3 Soundbars Under $500 That Are High Quality, According To Consumer Reports

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Soundbars are a great way to improve your movie and TV-watching experience. While modern TVs generally all have built-in speakers, they're often not that good. This is mainly because of how thin our TVs are these days; while their sleek designs undoubtedly look good and fit into any living room, this design language comes at the expense of speaker quality. There simply isn't enough room in a modern TV's chassis for a good set of speakers that offer full, rich sound. What we're left with is oftentimes a tinny, uninspiring mess.

That, of course, is where soundbars come into the picture. There are all manner of soundbar products out there, from smart soundbars featuring voice control to more dedicated soundbars meant for PC and console gaming. Unfortunately, they're not always affordable, with some premium solutions potentially costing $1,000 or more.

Thankfully, you don't have to spend that much to get decent sound. Most major soundbar brands offer products under $500 that strike a good balance between quality and cost, without the compromises of ultra-budget offerings. Here are a few solid choices, based on Consumer Reports' rankings.

Samsung's HW-Q600C soundbar is a 3.1.2-channel offering that's the highest-rated of all the sub-$500 soundbars that Consumer Reports has tested. This mid-priced Samsung offering earned plaudits for its sound quality, ease-of-use, and strong array of features. The latter includes support for several Dolby Atmos formats, DTS:X audio processing, and Bluetooth (with support for two simultaneous connections).

As with most of its competition, the HW-Q600C comes with a wireless subwoofer, while the soundbar itself handles the center and up-firing speakers. The latter makes use of the company's so-called Acoustic Beam tech, which it claims allows the soundbar to offer a more immersive soundscape. It certainly seems to work, as RTINGS was also impressed by the HW-Q600C's sonics — though the outlet suggested that those seeking full immersion would need rear satellite speakers. 

Other features include Samsung's Q Symphony, which syncs the soundbar to your Samsung TV's built-in speakers; Adaptive Sound, which changes the sound profile in real-time based on the content you're watching; and Tap Sound, which lets you connect a smartphone to the soundbar (for audio streaming) with a single tap. The Samsung HW-Q600C, being an older soundbar, can be had for around $350 or so.

Sony has been in the home audio game since the 1950s, so it makes sense that the company would offer a range of Bravia soundbars to complement excellent TVs like the Sony Bravia 9. There are a handful of products in the lineup, which stretches all the way up to megabucks offerings like the $3,000 Sony Bravia Theater Quad, but we're looking at a much more modest offering this time around.

The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is, like some other offerings in its price range, a 3.1.2-channel system that consists of a soundbar and a wireless subwoofer. Consumer Reports particularly liked the Theater Bar 6's versatility, including support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. It's also easy to use, as Sony offers a Bravia Connect smartphone app that helps you set it up to your liking. If you have a Bravia TV, then you can even control the Theater Bar 6 via your TV's remote, which is convenient.

As far as the basic sound hardware is concerned, the Bravia Theater Bar 6 has up- and front-firing speakers, whose output is processed to generate simulated side speaker content. It does an adequate job, but won't replace dedicated satellite speakers. Other digital processing features include Voice Zoom 3, an AI-powered dialogue enhancement system compatible with Bravia TVs, and Sony's Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, which aims to add sparkle back to compressed music files. The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is generally available for just under $500.

Sonos is well-known for making some great high-end soundbars, like the Sonos Arc Ultra we reviewed in 2024. However, not everyone can (or wants) to spend $1,000 on a soundbar, no matter how good it is. You can, however, get into the Sonos game for much less if you're willing to compromise on the hardware. Say hello to the Sonos Beam Gen 2, which sports a $499 MSRP and can be purchased for a bit less from online retailers such as Amazon.

The Beam Gen 2's advantage lies in its software. It's a potent speaker for music streaming, thanks to its support for all major streaming platforms and Apple AirPlay 2. The Beam Gen 2 also has an automated EQ function that uses an iOS device's microphones to tweak the soundbar's output to fit your room. It even has voice control (including support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa) for easy hands-off control. Given it's a Sonos product, it'll also integrate perfectly into a multi-room Sonos setup — great for those who have bought into the ecosystem. Consumer Reports particularly liked the Beam Gen 2's versatility, and it's not hard to see why, given these features.

There are, however, several downsides, especially compared to the other soundbars on this list. For one, you don't get a subwoofer, which will annoy bassheads and fans of big-budget action movies. It also supports only Dolby Atmos, with no DTS:X support. It also only has a single HDMI eARC port, with no extra HDMI inputs; not the end of the world, but it may be a deal-breaker for some setups.