Not Sonos, Not Samsung: This Is Consumer Reports' Best Rated Budget Soundbar

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When it comes to getting the best possible sound from your TV, it's hard to beat the boost a high-quality soundbar can give you. These devices can provide better sound than your TV alone, whether you're listening to dialogue, music, or the sweet racket of your favorite games. You may be familiar with brand-name soundbars such as Yamaha, Samsung, and LG. All offer soundbars at various prices, but there is one company that may produce the best-rated budget soundbar of the bunch, at least according to Consumer Reports.

There are numerous soundbars to consider pairing with your TV, but CR has listed some of what it considers the best for those on a tight budget. Out of the handful of soundbars tested on the site, it came down to a few that cost less than $500. After a thorough review, CR chose the LG S70TY as the best among all of the models they tried out. The LG S70TY checks all the boxes for sound quality, audio immersion, versatility, and ease of use, and rates — according to CR — as the best bang for your buck. (Of course, you're also free to consider pricier options, like the 5 best soundbars for audiophiles.)

One of the next best budget-rated soundbars is the Yamaha TRUE X BAR. With nearly the same marks for sound quality and ease of use, it only slightly underperformed the LG model when it came to audio immersion. Immersive audio is designed to better place you at the center of the sound experience, and CR says the LG S70TY does a better job on that front. Let's take a closer look at these two top-of-the-line budget soundbars.

The LG S70TY is a powerful little soundbar that also comes with Dolby Atmos and a wireless subwoofer. It does not appear to include subs inside the soundbar itself, which may mean you get less of a bass sound from the standalone model, but the included subwoofer should fill in that gap. There are seven total speakers inside the soundbar, providing a richer sound experience when watching your favorite shows or movies.

There are a few other pluses and minuses to the LG soundbar, with a pro being that it includes Wi-Fi for wireless music streaming. The soundbar also has Bluetooth, making it able to pair with additional speakers or connect wirelessly to a TV. If you have an LG TV, you can use WOW Orchestra to combine the sound of the soundbar speakers with the TV speakers for an enhanced audio experience. A downside is that some Amazon users say the remote isn't the friendliest to use.

Another bonus, though, is its price of around $350, placing it among the cheapest budget-rated soundbars reviewed by CR. Given its high ratings, though, this one seems likely to deliver on the money you shell out, especially if you follow a few soundbar tips and tricks to get the most out of it. 

The Yamaha True X Bar is a series of soundbars built and manufactured by Yamaha. It features Dolby Atmos speakers that provide a more cinematic experience when watching movies, shows, or playing games. It even comes with a wireless subwoofer for even better bass sounds. It's a slim soundbar, which makes it more able to fit beneath or above your TV or set on a console.

With included Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the True X Bar allows you to pair even more speakers to create surround sound for your living room or home studio. The soundbar itself is able to connect with Bluetooth devices, such as a smartphone, plus it has Alexa voice control and can connect to additional smart devices to control them.

All you need to connect this soundbar to a TV is an HDMI cable or optical connectors. The Yamaha True X Bar 40A model is priced around $300, making it a fit for CR's budget rating and a bit less expensive than the LG S70TY. Amazon users say the True X Bar is a great value for money, too, and provides an overall great sound quality. As with any of the models CR reviewed, though, you should take a little time to decide whether a soundbar is really a better investment than a surround sound audio system if you're looking to upgrade your listening experience.