(Pocket Ribbon) – Investing in a top soundbar is essential to get the most out of your TV or you risk sluggish sound squandering the potential of your setup.

Fortunately, what was once an area only accessible to serious hi-fi fans has now become vastly more accessible to the average TV viewer, making it easier than ever before to ditch the flat sound filtered out at the rear and replace placing audio centrally and centrally.

The only hard part is deciding which soundbar is best for your home, as there are tons of options to suit every budget. To take some of the hard work out of this process, we’ve rounded up some of the best options you can buy — let’s take a look at them below.

Best cheap soundbar in 2022

JBL Bar 2.1Polk Audio Signa S3Majority Snowdon IIYamaha SR-C20ABose Solo 5

Our top pick: the best cheap soundbar

JBL

JBL Bar 2.1

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For

Doby Atmos and DTS:X support Deep bass from the subwoofer Chromecast and Airplay built-in

Against

On the more expensive side

If you want a soundbar and subwoofer pair that can provide an instant and easy upgrade to your current TV audio setup, the JBL Bar 2.1 is just that.

It is designed with a slim profile – measuring 38 x 2.3 x 2.7 inches – and features Dolby Digital, JBL’s proprietary Surround Sound technology and a peak power of 300 W. The wireless subwoofer, like others on this list, also a very welcome addition, adding deep, rich bass to make this a well-balanced setup.

For those who also want to easily switch between their HDMI output, there is plenty of user control available. In addition to being managed with the included remote, AUX, Bluetooth and USB are all on board.

Polk

Polk Audio Signa S3

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For

Beautiful styling Good bass response Chromecast built-in

Against

5-minute automatic shutdown can be annoying

While a newer model is available, this older entrant to the Audio Signa range is more affordable than ever, making it a worthy addition to our list.

The soundbar and subwoofer work great together to provide beautifully balanced sound, whether you’re streaming something from Netflix, taking advantage of the Bluetooth support by listening to some music, or even playing something via the built-in Google Chromecast.

The 35.4 x 3.2 x 2.1-inch bar can also be mounted or rested on a TV bench, with just a single HDMI ARC input needed to get started.

Majority

Majority Snowdon II

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For

Incredible value Surprising sound quality Wide range of connections

Against

Jumps to full volume after a power cycle

The majority may not have the familiar name of other brands, but the price of its Snowdon II soundbar is hard to argue with.

For an ultra-low spend, you can experience a richer TV sound through the device’s RCA cable, optical input, AUX port, or even Bluetooth, allowing you to wirelessly stream music from your phone or tablet.

The 3.2 x 31.8 x 3.2-inch bar can also be mounted or rested on a TV stand, with the included remote control that allows you to adjust the treble and bass settings, as well as modes for music, movies and speech.

Yamaha

Yamaha SR-C20A

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For

Small but mighty Special game mode Virtual surround sound technology

Against

No support for spatial audio formats

Whether you have a gaming desk setup or just want to save some space near your TV, a more compact soundbar like the Yamaha SR-C20A is a good choice to consider.

Rather than thinking of itself as the main unit in a surround sound setup, this 28 x 3 x 3-inch bar is an all-in-one driver, with a built-in subwoofer and passive radiators.

Given the lack of support for additional speakers, it delivers an impressive performance by providing room-filling, rich and balanced sound.

There are also plenty of connectivity options, with Bluetooth, HDMI, optical and AUX all available.

Bose

Bose Solo 5

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For

Compact size Easy installation Reasonable price (at least for Bose)

Against

Bose’s Solo 5 lineup may be a little long in the tooth, but it’s still a very solid audio bar – and at an affordable price, too, given the brand’s pedigree.

Simple yet effective, the 2.6 x 21.6 x 3.4-inch device gives you a unique optical audio input, coaxial audio input and a 3.5mm auxiliary port, meaning you only have one cable to your TV to immediately receive better sound.

As with many options on this list, it also offers Bluetooth support, meaning it can be used as a standard speaker for your music.

Don’t forget to use the included universal remote to adjust audio settings and also control your Bluetooth devices.

Written by Conor Allison. Editing by Luke Baker.