Best Soundbar Under £300 UK 2023 – Top 4 Picks Compared

Last Updated On December 27th, 2021

If you’re looking for the best soundbar under £300 in the UK for your home, check out our selection of some of the top-rated soundbars around.

Aside from detailing all of their specific features, we’ll also take a look at why it is great to buy a soundbar and how they stand up to the competition from traditional loudspeakers. So, let’s get started.

Our Favourite Soundbars Under £300 Compared

Editor's Choice
Samsung MS650
Best Budget
LG SK5
Best For Larger TVs
Samsung MS550
Best Multiroom
Panasonic SC-ALL70
Samsung MS650
LG SK5
Samsung MS550
Panasonic SC-ALL70
Dimensions
7.8 x 106.0 x 13.1 cm
5.8 x 89.1 x 8.8 cm
7.1 x 89.0 x 13.0 cm
55.0 x 95.0 x 12.0 cm
TV Size
32 inches and above
32 inches and above
42 inches and above
up to 65 inches
Warranty
1 year
1 year
1 year
1 year
3D Compatible?
Smart Technology
Editor's Choice
Samsung MS650
Samsung MS650
Dimensions
7.8 x 106.0 x 13.1 cm
TV Size
32 inches and above
Warranty
1 year
3D Compatible?
Smart Technology
Best Budget
LG SK5
LG SK5
Dimensions
5.8 x 89.1 x 8.8 cm
TV Size
32 inches and above
Warranty
1 year
3D Compatible?
Smart Technology
Best For Larger TVs
Samsung MS550
Samsung MS550
Dimensions
7.1 x 89.0 x 13.0 cm
TV Size
42 inches and above
Warranty
1 year
3D Compatible?
Smart Technology
Best Multiroom
Panasonic SC-ALL70
Panasonic SC-ALL70
Dimensions
55.0 x 95.0 x 12.0 cm
TV Size
up to 65 inches
Warranty
1 year
3D Compatible?
Smart Technology

Best Soundbars Under £300 – Top 4 Picks

1. Samsung Sound+ MS650 Smart Bluetooth (Editor’s Choice)

Samsung MS650The Samsung Sound Plus Smart Soundbar with Bluetooth combines both good looks and high performance, including wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Having no less than nine individual built-in speakers, each with its own dedicated amplifier, your TV will provide a cinema-quality experience, making this a good choice if you’re looking to enhance your viewing of sporting events and family film nights.

Features

Thanks to its wide-range tweeters and Dolby 5.1 surround sound technology, everyone in the room will experience maximum sound not just right in front of the television. This sleek bar is a great choice for families. It’s also 3D compatible for ultimate convenience.

If you enjoy listening to music, then this would be a great choice for your home. It comes with a Multiroom App, available on both Apple and Android, allowing you to easily stream and play music directly from your smartphone. Bass is also improved by its Distortion Cancelling Technology which offers a clearer sound. Although, if you’re really into music and films with very strong bass effects, then you may want to add some performance from an external subwoofer. While the setup itself is easy, the many different sound options and settings may baffle technophobes, but delight those in the know.

A perfect complement to a modern set up, this soundbar connects wirelessly to your compatible TV of the same brand. It eliminates the need for unsightly wires when wall mounted, giving a modern, clean look. Our only quibble looks-wise is that the highly reflective casing can mirror the screen and be a little distracting when placed close to the TV. If you have multiple devices, you’ll be pleased to know that this soundbar is an excellent choice overall. You can use your existing One Remote to control both your TV and soundbar, making it much easier to use.

Pros:
  • Nine built-in speakers with individually dedicated amplifiers
  • Distortion Cancelling Technology for clearer bass
  • Wide-range tweeters for maximum impact wherever you are sitting
  • Hooks up wirelessly to compatible TVs of the same brand – no unsightly wires
  • Can use One Remote controls both your TV and soundbar
  • With HDMI input & output
  • Has 3.5mm line in & digital optical input
Cons:
  • Has a reflective casing can be a distraction when placed close to the TV
  • Choice of settings may baffle technophobes
  • Difficult to attach an external subwoofer

2. LG SK5 Bluetooth with Wireless Subwoofer (Best Budget)

LG SK5This LG soundbar is a great choice for wall mounting with televisions 32 inches and over. This music bar easy to use, with three sound modes, making it suitable if you’re looking for an uncomplicated, simplistic setup. With its high-res audio support, this soundbar provides impressive sound quality and the wireless subwoofer adds superior quality and distinction to bass notes. Just be aware that on some settings the subwoofer can overcome the sound produced by the soundbar itself.

Features

This soundbar comes complete with Bluetooth functionality for a wireless connection, meaning no unsightly wires when wall mounted. However, there can be a lag between your television picture and the sound when it’s linked via Bluetooth. You can also use the LG app to play music from your smartphone or other devices via the smart bar. However, the app is not available for Apple products. Therefore, this soundbar could be a less practical choice for anyone using an iPhone.

While this LG soundbar does have its drawbacks, its main advantage is its simplicity of use. With just three sound modes and LG Adaptive Sound Control, it adjusts automatically to provide you with the right sound quality settings for what you’re playing. This is perfect if you don’t have the interest or inclination to experiment with a variety of different setups to get the ideal sound. Furthermore, the wireless subwoofer offers a more powerful bass than many similar priced soundbars do, which is especially important for special effects in film and music.

Pros:
  • Bluetooth for wireless connectivity
  • Includes a wireless, external subwoofer for more powerful bass
  • LG Adaptive Sound Control – automatically adjusts settings for what you’re playing
  • Ideal for wall mounting
  • Impressive audio quality thanks to high-res audio support
  • With HDMI input & output
  • Has 3.5mm line in & digital optical input
Cons:
  • The subwoofer may overcome the soundbar muffling speech
  • The smartphone app is for Android only
  • Can lag behind picture when linked via Bluetooth

3. Samsung Sound+ MS550 (Best For Larger TVs)

Samsung MS550The Samsung MS550 Smart Bluetooth Soundbar is another good choice if you have a TV that’s a minimum of 42 inches.

Features

Thanks to its wireless connectivity, this audio bar will link directly to your TV without the need for any unsightly wires, making this a great choice for wall mounting larger TVs. However, for optimum syncing with your TV’s picture, it’s advisable to use an optical cable to avoid any possible lag. This is especially true when using TVs from other brands.

This 3D compatible soundbar is a great selection if you love films, music and sports. Its six built-in speakers provide clear and powerful audio, although the bass performance is not as high quality as when you have a separate subwoofer.

As an added benefit, the useful Multiroom App is compatible with both Android and Apple devices and allows you to stream music directly to the soundbar from your smartphone. This makes it a perfect choice if you enjoy home entertainment, as well as just relaxing to music around the house.

Pros:
  • Six built-in speakers for powerful, clear audio
  • Wireless connectivity
  • 3D compatible
  • Stream music directly from your smartphone or other iOS and Android devices
  • Designed specifically for TVs 42 inches and above
  • With HDMI input & output
  • Has 3.5mm line in & digital optical input
Cons:
  • Less functional connectivity with other brands
  • Needs optical cable for optimum sync with the TV
  • Less powerful bass than other models

4. Panasonic SC-ALL70 with Subwoofer (Best Multiroom)

Panasonic SC-ALL70The Panasonic SC-All70 is a 3.1 soundbar and wireless subwoofer combination. If you’re looking to build up a multiroom speaker system, then this is a great soundbar to choose – as it’s designed to be complemented by other speakers in the same range.

Features

Thanks to Panasonic’s Allplay feature, you can control individual speakers around your home for a true multiroom experience, great for families who have tastes that differ. You can also stream music from your iOS or Android device directly to this and other compatible Panasonic speakers for music at the touch of a button, making it an excellent choice for home entertaining.

This combination set has three built-in speakers along with an external subwoofer for enhanced bass performance. The sound provided is of excellent quality. However, to achieve a fully immersive surround sound, you’ll likely need to add on other speakers from the range.

Another extra cost is when you buy a digital audio cable which is necessary unless you have a very new television. So, in spite of the wireless technology, you may still need a cable when you wall mount your soundbar with older TVs. While it provides great audio for film, it’s worth noting that it’s not 3D compatible.

Overall, if you’re looking to buy a sound system that you can add to for a highly customisable home cinema and multiroom experience, then this soundbar and subwoofer combination make a great option. On the other hand, if you’re simply looking for a one speaker system, then we’d recommend taking a look at our other top soundbar selections.

Pros:
  • 1 system – three speakers plus a wireless subwoofer
  • Designed to be used with other multi-room speakers in the range
  • Connects to smartphones and tablets for music streaming
  • Allplay feature allows you to control individual speaker units for a multiroom experience
  • NFC and Bluetooth enabled for wireless connectivity
  • With HDMI input & output
  • Has digital optical input
Cons:
  • Not 3D compatible
  • Better as part of a multiroom system rather than standalone
  • Will need to use a digital audio cable if your TV is not brand new

Are Soundbars Better Than Speakers?

If you’re struggling to decide whether to buy a soundbar or speakers, there are several factors that you’ll need to consider in order to decide whether a soundbar or speakers would work better for you.

1. Audio Quality

TV and smartbar setupSoundbars provide audio quality that’s far superior to that provided by your television speakers. Thanks to numerous built-in speakers and newly developed technological advances, soundbars are a great way to improve the quality of sporting events, films and music.

A soundbar is not just a simple bar that produces audio. It can offer surround sound effects for a fully immersive cinema experience. There are even others that may include an external subwoofer for added depth to the bass performance. However, in terms of audio quality alone, a soundbar is not going to outperform specialized loudspeakers. Although, in terms of overall functionality and design, they could be a better choice for your needs.

2. Space-Saving Solution

Soundbars, especially wall mountable ones, offer a space-saving solution. They also complement large modern TVs for a sleek designer look. In addition, their wireless capabilities often enable you to avoid unsightly wires that show when the sleek looking bar is wall mounted. Compared to various different loudspeaker setups, soundbars offer a practical all-in-one solution, which can be ideal if you don’t have much space available.

3. Functionality

Also, soundbars are often a more functional choice than speakers. With built-in receivers like HDMI &  digital optical input as well as wireless technology, this simple bar makes up part of your home entertainment system without complex wiring setups or additional costs. Most soundbars give you the option to stream music directly from your smartphone and their user-friendly design and set-up make them ideal for use when entertaining at home.

What’s more thanks to growing compatibility between brands, you can often use an all-in-one remote to control your TV, soundbar and other home entertainment equipment for a convenient, easy-to-use system.

Overall, while loudspeakers may outperform soundbars on more challenging audio tests when it comes down to everyday functionality, usability, design and cost, soundbars are often the better option for the majority of home entertainment systems.

Conclusion

Samsung MS650 controls up closeReady to take the plunge and invest in a soundbar? After carefully reviewing some of the best soundbars under £300, our top recommendation has to be the Samsung Sound Plus MS650.

Packed with features, this modern, sleek-looking soundbar includes 5.1 Dolby surround sound, and nine in-built speakers with individual ampsmaking this soundbar a perfect choice for satisfying sound quality in your home.

Furthermore, once you consider its wireless connectivity, all-in-one remote and dedicated Multiroom app; we’re sure you’ll agree the Samsung Sound Plus MS650 is the best soundbar under £300 in the UK!

Additional Resources

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Affiliate Disclosure

BestSpy.co.uk is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.