Soundbars have now become very popular because everyone wants things that would offer convenience and save space on one hand, and things that would deliver and meet the need of the enhanced audio solution that come along with slimmer TVs.
When it comes to getting the right soundbar, there are things you need to consider apart from the sleekness that immediately tempts.
First of all, you need to consider whether you prefer the active or passive soundbars because this influences the sound quality. While the passive soundbars do not have built-in power amps and may need a surround receiver to give surround experience, the active soundbars come with built-in amplifiers as well as surround sound processors, and they are cheaper than the passive.
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Other things that you may need to consider before picking the best soundbar under 200 dollars or at any price for that matter, are the connectivity, whether it is Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or just wired; the kind of subwoofer it features; and the ease of use among other things.
Best Soundbar Under 200
Yamaha YAS-107BL Soundbar
Before the Yas-107, Yamaha had the 106, which was a darling to many people and would be among the first selections when it comes to soundbars.
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The Sound Bar comes with a very sleek and compact design that enhances its aesthetics. More so, it also comes with a promise of durability as with its younger brother, the Yamaha YAS-106.
With the sound performance, the 107 only adds to the legacy of Yamaha with speakers as it comes with clarity and generous bass which mostly holds. 2 subwoofers, 2 woofers, and 2 tweeters are all featured in the soundbar to give it the great performance it has.
Another thing it has is easy Bluetooth connectivity which is easy to connect, and strong when connected. With this, you get to easily stream music from your mobile devices and other Bluetooth enabled devices.
You can even decide to download the Home Theater Controller app and control the operation of the speakers through your smartphone. Simply enough, you can apart from using your mobile phone to control it, you can also do that by using the remote control it features, or even your TV once it is compatible with HDMI-CEC.
Pros
- Good and compact design.
- Clarity in the sound.
- Easy to use and good control.
- Solid Bluetooth performance.
Cons
- Doesn’t come with an external subwoofer.
Verdict
This is a very powerful speaker that is very easy to use, convenient, and offers rich audio. For someone looking for style, compactness, and audio delivery, this may just be the right pick.
Razer Leviathan Soundbar
When the name of Razer pops up, what comes behind it is the thought of gaming. The company has kept to that notion with the Razer Leviathan, which is a good soundbar for gamers.
The soundbar is one of the few old releases that still hold their grounds. It has a very simple design and the construction is very strong, even as it is easy to use.
Looking at the performance of the speaker, this piece which has been optimized for gaming and pc use comes with a very good sound reproduction even as it is loud. It will be able to fill a large room, even though it performs better in small and medium.
An active soundbar, it has strong bass and a virtual surround sound that pushes it even higher in the rank of things.
With a dedicated subwoofer, the Leviathan is also great for pc movie watching and music listening.
The only question that Razer has failed to answer as regards this, is with the remote which is lacking. What this means is that you can only make adjustments from the system itself.
Pros
- It is compact and has a great design.
- Delivers good sound quality
- Good and quality construction.
- It is rather cheap.
- Good Bluetooth.
Cons
- If only Razer had designed this piece with a remote control.
Verdict
At the end of the day, what you get served is a piece that performs bigger than its size and better than its price. Once you need a piece for your pc, whether it is for gaming or other use, this is a great choice.
VIZIO SB3821-C6 Soundbar
The VIZIO SB3821-C6 is a very good choice that comes with a powerful speaker that is complemented by a great wireless subwoofer and overall amazing performance when you look at the price
To the design, this 38-Inch 2.1 Channel Soundbar is one of the simplest you can get, and while the simplicity is not exaggerated, it still doesn’t lack a thing when it comes to beauty.
Where it beats, however, is when you consider the audio reproduction that it gives. As an active sound bar, it is not only clear but also with a minimal harmonic distortion of less than 1% even when you crank you’re the volume to its max.
One thing, however that you will find with this apart from that it is mostly for 38-inch TV is that you may not get the best wireless range. Nonetheless, it works also with larger TV sets.
As a wireless piece, it gives very solid connection for your mobile device to connect via Bluetooth and get going with your music.
Finally, it features good audio technology including the DTS virtual surround sound solution and DTS TruVolume that helps you achieve comfortable volume setting once set.
Pros
- Very simple and beautiful design.
- Good performing subwoofer.
- The overall sound reproduction is very good.
- Generous features.
Cons
- The range of the wireless subwoofer is not the best out there.
Verdict
Vizio has of late produced some very good and high standard performing soundbars. Nevertheless, this is one of its best at this price range and it should serve you if you need something that comes with great features to enhance performance and ensure minimal distortion.
ZVOX Audio Z-Base 220 Soundbar
The ZVOX Audio Z-Base 220 doesn’t come as one of the regular sound bars in both design and its superb functioning. Not when you consider that it is a below $200 piece.
With the design of this piece, I will say it is more slab that bar, but it still fits in the class, and it is not the one to shout out loud and call all attention to itself. More so, it has a good quality and very simple led lighting.
The audio reproduction is another area that this ZVOX is able to get rather right. Whether you are listening to music or watching movies, you will get served properly because the dialogue delivery is easy and clean, while the music isn’t bad.
That said, if you want the bass to go bringing down the walls of Jericho, I am afraid, this is not your salvation. Don’t, however, feel you will not get good bass, as you will, but not to the extent of satisfying a huge appetite.
It is also loud and without any distortion even though the surround is not all impressive.
Pros
- Easy to use
- It has a great audio reproduction.
- Good for the price.
Cons
- It doesn’t come with the kind of compactness you get with many other sound bars.
Verdict
This will be your pick if you need a superior performing soundbar that still doesn’t come with an external woofer. It comes with a performance that beats the price, and with ease of use and convenience.
Samsung HW-J355 Soundbar
The Samsung HW-J355 is a very good piece that doesn’t look as though it would give you the whole earth, yet it still ends up giving more than it promises.
Designed with an external subwoofer, the sleek and portable soundbar has very good features.
The performance of this piece is simply amazing. The sound is amazing in different modes, and if you are more into the bass side of things, the subwoofer is good to satisfy your appetite in a good way.
More so, it gives clean dialogue and in fact, looking at the audio reproduction, everything works as well as magic. And yes, it is loud enough but surely, it is not the loudest on the list.
While the subwoofer is wired, the soundbar has Bluetooth connectivity, just as it also has USB port. Using the Bluetooth, you can connect your Samsung TV using the Samsung TV connect feature that it comes with.
You can get to choose between keeping it on a top or mounting it on a wall. For the control, one has the option of either using the Samsung app or the remote that it comes with.
Pros
- The sound is very good for any TV you put it to work on.
- Good mounting for both tabletop and wall.
- Give you ease of use and different control options.
- The pricing is great.
- Easy to set up and control.
Cons
- Not the loudest one on the list.
Verdict
The Samsung HW-J355 comes with very good sound and even though it is not a rainmaker as you will hardly find any in this price range that would make it rain, it still doesn’t betray you.
Bose SoundLink Mini Soundbar
Something that is even more compact and convenient is the Bose SoundLink Mini, which has risen to almost a legendary status among many people including audiophiles.
It is a Bluetooth speaker that finds itself among the choice of many looking for a good soundbar. There is simplicity and completeness in the design of the speaker. When fully charged, the speaker will be able to deliver close to 10 hours of use, which is not very bad.
What makes this a good choice is its performance in comparison to what you pay. It delivers excellent bass and doesn’t fail when you call it to deliver in the treble.
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At the end of the day, with this piece, you are hit with a sound bar that you can easily carry about and play your music in your garden, during a barbecue, or anywhere you may prefer.
Finally, if you are the one looking for a device to come with all the bells and whistles there are on earth, this may not be for you.
Pros
- It is very compact
- Top notch audio reproduction.
- Considerably good battery life.
- Built with quality
- Portable and convenient.
Cons
- Limited usability as you may not use it on all devices.
- Doesn’t come with too many features.
Verdict
Some speakers come almost complete in every way. The Bose SoundLink Mini falls in that class that doesn’t come every day. It is for someone looking for a piece that is very compact and easy to use, even as it delivers very strong audio performance.
Conclusion
At every price, you will be able to get a great soundbar for your TV, PC, or for other things. What we have on the list are some of those that have proven their worth in both the build and performance. Hence, if you are looking for the best soundbar under 200 bucks, any on the list should do, based on the use you want to put it to.