Having a 4K TV isn’t enough to really bring your entertainment space to the next level. To complete a truly state-of-the-art home theater setup, a great TV needs to be paired with an equally impressive audio system. If you don’t really have the budget for multiple surround sound speakers, we recommend getting a soundbar, like the ones below. Right now, the TCL Alto 7, LG SL4Y, Vizio SB36512-F6, and Sonos Beam are on sale at Best Buy for as little as $80.
TCL Alto 7 Soundbar — $80, was $100
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a quality soundbar. The TCL Alto 7 is a prime example. It only costs $80 (down from $100) at Best Buy, but it still provides an amazing sound with plenty of bass power despite its incredibly low price. Best of all, with Bluetooth compatibility and a healthy collection of ports, setting it up and connecting to it is virtually hassle-free.
The TCL Alto 7 features two woofers and two tweeter drivers that work together to deliver a surprisingly rich audio experience. Its sound quality isn’t something that audiophiles would swoon over, but it’s definitely crisp and vibrant with an ample amount of bass that would prove great for parties. Plus, it can get really loud for a budget soundbar and we didn’t notice any distortions whatsoever even at maximum volume. Equipped with three different sound modes, namely Music, Movies, and News, you’re guaranteed a more optimized sound depending on the audio preset you choose.
Whether you want to connect to your TV using an optical or audio cable, all necessary wires are included in the accessory kit. Ports include a 3.5mm jack, USB Type-A, Toslink, and HDMI. You can even connect your smartphone to the Alto 7 via Bluetooth so you can stream music wirelessly. Finally, this soundbar is extremely lightweight so you won’t have any difficulties mounting it on your wall (it comes with wall brackets for easy installation). The TCL Alto 7 sounds terrific and comes at a price that won’t break the bank. Get it for just $80 at Best Buy.
LG SL4Y 2.1 Soundbar System — $180, was $280
The LG SL4Y will look great on many TVs. With a simple yet sleek design in an elegant black finish, it’s going to complement any 4K TV quite nicely. This soundbar comes with a subwoofer and is currently on sale at Best Buy for just $180 instead of $280 — a huge $100 off. So now that we’ve established that it is a stunner, the more important question needs to be answered: Does it sound as good as it looks? We’re happy to report that it does — well, sort of.
This soundbar has two channels on both ends that produce a satisfactory sound quality. The deep tones are full-bodied and rich and create a very cinematic rumble, while the mid-tones are well-represented and strong. Unfortunately, we are less satisfied with the higher tones. Dialogues and foreground music are somewhat less pronounced and slightly indistinct. Worst of all, they tend to get drowned when the background music starts to swell. To add insult to injury, the included 6-inch subwoofer adds even more bass to the proceedings. We recommend playing around with the sound modes. Normal Mode seems best to deal with the higher tones.
Connection options are also quite limited as this soundbar only has Toslink and USB Type-A inputs. Fortunately, it does support Bluetooth for wireless music streaming, and it’s also capable of pairing up with other LG products like additional rear speaker kits for an even more impressive home audio system. If you’re all about that bass and iffy on spending too much money on a sound system, then the LG SL4Y with subwoofer would be perfect for you. Get it at Best Buy for a massive $100 off.
Vizio SB36512-F6 5.2.1 Soundbar System — $330, was $500
We’ll go straight to the point: The Vizio SB36512-F6 is the Dolby Atmos soundbar that you should buy. If you’re after the fully immersive, object-based surround effects of Atmos but don’t want a roomful of speakers, this is what you need to get. What’s more, it’s currently on sale at Best Buy for a staggering $170 off. Make this soundbar the sonic star of your home entertainment space for just $330 instead of $500.
The top part of the SB36512-F6 features a pair of upward-firing height speakers designed to project Atmos effects off your ceiling and down into the room. It comes with a wireless 6-inch subwoofer that you can place anywhere in your room for an added jolt of bass. The overall audio experience that this soundbar and subwoofer combo offer is absolutely incredible. They work seamlessly together to deliver a room-filling and fully immersive sound with zero distortions even at max volume. Sometimes, the bass can get quite overpowering, but you can easily fix that by choosing a different audio preset.
You also won’t have any problems whatsoever when it comes to connectivity, as the SB36512-F6 features virtually every physical port that you will ever need. It’s got HDMI in/out (with ARC), coaxial, optical, USB (for WAV playback), and a 3.5mm analog input jack. Wireless connections include Wi-Fi with Chromecast built-in and Bluetooth.
Want Dolby Atmos but on a shoestring budget? The Vizio SB36512 is what you need to get. Order it now at Best Buy for just $330.
Sonos Beam Soundbar — $350, was $400
The Sonos Beam is the soundbar of the future, a potent hybrid of a soundbar and smart speaker that’s all Sonos. It promises to provide your home entertainment center with a rich, cinematic sound plus Alexa-powered voice control. Best of all, it comes with a sticker price that won’t break the bank. You can get the Beam today at Best Buy for the discounted price of $350 instead of $400.
The Beam boasts a center-mounted tweeter, four full-range woofers, and three passive bass radiators that combined together provide an impressive room-filling sound that’s surprising for its relatively tiny dimensions. Sonos claims that the Beam’s sound signature is designed to enhance dialogue, and we can confirm that this is absolutely true. Words uttered by characters sound almost suspended in midair just in front of our TV’s screen, never drowned out even if the musical score booms at its loudest. Aside from the pristine quality it lends to dialogue, the Beam sounds equally great for music. Well, almost. It has a slightly more boxed-in sound, probably due to a mid-bass hump that adds to the illusion of deep bass, which seems to compromise the openness in the lower midrange. Still, it’s a terrific sound that a lot of people will appreciate, especially those who love orchestral music.
Alexa is no longer considered a novelty but her integration in soundbars is relatively new. Using voice commands, you can play a movie in the living room, a podcast in the kitchen, or stream any song everywhere when you set up multiple speakers. During our test, the Beam’s far-field microphones proved accurate and had no problem hearing our requests even if the music was blaring at max volume.
The Sonos Beam delivers a surprisingly powerful sound despite its slim and unobtrusive body. As the cherry on top of an already fantastic sonic cake, you get the voice control of your home entertainment system as well. Get it for $350 on Best Buy today.
Looking for more? Visit our Deals hub for more soundbar deals.
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