Upgrade your home entertainment setup on a budget with these affordable soundbar deals on the TCL Alto 7 2.0-Channel Soundbar, Vizio 2.1-Channel Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer, and Sonos Beam. With pricing starting at only $80, there’s bound to be something for everyone.
TCL Alto 7 2.0-Channel Soundbar — $80, was $100
If you aren’t in the market for a 4K TV but still want the sound quality that comes with it, you can opt for the TCL Alto 7 2.0-channel soundbar. This soundbar utilizes two channels on its left and right sides to replace shoddy pre-built speakers or to provide rudimentary high-end sound. The sound quality isn’t as powerful as a dedicated home theater sound system, but it’s a sufficient midpoint between mediocre sound and the raw fullness of industry-leading speakers. With the TCL Alto, you get decent stereo sound with the two built-in woofers and tweeter drivers each for sound quality that’s similar to that of a cinema’s. It also comes with a Dolby Digital decoder that ensures you don’t miss out on any Dolby Digital-compatible content.
As for its connectivity, it has enough inputs for most external devices to connect with, such as Toslink, USB Type-A, HDMI, and a mini-jack. This way, you aren’t restricted when it comes to connections. If you’d prefer to avoid the clutter and go wireless, the TCL Alto 7 soundbar has Bluetooth capabilities that can connect to compatible devices for more playback options. It also comes with a remote control for the regular buttons and volume control. You can fit it just about anywhere without it being obtrusive with its clean black aesthetic, and you can even choose to mount it to a wall with the bracket that comes along with it if you’d prefer to position your soundbar somewhere in particular. You can check it out on Best Buy where it’s currently on sale for $80 from its retail price of $100.
Vizio 2.1-Channel Soundbar System with Wireless Subwoofer — $145, was $180
For noticeably improved sound quality from the TCL Alto 7, you can instead turn to Vizio’s 2.1-channel soundbar system that also comes with a wireless subwoofer if you can afford the $65 jump. The most notable improvement from the TCL soundbar, in addition to its woofers and tweeter drivers, is the accompanying subwoofer that allows for a wider range of sound frequencies, providing a near-authentic surround sound experience. And as it’s wireless, you won’t have to worry about the cables or one of the soundbar’s ports being occupied. The Vizio 2.1-channel soundbar system is also equipped with a Dolby Digital decoder for surround sound compatibility for DTS Studio Sound, TruSurround, TruVolume, and Dolby Digital formats. This allows you to get the full breadth of a movie’s cinematic sound.
Its inputs include two standard RCA inputs, one coaxial and optical digital audio port each, and one USB Type-A port for greater connectivity. Unfortunately, it does lack an input for HDMI and mini-jack, but for the average user, these shouldn’t be an issue for the most part. Like with the TCL Alto 7, this soundbar also comes with Bluetooth for wireless connections to compatible external devices, allowing you to play your sound without the hassle of entangling wires or fidgeting with extension cables. You can also use the remote control to adjust the output from afar, so you won’t have to press the buttons every time you need to manipulate the sound. This is especially helpful if you’ve got it perched on a wall with the included bracket for greater sound coverage. You can check out the Vizio 2.1-channel soundbar system on Best Buy where it’s currently on sale for $145.
Sonos Beam Soundbar — $350, was $400
If you want a high-quality soundbar without paying for a premium, then the Sonos Beam soundbar might be what you’re looking for. It has marvelous auditory quality with three channels to maximize its surround sound capabilities. The left and right channels have one woofer each with two in the center together and a single tweeter driver. Each of the woofers encompasses a large area, giving your sound greater coverage than it would have with fewer speakers. Unlike the Vizio soundbar, however, this one doesn’t have a subwoofer for low frequencies. The sound quality isn’t affected too negatively by this though as its native sound quality is more than good enough to immerse audiences in its rich tones. Plus, coupled with five Class-D amplifiers, every beat is emphasized for powerful output.
It only has one HDMI and optical audio input though, so you’re a bit restricted in terms of what you can connect to, especially if you plan on using other options besides these. In exchange for the lack of inputs and Bluetooth, you’re getting the option to pair up the soundbar with virtual assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant for voice-powered control. There is no remote control either, though, so if you plan on setting the Sonos Beam soundbar up to a wall or hard-to-reach area, your only option is to use voice recognition. All in all, you’ll be getting above-average sound quality for reduced connectivity, and if neither are a problem, your home theater’s practically good to go. You can check it out on Best Buy where it’s currently on sale for $350, letting you save $50.
Check out our curated deals page for more deals to take your home theater to the next level, like 4K TV deals, smart light deals, and streaming devices.
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