What are the best TV soundbars under $400?
For those looking for an affordable and easy way to boost your TV audio significantly, you’ve come to the right place. Anyone with a soundbar will dramatically increase the overall sound quality of your favorite tv shows, movies, and video games. However, you can Bluetooth stream music with most of them, as well.
Believe it or not, most built-in speakers in recent TVs have gotten slightly worse over time. This is due to the thinner and larger TV screens don’t have enough room for speakers on the front. Some of them have the speakers within the screen diminishing the low frequencies.
However, the overwhelming majority of newer TVs have drastically increased their visual quality. Adding an affordable soundbar will be a fantastic investment to get the best of both worlds. After extensive research and testing; We formulated a list of the 5 best soundbars below $400.
In Short, Here Are The 5 Best Affordable Soundbars Under $400 For Your TV
- JBL Bar 5.1
- Yamaha Audio YAS-209BL
- SAMSUNG 5.0ch S61A
- JBL Bar 3.1
- ZVOX SoundBase
1. JBL BAR5
Not only does it provide 4K pass-through, but it’s also one of the cheapest soundbars on the market with Dolby Vision. The soundbar produces excellent clarity of audio without a hint of distortion. Even at max volume, the sound remains crystal clear.
One of our favorite features is its 3D soundstage. It produces an enormous bass sound. You will be more than satisfied with the overall low-end at the price. It also has built-in Chromecast, WiFi, Bluetooth capabilities, and Airplay 2. The last impressive feature worth mentioning is its virtual surround sound.
I noticed a few downsides with this soundbar. For one, it’s slightly tricky to set up. That issue can be resolved by paying $76 more on expert installation on Amazon. Also, depending on what movie your watching, the sound can jump up and down on volume too quickly. In other words, words can be a bit too low in volume, while an explosion is a bit too loud.
At the end of the day, the JBL Bar 5.1 is a great value soundbar running below $400.
Users Say: “I have a high end tube stereo set up for 2 channel lp and cd listening. Wanted something just for movie and tv viewing without turning on 5 sources. Great sound for single unit soundbar. A little pricey maybe for some but great quality and sound!!!!!“
Details & Tech Specs
- 10″ wireless subwoofer
- 4K pass-through with HDR 10
- Dolby Vision
- Built-in Chromecast, WiFi, Bluetooth capabilities, and Airplay 2
- Virtual 5.1 surround sound
2. Yamaha Audio YAS-209BL
Here’s another affordable soundbar that just got a price cut, as well. With $50 taken off, the Yamaha Audio YAS-209BL is a great choice for your TV or music. This system comes with a wireless subwoofer that produces a considerable amount of bass.
With virtual 3D surround sound, it provides a fantastic quality of sound for movies, shows, games, and music. For those who need to hear the words of your movies more clearly, it has enhanced dialogue technology that produces a much clearer voice.
Another thing you’ll highly appreciate is its built-in Alexa. For setting up Alexa, you must integrate it into your Yamaha app and make sure it shows on your Alexa devices.
Overall, Yamaha Audio YAS-209BL is a fantastic choice for anyone in search of a high-quality sound at a low price. It’s a stellar bang for the buck, and we highly recommend it.
Users Say: “I researched a ton of these soundbar woofer combinations….this one is excellent! And yes, the Alexa voice control really works well! I have used it now for several months and the “voice” setting that helps emphasize the dialogue in a movie so you can hear it without getting blasted during action scenes is well worth the investment.”
Details & Tech Specs
- Built-in wifi
- Alexa voice control
- HDMI or optical cable
- Wireless subwoofer for deep bass
- Enhanced dialog clarity
3. SAMSUNG 5.0ch S61A
Next up, the SAMSUNG 5.0ch S61A is another highly rated soundbar that significantly outperforms its price. Running under $400, this TV soundbar has many added features. For one, it has Alexa built-in, allowing you to make voice commands. It provides fantastic sound quality, as well.
Optimized by Oscar-winning sound engineers, it enhances the human voice. Many people love how easy it is to understand the words in their tv shows and movies without the background music becoming too overwhelming.
Another unique feature you will enjoy is its Sonos speakers integration capabilities. Using WiFi, you can connect Sonos speakers throughout the house that plays whatever’s on the soundbar. You’ll also appreciate its ability to be wall-mounted.
Overall, the Sonos Beam is an excellent soundbar running at an affordable price. It’s also one of the few with built-in Alexa and Apple Airplay 2. We highly recommend it.
Users Say: “This soundbar is honestly excellent. It is everything one would need from a soundbar. Watching a movie with it is one thing, but I believe that the best way to experience this sound bar is to listen to music with it.“
Details & Tech Specs
- Alexa Built-in
- Google Airplay 2
- Excellent form factor
- Side Horn Speaker
- Wall mountable
- Able to add extra Sonos speakers
4. JBL JBL2GBAR51IMBLKAM
Next up, the JBL JBL2GBAR51IMBLKAM is a low-budget soundbar with an added 10-inch wireless subwoofer. JBL is one of the leaders in the sound engineering department. That being said, it’s no surprise that this soundbar produces fantastic sound quality. It’s also very loud with its 450 Watts of power.
With its True 4K connectivity with 3 HDMI, the sound is evenly balanced, crisp, and crystal clear. You’ll also enjoy the full frequency range of 35Hz-20KHz.
Both the soundbar and the wireless subwoofer are built very toughly for their low price. Overall, the JBL Bar 3.1 is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a cheap soundbar and subwoofer for your TV with excellent sound quality. It’s relatively easy to set and conveniently compact. Not only do we recommend it, but it’s highly rated and customer-reviewed, as well.
Users Say: “I was pleasantly surprised by this soundbar. I’ve never owned a soundbar before, but have a mid-level entertainment center in another room with 5.1 sound. I wasn’t sure this thin bar and subwoofer would produce enough sound, nor that it would sound clear. I’ve been quite pleased since installing this soundbar. The bass is impressive without causing distortion. The bar itself produces plenty of sounds. I can hear the dialog in movies just fine. My son is a bit of a videophile, and when he heard my soundbar, he wanted one of his own to improve his TV-viewing experience.”
Details & Tech Specs
- True 4K connectivity with 3 HDMI
- Wireless 10-inch subwoofer
- 450 Watts
- Frequency response: 35Hz-20KHz.
5. ZVOX SoundBase
Last but not least, the ZVOX SoundBase is a fantastic soundbar running well below $400. There are many unique characteristics that we love about it. For one, it has three built-in subwoofers for deep bass. While most other soundbars have an added subwoofer that takes up space, the built-in subwoofers add extra convenience.
Another thing you’ll like is its ability to be the base of your TV. Rather than placing a subwoofer in front or mounting it, you can set your TV directly on the soundbar. This is due to its sizeable rectangular base.
With hearing aid technology for the left, center, and right speakers; it provides exceptional dialogue and sound quality. It produces a wide frequency range of 38Hz-20kHz. With its virtual surround sound, the audio replicates a three-dimensional-like sound.
The only downside noticed was the few claims of this system breaking within the year. However, most people don’t have that issue. Overall, the ZVOX SoundBase is a great soundbar with built-in subwoofers. It offers a clutter-free solution for anyone in need of a virtual surround soundbar. Not to forget, it’s very affordable, and we highly recommend it.
Users Say: “Listen, this is slicker than butter on hot toast. Amazing! Finally, I can hear what they are saying on TV. I made a point of calling and asked for help. They were awesome and kind. This was well worth the price. I really can’t say enough good things. There’s a card in the box and if I register, I’ll also have 18 months warranty. Two thumbs up from me!! Gaynel“
Details & Tech Specs
- Clear dialogue for movies
- Frequency range: 38Hz-20kHz
- 12 Boost Levels
- Dimensions: 17″ x 3.38″ x 2.88″
Quick Recap
In Short, Here Are The 5 Best TV Soundbars Under $400
- JBL Bar 5.1
- Yamaha Audio YAS-209BL
- SAMSUNG 5.0ch S61A
- JBL Bar 3.1
- ZVOX SoundBase