As a veteran of more Black Fridays than I can count, I’ve learned that the best way to score a real bargain on something resembling one of the best soundbars is to plan ahead. That’s partly because a trade for something you didn’t really want isn’t really a trade. But it’s more because if you choose your shortlist carefully, there’s a very high probability of getting what you want for the price you want to pay.
So how do you do it?
Sony HT-2000: A Sonos alternative with a surprisingly big sound
In our Sony HT-2000 soundbar review, we gave this excellent soundbar four and a half out of five stars: it’s reasonably priced and delivers surprisingly big sound from its compact enclosure. It’s particularly good at handling dialogue in movies, and the bass is much better than many similar rivals.
The main features here are impressive Dolby Atmos and DTS:X performance thanks to Sony’s clever sound processing, and while there are a few limitations – if you want to use it as a streaming speaker, you’re limited to Bluetooth quality and there’s no voice assistant support – neither of those things would be a deal-breaker for me, because I just want a soundbar that doesn’t sound too loud and doesn’t cost too much, and money. And this Sony delivers on both fronts.
I’m pretty sure you’ll see Black Friday deals on this model, because they’ve already started: at the time of writing, Amazon UK lists it for £299, down from £449, and Amazon US lists it for $298, down from $499.
Sonos Ray: The smallest Sonos soundbar packs a punch
We think the Sonos Ray is the ideal affordable soundbar for older or smaller TVs: it’s a good fit for TVs between 24 and 50 inches. It’s an excellent upgrade to these TVs’ sound systems, and it’s especially good for movie dialogue. With four speaker drivers plus bass ports, it adds the low-end thump as well as the overall clarity that so many smaller TVs lack.
In our Sonos Ray review, we said it’s a “massive, massive upgrade over TV speakers” with decent bass and very clear speech. It’s really good for music – we thought it was best in class for it in its price range – and has “top-tier” wireless streaming over Wi-Fi.
At full price – it launched at £279 / $279 / AU$399 – we felt it was a very solid buy, if not a bargain. But the street price has dropped significantly since then and I expect it to drop this month.
Ultimea Poseidon D50: surround sound at an ultra-low price
I’m already seeing several discounts on this ultra-affordable soundbar, so this looks set to be one fight Black Friday buy: The D50 originally launched at £169 / $219, but the official has since dropped to £149 / $119 (about AU$180) and deals have driven the price down even further.
Even at its original price, this soundbar system was extremely cheap – and in this case, cheap doesn’t mean ugly. In our review of the Ultimea Poseidon D50, we gave it four stars and said it was a refreshing product: it’s not particularly bothered about looking pretty or wowing you with a list of features you’ll never use; it simply gives you a solid overall package consisting of a main soundbar, a subwoofer and two surround satellite speakers.
The D50 can’t do Dolby Atmos or DTS:X, but it’s much louder and much bassier than the speakers in most TVs, making movies and games much more enjoyable. We enjoyed its appearance in live sports and liked the whizzing fighter jets in it Top Gun: Maverickand it does a decent job in music too. If you’d like to upgrade your TV’s sound without breaking the bank, this is one of the most affordable ways to do it.
More Black Friday deals in the US
- Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, deep fryers and vacuum cleaners
- Apple: iPads, AirPods and MacBooks from $119
- Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops and headphones
- Home Depot: 40% discount on white goods, furniture, barbecue and tools
- Lenovo: 45% off laptops and tablets
- Lowes: up to 30% discount on white goods, holiday decor and tools
- Goal: 40% discount on Christmas decorations, clothes and furniture
- Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs and vacuums from $69
- Wayfair: 54% discount on Christmas, furniture and decor
