The best soundbars under $500 for 2023

Every year TVs find a way to look better but sound worse, which is why you should upgrade to a soundbar. Soundbars can definitely get expensive, but there are plenty of soundbars that will still fill up a room with loud, well-defined sound for a more down-to-earth investment. Many of them also provide Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless streaming, as well as voice control from digital assistants. This guide shows you the best soundbars under $500, so you can get everything you want in one modestly priced package.

• Best overall: Sonos Beam (Gen. 2)
• Best with Dolby Atmos: JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam
• Best with surround sound: Vizio M Series M512a-H6
• Best 5.1 soundbar: Samsung HW-Q60T/ZA
• Best 3.1 soundbar: LG SN6Y
• Best with subwoofer: Yamaha YAS-209
• Best smart: Roku Streambar

How we chose the best soundbars under $500

I have covered and reviewed audio products—both in the pro audio and home audio realms—on and off for most of the 21st century for outlets including Mix, Maximum Tech, DJ Tech Tools, Bob Vila, and some defunct publications printed on paper called magazines. PopSci editors and I chose these soundbars based on their appropriateness for different needs, first-hand experience when available, the value they present, and their consensus reputations based on expert reviews. While a stickler may insist that a soundbar is just the oblong thing that sits under a TV, the fact is that many soundbars on the market also come with subwoofers and sometimes satellite speakers for surround sound. For variety’s sake, we chose picks in several configurations, from single bars to a more expanded setup. However, all of these choices rely on the performance of the main soundbar, which is several speakers integrated into one unit to accompany and enhance a TV, improving the legibility and enjoyment of your content.

The best soundbars under $500: Reviews & Recommendations

The best QLEDs or the best OLEDs, all still seem to have one thing in common: internal speakers that may not exactly be garbage but that don’t reach far past the lower limits of mediocrity. Permit yourself a bit of excitement because no matter which of the best soundbars under $500 you choose, it will bestow you with a marked improvement over your TV’s built-in speaker audio while perhaps also adding a wireless music streaming solution to your media room. Sure, you could shell out thousands of dollars on a massive wireless surround sound system. But you don’t have to. Just figure out how many audio channels you want, how much wireless/wired connectivity you prefer, and whether you need an additional subwoofer or rear speakers. Then you’ll be ready to pick from these selections and immediately enhance your TV viewing. 

Best overall: Sonos Beam (Gen. 2)

Why it made the cut: With its updated design and virtual Dolby Atmos sound, the Sonos Beam (Gen. 2) keeps the versatile features, sparkly sound, and expandability that made the first version a hit. 

Specs

• 25.6 (W) x 2.7 (H) x 3.9 (D) inches
• 6.35 pounds (2.88 kg)
• 5.0 channels with 1 tweeter and 4 woofers
• Frequency response: apprx. 49Hz-19kHz
• Built-in Wi-Fi and HDMI eARC
• Compatible with Dolby Atmos, Apple AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Pros

• Good sound and spacious audio imaging for its compact size
• Smart speaker features and Wi-Fi streaming
• Pleasant minimalist design

Cons 

• No Bluetooth
• Limited connectivity of 1 HDMI and 1 Ethernet port

If you love the look and features of the Sonos Arc but have a smaller space or budget, the Sonos Beam (Gen. 2) is the right choice. The soundbar is effectively a smaller, less expensive version of the Arc with many of the same features.

Sonos outfitted the updated Beam with four midrange woofers, one tweeter, and three passive radiators to ensure the quality of its midrange, treble, and bass performance, respectively. It doesn’t produce as much sound as larger soundbars—including the Arc, an outstanding Dolby Atmos soundbar that we’ve also tested—but does well for its size. The audio quality of the Beam (Gen. 2) isn’t an issue, but you won’t get quite the same level of stereo separation and oomph at high volumes. These nitpicks have more to do with the laws of physics than a design error on the part of Sonos, though, and the Beam (Gen. 2) shines when you start watching TV shows and movies.

We heard an impressive amount of detail during our tests, with clear separation between dialogue and background sounds. When watching Groundhog Day, scenes in the diner stood out in particular. We could hear the protagonists speaking, but the ambiance of the room they were in—people speaking at other tables, the clinking sounds of silverware hitting plates, staff puttering around—were also present and audible. The difference in audio quality between the Sonos Beam (Gen. 2) and our TV’s built-in speakers was similar to the delta between HD and 4K video. The former is passable, but the latter is a lot richer.

Much of the Beam (Gen. 2)’s audio quality comes down to custom-designed hardware combined with unique tuning. No soundbar sounds quite like this one because Sonos went out of its way to control every part of its design—inside and out. This advantage makes the Beam (Gen. 2) easy to recommend. We liked how this soundbar sounded out of the box, but you can adjust its EQ through the Sonos app. We don’t think this is necessary but do recommend turning on TruePlay when you’re setting the Beam (Gen. 2) up. This proprietary feature allows the soundbar to analyze the room it’s in, and where it’s placed inside said room, to adjust its sound accordingly. The difference will seem subtle, but it’s worth taking two minutes to optimize this soundbar.

A lot of hay is made over premium soundbars that can decode and playback mixed using Dolby Atmos (a new surround sound standard), and the Sonos Beam (Gen. 2) is no different. Sonos positioned two of the soundbar’s drivers outward, so sound will bounce off the sides of your room and hit you from multiple angles. Let us be clear: This is a neat trick, but it doesn’t replace or replicate the experience of listening to music or watching movies in true surround sound, with speakers placed all around the room. Luckily, Sonos allows you to pair the Beam (Gen. 2) wirelessly with additional speakers and a subwoofer to achieve the surround sound effect.

The Beam (Gen. 2) shines when it’s part of a multi-speaker surround sound system, and while building one costs a lot of money, you can break up the cost over time. Our advice is to start with a subwoofer to help fill out the soundbar’s bass performance (a big, dedicated speaker makes the biggest difference on the low end and opens up the smaller speaker’s headroom for clearer dialogue and effects). Then add more speakers as time progresses.

We can’t find much fault in the Sonos Beam (Gen. 2’s) sound, but its connectivity options are pretty barebones. You can only connect it to your TV with an HDMI cable—sorry if you prefer using an optical cord or your TV’s ports are all filled up. There’s an Ethernet port if you’d like to connect it to your network with a cable, but Wi-Fi worked just fine for us. Sonos made up for this by building the Beam (Gen. 2) with support for Bluetooth and AirPlay 2, which makes it easy to use the soundbar as a speaker for music listening. Additionally, you can use the soundbar’s microphone to control it with Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant.

If you’re space constrained or already have a couple of Sonos speakers that can be repurposed for home theater purposes, the Beam (Gen. 2) is the right choice. Its audio performance is rock solid, it’s aesthetically pleasing, and the ability to augment it with other Sonos gear is welcome—if expensive.

Best with Dolby Atmos: JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam

Why it made the cut: It’s a tough ask for a single compact soundbar under $500 to be the audio centerpiece of home theater surround sound, but the Bar 5.0 MultiBeam makes a valiant effort. 

Specs 

• 28 (W) x 2.3 (H) x 4 (D) inches
• 6.17 pounds (2.8 kg)
• 5.0 channels with dedicated center channel and side-firing channels
• Frequency response: 50Hz-20kHz
• Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and 4K HDMI eARC
• Compatible with Dolby Atmos, Apple AirPlay & Siri, Google Chromecast & Assistant, Alexa Multi-Room-Music & voice control

Pros

• JBL MultiBeam and room-correction technology to enhance surround sound
• HDMI ARC/eARC out, plus 4K passthrough HDMI input and USB input
• Solid build quality with metal grilles

Cons 

• Virtual surround-sound processing is just that
• Not so authoritative with the lowest bass frequencies 

When you have a small space but want to supplement your TV speakers with a compact soundbar to play Dolby Atmos material, your options aren’t vast. Compact soundbars at that price don’t often have top-firing speakers that make the 3D height-oriented Atmos effects special. Still, some utilize Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization, a technology that simulates the Atmos 3D effects from a speaker system without up-firing or overhead speakers. Like the Sonos Beam (Gen. 2) above, the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam soundbar uses virtual Dolby Atmos processing to create the illusion of Atmos effects from its L/R stereo and side-firing speakers. 

We chose the Bar 5.0 MultiBeam as the best Dolby Atmos soundbar under $500 because it does a similarly decent job with Atmos material as the Beam (Gen. 2). However, the Bar 5.0 MultiBeam has extra connectivity in the form of Bluetooth 4.2, a 4K HDMI input, and USB input. That makes the JBL soundbar a more diverse centerpiece for a home theater at a price even more affordable than the Beam (Gen. 2).

The Bar 5.0 Multibeam also has an excellent dedicated center-channel driver, which makes the dialogue in movies and vocal in music more distinguished. It also can get very loud (over 90 dB) while still retaining all the qualities of its punchy sound. 

Best with surround sound: Vizio M Series M512a-H6

Why it made the cut: Simply put, this soundbar with subwoofer and rear surround speakers offers the most complete home theater audio setup of a level of quality under $500. 

Specs 

• 40 (W) x 2.68 (H) x 4.07 (D) inches (soundbar)
• 8.47 pounds (3.8 kg) (soundbar)
• 5.1.2 channels with 11 total speakers, including subwoofer, two satellite speakers, and two up-firing speakers
• Frequency response: 45Hz-20kHz
• Built-in Bluetooth 5.0 and 4K HDMI eARC
• Compatible with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Siri/Google Assistant/Alexa voice control 

Pros

• World-class value for the price
• Up-firing drivers for surround standards like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
• Transparent sound for intelligible vocals in music and shows

Cons 

• No Wi-Fi streaming
• No room correction or graphic EQ; light on sound enhancement settings
• Rear surround speakers are wired to the subwoofer

A single soundbar can blow the doors off the sound of your TV’s built-in speakers. However, you don’t really get very low bass rumble or truly immersive surround sound from a single soundbar—especially under $500. So when you have a package like the Vizio M Series M512a-H6—including a soundbar with top-firing speakers, a wireless 6-inch subwoofer, and rear satellite speakers for just under the $500 mark—it’s a legitimate cause for excitement. The top-firing drivers in the soundbar make the object-oriented overhead effects from Dolby Atmos or DTS:X material more immersive, and the rear speakers provide the depth to your soundstage that true surround sound needs.

Naturally, there are a few limitations at this price level. For one thing, the rear surround speakers are not wireless like they are in most higher-priced systems; rather, you have to connect them with speaker wire to the subwoofer, which can make it more challenging to position them well in your space. You also don’t get Wi-Fi streaming or built-in support for smart assistants. However, the M512a-H6 does have Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless streaming, and you can set it up for voice control via the major voice assistants. 

More importantly, the M512a-H6 provides a full-spectrum, immersive sound with deep bass, top-firing and rear channels, and a transparent sound that complements a range of sources from music to visual entertainment well—and all for under $500.

Best 5.1: Samsung HW-Q60T/ZA

Why it made the cut: With good spacing and interaction between its internal speakers and wireless subwoofer, the HW-Q60T makes a great 5.1 companion to TV viewing and is expandable with rear surround speakers. 

Specs 

• 38.6 (W) x 2.3 (H) x 4.1 (D) inches (soundbar)
• 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) (soundbar)
• 5.1 channels with nine total speakers and wireless subwoofer
• Frequency response: 42Hz-20kHz
• Built-in Bluetooth and 4K HDMI ARC
• Compatible with DTS Virtual:X 

Pros

• Admirable overall sound profile for this price
• Many sound enhancement presets and graphic EQ
• Q Symphony technology matches sound to a (Samsung) TV’s picture

Cons 

• No Wi-Fi/Chromecast/AirPlay
• No voice control through Alexa/Siri/Google Assistant
• Some functionality only for Samsung QLED TVs

You don’t have to own a Samsung QLED TV to enjoy the solid overall performance of the HW-Q60T/ZA 5.1 soundbar with wireless subwoofer, but you’ll be treated to a little something extra if you do. With compatible Samsung TVs, the Q Symphony feature syncs the TV picture with the soundbar, which has Samsung’s Acoustic Beam up-firing sound ports on top to make sounds appear to match the location they appear on the screen. The soundbar doesn’t support Dolby Atmos, but the Acoustic Beam ports also help with DTS Virtual:X 3D immersive sound and other sound modes like the soundbar’s Game Pro mode for enhancing the directionality of console game audio. If you’d like to expand the HW-Q60T/ZA’s soundstage, it’s compatible with various Samsung wireless surround kit, which will add two rear surround sound speakers to your setup. 

Best 3.1: LG SN6Y

Why it made the cut: When you want to trade virtual surround-sound channels for a heavy dose of audio power, the LG SN6Y has what you need, along with the option to expand to 5.1 true surround sound. 

Specs 

• 41.7 (W) x 2.2 (H) x 3.4 (D) inches (soundbar)
• 7.6 pounds (3.4 kg) (soundbar)
• 3.1 channels with left/center/right channels and wireless subwoofer
• Frequency response: 48Hz-20kHz
• Built-in Bluetooth 4.0 and HDMI ARC
• Compatible with DTS Virtual:X 

Pros

• Supports hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz
• 420W total power
• Excellent performance from center channel for clear dialog/vocals

Cons 

• No Wi-Fi/Chromecast/AirPlay
• No voice control through Alexa/Siri/Google Assistant
• No 4K video passthrough

While 5.0/5.1 soundbars have side speakers that mimic surround sound rear speakers, those are virtual surround effects that only do a passable job with surround sound. With a 3.1 soundbar like the LG SN6Y, you start with the three most important audio channels: left, right, and center—the channel most important for helping to get clear dialog when you’re watching something. And while this soundbar has internal processing for trying to mimic surround sound effects and supports DTS Virtual:X, those are gestures more than real surround-sound solutions. Instead, you could build on this impressive foundation by purchasing the LG SPK8-S wireless rear satellite speakers separately, and the total price would add up to just a bit over the $500 mark.    

At this price level, the SN6Y is loaded with power—420W total—and gets quite loud for blasting music and action movies: over 92 dB max volume. Its bass is quite heavy, but the frequency response is not low enough to rattle your walls. You can, however, adjust the levels of the subwoofer and the center channel, and LG’s AI Sound Pro automatically adjusts sound levels for the system based on what’s playing.

Best with subwoofer: Yamaha YAS-209

Why it made the cut: A straightforward stereo soundbar with a subwoofer can still have a place in a modern home entertainment room when it sounds this good and has the technological bell and whistles. 

Specs 

• 36.63 (W) x 2.5 (H) x 4.25 (D) inches (soundbar)
• 6 pounds (2.7 kg) (soundbar)
• 2.1 channels with left/right speakers and wireless subwoofer
• Frequency response: 35Hz-20kHz
• Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Amazon Alexa, and 4K HDMI ARC
• Compatible with DTS Virtual: X 3D
• 200W total power

Pros

• Remarkable overall sound and low-frequency bass response for the price
• Product Dimensions
• Amazon Alexa integrated

Cons 

• No display screen
• Doesn’t work with Yamaha’s MusicCast surround speakers

The YAS-209 soundbar with subwoofer may be only a 2.1-channel (stereo) system, but it doesn’t skimp on many extra features for a soundbar under $500. It allows Bluetooth and Wi-Fi streaming, an HDMI input with 4K passthrough, HDMI ARC output, and a better-than-nothing virtual surround sound mode. Its built-in Amazon Alexa integration lets you control the soundbar with your voice and includes standard Alexa operation, like asking it questions, setting timers, controlling smart home devices, etc. And you can also combine other Alexa-enabled speakers to build a multi-room audio system. 

Perhaps more importantly, the YAS-209 also sounds very good for this price range. It has a lower-than-average frequency response for deep, contoured bass, very good detail in the high range, and a crisp overall sound that doesn’t suffer when you turn it up. While a center channel might help distinguish vocals and dialog within complex sound mixes, the Clear Voice setting goes a long way to make up for it.

Best budget: Roku Streambar Pro

Specs 

• 32.2 (W) x 2.8 (H) x 3.9 (D) inches (soundbar)
• 5.5 pounds (3.4 kg) (soundbar)
• 3.1 channels with left/center/right channels and wireless subwoofer
• Frequency response: 40Hz-200Hz
• Built-in Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, and HDMI ARC
• Virtual Surround Sound 

Pros

• Doubles as a 4K media streamer
• Can be upgraded with additional Roku speakers for true surround sound
• Excellent audio performance and smart streaming capabilities
• Support for AirPlay 2, in addition to Bluetooth
• Works with Amazon’s Alexa and can be managed in Google Home

Cons 

• Best for users who like Roku’s platform

Roku’s Streambar Pro has no right to work as well as it does for its $179 price. The mid-sized soundbar has four 2.5-inch drivers, which approximate the performance of a left, right, and center-channel home theater setup. In our tests, dialogue sounded surprisingly clear, and the Streambar Pro’s bass performance was strong enough to handle loud sounds (think explosions in action movies) without distorting. Don’t get us wrong, you’ll still get better bass performance out of a soundbar system that comes with a dedicated subwoofer—more on that later—but we never found the Streambar Pro’s sound lacking.

Roku says the Streambar Pro supports virtual surround sound, but there’s only so much they could accomplish with four forward-facing drivers. Don’t get this soundbar hoping it’ll recreate the experience of a 5.1 surround sound system in a compact form, or you’ll be disappointed. That said, other technologies supported by Streambar Pro make using it a lot better. Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 allow you to stream audio—and video in the case of AirPlay 2-compatible devices—directly to the Streambar Pro. If your smart home is built around Amazon or Google’s ecosystem, you’ll appreciate the ability to control this soundbar using Alexa or Google Assistant. It doesn’t support Siri control, but Apple reserves that functionality for its own hardware.

The Streambar Pro can only be connected to a TV with an HDMI cable, which is the default option for soundbars these days, but worth noting in case you’ve used up all your ports. If you were hoping to connect using an optical audio cable, you’re out of luck. Next to the HDMI port, you’ll find an Ethernet jack and USB-A port, which come in handy because this soundbar’s marquee feature: acting as a media streamer for your TV. Yes, this soundbar has a full-powered 4K Roku streamer inside. We’re typically skeptical of gadgets that try to accomplish two completely separate tasks, but we can’t help but be impressed at how well Roku pulled this off.

Once you connect the soundbar to your TV, you’ll be walked through the standard Roku setup process: creating or signing into an active Roku account, logging into your home network, and picking your streaming apps of choice. From there, you can use Streambar Pro to access content from almost every major video and audio streaming platform. We’ve used Roku’s standalone media streamers before and found the Streambar Pro to be every bit as performant and easy to use. Roku bundles the Streambar Pro with the same remote as many of its media streamers, so if you’re familiar with its other tech, you’ll feel right at home.

The decision to build a media streamer into its soundbar was shrewd. Roku is counting on the fact that one of your TV’s HDMI ports is being used by a similar device, which you can replace with its own hardware. If you’ve been relying on the streaming apps built into your TV’s operating system, Streambar Pro will upgrade both audio quality and overall usability. Roku’s operating system and remote are the easiest to use in our experience, so in this case, double dipping works.

We mentioned the Streambar Pro’s serviceable bass and so-so surround sound performance earlier, and while neither is a dealbreaker, Roku does offer ways to improve these downsides. This soundbar can be augmented with a subwoofer and up to four speakers to create a true 5.1 surround sound system. The additional speakers and subwoofer connect to the soundbar wirelessly, which is wonderful. The subwoofer adds just the right amount of bass while placing additional speakers all around the room is more immersive than using any soundbar on its own. Roku sells a full surround sound system for $658, but you can pick up these pieces individually over time if you’d prefer.

The Streambar Pro offers the right mix of audio quality, modularity, and additional features that make it the ideal choice for anyone who wants to upgrade from the speakers built into their TV. Whether you want to start building a home theater or make it easier to find and watch TV shows and movies on your new set, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

Things to consider when looking at the best soundbars under $500 

The No. 1 reason to buy a soundbar is to bask in the improved audio quality. But that improvement requires space immediately in front of your TV, so you need to make sure you have room on or above some piece of furniture. The soundbars on this under $500 list aren’t giant like some of the high-ticket soundbars (the amazing but substantial Sennheiser AMBEO, we’re looking at you), but they do vary in size, so it doesn’t hurt to double-check that you have enough space for one. Of course, there are other things to consider as well. 

Audio channels

Some people may look at a group of blocky soundbars and assume that they all have pretty much the same stuff going on inside. But that’s not the case. All soundbars house multiple speakers inside one unit, but their channel configuration varies greatly. There are 2-channel stereo soundbars; 3-channel options that add a center channel for clarifying vocals and dialog; 5-channel soundbars that are better equipped for recreating surround sound; and even larger speaker arrays that add more surround sound channels. Suppose a soundbar states a 7.1.2-channel configuration, for example. In that case, the “7” is the number of standard speaker channels, the “1” indicates a subwoofer, and the “2” is the number of top-firing speakers for producing next-generation surround-sound standards like Dolby Atmos. But you won’t find many under $500, so if that appeals to you, check out something premium like the Sony HT-A7000.

Add-on speakers

If you only want to devote enough space for a single soundbar, there are plenty of standalone options out there for you. However, many soundbars also come with subwoofers for adding some stomach-shaking bass rumble that you won’t get from a soundbar alone. Subwoofers are great, but they are bulky and have to be plugged in. Also, some soundbars either come with additional rear satellite speakers for making surround sound more realistic or can be expanded with compatible rear speakers sold separately. The satellite speakers also need to plug into an outlet and sometimes need to connect with a speaker wire. Additional speakers add to the experience but also usually add to the cost, so think about whether you want just a soundbar or a more complete setup. 

Connectivity

Because soundbars are made to supplement your TV’s audio, all today’s models have an HDMI port to transmit the TV’s sound (some with the HDMI 2.1 standard most desirable to today’s gamer). But from there, the level of connectivity, both wired and wireless, varies greatly. Some have additional HDMI inputs, while others don’t. Some have 4K passthrough HDMI eARC for the most modern TVs, but others do not. On a particular soundbar, you may or may not find analog and digital audio connections, USB drive ports, Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi for wireless streaming, and even integration with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant. If any or all of the above are important to you, plan accordingly while soundbar shopping. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best soundbars under $500

• Best overall: Sonos Beam (Gen. 2)
• Best with Dolby Atmos: JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam
• Best with surround sound: Vizio M Series M512a-H6
• Best 5.1 soundbar: Samsung HW-Q60T/ZA
• Best 3.1 soundbar: LG SN6Y
• Best with subwoofer: Yamaha YAS-209
• Best smart: Roku Streambar

Oftentimes with technology, the quality and sheer quantity of what you get increases while the price stays the same. But that’s not always the case, as price fluctuations in today’s market pop up with increasing regularity. Even while writing this guide, I saw price increases that eliminated certain soundbars from consideration. Fortunately for now, however, $500 or less is still enough to buy you some elegant standalone soundbars with many high-tech extras, a boomin’ system with a soundbar and a subwoofer, or even a full Atmos-compatible package with soundbar, subwoofer, and satellite speakers. I’m not one to advocate for conspicuous consumption. Choose prudently for features you want and will actually use, but if you’re considering buying a soundbar for less than $500 and have the budget, you may want to act before the price jump bug bites again. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.