Our top two best soundbar with subwoofer for $300
Top Pick – 5.1 system – Vizio V51x-J6
The Vizio V51x-J6 won the top pick for its value. The Samsung A650 is a better product and can be upgraded with Samsung wireless rear speakers, however it costs almost 50% more, so we chose the Vizio V51x-J6 for this article. If you are planning on upgrading this system, we would suggest to go with the A650.
- Price : $219
- DTS TruVolume, DTS Virtual:X surround sound
- Connect to sound source via :
- Bluetooth
- HDMI/HDMI ARC
- Optical cable
- AUX
- USB for .WAV Audio Playback
- Voice Assistant Input
- Center channel for clear dialogue in movies and videos
Manufacturer’s Warranty : VIZIO Sound Bar Warranty One Year Parts & Labor. Free Lifetime Technical Support.
3.1 system – Samsung A650 430W
Updated 1/11/2024:
If you wish to own a premium Samsung product, we suggest to purchase the improved 3.1 channel A650 for $300 off of Amazon which is $100 below the $400 retail price directly from Samsung.com.
Don’t let the 3.1 spec scare you away, as this fairly priced and premium soundbar and subwoofer outputs 430W! This output almost compares to the 600W output of the $800 Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1.4 Channel, however the Nakamichi will have superior surround sound performance.
- Price :
$400$300 
- DTS Virtual:X surround sound
- Connect to sound source via:
- Bluetooth
- HDMI , HDMI ARC
- Optical cable
- USB for .WAV Audio Playback
- Samsung’s Adaptive Sound Lite technology which automatically adjusts to music, movies, and games
- Less wiring, Less space taken, Less parts which can fail
- Premium and reliable brand
- Both the A550 and A650 can be upgraded later with rear wireless speakers model SWA-9100S for surround sound with large speakers
- Center channel for clear dialogue in movies and videos
Manufacturer’s Warranty : Samsung Soundbar Warranty One (1) Year Parts and Labor*
(*90 Days Parts and Labor for Commercial Use)
More expensive soundbars with more speakers and bigger speakers
If you wish to have even more performance from your soundbar system, you can look at the more expensive Nakamichi soundbars. Our article on Nakamichi soundbars can be found here.
Compared to a home theatre set-up with a receiver, where a 7 channel receiver costs about $400 alone, not including the speakers! Since a soundbar is a receiver and speakers all-in-one, you are saving on this cost. Although, receivers are a more versatile option, since they can be used with many different speakers. Our article on home theatre set-up with a receiver can be found here.
What is a soundbar?
A soundbar is an all-in-one speaker system which delivers high-quality sound from your TV, desktop, or laptop. Connect via an HDMI port, Bluetooth, optical cable, and depending on model, AUX jack. With a wireless subwoofer, a soundbar is a cheaper, slimmer, and simpler alternative to a home theater receiver and surround sound speaker setup. A soundbar has a long and slender build, and can contain two or more peripheral speakers, and wireless subwoofer.
The soundbars in this article come with DTS Virtual: X Surround Sound support. Cinemas use DTS or Dolby Atmos because of their ability to create a better surround sound experience. Also, even some expensive home theatre receivers do not have DTS or Dolby Atmos, because it requires licensing to use.
Why should I buy a soundbar?
TV speakers are undersized, underpowered, and usually aimed away from the viewer. A home theater system will give your music, media, or games a loud, clear, and immersive sound profile; bringing them to life. With your new sound system, you will have more immersive sounding music, movies, and games compared to stock speakers. The louder and clearer sound is great for parties! Your soundbar can also be re-used with any new TV, phone, tablet, or computer via bluetooth.
Nakamichi even creates premium soundbars and wireless speakers (9.2.4 channel!) to create a clear and loud surround sound, bringing the convenience of soundbars and benefits of a home theatre system all-in-one.
Click here to view our top soundbar picks
How to set up a soundbar
Soundbars are made for convenience and to be easily set-up. The soundbars in this article connect via Bluetooth, HDMI, AUX, or optical cable. Before purchasing, make sure the device you wish to connect to has one of the soundbar’s connectivity options. Save money on installation costs by connecting with Bluetooth, HDMI cable, or optical cable.
The soundbar itself should be placed in front of you, most conveniently right in front of your screen. Since the soundbar has a slim profile, it will not impede your view of the screen. If your screen is mounted, you can mount the soundbar below your screen as well. The subwoofer can be placed at any location close to the viewer.
Sound profile
We suggest to use the DTS Virtual:X surround sound. You can tune the subwoofer volume, bass, and treble to your liking.
HDMI and HDMI ARC
There are 2 ways to connect your soundbar with HDMI: you can use two HDMI cables to connect a device to your soundbar (like a DVR) and then connect the soundbar to the TV or monitor, or you can use one cable with HDMI ARC. If planning on using HDMI ARC make sure both your sound source has an ARC HDMI IN port.
Use ARC to use the T.V’s remote to control the volume of the soundbar.
To use ARC, connect one HDMI cable to your TV’s ARC HDMI IN port and to the soundbar’s ARC HDMI OUT (TV-ARC) port. Then, change the source on your soundbar to the D.IN. (Digital Input) setting.
Optical Cable and AUX
Note the Samsung A550 and A650 does not come with AUX connectivity. Connect your sound source to the soundbar via optical/AUX cable; then, change the source setting on the soundbar to the respective cable. An optical cable will provide a higher quality sound with less interference compared to an AUX cable.
Wireless Subwoofer
Turn on the soundbar; connect the subwoofer power cable (one without a converter) to the subwoofer. That’s it! The subwoofer should automatically connect to your soundbar. On the rare occurrence it does not, read the supplied manual’s section on resetting the subwoofer.