Best Affordable Soundbars in 2020

Best Affordable Soundbars Android Central 2020

• Best Overall: TaoTronics TT-SK026 Soundbar
• Best for Most Situations: VIZIO SB2920-D6
• Best Value: Bestisan 28-inch Soundbar
• Best All-in-one System: Pyle TV Soundbase Soundbar
• Best for Starters: TCL Alto 7
• Best for the Biggest Sound: Wohome TV Sound Bar S28

Best Overall: TaoTronics TT-SK026 Soundbar

TaoTronics has been expanding out of the headphone market and moving into soundbars with options like its TT-SK026. This soundbar is unique in the fact that it includes both a built-in display and an integrated subwoofer.

Possible connections include RCA, Optical, or coaxial, along with Bluetooth 5.0 for your smartphones or tablets. The LED display shows off what mode is being used, along with the sound level of the soundbar itself. There are even different audio modes for you to choose from, which will help amplify movies, the news, or anything else that you are listening to.

Those looking for HDMI support will have to look elsewhere as TaoTronics omitted that option from this model. The other surprising omission, given the TT-SK026's other features, is smart home integration with the likes of either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.

Best for Most Situations: VIZIO SB2920-D6

VIZIO is already known as a budget brand for televisions, so it makes sense for the company to offer a matching soundbar. That's what you get with the SB2920-D6 Soundbar with its two full-range stereo speakers, Deep Bass technology, and sleek design.

The SB2920-D6 is capable of producing up to 95 decibels with the two speakers and DTS TruSurround. Plus, there is Bluetooth built-in so you can pair your smartphone, tablet, or even computer to this soundbar. This is an excellent option for those with televisions measuring at least 32 inches, as the SB2920-D6 is 29 inches wide.

Having Dolby Digital integration is all fine and dandy, but the SB2920-D6 sports just two speakers and that's it. The company opted not to include a built-in or wireless subwoofer which may hinder the "punch" you could be looking for with your media playback. Additionally, you are limited to only Optical inputs, as there is no HDMI compatibility to be found with this soundbar.

Best Value: Bestisan 28-inch Soundbar

Some soundbars are quite big and can end up taking up too much space after getting them set up with your television. That won't be an issue with the Bestisan Soundbar, as it measures in at just 28 inches lonh. This is large enough to look compact under even smaller televisions, and blends in when placed under larger televisions.

Bestisan has built-in three different sound modes so that you always get the audio quality that matches whatever you are listening to. You can even adjust the bass and treble on your soundbar, giving you even more fine-tuned sound quality with the Bestisan Soundbar.

Unfortunately, that's about all that the Bestisan Soundbar has going for it. There's no HDMI port, you can't use your existing universal or TV remotes to control it, and the soundbar does not support either Dolby or DTS audio. These can be a bit of a bummer, but this soundbar is still pretty solid overall.

Best All-in-one System: Pyle TV Soundbase Soundbar

Back in the old days, soundbars were a bit different than what you think of when you see soundbars in your brick and mortar stores. The Pyle TV Soundbase is a call-back to those days. It acts more like a base station than a traditional soundbar.

The Soundbase offers a bottom-mounted subwoofer, along with multiple input and output methods, including Bluetooth. With its size, you can even put your TV on top of it, allowing you to save space without needing to make space for a new speaker system.

As one can expect with a soundbar of this size, you will not be able to mount it on the wall without building some type of shelf. On the connection side of things, you won't want to get too excited for Bluetooth as it is only equipped with Bluetooth 3.0, which is a thing of the past. Plus, the 20-watt speakers may not give you the crispest playback for your movies and TV shows.

Best for Starters: TCL Alto 7

When you think about a soundbar, it's usually for the reason of mounting it below your television. The TCL Alto 7 does so much more than that in a very compact package.

The Alto 7 offers many different connection methods — you'll get HDMI, Auxiliary, Optical, and even Bluetooth. This gives you plenty of versatility to connect any device that you can think of. For those who don't want to put the soundbar on a stand, TCL has included a wall-mounting kit so you can save space.

In 2020, we would have liked to see Bluetooth 5.0 built-in, but TCL only opted to use Bluetooth 4.2 since you'll get increased range. The Alto 7 is a fantastic-looking soundbar, but maybe a bit on the larger side, as this measures in at 36 inches.

Best for the Biggest Sound: Wohome TV Sound Bar S28

A lot of budget soundbars don't have subwoofers included, or they are smaller options that don't give you much punch. That's not the case with the Wohome TV Sound Bar S28 as you get six total drivers, including dual-subwoofers for the best output possible.

There are four different sound modes available on the Wohome S28 to provide a more fine-tuned experience when watching an array of content. And with Bluetooth 5.0 you can pair your computer, tablet, or smartphone and stream some music or podcasts while you're having a party or doing some housework.

For some, this may not matter, but if you have a 42-inch or smaller television, the Ben Nevis II may look a bit comical. That is due to its smaller size, as it measures in at 38 inches long, but that may not matter considering the built-in subwoofers. We were also disappointed to notice there is no smart home integration in an age where the smart home has become increasingly popular.

Bottom line

Soundbars come in all different shapes and sizes, and there are ways to use soundbars that one may not have thought of before. Plus, you don't need to throw cash at the problem of improving your home stereo system anymore with picks under $100 like the TaoTronics TT-SK026 Soundbar. With this soundbar, you get a 360-degrees of sound, Bluetooth 5.0, and a great stereo experience to improve your movie nights.

When you dive into the budget market, there are definitely corners to be cut, and it's evidenced by issues like lack of HDMI ARC support or an external subwoofer. Other omissions include the lack of smart home integration, which could leave you looking elsewhere for a soundbar.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide