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If you want to improve the sound on your TV, purchasing a soundbar to correct that tinny sound or weak bass is a no-brainer. Although soundbars have their drawbacks, their compact, space-saving design, easy installation process, and affordability compared to home theaters make them worth it. However, buying a soundbar can be a daunting task. A simple method you can use to make your soundbar shopping experience a little easier is to focus on Amazon’s best sellers list.
They include products that people have purchased in droves, and chances are those items are worth it. But not every model or item that climbs the ranks to appear on Amazon’s best sellers list is worthy of your hard-earned money. People may just buy a specific soundbar because it’s cheap and not because it offers the best value for money.
If you’re in the market for a soundbar this July, we’ve rounded up five of the best-selling soundbars that are definitely worth buying. These models are highly rated by past buyers on Amazon and each has received at least 1,000 reviews for proven customer satisfaction. Some of them have also been certified by independent testers for added credibility. You can learn more about our selection process in the methodology section at the end of the article.
Bose TV Speaker
The Bose TV Speaker, a 2.0-channel standalone soundbar, currently ranks third on Amazon’s best-seller list in the soundbar category. For starters, this soundbar has Amazon’s Choice label, an indicator that it’s cheap and well-rated. Speaking of ratings, the Bose TV Speaker earned a solid 4.3 out of 5 from over 14,000 users, with 84% of all reviewers giving it a 4 or 5 star rating. Many vouch for its sound quality, ease of installation, and even overall value for money.
One of the main selling points of this soundbar is that it improves speech clarity, allowing users to hear dialogue clearly. Several users highlight the soundbar’s ability to make it easier to hear dialogue. An Amazon user who has worn hearing aids for more than six years says the soundbar’s dialogue enhancement feature has been a game-changer in terms of speech clarity. TechRadar claims it offers “fairly good bass performance” and “good connectivity options”: you can connect via Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, optical or AUX.
Some users have, however, experienced issues with the soundbar when it comes to Bluetooth connectivity, and a few say it’s not loud enough. Although it has an MSRP of $279, if you’re patient and diligent enough to look for a discount, you can get it for less since it’s regularly discounted. As of this writing, it’s down to $199.
Sony S100F
The Sony S100F (also known as HT-S100F) is another 2.0 channel soundbar currently featured on Amazon’s best seller list that is worth buying. It is a standalone soundbar with a slim profile, featuring a built-in bass reflex speaker and offering multiple connectivity options including Bluetooth, USB and HDMI ARC. The latter is quite practical because it simplifies setup and allows you to adjust the volume of the soundbar using your TV remote control. Amazon users have a lot of good things to say about this soundbar.
First of all, it currently enjoys an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 from over 9,000 users and, like the Bose TV Speaker, it has earned the Amazon’s Choice label. Its value for money, easy installation process, good sound quality, and build quality are some of the reasons why buyers think the S100F is worth buying. But considering its $160 MSRP, don’t expect too many shiny features. As one Amazon reviewer points out, it’s good but not great, although it’s an improvement over the built-in speakers on their Samsung OLED TV in dialogue.
According to Tom’s Guide, the S100F is a “great basic soundbar” that “brings TV shows and movies to life and immersion in more ways than the TV’s built-in speakers.” The site describes its sound as balanced and says it delivers excellent bass for a system without a subwoofer. However, there’s no surround sound here, and it doesn’t have the best sound according to Tom’s Guide. As of this writing, the S100F is available for $98, making it a much better value.
Samsung HW-B400F
Ranked second on Amazon’s bestseller list, the Samsung HW B400F has been purchased by more than 10,000 people in the past month. Like the Sony S100F and Bose TV Speaker, this is also a standalone soundbar with a 2.0 channel setup. Although it comes with a remote control, you can also use the remote control of a compatible Samsung TV to control it. You can connect the Samsung HW B400F to your TV in a few different ways: it supports Bluetooth and comes with an HDMI port with HDMI ARC support and optical audio input.
Amazon users love this soundbar and it currently has an average rating of 4.1 stars out of 5 from over 1,000 reviews. Some of the reasons why you should consider this soundbar as your next soundbar, according to buyers on Amazon, include its ease of installation, value for money, and compact size. If you have a large room to fill, many users say it’s very noisy. Sound quality appears to be mixed, according to Amazon reviews. Some users praise the soundbar for its great sound and clear sound, while others say it doesn’t live up to their expectations.
YouTuber Juan Camacho claims that the Samsung HW B400F delivers clear sound with powerful bass and dialogues in movies are clear. No product is perfect, and for this soundbar, the YouTuber claims that it sometimes disconnects from the TV. The list price of the HW B400F is $140, but it is available at a discounted price of $98 at the time of writing.
Hisense HS2100
Another July bestseller worth buying is the Hisense HS2100. Unlike the other 2.0 configuration models we’ve talked about, the Hisense HS2100 is a major step forward, as it has a 2.1 configuration and comes with an external wireless subwoofer. It supports Dolby Digital (no Dolby Atmos) and comes with multiple ports (AUX, HDMI ARC, optical and USB) for wired connectivity and Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless use. As of this writing, this soundbar has an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 from over 1,000 reviews.
Some of the notable features that users say make this soundbar worth considering include its excellent sound quality and good price. They also say the soundbar has a simple setup process and the sound is clear, which should translate to clear dialogue when watching movies and TV shows. It can also get really loud if you need the audio to fill a larger room and not distort the sound while you’re in it. An annoying quirk of the HS2100 is the notification sound that announces what you’re doing, which some users say is unnecessarily loud.
Either way, that shouldn’t stop you from considering this soundbar. It’s been great for many, as its 4.2 star rating reveals, and RTings says it has a “decent soundstage,” making it particularly suitable for movies and TV shows with more dialogue. The Hisense HS2100 has a list price of $130, but it gets discounts regularly. It’s available for $115 at the time of writing.
Sonos Beam Gen 2
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is one of the best soundbars on the market. It’s a great choice according to user reviews and expert testers at What Hi-Fi?. It has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon from nearly 2,000 reviews, and users love its sound quality. An Amazon reviewer installed it on his camping trailer and notes that it delivers great sound and “can be played at full volume with absolute minimal distortion.” Which Hi-Fi system? praises the Sonos Beam Gen 2, saying it “remains the best Dolby Atmos soundbar in its size and price categories.”
It made the site’s ranking of the best budget soundbars, ranking as the best overall pick, which says a lot about its value proposition compared to the competition. The soundbar produces “clear, punchy movie sound” and is also a music-playing model according to the site. The soundbar has an MSRP of $499, but the white version of the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is currently available on Amazon for $475. While this isn’t a massive discount, it’s still practical considering gadgets are getting more expensive and waiting for discounts on electronics could be a risky move.
For its price, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 comes with a variety of smart features, such as voice control through Alexa and Google Assistant. It also supports Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect, meaning you can stream audio to the soundbar from your mobile device. However, it lacks Bluetooth, which might be disappointing for some, and it only has two ports: HDMI eARC and Ethernet.
How We Selected These Soundbars
Amazon’s best sellers list in the soundbar category includes 100 different models you can buy. To gather some of the best ones worth getting, we considered the current average rating as the main selection criterion. We strictly considered soundbars that have an average rating of at least 4.1 out of 5 from at least 1,000 reviews. In addition to user reviews, we also sought reviews from independent testers to validate our selection. Availability was just as important and we ensured that all of the products we included in our selection were available for purchase at the time of writing.
No product can be perfect and for each model listed we have highlighted the issues some buyers are experiencing. However, given our high rating requirements, these issues only affected a small number of people. Remember, if you have any issues with any of your Amazon purchases, you can take advantage of the site’s return policy to get a refund or replacement.
