9 Great Soundbars For Any Budget: TV Speakers Be Gone!

As someone who owns a half-decent 5.1 setup as well as a conventional 2.0 setup, I’ll admit that the whole idea of a soundbar was initially anathema to me, as it is with many audiophiles. However, over the July 4th holiday, I had a bit of an epiphany. I was in a hotel room which boasted a flat panel TV and HTIB system. Unfortunately, all the satellite speakers of the HTIB were uselessly tossed on a shelf otherwise meant to hold a Blu-ray player or similar piece of electronics. It struck me: if these guys (or gals) had wall mounted the flat panel TV and placed even a basic soundbar where the TV had originally sat, it would have dramatically improved the sound and the overall aesthetics. Newfound respect for soundbars in hand, Audioholics’ Content Manager, Cliff Heyne, coincidentally pinged me on my interest in writing an article about…wait for it...soundbars!

Now it goes without saying that there’s no great shortage of soundbars on the market to choose from, and at a variety of price points to boot. Fortunately, we here at Audioholics have gotten our mitts on several models, and can help narrow the choices down to a few that represent the cream of the crop at various price points. Without further ado, we present to you…

Entry Level Soundbar Picks

Sony HT-CT260 - MSRP: $300

With an MSRP of $300, the Sony HT-CT260 is a respectable, well featured soundbar that could have easily improved the situation in my hotel room. It also sits at a point where you don’t have to sit and wonder whether the jump in sound quality was worth it, as some bargain bin models might. So what does $300 get you? The bar itself includes a pair of full range 2.25” x 3.25” drivers (one per side) fed by a liberally rated 85W RMS of amplifier power. To supplement the low end, Sony also includes a wireless bass module (no, it’s not a subwoofer, we’ll I guess it is, they just don’t call it that) with a 5.13” driver in a vented enclosure and fed by an additional 130W amplifier. While Sony doesn’t provide much in the way of specifications like frequency response (soundbar manufacturers rarely do, until you get into the higher end units), there’s not a whole lot of doubt in our minds that handily outperforms the built in speakers of a paper thin flat panel TV, and it doesn’t look too bad to boot.

In terms of features and connectivity, as you might guess, Sony doesn’t leave you high and dry. Inputs include a pair of digital connections (one coaxial and one optical) as well as a 3.5mm mini-jack for connecting iPods and other portable devices. The HT-CT260 also offers Bluetooth connectivity, which means you can wirelessly stream music from a smartphone or tablet. Like pretty much every soundbar on the market, the Sony also offers virtual surround technology to help deliver a more enveloping experience than you’d otherwise expect from a single 36” wide speaker. Don't expect too much from the virtual surround mode though, they are never as good as a true surround sound. The last noteworthy feature is IR passthrough. A common problem with soundbars it that when they sit in front of the TV, they can physically block the TV's IR remote sensor. With IR passthrough (an IR receiver on the front of the soundbar and an IR repeater on the rear) you can block the remote sensor on the TV and still use the TV remote like normal. Overall, we really like what Sony brings to the table for the money. The HT-CT260 can offer a nice bump in sound quality over TV speakers and is well suited for smaller spaces such as a bedroom, dorm room, etc.

Yamaha YAS-101 - MSRP: $300; Street Price: $250

The Yamaha YAS-101 takes a significantly different approach from the aforementioned Sony. First and foremost, the YAS-101 is designed to deliver good sound from a single, attractive box and ditch the subwoofer (or bass module). At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Yamaha had failed spectacularly, as the face of the YAS-101 only sports a single 2.5” full range driver per side. However, neatly hidden on the YAS-101’s underbelly is a pair of down-firing 3” woofers in a bass reflex enclosure which work to extend bass response down to a claimed 50Hz. Unfortunately, no tolerance is provided for that figure, so we’d recommend taking it with a grain of salt. Still, like the Sony, we feel that that the Yamaha does have the goods to deliver a significant improvement over the built in speakers of a flat panel TV. Of course, if you’d like an extra helping of bass, the YAS-101 is fitted with a subwoofer output. Add a respectable low cost model such as the Pioneer SW8MKII, and you’ve got a system that can potentially deliver a satisfying audio experience in a svelte package. Not to mention that the $159 Pioneer sub we mention will kick the pants off any soundbar/subwoofer package under $600.  Unfortunately, there is one fly in the ointment here: utilizing an external subwoofer disables the built in 3” drivers, so you will need to utilize a fairly high crossover point (we’d guess about 200Hz) and be careful with placement to achieve good integration. Basically, keep the subwoofer close to the soundbar, not 15’ away on the other side of the room. 

On the feature side of the equation, the YAS-101 again takes a different approach from the Sony. Connectivity is limited to a trio of digital inputs (1 coaxial, 2 optical), and there’s no Bluetooth. On the other hand, Yamaha does deliver a few features that users and installers alike might appreciate, including UniVolume to keep commercials from shouting at you, Lip Sync to adjust the timing of audio vs. video, and IR passthrough and learning functions. The IR learning feature allows the YAS-101 to be controlled directly by any IR remote, meaning you can still use your TV or cable/sat remote to control the soundbar. It also includes its own remote if you would rather use that. As mentioned with the Sony soundbar, IR passthrough compensates if the bar is located such that it blocks the signal to your TV. Taken all together, the YAS-101 is well suited for those who love simplicity: setup pretty much consists of plugging in the soundbar and running a single optical cable from your TV. Add a sub and you've got a pretty decent system for the money.

Pioneer SP-SB23W – MSRP: $399

Due out for fall, Pioneer is also releasing an entry level soundbar. So what, you might ask? If it’s not out yet how can we even know it’s good enough to recommend. Oh, we know. This is a soundbar designed by Andrew Jones, the same guy that made magic with Pioneer’s latest, well received low end loudspeakers. The soundbar follows the same design principles that have made his other products so well received. All the details aren’t out yet, but what we do know is that the Pioneer will feature an MDF enclosure containing a 1” soft dome tweeter and a pair of 3” woofers per side as well as a bass module sporting a 6.5” driver and 50W amplifier. Suffice it to say, we have high hopes.

Lower Midrange Soundbar Picks

Harman Kardon SB16 - MSRP:  $600; Street Price: $500

For double the price of our entry level offerings, you’d be right to expect big things from the Harman Kardon’s SB16. Fortunately, the Harman Kardon isn’t likely to disappoint. For starters, there are no Bose-esque full range drivers here; the SB16 sports a 0.75” tweeter and a pair of 3” woofers with 25W RMS of amplification per side. The SB16 also ups the ante by stepping up to a wireless 10” ported subwoofer with a 100W RMS amplifier. Bluntly, this isn’t a setup anyone would ever mistake for TV speakers, and with that (relatively) big 10” subwoofer, the SB16 is putting the bass output of the entry level options to shame as well. We actually reviewed the SB16, and in addition to impressive output capabilities, we also found it to actually sound good with a surprisingly wide soundstage.

Now, in terms of feature set, the SB16 isn’t the end all/be all. You get basic connectivity options including a stereo analog RCA input and a pair of digital inputs (one coaxial, one optical), but there’s no streaming options to be found. Like the YAS-101, the SB16 is programmable to recognize the commands of your TV remote (on/off, volume up & down) to simplify setup. Naturally the SB16 also offers a virtual surround mode (which the step up SB30 at $800 radically improves upon). However, if you’re looking for more than this at a street price of $500, you’re going to be disappointed. Beyond the above details, the relatively short feature list is mostly composed of items like “video shielding” and “elegant design”. No biggie in our books. In the end, the SB16 is for the user who wants a simple soundbar with a focus on sound over nifty features.

SpeakerCraft CS3 – MSRP: $599

The SpeakerCraft CS3 is a bit different from the soundbars that we’ve looked at thus far in that it is a dedicated table top model that you physically rest your TV on, as opposed to something suitable for wall mounting with a flat panel TV. So how does it stack up? Like the YAS-101, the CS3 is a single box solution; however, the driver array is considerably more capable. On the face of the SpeakerCraft, you’ve got a 1” silk dome tweeter and a pair of 3” treated paper cone drivers per side staring you down. Fortunately, like the Yamaha, the CS3 also has a hidden woofer compliment, in this case a pair of 5.25” drivers in a bass reflex alignment. SpeakerCraft claims this array will deliver low end output down to 35Hz, but with no tolerance provided, we’d NOT bet good money that it will do so with authority. Nonetheless, as compared with TV speakers or even our entry level picks, the CS3 represents a clear step up in practically every measure.

It includes a useful compliment of inputs to connect to a TV including a pair of digital inputs (one coaxial, one optical), as well as a stereo analog RCA input. In most cases, like the Harman Kardon SB16, we’d expect you’d just hook this up to your TV and let it act as the hub of your A/V system. However, unlike the SB16, the SpeakerCraft also offers Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music from a smartphone or tablet. Ultimately, if you’d like sound quality and power that’s a solid step up from our entry level picks, but are more comfortable with a single box solution, the SpeakerCraft CS3 is a great option.

Upper Midrange & High End Soundbar Picks

Outlaw Audio OSB-1 - MSRP: $799

The Outlaw OSB-1 and its twin brother/clone, the Atlantic Technology PB-235, represent a big bump in sound quality. Arguably these brothers are a lot closer to a pair of respectable bookshelf speakers than what we’ve seen thus far. Each flank of the OSB-1 boasts a conventional two way layout of a single 0.75” dome tweeter crossing over at 4kHz to a 4” woofer and backed by 40W RMS worth of amplification. The twins also boast a neat piece of enclosure technology known as H-PAS. H-PAS is advertised to be a merging of acoustic suspension, inverted horn, and bass reflex designs, though I’ll sum things up fairly concisely: H-PAS will allow the two 4” woofers to deliver bass that seems impossible for a sound bar. For those that like numbers, you’ll be pleased to know that Outlaw doesn’t play games with frequency response, and rates the OSB-1 from an impressively low 47Hz up to 20kHz with a +/- 3dB tolerance. So what does all this add up to? Audioholics’ very own Andrew Gash was pleasantly surprised by the bass extension and the natural soundstage of the OSB1 and when used in simulated 5 channel mode, found it offered good room filling sound.

Moving on to features, the OSB-1 does offer a useful array of connectivity options including a trio of digital inputs (one coaxial, two optical) and stereo RCA input on the rear panel, as well as a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack conveniently located on the front panel. As another indicator that the OSB-1 is geared towards top notch sound quality, it also sports a subwoofer port which comes complete with bass management. This is a big feature, as it means you can augment low end response and improve dynamic capability by relieving the 4” drivers of low bass duties. Take an OSB-1 and add an Outlaw LFM-1 Plus (the little brother of the well-reviewed LFM-1 EX) and suddenly you’ve got an attractive, high quality, and hard hitting soundbar based system for $1,350. What’s not to like?

Paradigm Soundtrack – MSRP: $800

If for some reason you’re not fond of the Outlaw OSB-1, maybe because of looks (we wouldn't blame you there) or that it doesn’t come with a subwoofer by default, the comparably priced Paradigm Soundtrack system is worth a look. At first glance, the driver compliment is similar, with a 1” tweeter mated to a 4” woofer backed by 25W RMS of amplification per side. Instead of H-PAS technology, the Soundtrack’s soundbar makes due with a pair of 4” passive radiators to extend bass response enough to blend with the included wireless subwoofer. Speaking of the subwoofer, it boasts an 8” driver and 100W RMS amplifier in a slick ported enclosure that looks like it can fit just about anywhere you’d try to place it. As a total package, Paradigm claims a frequency response of 40Hz-20kHz, but as per the norm, no tolerances are provided so I’d prescribe taking it with a grain of salt.

Aside from making sound, what else does Paradigm’s soundbar do? As you’d expect, you get a standard fare of inputs including a single digital input (optical), a stereo analog RCA input, and a 3.5mm mini-jack. In addition, the Soundtrack is made to work with Paradigm’s BD-1 Bluetooth adapter (an additional $60) to enable wireless streaming. It can also be controlled by your TV remote thanks to IR learning capabilities. Given the potent mix of useful features and respectable hardware, the Soundtrack could find itself right at home with those who want a simple all-in-one solution or conversely with folks who want a full featured soundbar based rig.

High End Soundbars

Martin Logan Motion Vision - MSRP: $1,499

Now we’re getting into the big leagues. The Motion Vision is Martin Logan’s first foray into the high end soundbar market and has been a solid hit. Sporting a trio of 1” x 1.4” folded motion transducers to reproduce the high end as well as a quartet of 4” woofers, the Motion Vision effectively delivers three discrete channels of sound in an extremely attractive package. We were duly impressed with the quality of the implementation during our review, noting great overall sound (particularly with music) with high levels of detail and a wide soundstage that extended well beyond the boundaries of the enclosure. Like the Outlaw OSB-1, you can add a subwoofer via a conventional subwoofer output; however, the Motion Vision is also designed to operate seamlessly with Martin Logan’s wireless subwoofers. Add something like their Dynamo 1000 to the mix, and you’ve got a system that looks and sounds fantastic.

What about features? In this case, the main feature the Martin Logan is bringing to the party is top tier sound quality. This isn’t a soundbar that will stream music from the internet while it sends an included robot to vacuum the floors. Fortunately, the Motion Vision does still offer a useful set of connections including 3 digital inputs (1 coaxial, 2 optical) and a pair of stereo RCA jacks, and it offers a very good virtual surround mode. Of course, if you are looking for snazzy features like wireless streaming, the addition of a device like an Apple TV would turn the Motion Vision into a fully featured system.

Yamaha YSP-4300 – MSRP: $1,900

Last, but certainly not least in our little who’s who of soundbars is the Yamaha YSP-4300. Priced at $1,800 on the mean streets of Amazon, the YSP-4300 boasts a total of 22-2.8cm drivers, a pair of 6.5cm “full range” drivers, and also tosses a wireless subwoofer (read: bass module) with a 6.5” woofer in a vented enclosure into the mix. In addition, unlike any of the soundbars we’ve looked at thus far, the YSP-4300 is positioned to be a direct replacement for a full audio system, including a receiver, thanks to an array of connections including 4 HDMI inputs (which support 4K and 3D pass through) plus one output, three digital inputs (1 coaxial, 2 optical), and an analog stereo input. In terms of sound, Audioholics’ Marshall Guthrie was duly impressed by the YSP-4300’s surround capabilities. In terms of simulating surround sound, Yamaha is at the forefront of the field.

Of course, all is not perfect: sound quality was found wanting at higher levels and tended to become a bit midrange heavy. While this coloration was useful for understanding movie dialog, it wasn’t welcome for music reproduction. Then of course there’s the matter of the “subwoofer”. With a whopping 6.5” driver and 130W of “dynamic power”, it’s not exactly going to provide the output of even an entry level SVS PB1000, though it is significantly smaller and easier to place. All things considered though, if you want convincing surround effects without actually being surrounded by speakers and you’ve got the cash, the YSP-4300 is a solid choice.

Conclusion

Do you have a flat panel TV in desperate need of an audio upgrade, but don’t want the clutter of speakers in your room? One of the above soundbars might be right up your alley. While none are necessarily perfect performers, even the least of the systems highlighted here would provide a substantial boost in sound quality and output over the anemic speakers in the average flat panel TV. Of course, if you’re willing to step beyond low end models, into something like the Outlaw OSB1 or beyond up to a MartinLogan soundbar and swing for an additional subwoofer, you’d have the makings of a very capable, simple to use system that can blend into a living room without too much difficulty. If you’re in the mood for something a little bigger (why did you finish this article?), then checkout our recommended $2500 and $6500 surround sound systems.