Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Prime Day Deals Switch 2 Restock Galaxy Z Fold 7 Wordle Today Best Mattress Best laptops Recommended reading Best Dolby Atmos soundbars: Top TV speakers with 3D sound recommended by certified audio experts Sales Events My favorite soundbar is a massive $400 off in Amazon's Spring Sale — this is the one I'd buy The Dolby Atmos soundbar and subwoofer I recommend to all hi-fi newbies is just $299 on sale — I'd grab it now I test headphones for a living — here’s what you need to do before you buy a pair Ultimea Nova S50 soundbar review Got a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar? You should change these 3 settings immediately I use the Bose Smart Soundbar every single day — and it's $100 off in Amazon's Memorial Day sale I'm a soundbar reviewer — avoid these are 3 common budget soundbar traps Erin Bashford 17 June 2025 Don't make the same mistakes as me! When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) More from Tom's Guide I've tested loads of soundbars by now. Sometimes I spend whole weeks locked away in Tom's Guide's testing room, emerging only to make cups of coffee and take snacks from the office kitchen. So surely I know how to separate the best soundbars from the chaff, right? Yeah, in a way. Unfortunately, though, a lot of the best budget soundbars often fall into the "chaff" category. Budget soundbars aren't intended to be cinematic, immersive setups like the 11.1.4 channel JBL Bar 1300X (the best soundbar I've ever tested). Budget soundbars know what they are: TV speaker upgrades. For the most part, that's it. These are the budget soundbar mistakes you've been making, so hopefully you'll be able to squeeze the most out of your cheap soundbar. You may like Best Dolby Atmos soundbars: Top TV speakers with 3D sound recommended by certified audio experts My favorite soundbar is a massive $400 off in Amazon's Spring Sale — this is the one I'd buy The Dolby Atmos soundbar and subwoofer I recommend to all hi-fi newbies is just $299 on sale — I'd grab it now Sony HT-S100F: was $159 now $118 at Amazon This soundbar used to be $99, but it's recently increased to $159. Even so, it's one of the best value soundbars you can get. I love how this soundbar performs like a much pricier model, and makes my TV speakers sound cringe-inducingly bad. Mistake #1: Not adjusting default settings Let's take the Sony HT-S100F for example. This is the best budget soundbar on the market, no questions asked. I love this soundbar. But right out of the box? You might think I'm a crazy person. This is by far the easiest fix. Soundbars will all come with a remote or a companion app, so you can adjust the default settings. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) On this remote, you'll want to cycle through the playback modes (EQs) until you find the one that suits your movie or TV show. Sony's options are: 'Auto sound', 'Cinema', 'Night', 'Voice', and 'Standard'. When I tested this soundbar, I mostly used 'Voice' with TV shows and movies with less bass in the soundtrack. For blockbusters, I watched with 'Cinema' which upped the bass. You should also go into your TV settings and have a play around. I can't recommend one setting, because different TV brands have different settings. Just keep clicking through until you find something that suits your eardrums. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Mistake #2: Expecting Dolby Atmos Seeing as most Dolby Atmos soundbars (with 5.1.2 channel, or minimum 3.1.2) start from around $500, getting a budget soundbar and expecting 360° audio is just setting yourself up for failure. There's nothing inherently wrong with lacking Dolby Atmos, so don't be disheartened. While, yes, it definitely provides some of the best audio experiences, not everyone needs Dolby Atmos. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) I recently tested the $67 Majority Naga 60 soundbar, and while, no, a $67 soundbar is never going to rival Sonos, it was actually really impressive for the money. When I was watching Stranger Things, I could feel the radioed dialogue all around me. Another budget option with quasi-immersive audio is the $249 Samsung HW-B650. I thought this was one of the cheapest ways to get (imitation) surround sound, thanks to the powerful DTS Virtual:X DSP and high-quality channel speakers. These are great budget options that don't have Dolby Atmos, but won't let you down. Mistake #3: Not getting a dedicated subwoofer (if your soundbar has a sub out) Now, this is a funny one. Firstly, you have to make sure your budget soundbar has a subwoofer out in the first place. The Majority Naga 60 soundbar I mentioned earlier actually does have a subwoofer line-out. You'll need to get a wired, powered subwoofer to go with it. I asked Majority for recommendations, but it just said any wired and powered subwoofer would do the trick. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) You can see the "SW out" on the top right of the soundbar. While, yes, this will increase the price of your setup, it will provide a much stronger sound system. Ideally, you'd get a soundbar setup with a wireless subwoofer, but those go for at least $400 on a good day. If you follow my tips, you should be well on your way to making the most of your soundbar, even though it's cheap! Let me know if you try any of these tips in the comments. Also, if you have any budget soundbar recommendations I haven't mentioned here, do tell me about them. More from Tom's Guide Best cheap soundbars 2025: Low-cost ways to upgrade your TV sound I just tested this $67 soundbar, and I'm blown away for the price Samsung HW-B650 review: An affordable home theater setup Erin Bashford Social Links Navigation Staff Writer, Reviews Erin Bashford is a staff writer at Tom’s Guide, covering reviews. She has a Masters in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of East Anglia. As an ex-barista and avid home cook, she's got a soft spot for coffee and home tech; as a proud music nerd, she's always on the hunt for the best headphones, speakers, and earbuds. In her spare time you can find her reading, practising yoga, writing, or stressing over today’s NYT Games. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Best Dolby Atmos soundbars: Top TV speakers with 3D sound recommended by certified audio experts My favorite soundbar is a massive $400 off in Amazon's Spring Sale — this is the one I'd buy The Dolby Atmos soundbar and subwoofer I recommend to all hi-fi newbies is just $299 on sale — I'd grab it now I test headphones for a living — here’s what you need to do before you buy a pair Ultimea Nova S50 soundbar review Got a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar? You should change these 3 settings immediately Latest in Soundbars I tested this under-monitor soundbar — and it’s perfect for your home office Got a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar? You should change these 3 settings immediately Not everyone needs Dolby Atmos: here's why I think you might be one of them I test soundbars for a living, and these are 5 movie scenes I use every time No, a $67 soundbar isn’t going to perform like Sonos — but this one actually surprised me I just tested this $67 soundbar, and I'm blown away for the price Latest in Features I’m not good at golf — but these 3 products make me look like I am I’ll be putting my Ninja cooler to the test this world picnic day — here’s how I get the most out of it I test headphones for a living — here’s what you need to do before you buy a pair I was introduced to HexClad by Gordon Ramsay himself — here's my honest verdict after 3 years of daily use Exclusive: I asked Snap’s hardware chief about the company’s next-gen Specs — here’s what I found out Forget sit-ups — build a stronger core and improve your posture with this 15-minute standing abs workout LATEST ARTICLES Birch Luxe Natural mattress review 2025: Naturally cool sleep for year-round comfort The Hidden Costs of Smart Homes (and How to Avoid Them) One of my favorite 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitors is on sale for $400 off right now VPNs with Chinese military links still available on Google Play and Apple App Store 2 months after being discovered Ladybugs are a 'gardener’s best friend', but horticulturalists say this common mistake could be driving them away Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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