9+ Best Soundbars Under $ 300 of 2022 | Unrivaled Guide & Products Overview

Are you trying to figure out which is the best soundbar under 300 Dollars of 2022? Here you will find short reviews, opinions and a comparison of the most valid models on the market, divided by price range. The soundbar, also known as bars or audio speakers for TV, is the answer for those who want to improve the sound quality of your TV or just listen to music with a wraparound effect.

The vastness of the market and the wide range of prices could confuse and lead to the choice of a product that does not fully meet expectations. So here are some tips on how to choose whether you are looking for a soundbar for TV or for music.

Best Soundbars Under $ 300

A soundbar is an elongated speaker (or speaker) that mounts several speakers inside. Not surprisingly, they are also called surround bars. Usually, it is a Bluetooth speaker or a speaker with WiFi connectivity, therefore wireless.

Best Soundbars Under $ 300 | Comparison Table 2022

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Best Soundbars Under $ 300 | 2022 Products Overview

Soundbar vs Home Theater: What Should You Know?

Many are wondering what the difference is between the soundbar and home theater. The first is a single and compact device, consisting of a single body that integrates the various audio components (although it can be sold and associated with other external elements such as woofer and tweeter). The Home Theater, on the other hand, represents a real system composed of different audio components with different functions/characteristics, to be worked in different positions within the room. In addition, a home theater system often refers to the entire system including a TV, home cinema projector or portable projector, etc.

The soundbars have slowly taken over the classic 5.1 or 7.1 channel home cinema systems, thanks to the small size and the ability to reproduce an enveloping sound, which seems to come from multiple directions, just like a classic multi-channel system.

In the soundbars, the channels are integrated within the same product body and point in different directions, thus exploiting the ability of walls and furniture elements to “reflect” the sound waves and propagate them in the environment. Often, as already mentioned, they can still be integrated with external components such as subwoofers.

A real sonic illusion, the result of advanced engineering design.

Although the audio quality will never be on par with a classic home theater system, where the speakers are physically placed in different places, the surround bars (especially the newer ones) are a great compromise for those looking for above-average audio quality and ease of installation.

What is the soundbar for

By being able to reproduce an enveloping sound, soundbars are devices that can significantly improve the audio quality of the TV.

In fact, the TV manufacturer brands have staked everything on improving aesthetics and video quality, while giving less importance to the integrated audio system which, for obvious reasons, has little physical space to deliver satisfactory performance.

And so soundbars come to the rescue. In fact, by concentrating several speakers in a small space, these devices ensure a significant improvement in the sound quality of the TV .

The very design of the soundbars seems to be made to be placed in front of or under a TV. We can therefore say that TV and soundbar are two highly complementary products.

But not only. In fact, it is increasingly common to use the soundbar as a single speaker to listen to music or as an element of a more complex audio system.

Soundbar: advice on how to choose

The purchase of these devices must necessarily go through a careful examination of the technical specifications, obviously associated with its context (room size, the main use of the product, budget, etc.).

Here are some tips and key features to consider before buying a soundbar.

Soundbar for active or passive TV

A first macro-distinction is certainly that between active soundbars and passive soundbars.

But what does this mean?

The former has integrated all the electronic components within the product itself (speakers, processor, amplifier, etc.). They are the most common on the market, as they are very simple to install.

To make them work, all you have to do is connect them to your TV.

Obviously, if on the one hand, they are very comfortable and “simple”, on the other they may not satisfy the most demanding audiophiles in terms of audio quality. Of course, we are talking about somewhat “professional” users of the product, who are certainly more attracted to their “passive” sisters. The latter must necessarily connect to one or more external amplifiers. In addition, they can be connected to several other speakers.

The passive soundbars are, for this reason, very versatile and perfect for music lovers and for the most demanding ears.

Number of channels

As anticipated before, the soundbars have built-in speakers that point in different directions to offer an enveloping sound. Hence, the number of channels is a very important aspect to consider before purchasing any of these products.

Obviously, the more speakers are integrated, the greater the enveloping and immersive effect of the sound (and of course the price!).

It starts with basic 2-channel models (2.0 or 2.1), up to models with 7 or even 10. Often, you will find the number followed by “.0” or “.1”. This indicates the presence or absence of a subwoofer or a speaker dedicated to low-frequency sounds (to use a more common term, to the so-called bass).

Of course, the presence of a subwoofer brings undeniable advantages from the point of view of audio quality, but on the other hand, the larger footprint has to be taken into consideration.

However, many soundbar models on the market are sold together with an external subwoofer. Furthermore, there are also some with integrated internal subwoofers, but they are significantly more voluminous products, called sound plates or sounddecks.

Audio power

The audio output power is expressed in watts and is another aspect to consider in the preliminary stages. The greater the audio power, the more it will be possible to raise the volume of the soundbar without generating annoying distortions.

Usually, a 300W soundbar should be enough to cover the most common needs. However, if you need the soundbar to organize dance parties in large spaces, it would be advisable to move towards power above 600W.

Connectivity

Although there are soundbars capable of functioning as a standalone stereo, these products were born to interact with other appliances such as televisions or mobile devices. Hence, connection options such as ports and wireless technologies are key factors to consider. Here are the most common:

• Jack 3.5mm
• Coaxial
• Optical
• USB
• Ethernet
• HDMI
• NFC
• WLAN
• Bluetooth

In particular, the last three types of connectivity make the soundbar wireless. In fact, through these, it will be possible to connect the product to other speakers, to the TV itself, or to mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) without the aid of annoying cables.

Wireless soundbar, WiFi soundbar, and remote control

Some of the best soundbars on the market are real smart devices, capable of connecting to the internet via your home WiFi network or Ethernet cable. Of course, WiFi soundbars offer remote control via smartphone, tablet, and often PC.

In addition of course to the possibility of connecting the soundbar to other WiFi speakers in your home. In this way, it will be possible to create a real wireless multiroom audio system.

However, if you are simply looking for a soundbar for music and listening to songs from Spotify or other music streaming services, you can simply choose products with Bluetooth or NFC technology.

Obviously, with these technologies you will have the limit of proximity, that is, you will have to be close to the device for proper operation.

Soundbar prices

Price plays a huge role in choosing a soundbar. This is obviously related to subjective needs and requirements. The market offer is indeed very rich, with prices ranging from less than $ 100 to several thousand euros.

So how much to spend on a soundbar? The correct answer, in this case, is: it depends.

Do you want a soundbar to simply give your TV an edge or are you looking for professional sound quality?

Often, the answer is somewhere in between. With $ 300-400, you can take home an excellent quality product, which is able to satisfy the tastes of most.

What you need to know in summary