As televisions get thinner and thinner, the need for quality soundbars has become more and more common. Now, as with any electronic device, you could spend a fortune on your next sound bar. However, you may not have that kind of money to buy it. The good news is that you don’t need to have a lot of money to buy a quality sound bar. Today, it’s easier than ever to find the best sound bar for under £200 and we’re here to help you achieve that goal.

Today we’re going to take you through the most important features to look for in a soundbar. Make sure you read this guide all the way through to find out about the different types of soundbars, their dimensions and whether or not they are Bluetooth enabled. We’re your trusted source for finding the best sound bar for under £200.

Read on to see our comparison table – with product nominations and ratings – of soundbars, detailed product reviews and a buying guide. Our guide will help you find the best soundbar under £200 for you. In just a few minutes, you’ll be better informed than you ever would have been by going to the shop and talking to the salesperson or buying online. We won’t keep you waiting any longer, let’s get started.

VIZIO SB2821-D6

Our favourite sound bar is the VIZIO SB2821-D6. Although it is only 28 inches long, this sound bar offers rich, clear and spacious sound. You can experience it while watching a movie or television, or listening to music. In addition to its great sound, this sound bar is very easy to install. Just connect it to your TV with an optical cable, plug in the subwoofer and the sound bar, and you’re done.

This sound bar comes with a variety of different sound effects. These sound effects enhance both your listening and viewing experience. One of the best sound effects is the TruSurround HD option, which gives you very realistic sound. The TruVolume setting also ensures that the sound level remains constant at all times. Another sound effect is Dolby Digital sound, the established standard for cinema, DVD, streaming and Blu-ray, which gives you a superb listening experience and special effects dimension. The soundbar also pairs with Bluetooth devices within a 20-foot radius.

This sound bar is ideal for use with TVs larger than 42 inches. It will fill your room with sound and you can use it to enjoy your favourite playlist, audiobook or podcast from your mobile device or any other Bluetooth-enabled device. For your convenience, it comes with a remote control, wireless subwoofer, audio cables and a wall mounting bracket.

Samsung HW-J355

Samsung is a brand that is known and recognised by consumers for the quality of its home and electronic products. This sound bar is no exception. The Samsung HW-J355 soundbar is a best-seller for good reason. It offers good sound quality, a wired subwoofer and an incredible price.

In addition, the Samsung HW-J355 has Bluetooth connectivity, which means you can use the soundbar for devices and purposes other than enhancing your movies, games or TV shows. Any device with Bluetooth capability can be used to connect to your sound bar. This way you not only get a sound bar, but also a speaker.

Samsung has a very interesting feature that it calls 3D Sound Plus. This is to give a surround sound effect without you having to spend a ton of money on a home theatre sound system. Although it sounds very sophisticated, you probably won’t notice any difference in the sound. The only thing you will notice is its “clear voice technology” which enhances human voices and is designed to reproduce them accurately. If you’re someone who has to constantly put on subtitles to understand what others are saying, this feature may be useful to you.

Overall, this is a very basic soundbar. You won’t feel like you’re sitting in a cinema or using an expensive sound system. It’s just a cheap and cheerful speaker that will enhance the sound of almost any flat screen TV.

Yamaha YAS-108

Yamaha is a well-known name in electronics. The YAS-108 is its latest low-cost model, and it includes HDMI, multiple sound modes, Bluetooth capabilities, and 4K transmission.

Despite its small size, this soundbar is powerful enough to fill a medium-sized room. It is equipped with two woofers and two tweeters. Subwoofers are also built into the soundbar, allowing you to save space without compromising on power. This soundbar is powerful enough to produce bass that will make dialogue sound good. If that’s not enough for you, there’s also a wired connection that you can use to add a separate subwoofer.

In addition to the wired connection, this soundbar has an HDMI input and output, and it can stream 4K video. There is also an optical or analogue digital audio connection on the soundbar. Finally, there is also a dual Bluetooth connection, which means you can have an Amazon Echo and your mobile device connected at the same time.

The remote control supplied with this soundbar allows you to change inputs, adjust the volume, change the bass level and choose different sound modes. The different sound modes available are Surround, Clear Voice and 3D Surround. One drawback of this soundbar is that its indicator lights are placed on top of the soundbar, making it difficult to see if you are sitting down. Despite this minor drawback, the soundbar delivers impressive sound overall, especially considering its size and cost.

Wohome S9920

If you’re looking for an affordable soundbar that’s suitable for small to medium-sized living rooms, the Wohome S9920 is a solid option! If you have a large living space, the speaker will certainly amplify the sound of your TV, but it may be better to opt for another speaker or add other components to your sound kit, such as one of our picks for the best subwoofers under $500.

The Wohome S9920 has six different drivers that produce 80W and up to 105dB. This is decent power, as other soundbars in this price range don’t exceed 60W.

The main drawback of this soundbar is that it does not come with an HDMI cable. The lack of an HDMI cable means that you won’t get virtual surround sound. If this feature is important to you, you should continue shopping. The Wohome S9920 speaker is the best option for someone looking to upgrade their standard TV speakers in a small to medium sized room. This speaker will offer its users more character, bass and volume. This sound bar will enhance the sound of games, movies, sports and your favourite TV shows, which will certainly sound better with this sound bar.

 

VIZIO SB2920-C6

This soundbar is small but powerful. Its compact design is aesthetically pleasing and a welcome addition to any minimalist home. This versatile design allows you to make this soundbar the centerpiece of your home theater. This Vizio has an understated style that allows it to fit into almost any home or home theater style. It’s beautiful without being flashy and gives you the option to make it the visual centrepiece of your audio kit as much as you like. And if you don’t have a home theater yet, check out our budget picks for the best home theater system under $500!

This soundbar aims to give you the best value for money, so don’t expect to find a ton of extra bells and whistles. This is a simple and effective, basic and straightforward audio machine. It offers decent audio quality, but doesn’t offer many extra features. You will have a remote control with similar capabilities to other similarly priced models. What you lack in capability, you gain in design. If you’re worried that a bulky soundbar will spoil the look of your home, this is the best soundbar for you. If you’re someone who values capacity over design, you should keep shopping.

Why do you need a sound bar?

It’s one of life’s hardest and most painful truths: a paper-thin TV just isn’t capable of producing the kind of sound you expect from a TV. That’s why soundbars have become an indispensable product for your home entertainment setup.

Fortunately, you no longer have to be a member of the Geek Squad to install a soundbar. Installation has become increasingly easy, so much so that nowadays you usually just need to plug in a few wires and you’re done.

The soundbars in this range come with a host of wireless connectivity options, including Bluetooth. One of the most convenient features, Bluetooth-enabled devices allow you to connect your devices (phone, tablet, laptop, TV) to your soundbar at the touch of a button. Boosting the sound of your favourite music or YouTube video has never been easier.

Important features to consider before making a purchase

There are many different features to consider before buying your soundbar. Here are a few to consider when shopping.

Sound quality

As televisions get thinner and thinner, more and more companies have started to create their own version of the perfect sound bar. There are now tons of options, but as great as it is, choosing can be a chore.

What can you expect from a soundbar under £200?

While these soundbars certainly won’t win any prizes over more expensive models, they will enhance your TV experience. This is especially true in silent dialogue scenes where it is particularly important to hear what the characters are saying.

The quality of the sound does not depend on the volume of the soundbar, but on how loud it can be and still produce clear, distinct and accurate sound. Because TVs are so thin these days, this means that their speakers have had to get smaller and smaller as well. This means that most TVs are not able to maintain quality sound when you turn up the volume.

A soundbar is a solution to this problem. They are designed for one purpose: to produce sound. Therefore, even relatively inexpensive soundbars offer a significant improvement in sound over your normal TV speakers.

Connections

There’s nothing worse than being excited about installing your new TV/sound bar only to find out when you get home from the shop or receive your package in the mail that an essential piece of connecting hardware is missing. As TVs and soundbars are made by different manufacturers at different times, they do not always have the same cables or connection ports. This means that you may need to get adapter cables or plugs to enable your TV and soundbar to communicate.

Dimensions

There are many different types and sizes of speakers. However, remember that a large soundbar does not necessarily mean that it will produce a lot of sound (or high quality sound). When looking at different sound bars, keep in mind where you plan to place the bar. Will you place it under your TV? Will it be placed in an entertainment stand or mounted on the wall? Wherever you plan to install it, measure first to make sure it will fit. From the compact VIZIO SB2821-D6 to the long Wohome S9920, there are many options in this price range.

Types of installation

Your soundbar will come with specific installation instructions. Some basic models can be installed and set up in 10 minutes. Others require more attention to detail and care. Some require tools and perhaps even drilling. Be sure to read the instructions to avoid confusion with your specific model.

There are a few things to consider in general when installing sound bars. In many cases, the best location for the sound bar will be right under the TV itself. Since your attention is already turned in that direction, this will be the most natural place for the sound to come from. If your TV is sitting on a table or cabinet, make sure your sound bar can fit underneath or that there is room for your sound bar to sit slightly in front of the TV.

Some sound bars, such as the Yamaha YAS-108, are designed to be wall-mounted. If your TV is already mounted, this is a logical choice for placing your sound bar. Again, the best place for the bar is under the TV to provide the best sound.

If you have already hung a TV or a shelf, you know the basic procedure for wall mounting. Usually the product comes with some kind of template to help you mark and drill the holes. Remember: measure twice, drill once!

Guarantee

In life, it is often useful to read the small print. The same applies to sound bars and similar electronic equipment. Often they come with a 2-year warranty from the manufacturer for the speakers. Depending on where you buy them, many sellers offer their own additional protection plans on top of the manufacturer’s warranty. Before you buy anything, be sure to check what is covered and what you may have to pay (shipping, handling, etc.) in order to activate your warranty.

Additional features

The function of a soundbar is fairly basic. For this reason, there aren’t a ton of extra features available on most models. However, there is one extra feature that is very nice: Bluetooth. If you like being able to control things with your phone (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t!), then a Bluetooth soundbar is for you.

If your soundbar does not have Bluetooth capability, there are options that act as adapters. Basically, they plug into the soundbar like a normal device, but when plugged in, they allow you to connect to the soundbar as if it had Bluetooth capabilities.

Tips

As mentioned earlier, the installation and use of your soundbar depends on your specific model. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your soundbar.

Make sure your soundbar is roughly the same width as your TV. This will hide the sound bar a little and allow it to fit in perfectly with your setup.

Follow the mounting instructions carefully to ensure that your sound bar will not move after installation! In addition, a solidly mounted piece will also provide better sound.

Keep in mind that low and mid-range frequencies are not well covered by most soundbars (especially in this price range). Consider getting a subwoofer to accompany your soundbar. It will cover these low frequencies and give you a richer, fuller sound.

Before you buy, try it out. Even if you order online, most major models are available in a local shop. Stop by and try the model you’re interested in before you buy. When it comes to sound, this is the only sure way to ensure you get what you want.

Our verdict

When it comes to soundbars, there are many different options at a wide range of prices. There are several advantages to buying a soundbar for your TV. Soundbars don’t cost much more than stereo speakers. In particular, some of the best soundbars under £200 that we’ve discussed here are known for their reliable performance.

The top three, however, are as follows: the VIZIO SB2821-D6 is our top choice for soundbars under £200, it offers good sound without costing you a fortune, and it comes with everything you could possibly need. The Samsung HW-J355 is our next choice, as it offers a lot of punch for the price, but it’s a bit too minimalist to merit our top spot. The third choice is the Yamaha YAS-108, which offers everything you could possibly need in a quality soundbar at a low price, but it’s nothing special.

Having a flat-screen TV is great, no doubt about it. However, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice quality sound. The soundbars we’ve reviewed today will give you the sound you want at an affordable price.