6 best soundbars under $500 Spring 2023

With the evolution of audio technology, people are looking for more ways to enjoy their music. Today we present you with the best soundbar under 500$ reviews. Whether it’s a TV or home theater, you’ll find a great soundbar that can satisfy your needs.

It’s easy to improve the sound quality in your home theater with a soundbar. You will enjoy high-quality movies and other audio sources. You can also watch TV with much better audio and video. We will talk about some of the best options to choose from our tested list.

list of the Best soundbar under 500 revealed

best dolby atmos soundbar under $500

1.Samsung HW-Q600A 3.1.2ch Soundbar Dolby Atmos DTS:X

Samsung’s HW-Q600A soundbar is a very affordable way to enjoy high-quality audio with your TV. It has a built-in subwoofer, a multi-channel amplifier, and Dolby Atmos.

It has 3 HDMI inputs and 1 output, and it has a subwoofer, which can be turned on or off.

The HW-Q600A has a remote control and is connected to your TV with an HDMI cable.

If you are looking for a soundbar that has a subwoofer, this is a great choice. It has all the features you need, and the subwoofer is really loud.

2. Polk Audio Signa S4 Ultra-Slim Sound Dolby Atmos 3D Surround sound

Polk Audio’s Signa S4 Ultra-Slim Sound Dolby Atmos 3D Surround Sound Speaker System is a 5.1-channel speaker system designed to provide top-notch sound quality. It includes four satellite speakers and a subwoofer, and it also comes with a powered subwoofer, amplifier, and cables.

With the Polk Audio Signa S4 Ultra-Slim Sound Dolby Atmos Speaker you get a great speaker system for your home theatre that is not only easy to install but also has the Dolby Atmos feature built-in.

For those who are not familiar with Dolby Atmos, this technology is essentially a surround sound format that is not unlike surround sound movies.

3. VIZIO M-Series 5.1.2 Premium Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X

Vizio’s M-Series Premium Sound Bar offers an all-in-one experience with the added bonus of Google Cast built-in. With Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Google Cast you can enjoy premium sound with an easy-to-use remote and smartphone.

With a built-in Google Cast receiver, the M-Series Premium Sound Bar brings you the best of home entertainment.

4. Yamaha Audio YAS-209BL Sound Bar

Our favorite soundbar in this price range is Yamaha’s YAS-209 for three reasons:

• It sounds great for the money.
• It’s easy to set up and use.
• It’s packed with features.

It does not contain Dolby Atmos (you will need to move the HDMI input one slot up). Still, it offers all the features you would want at an affordable price, including a spare HDMI input for your favorite gaming console or streaming box, virtual surround sound, Wi-Fi streaming, Amazon Alexa voice assistant, etc. Don’t like Alexa? The YAS-209 can be used as a traditional soundbar by muting the microphones atop the bar. That’s when the YAS-209 shines.

Even though the 209’s sound performance cannot compete with more expensive audiophile systems or bars with multiple up-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos immersion, it comes close. Thanks to the Clear Voice EQ feature, dialogue is easy to understand, and the bass response from the wireless subwoofer is smooth and powerful. Consequently, the bar has several sound modes (including DTS:X Virtual Surround, which expands the soundstage), enabling the user to customize the sound.

Music and podcasts can also be streamed wirelessly (including Spotify Connect) or Bluetooth. Even though a premium soundbar will cost you more, this simple-but-powerful sound system is hard to fault.

Yamaha’s YAS-209 is your best bet if you’re looking for an affordable, well-sounding soundbar with lots of features.

5. JBL BAR5.0 5-Channel Multibeam Soundbar

It’s not easy to find a compact soundbar that can play Dolby Atmos material when you only have a small space but still want to supplement your TV speakers. There are few soundbars at that price point that feature top-firing speakers. Still, some of them offer Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, which simulates the Atmos 3D effects on a speaker system without upfiring or overhead speakers. As with the Sonos Beam (Gen. 2) above, the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam soundbar creates Atmos effects with virtual Dolby Atmos processing on both left and right speakers. 

As the best Dolby Atmos soundbar under $500, we selected the Bar 5.0 MultiBeam because it does a similar job with Atmos material as the Beam (Gen. 2). The device has additional connectivity options, such as Bluetooth 4.2, HDMI, and USB inputs. The JBL soundbar is more versatile yet affordable than the Beam (Gen. 2).

Bar 5.0 Multibeam also comes with an excellent dedicated center-channel driver, so movie dialogue and music vocals can be clearly heard. The sound can also get deafening (over 90 dB) while maintaining its punchy qualities. 

6. LG SN6Y w/Subwoofer, 3.1ch soundbar, 420W Power

Even though 5.0/5.1 soundbars have side speakers that emulate surround rear sound speakers, they are only passable at providing surround sound. An LG SN6Y 3.1 soundbar offers the three most crucial audio channels: left, right, and center, which is vital for getting clear dialog when you’re watching something. Even though this soundbar mimics surround sound effects with its internal processing and supports DTS Virtual:X, these are more like gestures than real surround-sound solutions.

Instead of buying the LG SPK8-S wireless rear satellite speakers separately, you can build on this impressive foundation for over $500.    

The SN6Y is a powerful speaker at this price point, packing a total of 420W, and has a maximum volume of over 92 dB. Although it has a heavy bass, its frequency response is not low enough to shake a wall. However, it can adjust the subwoofer and the center channel, and LG’s AI Sound Pro system will automatically adjust its sound levels based on what’s playing.

How to find the best soundbar under 500? Buying guide

Before you buy your new soundbar, it’s a good idea to consider the size of your TV to work out how big the soundbar needs to be.

It would help if you chose a TV that looks good in the room, like a large-scale TV or a bar-height TV. It doesn’t matter if the TV is larger than the screen.

Your couch should be at least a foot away from your television.

The height should also determine how far from your TV will place the soundbar. If it needs to be placed in front of the TV, you don’t want it obscuring half the picture.

Soundbars are usually one long speaker with several drivers, although some have an external subwoofer and rear surround speakers.

If powerful, booming bass is what gets you pumped up, these are excellent choices for your sound system.

There are features and connections next. The many modern soundbars can handle high bandwidth audio formats and optical inputs for older TVs with eARC-enabled HDMI ports. You will be able to control the volume of your soundbar with your existing remote control if your TV has an eARC. It might be worth considering if you’re comfortable controlling soundbar settings via an app or if you want a separate physical remote.

Most soundbars these days come with built-in wireless capabilities, and many have support for other audio devices such as Bluetooth speakers, game consoles, and 4K Blu-ray players.
If you want to upgrade your home cinema system, you should consider models compatible with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio.

You can get a good height effect by placing a soundbar on the floor. The top of the soundbar should be uncovered and put clear of the TV screen.

A soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos must also support Dolby TrueHD.

You need to think about the content you’ll be viewing and the sources are plugging in.

You need to squeeze out the best possible audio quality to ensure your content sounds as good as it looks.

If you’re looking for a soundbar, check out our guide on choosing and setting up a soundbar.
You’ll have to decide which is best for your needs — and you can always buy two if you’d like to pair them up. Best Soundbars for Your Money in 2020 Soundbars are an intelligent way to get the most out of your TV without shelling out for a whole new TV. They hook up directly to your home theater receiver and give you access to all of your audio devices. The best part? Some of the best soundbars for different budgets.

Which one is the best soundbar under 500?

• Overall best soundbar under $500: Sonos Beam (Gen. 
• Dolby Atmos-compatible: JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam. 
• Surround sound at its best: Vizio M Series M512a-H6.
• Soundbar with 5.1 surround sound: Samsung HW-Q60T/ZA.
• The best soundbar for 3.1: LG SN6Y.
• For subwoofers: Yamaha YAS-209.

Frequently asked questions

How long do soundbars last?

Soundbars: ages 6-16

Like a Sonos Arc, an amplified soundbar shouldn’t become obsolete anytime soon, although expect the hardware to work for up to 7 years before needing maintenance or repair.

Which is a better soundbar with or without a subwoofer?

Subwoofers are not essential for a soundbar to sound good. In addition to the internal speakers, many soundbars include subwoofers needed to produce low frequencies.

Can you use any soundbar on any TV?

What TVs are compatible with them? The technology of soundbars makes them compatible with any TV, regardless of whether it is old or new. As well as optical cables, HDMI cables, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, there are also different ways to connect to a TV.

Is it better to connect the soundbar with HDMI or optical?

HDMI ARC is your best option if you want the best quality audio. The same remote works with all the latest audio formats. Additionally, it helps you eliminate clutter and tangled cables. Opto-coaxial cables, however, still offer decent sound quality.

What does a subwoofer do with a soundbar?

Subwoofers add punch and rumble to TV shows and movies, making them sound fuller and better project audio throughout the room. You’ll likely need a subwoofer if you watch lots of action movies or movies with epic music.

Conclusion

Using a soundbar rather than your TV’s flat-sounding speakers can transform your experience of watching movies on your TV. We have already mentioned a few of the best soundbars under $500 in the list above, so you just need to pick a good option that matches your TV and enjoy an entirely new experience.

Make sure the soundbar has all the features and options you might need, and then choose one accordingly. If you need any help, you can check out the detailed buying guide, as it will help you pick the best soundbar.