Soundbars are a perfect way to level-up the sound game of your TV-speakers. These tiny TV speakers take away all the fun from your movies, shows, and games with their crap sound. Getting a good quality soundbar takes away all the sound hassles from your life.
Hence, you can get the best soundbar for your needs easily. So, without any further fuss, let’s get right into it, and check out the best soundbars under 500 on our list.
Top 7 Best Soundbars under 500 - 2021 Picks
| Soundbar | Connectivity Technology | Speaker Type | Control Method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos Beam Smart Soundbar | - | Soundbar | App | |
| JBL Bar 2.1 | Bluetooth, RCA | Subwoofer | Remote | |
| Yamaha Music cast Bar 400 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Surround Sound | Voice | |
| Polk Signa solo | Bluetooth | Surround Sound | Voice | |
| Razer Leviathan Soundbar | Bluetooth | Wireless, Subwoofer, Surround, Soundbar | Remote | |
| Polk Command Bar | HDMI | Surround Sound | Voice | |
| Vizio 5.1 SmartCast Sound Bar | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, HDMI | Subwoofer, Soundbar | Remote |
The Sonos Beam is a compact, lightweight, and comparatively smaller soundbar as compared to its competition in the market. Sonos Beam with its premium quality features and excellent audio response is the best soundbar under 500 bucks that you can grab in 2020.
The touch panel present on the top of the soundbar has various controls such as volume up & down, previous and next track, play, and pause buttons.
There is also a touch control available on the top which mutes the microphone. The status of the soundbar such as mute and other voice feedback is shown by an LED display.
At the back of the soundbar are connectivity ports available which include HDMI connection, Ethernet port, power connection, and a button for pairing.
The Sonos Beam soundbar is not only small and budget-friendly; it also has some attractive new additions to its spec sheet which include an HDMI connection, and voice control assistance.
Initially, only Amazon Alexa was available but now Google Assistant and Apple Siri voice control assistance have also been added. The integration of all these top-performing sound assistants in this laptop makes it one of the most lucrative choices for tech-savvy people.
The small, lightweight design of the soundbar makes it easy to fit into the living room and bedroom space. As compared to Sonos speakers, it is much less spacious and takes less room.
Sonos beam soundbar is not only a soundbar but also a wireless and multi-room speaker that can play music from multiple sources. These include Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, Amazon, and Google Play. It can also connect to any phone or hard drive which is network connected.
It has well-developed support for all of these music sources. This soundbar has the unique ability to connect to any other Sonos product in the vicinity. This allows it to play the same music on all of them at a time. The Airplay 2 support allows it to create a multi-room system. This soundbar can also connect to the TV.
The HDMI ARC (audio return channel) gives control over the TV, allowing the voice support of the Sonos beam to turn on or adjust the volume of the TV with the help of voice commands.
Sonos Beam has a built-in Loudness feature which adds bass weight to the sound. Other features include Night Mode and Speech Enhancement. This provides an extraordinarily amazing sound quality with deep lows and perfect high-frequency
- Deep bass
- Stylish design
- Budget-friendly
- Voice assistance
- Single HDMI input
Final View:
The Sonos Beam is one of the finest soundbars with the integration of Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. It offers the finest quality sound with a good balance between low-frequency, and high-frequency. Highly recommended for people seeking a quality soundbar under 500 USD.
2. JBL Bar 2.1
Most people consider the JBL Bar 3.1 while buying a soundbar but in terms of a budget-friendly soundbar, it is not affordable as its price is $500. A relatively less expensive soundbar is JBL Bar 2.1 which comes under a price tag of 300 USD.
Definitely, it’s one of the best soundbars under 300 bucks. The features it offers at this price are way more than a much cheap soundbar can offer. These include Bluetooth connectivity, wireless subwoofers, and a functional remote control system.
Along with this, the quality of sound is extraordinarily strong, with variations in the sound signature which can be easily adjusted while dialing up the bass or adjusting listening modes.
Talking about the design, the JBL Bar 2.1 is 2.3 by 38 by 2.7 inches in dimensions and has a weight of 4.2 pounds. It can not only be mounted on the wall but can also be placed on a flat surface due to the availability of rubber feet which prevent movement on the floor. The soundbar has the typical black metallic finish.
There is a top panel that has the power and volume buttons and a third control for switching between the audio sources. The top metallic grille has two racetrack style drivers and two tweeters beneath it. The drivers are 2.25 inches each while the tweeters are 1.25 inches each.
They combine for the maximum power of 100 watts. The LED display which shows the status of the soundbar is also under this grille. On the rear panel of the soundbar are the connections for HDMI in, HDMI out, an aux input, port for USB, and connection for the power cable.
The remote control is sensible sized and has power, source, volume, playback, track navigation, audio synchronization adjustment, bass, mute, Bluetooth pairing controls. It also has the shuffle, surrounds mode and night mode controls.
All these control features in the remote add extra value to the system. The sound quality is pretty good, with loud, clean, and powerful bass. The surround Mode boosts up the overall volume and enhances the dialogue rather than making the sound feel like it’s surrounding you. Overall, at a price of about $300, JBL Bar 2.1 is an excellent option.
- Budget-friendly
- Excellent sound quality
- Bass adjustments controls
- An efficient remote control system
- Different Sound Modes
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Fewer accessories
- Optical cable unable to stay well in place
Final View:
JBL Bar 2.1 with its price tag of just under 300 bucks, exceptional quality sound, and a premium feel is a product worth considering.
The Yamaha Music cast Bar 400 is relatively expensive when talking about the budget-friendly soundbars. But, if your main area of interest is a multiform sound system, and you are willing to improve your setup, the investment of $450 is worth the bargain.
Taking a look at the design, the Music cast bar 400 is a medium-sized soundbar with dimensions of 38.6 by 2.4 by 4.4 inches. This makes it compatible with TVs up to the size of 55 inches. The main body of the soundbar includes four woofers of 1.75 inches each and two tweeters of 1 inch each.
The wireless subwoofer is quite large and produces a full sound as compared to many other subwoofers. In addition, the soundbar includes connections such as HDMI in, HDMI out, optical audio input, analog input.
It also has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and airplay wireless options. The soundbar has an LED display that shows the status of the soundbar. The drawback is that the LED display is at the back which makes it difficult to see while watching the TV.
The sound quality of this soundbar is very much improved as compared to the other models of Yamaha. The additional virtual 3D surround sound is a plus point in this soundbar. This feature gives rich bass and very clear vocals, making it ideal to be used for movies.
Moreover, the multiform feature allows it to connect with other Music Cast speakers. The music cast sound bar is easy to set up. The free Music cast app allows easy enabling of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
- Virtual 3D surround sound
- Dialogue enhancement and rich bass
- Multiform functionality
- Excellent Build Quality
- No Dolby Atmos support
Final View:
If you are seeking a quality soundbar that comes under 500 bucks, the Yamaha Music cast Bar 400 is a high-performing soundbar that comes under your budget.
At a price of $195, Polk Signa solo is quite a bargain. The Signa solo has the company’s signature SDA digital surround technology which elevates the sound field and provides a much detailed stereo imaging and voice adjustment.
It enables you to adjust bass and voice levels for producing a relatively clear and crisp dialogue and vocals. The Polk Signa solo provides ten times the bass as compared to the weight of the average television set.
The design of the Signa solo is quite impressive. It is lightweight and can easily be placed on a flat surface or mounted on the wall.
At the upper side, it has power control, Bluetooth pairing, source, and volume switching options, while the backside has optical cable input, aux input, and the main power input. Along with the main power, the input is the pre titled movie, game, and music controls.
The night mode feature is also available. The sound quality of this soundbar is bold and dispersed. It goes well with almost all of the televisions.
One drawback that you might notice is the extra bass weight is supposed to be removed otherwise the sound seems extremely congested.
Once removed, the dialogue sound becomes more clear and better. Though the features of this soundbar are not much to count, its price makes it attractive to customers who want to save money and still buy a better-sounding soundbar.
- Impressive design
- Bold and well-dispersed sound
- Variety of tweaking options
- Less expressive
-
Congested dialogue
Final View:
At 195 bucks, the Polk Signa solo is the best budget soundbar on our list of best soundbars under 500 USD that comes under 200 USD. If you are planning to save a few extra bucks on a new soundbar, Polk Signa Solo is a great option.
This all-black, medium-sized soundbar has dimensions of 19.7 by 3 by 2.8 inches and weighs around 4.5 pounds. The dimensions may overthrow you but the quality of sound it provides is more than enough to compensate for the oversized dimensions.
The front side of the Razer Leviathan soundbar has a speaker grille behind which are two tweeters of 0.75 inches each and 2 full-range drivers of 2.5 inches. The grille also contains the silver logo of the Razor in the middle of the bar and a one-inch power button near the top of the grille.
The top of the bar has the standard controls along with the Bluetooth button which allows the soundbar to be synchronized with a computer or mobile device. There is also a preset button that allows switching between game, music, and movie modes.
The rear side has connections for subwoofer out, DC in, optical audio in, and auxiliary in ports. The two brackets for wall mounting are also at the backside of the soundbar.
The subwoofer is one of the best parts of the Razer Leviathan soundbar. The little soundbox produces rich bass and a sound that doesn’t distort even when the volume is turned the highest. This high bass is especially important from a gaming point of view.
The Dolby pro logic II codex transforms any of the analogs, optical, or Bluetooth signals into simulated 5.1 surround sound.
Conclusion it all, the $199 Razer Leviathan soundbar is a great option for gamers due to its heavy bass. It also goes well for music and movies.
You can also read: Best Soundbar for Gaming in 2021
- Heavy bass
- Variety of input options
- Well priced
- Reliable
- Limited surround sound
- Dicey subwoofer connector
Final View:
The Razer Leviathan soundbar is perfect for people seeking a quality sound with a perfect combo of low-frequency and high-frequency.
The Polk Command Bar consists of two parts, the main soundbar, and a separate subwoofer. Due to these two pieces, the overall body of the bar seems a bit bulky.
The long, bulky soundbar has ends that are slightly tapered at both ends. The top and front parts have black cloth coverings while the middle part has no such covering.
The top part of the speaker has a complete LED light ring. Polk Command Bar has a subwoofer which is also large in size and connects to its own power supply whereas its connection to the main speaker is made wirelessly.
The subwoofer is made up of black plastic. Although bulky, the whole bar and subwoofer setup could be easily placed on any flat surface or mounted on the wall. Setting up the command bar is very simple and straightforward. This is one of the key appealing factors of this soundbar.
Below and behind the soundbar, is a full range of connection ports for inputs and outputs, which includes support for 4k and HDR. The HDMI port is also present and positioned and labeled in such a way that the Amazon Fire TV stick could be easily positioned with it.
Polk Command Bar could be connected to Wi-Fi and voice assistance of Alexa is also available with it. The subwoofers automatically connect to Wi-Fi as soon as they are powered on.
Coming towards the quality of sound, the command bar highly improves the audio as compared to the normal built-in speakers of the TV. It also provides multi-room experience without much expense.
The explosive sounds get a satisfyingly deep rumble. The volume is much more in-depth and louder. Speech and dialogue become increasingly clear and enhanced. The sound could be customized according to your own preference by using night, sport, movie, and music modes.
Although the 2.1 channel Dolby surrounds sound is not a full 360-degree surround sound, it still provides a good sound to the movies. The dedicated tweeters and subwoofers provide a much better sound quality as compared to the most wireless speakers.
The Bluetooth connectivity and Amazon Music sound support are all an audiophile would need while streaming for music. Ignoring the bulky size, the Polk Command Bar is quite a reasonable soundbar in its price range.
- Alexa voice assistance
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Budget-friendly
- Superb Quality Sound
- Bulky in size
- Single HDMI connection
Final View:
The Polk Command Bar with its separate subwoofer is a high-performing soundbar that produces earth-rumbling bass, perfect for listening to music and enjoying the shows.
Vizio’s SmartCast soundbar is one of the best options to consider while buying an affordable soundbar. At a price of $228, this product provides a decent 36-inch soundbar, wireless subwoofers, and two small speakers that provide surround sound.
This soundbar has an attractive and sleek design, with a low profile of 2.1 inches height, which makes it perfect to be placed under the screen of most TVs. The black fabric cover and the silver caps give it a minimalistic approach.
The power, Bluetooth, input, and volume button are covered in fabric making them appear almost like touch buttons. The LED lights present on the left side of the bar act as volume indicators. These help in manipulating settings such as bass and treble as well as the power of the surround speakers.
The various connections available include audio cable port, HDMI port, optical cable, RCA coaxial cables, and even some Velcro ties so you can avoid cluttering of the cords.
The sound quality is clear and noticeable due to its three channels of audio, subwoofers, and surround speakers.
- Budget-friendly
- Attractive design
- Variety of connections available
- The sound quality is average
Final View:
With a budget of less than $300, this soundbar is a complete package. If you haven’t bought a soundbar yet, this one is a perfect option to consider.
Buying guide for soundbars
While buying a TV, you should know that the thinner in design a TV is the tinier speaker it has got. This small speaker would maybe be perfect for a cell phone or a small tablet but while watching a movie on TV, some serious audio support must be there to make the watching experience more enjoyable. Well, a soundbar will perform this job perfectly.
Like every other product, there are a lot of options available in the market while buying a soundbar. Every sound bar comes with tons of different features which will definitely make you nervous and confused about what to buy and which feature should be considered.
Either it is the problem of the availability of enough HDMI ports or the Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music, there are too many questions which a buyer has in his mind while purchasing a soundbar.
So, to make the soundbar purchase easy for you, we have written a buying guide for a soundbar and summarized all the key points which you should consider while purchasing a soundbar. So that the next time you’ll go for buying one, it’ll help you in picking the right product.
Design
In terms of aesthetics, a soundbar should not be larger or wider than the size of the TV. It should look appealing and attractive and be well mixed with the interiors of the room.
Also, consider where the soundbar is supposed to be placed. It shouldn’t be large to occupy a lot of space, either it is placed on a surface or hanging on the wall.
So, make sure the design and size of the soundbar fit perfectly in your living space.
Multiple Channels
While choosing a soundbar, make sure you choose the one which has a minimum of three or more than 3 channels.
You can also read: Best Soundbar Under 1000
The 2 channel sound bars available in the market are just mini stereos and nothing else. With the option of three or more channels, the soundbar allows the surround sound to provide a more immersive sound.
Active Soundbar
Active soundbars have built-in amplifiers while passive soundbars do not have this option. This is also beneficial for saving space. So, choose the one that suits your needs.
Connectivity
Do check the HDMI connections. The HDMI allows easy switching between audio sources and you do not have to re-route the HDMI cables. Also, check if the soundbar is Bluetooth or/and Wi-Fi enabled. This will allow easy streaming of music from any computer or mobile device.
Budget
Like every other product, always choose a soundbar that is fairly priced with the availability of maximum features.
Final Verdict
Soundbar dramatically improves the audio-listening experience and makes your TV watching experience pleasure. There are hundreds of different soundbar models available in the market. Hence, making the choice a lot harder for you.
Therefore, after hours and hours of research, We have finally put together a list of the best soundbars under 500 USD that you can get to level-up your entertainment.
If you are still confused about choosing the right soundbar, we recommend picking up the Sonos Beam. It’s a versatile soundbar that offers the integration of all the sound assistants and offers exceptional quality sound.
If you have any questions regarding the soundbars, you can ask us in the comments section below. Cheers!
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Sonos and Bose are two of the leading soundbar brands. Sonos soundbars offer great audio quality with advanced technologies. On the other hand, Bose soundbars provide exceptional quality audio but lack the integration of the latest technologies like voice assistants.
Yes, getting a soundbar with voice assistants allows you to control your soundbar handsfree. Thus, you enjoy more personalized control over the soundbar.
There are a bunch of great options available in the market for under 500 USD. So, yes you can get a decent quality soundbar under 500 USD.
