Soundbars from Roku, Vizio, and Samsung are down to low prices for Amazon’s October Prime Day.
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Amazon’s Prime Day in October sale, officially called Prime Big Deal Days, has arrived. And we’re seeing lots of great discounts on soundbars.
Built-in TV speakers are rarely anything to write home about, so getting a new soundbar can be a huge upgrade to your entertainment setup. Top soundbars can be pricey, but we’re seeing the Roku Streambar down to $100, and the Dolby Atmos-capable Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 Soundbar on sale for $100 off. Both models are picks in our guide to the best soundbars.
We’ve rounded up the best Prime Day soundbar deals below, including great options from other brands like LG, Bose, and Samsung. Be sure to check back for more deals as the sale continues through October 11. And for more discounts, check out our liveblog with all of the best Prime Day deals right now.
Best Prime Day soundbar deals
Are soundbars worth it?
Compared to the tiny speakers built into most TVs, a good soundbar can provide a sizeable upgrade in audio quality without taking up all the extra space of a traditional home theater system. However, soundbars can vary a lot in size and performance, so you’ll want to find a model that best suits your needs.
For instance, a small single-unit soundbar will be best for buyers on a budget who want a truly compact audio solution. But bigger, more expensive soundbar systems with separate subwoofers will provide better sound quality. Some soundbar packages even include satellite speakers to support genuine surround sound.
What is a Dolby Atmos soundbar?
Some soundbars support an audio format called Dolby Atmos. This advanced surround sound technology uses object-based mixing to enable a more enveloping sense of 3D audio. While traditional surround sound is typically limited to five or seven ear-level speakers, Dolby Atmos supports overhead audio effects to create a dome of sound.
Soundbars can support Dolby Atmos in one of two ways. The first method uses virtual processing to simulate a sense of height from regular ear-level speakers. The second method uses upfiring speakers that are angled up instead of forward. This lets the speaker bounce sound effects off your ceiling to make it seem as if audio is coming from above your ear. Good up-firing drivers can provide a more convincing sense of overhead audio than virtual processing can.