Returning to school, college, or university should be a time of excitement – a new year beckons, and with it the opportunity to get some new gadgets, including a soundbar to take your TV’s audio up a level.
While some of the best TVs in 2025 do have good speakers, there are physical limitations that simply cannot be overcome, and that’s where a standalone soundbar comes into play.
You might have seen absolute beasts like the Sonos Arc and Samsung HW-Q800D, but these represent the top (read: expensive) end of the market, and there are plenty of great ‘bars available for cheap.
In a shared dorm or house, having great sound is going to make movie night, live sports, and everything else a lot better and ensure that everyone can hear clearly. You can also stream music to them!
To help get your setup ready, we’re taking a look at some of the best cheap soundbars on the market, balancing size, price, and performance.
What to consider
In 2025, the best soundbars can do it all: plug into your TV via HDMI eARC, spread sound across the room, allow for voice control, blend into your setup, and so on.
Beyond these features, students looking to find the right soundbar are likely to have some specific requirements about size and price. Let’s break down what to look for and why.
- Compact size: Student flats and dorm rooms aren’t exactly roomy – so a slim soundbar is ideal. Models like the Sonos Beam tuck neatly under your TV or monitor, offering a big boost over built-in speakers without taking over your desk. No need for a subwoofer either (unless you want one later).
- HDMI connections: With HDMI ARC or eARC, one cable is all you need to connect your soundbar and TV. It means fewer wires, and your TV remote will control the volume too. HDMI eARC also supports higher-quality lossless audio versions of the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtrack formats.
- Connectivity: While Bluetooth is great for quick streaming from your phone or laptop, look for Wi-Fi features like AirPlay 2, Google Cast, or Alexa Cast. These let you stream in higher quality, link with other smart speakers, and even control playback with your voice.
- Performance: A 3.1-channel soundbar includes a centre speaker just for voices – making dialogue much easier to hear. If you’re watching a lot of films, lectures, or YouTube, it’s a smart upgrade.
- Price: You don’t need to spend big to get great sound. There are plenty of excellent soundbars under $500, like the Fire TV Soundbar or Sony HT-S2000. Spending more can get you extras like Dolby Atmos or Wi-Fi, but even budget models offer a serious step up.
Keep these things in mind and you’re likely to find some good deals, especially for older-generation models like the original Sonos Beam, which I have in my living room and it still works great.
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar
The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar is a compact, budget-friendly sound upgrade that’s ideal for small student rooms or tight living spaces.
At just 24 inches wide and 2.5 inches tall, it fits comfortably under most TVs and monitors, and doesn’t feel inexpensive despite the low price.
Setting up is as simple as it gets: connect via HDMI ARC or optical, and you’re good to go. There’s no Wi-Fi streaming or voice assistants built-in, but it does support Bluetooth, DTS Virtual:X for pseudo-surround, and multiple EQ modes for movie, music, or dialogue tuning.
What really stands out in TechRadar’s testing is speech clarity: voices come through crisp and clear, making this a perfect pick for binge-watching, lectures, YouTube, or late-night study breaks.
Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus
The Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus is a step up from the standard Fire TV Soundbar, offering a 3.1-channel setup with a dedicated centre speaker for clearer voices, plus support for virtual Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
It’s still compact enough for most student flats or bedrooms at 37 inches wide, yet delivers a noticeably wider, more immersive soundstage than its smaller (and cheaper) sibling.
Setup is straightforward: connect via HDMI ARC/eARC or optical, pair your Bluetooth devices, and you’re ready to go.
There’s no Wi-Fi streaming built-in, but Bluetooth is reliable, and EQ presets, including dialogue and night modes, help you tailor sound for films, music, or late-night viewing.
Sony HT-S2000
The Sony HT-S2000 is a 3.1-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar that’s compact enough for a small room but powerful enough to make films, games, and lectures sound crisp and detailed.
Its dedicated centre channel keeps dialogue clear and Sony’s Vertical Surround Engine and S-Force PRO Front Surround create a convincing sense of height and width from a single bar.
Like the Amazon soundbars, it connects via HDMI eARC for simple setup, with an optical option if your TV doesn’t support ARC.
Bluetooth streaming is on board for quick music playback, and you can use Sony’s Home Entertainment Connect app for extra control and firmware updates.
There’s no built-in Wi-Fi or voice assistant, but the sound quality is rich and well-balanced for its size.
Bose Smart Soundbar
The Bose Smart Soundbar is a sleek, premium option that combines excellent sound with built-in smart features, backed by one of the best brands in sound.
It’s slim enough to fit under most TVs without blocking the screen, yet delivers spacious, detailed audio that makes films, music, and dialogue sound rich and clear.
A dedicated centre channel boosts voice clarity, while Bose’s TrueSpace tech creates a wide, immersive soundstage from a single bar.
As with the others, connectivity is strong. You get HDMI eARC for simple TV hookup, plus Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast built-in for high-quality wireless streaming.
Alexa and Google Assistant are integrated, so you can control playback, adjust volume, or manage smart home devices hands-free.
There’s also support for Bose Voice4Video, which lets you control your TV and cable box using voice commands.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a compact but powerful soundbar that’s perfect for smaller spaces, offering impressive audio quality and smart features in a tidy package.
The Beam uses a 3.0-channel design with advanced processing to deliver virtual Dolby Atmos, creating a sense of height and width without the need for extra speakers. Dialogue is clear, bass is punchy for its size, and you can expand the system later with a Sonos Sub or rear speakers.
Connectivity is again excellent: HDMI eARC makes TV hookup simple, while Wi-Fi streaming supports AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Sonos’ own app.
There’s no Bluetooth, but you get voice control via Alexa or Google Assistant, plus compatibility with hundreds of streaming services. Trueplay tuning adapts the sound to your room for the best performance.
If you can’t quite stretch to the new Gen 2 model, the original Beam – which I still use as my daily driver in a surround setup – is a great option second-hand. Just make sure it works and you get a model with a box.
FAQ
- Do I need a subwoofer for my soundbar? Not necessarily. Many soundbars deliver strong bass on their own. A subwoofer can add more depth, but in small rooms it’s often not essential.
- What’s the difference between HDMI ARC and eARC? Both use one cable for audio and control. eARC has more bandwidth, allowing higher-quality formats like Dolby Atmos from Blu-ray players and consoles.
- Can I connect my phone or laptop to a soundbar? Yes – most have Bluetooth, and some also support Wi-Fi streaming via AirPlay 2, Google Cast, or Spotify Connect.
- Is Dolby Atmos worth it in a small room? Yes. Even virtual Atmos can make audio feel more immersive, especially for films and games.
- Will a soundbar improve dialogue clarity? Absolutely. Look for 3.1-channel models with a centre speaker, or use a soundbar’s dialogue mode for extra speech clarity.
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