soundbars that come through the doors at Trusted Reviews are given a proper challenge. We’ll play different genres of music, too, since a good soundbar should be capable of doubling-up as a great music system.
More complex soundbars feature network functionality for hooking up to other speakers and playing music around the home, so we test for connectivity issues and ease of use. We cover the spectrum of models available, everything from cheap soundbars costing less than £100/$100 to those over £1000/$1000, to ensure our reviews benefit from our extensive market knowledge. Every product is compared to similarly priced rivals, too.
Pros
- Great with movies and music
- Well-integrated bass
- Low-profile and well-made cabinet
- Exceptional value
- Easy setup
Pros
- Clean and powerful TV audio
- Surprising amount of bass
- Wide soundstage
- Optional surround sound
Cons
- Remote setup can be fiddly
- Better at TV than music
Pros
- Great bass
- Customisable RGB lighting
- Razer Synapse companion app
- Full and warm sound during music and gaming
Cons
- Subwoofer too large for a desk
- Lack of ports
- Bluetooth audio is less reliable
Pros
- Huge, open movie soundstage
- Punchy and detailed music
- Controlled, well-timed bass
- Fine build
Cons
- Front soundstage can feel restrained
- Menu scrolling/selection is fiddly
- No Wi-Fi or streaming platforms
Pros
- Expansive Atmos performance
- Good bass extension
- Clear dialogue channel
- Great price
Cons
- Front-heavy delivery
- No DTS support
- No expansion options
Pros
- Clear, detailed sound with decent bass
- Decent with music
- Neat and tidy design
- Impressive SuperWide feature
Cons
- Odd volume issues with sources
Pros
- Great TV audio lift
- Lends movies scale
- Balanced music playback
- Solid, ergonomic build
Cons
- Boomy bass under stress
- No HDMI ARC
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Great with movies and music
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Well-integrated bass
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Low-profile and well-made cabinet
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Exceptional value
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Easy setup
When it comes to budget soundbars, the one that’s been the top of our list for several years is the Wharfedale Vista 200S. It’s been on the market since around 2019, and while the price has fluctuated, you can get it now for a reasonable price..
The design is one we found attractive in appearance while the build quality is durable. The black finish and glossy top surface doesn’t scream cheap, and with a width of 900mm, it’s made to partner TVs up to 65-inches in size. Its slim form factor also means you won’t be living in fear of the soundbar blocking the picture.
In terms of features, There’s not much aside from its active wireless subwoofer. If you want wireless connectivity, you’d be better off seeking the smaller but slightly more expensive Sonos Ray. There are three preset EQ settings for media playback in Movies, Music and News to optimise the soundbar’s sound for those types of content.
Our reviewer found the sound was especially good, with the 200S putting in a great performance across the frequency range with a top-end that didn’t suffer from a lack of detail along with some punchy bass. We also observed the Vista 200S could get loud without sounding harsh or compressed due to its 120W of built-in amplification. It dealt with dialogue well, even without a dedicated centre channel, and if you’re interested in playing music, then it delivers on a smooth and clear performance.
Alternatives around this price include the Sharp HT-SBW202 and the Yamaha SR-C30A, but even after a few years, we haven’t heard a rival that offers as much performance-per-pound at this price as the Wharfedale.
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Clean and powerful TV audio
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Surprising amount of bass
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Wide soundstage
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Optional surround sound
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Remote setup can be fiddly
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Better at TV than music
If you’re looking for a compact and affordable soundbar, the Sonos Ray is our top pick. Designed to make non-HDMI TVs sound better, the Ray is smaller and has fewer features than other Sonos soundbars, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer powerful sound.
The Sonos Ray has a thin and compact design with curved ends forming a lozenge shape and the option of a black or white finish. The Ray is only slightly smaller than the Sonos Beam at 71 x 559 x 95mm and, like the Polk Signa S4, pairs well with TVs that measure up to 55-inches. You can choose to sit the soundbar in front of your TV, mount it on a wall or event place it in an open cabinet if it’s big enough to accomodate.
The Ray doesn’t come with an HDMI port, sticking with just an optical S/PDIF input and providing a cable in the box. There are touch controls on top of the soundbar for controlling playback, skipping tracks, and adjusting the volume.
The setup is quick and the Trueplay configuration allows you to tune the soundbar to your room. The Ray has an IR input, so you can tune it to use your TV’s remote to control the volume.
Then there’s the app, which makes it easy to connect and disconnect from rooms with multiroom support, as well as play music from Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer or via AirPlay 2.
There’s no Dolby Atmos audio but Dolby Digital still sounds great, albeit not as clean and detailed. There’s also no microphone for voice commands. You can set up skills and control the soundbar with your favourite voice assistant, but you’ll need a separate smart speaker to do so.
Despite its small size, the Sonos Ray has a surprisingly wide soundscape, offering a clear improvement over the audio from the TV we had paired it with. The Speech Enhancement setting boosts voices, and there’s a Night Sound feature for boosting quiet sounds and limiting loud sounds later in the evening. The bass is effective too, though not as room-shattering as the Sonos Arc’s bass response.
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Great bass
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Customisable RGB lighting
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Razer Synapse companion app
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Full and warm sound during music and gaming
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Subwoofer too large for a desk
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Lack of ports
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Bluetooth audio is less reliable
The Razer Leviathan V2 is our top affordable gaming soundbar, delivering great audio whether you’re gaming or listening to music.
The Leviathan V2 is one of the more toned-down devices we’ve tested from Razer. Both the soundbar and subwoofer sport a matte black finish, with the latter also free of any RGB lighting or other effects. The soundbar is small and slim, fitting snuggling under a monitor for a clean look, though you may need to place the subwoofer under your desk depending on the size of your furniture.
The soundbar feels sturdy and comes with another set of feet for tilting it upwards, but the port selection is lacking. Razer removed the 3.5mm input found on its predecessor, leaving just USB-C and Bluetooth. There’s also a simple selection of buttons, including power, volume, source, and Bluetooth.
18-zone custom RGB lighting lets you customise the soundbar to fit the rest of your gaming setup, as well as match the cues in games and songs. There’s a range of audio presets in the Razer Synapse app, with custom settings for music and gaming, as well as a Bass Boost mode and THX Spatial Audio support to give the sound a more immersive feel.
The audio quality is warm and balanced with an emphasis on bass that feels perfect for FPS games. The sound can easily fill a room, with THX Spatial Audio creating an immersive soundstage, despite not quite being as accurate as Dolby Atmos. Even slower games like Stardew Valley are enhanced with this soundbar, as details are given more clarity and attention.
We found that the wired connection was stronger than Bluetooth, offering better clarity and depth than the wireless connection, though we still appreciated the inclusion of Bluetooth as an option.
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Huge, open movie soundstage
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Punchy and detailed music
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Controlled, well-timed bass
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Fine build
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Front soundstage can feel restrained
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Menu scrolling/selection is fiddly
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No Wi-Fi or streaming platforms
Yes, before you say anything, £549.99 is lot more to fork out than most options on the list, but the reason why we’ve included the Sharp HT-SBW55121 is that in the context of what surround sound systems cost, that price is actually something of a bargain. Of course, you can ignore this completely if it doesn’t fit your budget, but if you are tempted by the idea of having a sphere of sound envelope you then this is the one to go for.
As part of the Sharp HT-SBW55121, you’re getting a soundbar, a subwoofer and two surround speakers, all of which combine to provide 7.1.4 channels of immersive audio. It’s the type of soundscape that really does make it feel like you’ve travelled to your local cinema as everything happening onscreen takes on a more three-dimensional depth that puts you in the centre of it all.
There’s full support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X so you get to enjoy the audio of your favourite movies to the exact specification that the filmmakers want you to hear it in. While it’s always nice to actually travel to the cinema and enjoy the big screen experience, if there isn’t one local to you or you just don’t have the time, then this helps you to recreate that experience from the comfort of your own living room.
Because there are two HDMI ports on the soundbar, you can hook up more than just your TV, giving you lossless audio if you want to connect a Blu-ray player or games console. It’s also worth mentioning that with presets for different use-cases, including voice, sport and movie, you can adjust the audio to suit what you’re watching.
Of course, because this is a more budget-friendly option compared to what some surround sound systems cost, there are a few compromises to be had. There’s no Wi-Fi connectivity or app control which limits your ability to use the set-up for music or audiobooks, for those moments when you don’t feel like watching TV.
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Expansive Atmos performance
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Good bass extension
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Clear dialogue channel
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Great price
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Front-heavy delivery
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No DTS support
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No expansion options
The Polk Signa S4 is our favourite cheap Dolby Atmos soundbar, delivering deep bass and immersive audio at an affordable price.
The Signa S4 has a similar design to Polk’s other soundbars with its simple rectangular shape and black fabric finish blending into its surroundings. The subwoofer is also matte black, sitting on larger feet.
Like the Sonos Ray, the Polk Signa S4 is intended to be paired with medium-sized TVs up to 55-inches either standing or wall mounted, with the soundbar measuring 1046 x 60 x 95mm. The subwoofer measures 200 x 280 x 328mm.
You can find basic controls on top of the soundbar, with more options on the small remote that comes in the box.
The Signa S4 uses a 3.1.2-channel system to deliver Dolby Atmos, with additional support for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD. The soundbar can also decode PCM, but there is no support for DTS formats.
Connectivity is based around a single HDMI port that supports eARC, allowing lossless audio to be sent back from supporting TVs. There’s also an optical digital input, a 3.5mm analogue auxiliary input, and wireless support with Bluetooth.
Other key features include Polk’s VoiceAdjust to keep dialogue clear and precise, and three sound modes – Movies, Music, and Night.
Sound-wide, the Signa S4 is a good all-round performer that produces a decent front soundstage with a solid foundation of bass. The delivery is smooth, with a clean treble and well-defined midrange, while the upward-firing speakers are effective at generating the front overhead channels and the well-integrated subwoofer adds plenty of low-frequency impact to create a genuine sense of scale.
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Clear, detailed sound with decent bass
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Decent with music
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Neat and tidy design
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Impressive SuperWide feature
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Odd volume issues with sources
Although you might think that bigger is better when it comes to soundbars, the end result doesn’t always go that way, as the Creative Stage Pro proves. If you’re someone who doesn’t have much space to work with then this is the soundbar to go for, as it can accommodate what little space you have and still provide a top-notch audio experience for a reasonable price.
When diving into a viewing of Civil War on 4K Blu-ray, we were blown away by how cinematic the whole thing felt, especially with how well the Stage Pro could deliver clear and audible dialogue. This isn’t always a given on more budget-friendly soundbars, so if you’re sick of having to constantly turn up the volume or switch on the subtitles, then you’ll appreciate what the Stage Pro can do.
Even though the vocals come across clearly, the Stage Pro doesn’t leave you wanting when it comes to the lower end. With a dedicated subwoofer in tow, the Stage Pro is capable of delivering bass with a heavy rumble. If you’re winding down with a classic action film then you’ll feel the difference the moment the movie shifts into a car chase or firefight.
Going one step further is the inclusion of SuperWide mode, which is capable of projecting the sound at a further distance away from the TV, effectively making you feel as if you’re being enveloped by surround sound. It’s a neat trick that could have easily been a gimmick on a lesser device, but it performs well here.
For when you don’t feel like watching a show or a film, there’s Bluetooth connectivity to enjoy some music via your smartphone. Of course, it’s also worth mentioning that because of its compact size, PC gamers could place the Creative Stage Pro soundbar on their desk for a more immersive experience than the built-in speakers of their laptop or monitor.
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Great TV audio lift
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Lends movies scale
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Balanced music playback
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Solid, ergonomic build
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Boomy bass under stress
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No HDMI ARC
As much as we love the Creative Stage Pro for being a great soundbar/subwoofer combo to those on a budget, if you’re happy to sacrifice just a bit of efficiency at higher volumes in return for a similar combo that’s slimmer and better placed to work with limited space around your TV or even at your desk, then the Majority Bowfell Plus is hard to argue with.
At just 38cm, the Majority Bowfell Plus soundbar can comfortably fit below a TV and feel as if it’s not taking up that much space at all, so if you have a 48-inch TV or something that’s older and potentially even smaller, then this is a great option to have. Unlike the subwoofer of the Creative Stage Pro, the one included here isn’t quite as stout, taking on a slim frame that can fit just about anywhere.
Still, even with a smaller footprint than most soundbar combos, the Majority Bowfell Plus delivers where it counts. When running through the opening scene of Bond flick Spectre, the crumbling buildings of Mexico are directed with just the right amount of oomph that you’d hope to hear, and there’s directionality too which just adds further depth to the scene as it feels like the whole thing is taking place in a 3D space.
It’s a similarly pleasing experience when listening to music, as a run through Yvonne Elliman’s If I Can’t Have You threw out the type of warm vocals that draw you in, while the soundbar can project the rest of the instruments around you. If you like the idea of kicking back with a good book and an even better soundtrack to boot, then you’ll be well catered to.
One of the few areas that could be improved is the bass performance at the higher end of the volume scale. With too much weight placed on it, the bassline could feel a bit boomy, at which point you’ll struggle to hone in on the details, but this is something you likely won’t incur if you live in a flat and don’t want to annoy the neighbours with high volume anyway.
Full Specs
| Wharfedale Vista 200S Review | Sonos Ray Review | Razer Leviathan V2 Review | Sharp HT-SBW55121 Review | Polk Signa S4 Review | Creative Stage Pro Review | Majority Bowfell Plus Review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK RRP | £219 | £279 | £229.99 | £549 | £329 | £129 | – |
| USA RRP | – | $279 | $249.99 | – | $349.99 | $169.99 | – |
| EU RRP | – | €298 | €249.99 | – | €349 | – | – |
| CA RRP | – | – | CA$329.99 | – | – | – | – |
| AUD RRP | AU$899 | – | AU$411.95 | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacturer | Wharfedale | Sonos | Razer | Sharp | Polk | Creative | Majority |
| Quiet Mark Accredited | – | – | No | – | – | – | – |
| Size (Dimensions) | 900 x 92 x 62 MM | 559 x 95 x 71 MM | 3.6 x 19.7 x 2.3 INCHES | 1260 x 125 x 75 MM | 1046 x 95 x 60 MM | 420 x 265 x 115 MM | 388 x 72 x 54 MM |
| Weight | 7.9 KG | 1.95 KG | 1.4 KG | 12.3 KG | – | – | – |
| ASIN | B07R8VR2WW | B09ZYCBWYF | B09MMF7DLH | B0D37M2TWG | B09MZ62BDC | – | B0B5LDFRLQ |
| Release Date | 2019 | 2022 | 2021 | 2025 | 2021 | 2025 | 2022 |
| First Reviewed Date | 25/04/2019 | 31/05/2022 | 06/06/2022 | – | – | – | – |
| Model Number | Vista 200S | Sonos Ray | – | – | Signa S4 Soundbar | – | 1000002852 |
| Sound Bar Channels | – | 5.1 | – | 7.1.4 | 3.1.2 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Driver (s) | 2x full range, 6.5-inch subwoofer | 2 x tweeters, 2 x mid-woofers, 2 x low-velocity ports | Full Range Driver, Tweeter Driver, Passive Radiator Driver, Down-Firing Subwoofer | Four 40x90mm, two 37x86mm side-firing, two 2.5-inch Up-firing, 6.5-inch subwoofer | two 25mm tweeters, two 120 x 40mm racetrack, 25mm full range centre, two 66mm elevation units, 5.9-inch woofer | – | 2 x 2.25-inch full range; 1 x 5.25-inch bass (subwoofer) |
| Audio (Power output) | 120 W | – | – | 650 W | – | 80 W | – |
| Connectivity | HDMI, 3.5mm, RCA, Coaxial, Digital Optical out, Bluetooth 4.2 | Optical S/PDIF | Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C | Bluetooth 5.3 | Optical, Analog 3.5mm, Bluetooth, USB-A (firmware) | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5 |
| ARC/eARC | ARC | N/A | N/A | ARC/eARC | ARC/eARC | ARC | N/A |
| Colours | Black | Black and white | Black | Grey/Black | Black | Black | Black |
| Voice Assistant | – | – | N/A | – | – | – | – |
| Audio Formats | Dolby Digital, DTS, DTS Virtual:X | DTS, Dolby Digital, Stereo PCM | – | Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS:X, DTS-HD, DTS 5.1 | Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, PCM | – | Dolby Audio |
| Subwoofer | Yes | – | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Speaker | No | Optional | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Frequency | 40Hz – 20kHz, 40Hz – 120kHz (sub) | – | 40-20000Hz | – | – | – | – |
| Multiroom | No | Yes (Sonos mesh) | No | – | – | – | – |
Some soundbars support HDMI ARC, but in general, cheaper soundbars under £100/$100 tend not to feature any HDMI inputs.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
