You can take your TV audio experience to the next level by adding a soundbar to it. You don’t need to spend a lot to get a good soundbar. They are no longer as expensive as they used to be. The best budget-friendly soundbars offer good-quality audio, smart features and a big boost to your audio output. Read on if you’re looking for the best soundbar under $300.
At this price, you can expect features such as Bluetooth connectivity, HDMI and a wireless subwoofer. Most soundbars include a voice-boosting mode, so TV dialogue may sound clearer than it does with a regular speaker. If you’re a music fan, you can extract more from your favorite tunes than with any Bluetooth speaker. You could even pick a model with Amazon Alexa onboard.
Watch this: The Best Soundbars Under $500
If you want to see what else is available, and your budget is a little higher, check out our list of best soundbars overall.
It may not have the whizz-bang features of some of its competition, but if you’re looking for superlative performance this is where you should start. As the best soundbar at just over $300 (and frequently on sale for less), it offers head-turning looks with those exposed tweeters and a big subwoofer. The included remote control offers independent control of the sub. Get quality sound with both music and an episode or two of Andor. The built-in Bluetooth, wireless connectivity allows for music streaming from compatible devices.
The Sonos Ray is an entry-level soundbar featuring the company’s excellent multiroom music system and a surprisingly wide soundstage through the use of proprietary waveguides.
While it doesn’t support Dolby Atmos surround sound or have an HDMI port to connect to your TV (you connect it to your TV with an included optical cable), we were impressed with the sound quality for music and movies. You can pair it with a couple of other Sonos speakers like the Ikea Symfonisk to create a surround sound system.
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The Polk React is pulling multiple duties: it’s affordable and it’s a smart speaker with Amazon Alexa — and it offers an excellent dialogue enhancement mode. It offers more than that, including crystal clear sound quality and HDMI for easy connection to your TV.
The Zvox AV357 is a great way to upgrade a terrible-sounding TV. It’s stylish too, with a wood-grain veneer, and the remote control is user-friendly. If you want to connect more than just a TV — like a phone for music via Bluetooth — try one of the other options here, but this is nonetheless a fantastic TV speaker.
The problem with most soundbars is that they’re huge. If you have a small TV or accompanying stand they may dangle off of it. The MagniFi Mini’s main speaker is barely a foot across and yet, it’s able to offer an ultra-wide sound with clever use of technology. It sounds good, and you’ll barely know it’s there. The only potential downside is that you will have to hide the subwoofer, but as it’s wireless you can stash it behind the couch.
The V21 with Wireless Subwoofer is outclassed by the others on this list and may not be the best soundbar for under $300 but it’s still one of the best available for less than $200. If you only have a limited budget it offers excellent value. It has the all-important HDMI connection, Bluetooth and a separate sub. The Vizio delivers great sound and costs around half the price of these competitors.
The Yamaha SR-C30A is a sub-$300 soundbar with a wireless subwoofer
- Yamaha SR-C30A, $216: If you’re seeking a compact soundbar that still sounds good, the SR-C30A is a decent option. It builds on the smaller C20A by adding a compact and capable subwoofer for even better performance. Read CNET’s review of the Yamaha SR-C30A.
