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TV technology has come a long way in recent years, and finding good picture quality is easy. To get great sound, you might need an external TV speaker, and in this article we’re looking at the best cheap soundbars under $100 available on the market in 2023.
Audio peripherals have become more affordable and in spite of being cheap, a lot of these budget options can provide a lot of power and almost cinematic sound. Plus, they can be purchased and set up extremely simply to enable you to enjoy TV and film even more.
Here are the best cheap soundbars under $100:
- RIF6 35-Inch Soundbar
- Wohome Soundbar/Subwoofer Combo
- Meidong 35-Inch Soundbar
- BYL Bestisan 28-Inch Soundbar
- Yamaha ATS-1080
- Sakobs 37-Inch Soundbar
- Sony HT-S100F
1. RIF6 35-Inch Soundbar
The best overall soundbar under $100
If you are looking for a good budget soundbar, and aren’t too worried about the brand being a household name, something like the RIF6 could be a great choice. Though it’s not made by Yamaha or one of the big audio names, it has some fantastic features.
This soundbar is totally mountable, so if your TV is mounted to the wall, you can quickly and easily mount it underneath. It also has a lot of convenience in terms of connectivity. You can connect to devices via Bluetooth, but for an even more stable audio connection you can use AUX connections or other TV connections such as RCA.
The sound quality is truly impressive for the price, too. As well as providing a fair amount of power, it comes with a 4-band EQ. This is easy to control and means you can set the speaker to an ideal level for what you are watching. The built-in subwoofer gives a real bassy rumble.
Image credit: RIF6
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As long as you don’t expect the sound to fill an auditorium, the clarity and crispness of this soundbar will be hard to beat within your home, and the convenient mounting and connection makes it a top choice.
2. Wohome Soundbar/Subwoofer Combo
The best with external subwoofer
If you are looking for a soundbar that has an external subwoofer to give a lot of power in the low end then the Wohome could be a good choice. Though some models have inbuilt subwoofers, these tend to be small and not overly powerful, but the Wohome’s model packs a punch.
There are four modes to choose from. The movie mode provides a surround sound, music mode has a higher bass response and then default modes let you adjust the bass and the treble to tweak the sound.
You can wall mount this model if you wish, and it also has a lot of different options, both wired and wireless, to connect to your TV. The main downside is the fact that it is not the most compact option, especially when you consider the external subwoofer.
Image credit: Wohome
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If you are looking for a cheap soundbar with loads of bass, and don’t mind putting the subwoofer somewhere in your room, then this could be a good TV speaker under $100.
3. Meidong 35-Inch Soundbar
The best budget soundbar under $50
This is a soundbar that can often be picked up for under $50. It isn’t elite in terms of its sound quality, but the fact that a good-quality soundbar can be purchased for under $50 means that people on a tight budget can still benefit from an external soundbar. Plus, it’s more compact than some of the more expensive options.
This 35-inch model provides a 40-watt sound system from it’s drivers. They’re good quality, and give a surprising frequency response for the money. The speakers offer a 1% total harmonic distortion, which isn’t amazing, but it is good for budget TV speakers.
The small and modern design is suitable for putting on a TV unit, but you can also use this soundbar for your PC if you wish.
Image credit: Meidong
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If you are in the market for the very best soundbars on the market then the Meidong may come up a little short due to the fact that the frequency response isn’t that impressive, but for most casual listeners and TV/Film lovers, to be able to get a cheap Bluetooth soundbar under $50 is a bonus.
4. BYL Bestisan 28-Inch Soundbar
The best 28-inch soundbar under $100
This is another soundbar that comes at a very affordable price tag but also has some impressive features including 5.0 Bluetooth and adjustable settings.
DPS technology gives three different choices of sound settings, and choose the right one depending on what you are watching. Memory control means you can tweak and alter the settings but also reset to factory settings whenever you wish. Two band EQ lets you turn the treble and bass up and down.
There’s a high-sensitivity remote which has LED lights to display which listening mode you are in. For the money, the Bestisan is a good option. At 28 inches, it is also a little bit more compact than some of the other speakers on this list.
Image credit: BYL
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Though this is another model that doesn’t fall in the ‘elite’ category, it does have plenty to like for the price, and can greatly enhance the listening experience when watching movies, for instance.
5. Yamaha ATS-1080
The best option if you have the budget
If your budget of $100 isn’t set in stone, spending a little bit extra can mean being able to buy a product from a top brand such as Yamaha. The ATS-1080 is a brilliant soundbar from a worldwide renowned brand, and though it doesn’t offer more power than the other choices on the list, it certainly has an improved clarity.
This is slightly above $100 in price (usually around $130-$150), but you can sometimes find renewed options that are a little cheaper.
The slim design is great for people who are lacking in space, and the connection to your TV is reliable and versatile. You can use HDMI, optical or Bluetooth connections.
Some of the Yamaha technology really helps this model of speaker to stand out from the competition. Clear Voice technology is in place. This model has been made to pick out voices and make them easier to listen to, with TV and film in mind. The inbuilt subs also do a good job of providing a bit of a bass boost.
Image credit: Yamaha
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If you don’t need an unbelievable level of power, but you want excellent audio clarity, then the Yamaha could be a very good option. Keep in mind that it is a little bit over $100, but the extra investment may be worth it for that extra Yamaha quality.
6. Sakobs 37-Inch Soundbar
The best bass response in a $100 soundbar
This is a model that doesn’t have external subwoofers, but still manages to provide a lot of bass. For those who watch a lot of films and enjoy the rumble of explosions and immersive experience of bass, this could be a good option.
The speakers are pretty powerful, for a low-priced option, with 80W coming from four subs and two tweeters. This soundbar is designed to help to improve visuals. The Movie Mode gives more of the bass rumble and atmospheric sounds, but there is also TV Show Mode that is a good option for lots of dialogue as it helps to make voices clear.
The Bluetooth setup is really simple, and relies on the 4.2 generation of Bluetooth, but you can also connect via AUX or other wired connections. It can be mounted with relative ease, or you can just sit it on top of a TV stand or desk.
The fact that this can respond to bass frequencies under 100 Hz is a big selling point. It makes music sound great, but also gives a bassy boost that most TVs cannot create on their own.
Image credit: Sakobs
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The grille on the front is not the highest quality, and can degrade over time, so this does mean that it doesn’t have the same longevity as some other soundbars. However, if you are looking for plenty of power and a deep bass response, this can be a good budget choice. Plus, you can switch modes based on whether you’re watching a film, listening to music or watching a TV show.
7. Sony HT-S100F
The best Sony soundbar under $100
Some people still want the lure of a big brand name even when they are buying a cheap soundbar, and luckily, some brands offer budget options. The Sony HT-S100F is a good example of a product that is around $100 and has top Sony features and audio clarity.
One of the very best things about this is the S-Force Front which does a good job of replicating a surround sound system, even if you do not have a full 7.1 or 9.1 setup in place. It is just a two-channel setup but it does sound like it offers more of a stereo field than most.
Image credit: Sony
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Many people are loyal to the Sony brand, and though they can probably get more power elsewhere, there’s no denying that this soundbar has a better build quality than some of the other options.
It also has the best stereo field out of the other 2.1 models on the list, and considering this is a budget soundbar for TV, it does a great job of giving clear audio and a wide, immersive sound.
Conclusion
Finding the best cheap soundbars is really a case of prioritizing certain features before making a purchase. For example, some people will want loads of bass and power, while others want to be able to hear dialogue clearly as a priority.
Our list of the best cheap soundbars and TV speakers under $100 has a variety of models, and many different options depending on your own preferences.