Have you ever strained to listen to a dialogue on TV, or switched to subtitles to make it easier to follow the conversation?
Televisions offer stunning visuals, but often, their speakers don’t live up to their powerful displays. That’s where soundbars come in. With big, forward-facing speakers that provide better speech clarity and more immersive music, these sleek devices can immediately elevate your TV viewing experience.
Moreover, you can pick from three styles – all-in-one units, soundbars with subwoofers and soundbars with both subwoofers and rear speakers for a unique surround sound experience. While the third is the most expensive, and offers a home theatre audio experience, the other two are well within most people’s budgets, and perfect for the average home.
Based on top ratings and user reviews, we scoured Amazon for the best cost-effective soundbars under Dh700 that can transform your next movie night into a cinema-style experience. Choose your favourite with Amazon Prime and get it delivered to you as early as tomorrow.
1. Best Overall: VIZIO V-Series All-in-One 2.1 Home Theatre Soundbar
Pros
- Built-in subwoofers
- 2.1 channel configuration
- Adjustable EQ
- Voice assistant compatible
Cons
- Sound quality is not crisp at high volumes
If you’re looking for a simple, all-in-one solution, consider VIZIO’s V21d-J8 soundbar. Designed with clean, angular lines and a low-profile silhouette, the soundbar is surprisingly powerful, thanks to Dolby Audio and DTS Digital Surround support. Two full-range speakers and built-in dual three-inch subwoofers deliver clear, room-filling sound. Reviewers say its stand-out feature is its 2.1 channel configuration, which makes the audio more dynamic and balanced, with a 3D quality to it, similar to the kind you’d find in cinemas. You can adjust the EQ, bass and treble levels, and both a remote control and voice assistant capability offer easy control over the whole system. Some reviewers state, however, that with amplified volume, the clarity of sound begins to suffer. However, it’s still a great option to boost your TV’s speakers when watching shows or movies.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh55.41 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh40, and two-year extended warranty for Dh57.
2. Best Wireless: Samsung HW-B650 Wireless Soundbar
Pros
- Powerful bass from dedicated subwoofer
- Sound is optimised to the content
- Useful Game Mode feature
- Easy Bluetooth connectivity
Cons
- No Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay or Chromecast support
Satellite speakers are usually required for creating a true home theatre experience, but if you don’t have enough space for them in your living room, or want the option to add them at a later date, check out Samsung’s HW-B650. With a dedicated subwoofer to improve its bass reproduction, this soundbar is great for small living areas. Its 3.1 channel audio experience is boosted by Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X, and Samsung has added a centre channel to improve vocal clarity when you’re watching TV shows and films. There’s a Game Mode that optimises sound and has cross-talk cancellation technology to remove distracting sounds. Adaptive Sound Lite technology also improves your experience by optimising the audio track based on the content, whether it’s a loud football game or a quiet dialogue. Reviewers also appreciate the seamless connectivity options, including easy access to apps like Spotify. Do note that this can be done via Bluetooth, however there is no Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay or Chromecast support.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh49.17 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: The manufacturer provides one-year warranty. Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh35, and two-year extended warranty for Dh40.
3. Best Home Theatre System: Sony HT-S20R Real Digital Soundbar
Pros
- Includes rear speakers and external subwoofer
- Dolby Audio technology
- Impressive sound quality
- Easy to set up
- Compact, stylish design
Cons
- Connectivity ports are located behind the subwoofer
An entire home theatre system on a budget? It’s possible, with Sony’s highly rated HT-S20R. Two rear speakers, an external subwoofer and a three-channel soundbar work together to create 5.1 channels of surround sound. Dolby Digital technology ensures dramatic, high-quality audio, whether you’re listening to TV dialogue or streaming a playlist from your phone via Bluetooth. The soundbar is compact and fits neatly under TV screens, but do note that the rear speakers are quite small too, and most impactful when wall-mounted. Reviewers note that while the system offers plenty of connectivity options, including audio inputs like HDMI ARC, these ports are located on the back of the subwoofer, rather than the soundbar. This leaves you with no option other than to place the subwoofer by your television, which can make it an eyesore. If this isn’t a dealbreaker, the Sony HT-S20R makes for a great budget home theatre set-up, with top-notch sound and a minimalistic design that suits every style.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh46.58 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh35, and two-year extended warranty for Dh49.
4. Best for PC Gaming: Razer Leviathan V2 X
Pros
- Compact device
- Set-up is easy and clutter-free
- Smooth connectivity
- Dynamic RGB lighting
Cons
- Sound reduces with PlayStation console
Soundbars don’t just boost the audio on your TV – they’re great for gaming, too. Check out this PC soundbar by Razer, which comes equipped with two full-range drivers and two passive radiators. Compact, at 400mm length, and perfectly able to slide under a desktop monitor, the soundbar is powered by a single USB-C cable, so it offers a clutter-free set-up. It then produces dynamic audio with a volume output of up to 90 decibels. Reviewers say the sound is smooth and stutter-free, and the Bluetooth connection doesn’t experience any latency issues. They also love the Razer Chroma RGB – the soundbar features 14 lighting zones with countless patterns and dynamic in-game lighting effects for an immersive experience. Some reviewers note, however, that the sound quality diminishes slightly when they connect it to a PlayStation console.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh23, and two-year extended warranty for Dh33.
5. Best Multipurpose: Roku Streambar 4K Media Player and Soundbar
Pros
- Small, compact design
- Surprisingly loud, clear audio for its size
- Smart features
- Access to 4K streaming services
Cons
- No Ethernet port
A unique device that’s both a soundbar and a 4K Roku streaming player, the Streambar is all you need to tap into streaming services and enjoy boosted audio as you watch your favourite films and shows. At just 14 inches long, it’s the most compact device on our list, yet delivers impressive sound by packing four 1.9-inch drivers into its small frame. Reviewers say it takes just a few minutes to set up, and the sound is phenomenal – dialogues are clear and crisp, music is rich and immersive, and distracting background noise completely disappears. The Streambar’s smart features make it even more effective, since it automatically reduces the volume of loud commercials, boosts dialogue audio, and optimises the sound when you’re watching something at night, so it doesn’t disturb other members of your household. A Roku Voice Remote gives you access to shortcuts for Netflix, Hulu and other streaming apps. Do note however, that if you want to hook the Streambar to Ethernet, you’ll need to buy a separate adapter.
Bonus: Buy with 0% installments and pay Dh43.75 for 12 months with select banks.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh35, and two-year extended warranty for Dh49.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
