4 Best Budget Soundbars in the Philippines 2025 | Buying Guide Reviewed by Sound Engineer

A two-channel soundbar is the most basic of all available models. Because of its limited number of channels—one each on the left and right—these are no more than miniaturized stereos, although they will still surpass the audio quality from your television. But if you’re looking to get more value for these models, get them a subwoofer.

Three-channel soundbars strike the right balance between affordability and outstanding performance. With speakers in the left, right, and center, they offer sound quality comparable to higher-end models for a fraction of the price. They can also simulate a surround sound experience. While it may not be true surround sound, it's enough to pull you into a deep, immersive experience.

A five-channel soundbar adds true surround sound capabilities rather than mere simulation. This means that two more speakers are added to the rear of the unit for sound to bounce off walls and back to the listener for a more realistic sound. Most shows nowadays encode their audio to work best with five channels—left, right, center, and two in the rear. 

Some five-channel models offer additional speakers separate from the main body. If your space allows it, this lets you place them anywhere you feel the audio quality best. For many home theater enthusiasts, these models are preferred for their flexibility.

Seven channels are the new standard in soundbar technology. Aside from the front left, center, and right speakers, four additional channels are manually set up by the user. Unfortunately, these also come with a higher price tag, so unless you have the budget, it's best to settle with lower channels.

Passive soundbars exchange a built-in amplifier for better-sounding speakers. This means that to get the full benefits of these, you'll need to connect external components, typically a receiver and amplifier. Some people are not too keen on this, so passive soundbars are best-suited for audiophiles, musicians, or users with custom home theaters.

These soundbars also tend to be pricier. Yes, you'd think a device with fewer components will be cheaper, but the better hardware adds to the price tag. In budget setups, it's best to move on from these models.

An active soundbar has all the required components built into one unit. This makes active models a “plug-and-play” device—just connect it to your TV, and you’re good to go. Casual listeners benefit the most from these setups. Not only are they easy to install, but their performance will fulfill all your movie and musical needs.

HDMI is one of the most common connections because of its ability to transfer video and audio signals in only one cable. This is called ARC or Audio Return Channel. Most modern TVs past 2009 support this feature, so what you’ll have to look for is whether your soundbar is compatible with HDMI ARC.

The easiest way to check for this is to look at your soundbar for an HDMI port with an “ARC” label. With this, there’s no need for audio in or audio out cables, as all signals only require the HDMI cable—perfect for a clean and easy setup.

This is mainly for devices with no HDMI connections, often present in older television models. The main issue with optical ports is that it doesn’t relay video signals, so you’ll need more receivers to connect video inputs. Further, while optical ports offer a decent listening experience, they do not support HD audio and channels greater than 5.1. 

Auxiliary cords are useful in that almost all mobile devices support them. So, if you don’t want to use wireless connections, these allow you to plug and play your devices. However, take note that these cords are easily susceptible to dust, fingerprints, and bending. 

When this happens, the cord is unable to connect properly to the soundbar, resulting in a substandard experience. That’s why we recommend that if you’re going to buy an auxiliary cord, go for one with premium quality.

If you want to freely move while connected to your soundbar, be sure that it supports a wireless connection. This includes either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity. Bluetooth is probably the most common, though it can suffer from latency when too many devices are connected. On the other hand, while Wi-Fi is free from these issues, it requires a stable connection to avoid a laggy experience.

Wireless streaming is the norm nowadays. There are, however, people who still have music files saved in thumb drives. Accessing these with your soundbar is simple as long as that device has at least one USB port. Just plug the thumb drive in, and you’re good to go.

Some soundbars can only be controlled by buttons on the main body. This can be frustrating when you’re sitting comfortably but need to adjust the settings. Soundbars with remote capabilities let you relay instructions from far away—just point the remote control at the device and click!

With so many features, it can get confusing to remember which configuration your soundbar is on. Whether it’s set to Bluetooth, HDMI, max volume—yes, it gets daunting. Soundbars with either front or top display panels show the state your device is currently in, removing the need for guesswork.

Many users claim that voice assistants have made their lives easier. With just a simple phrase like “Hey, Google,” a range of functions automatically awaits your next command. This technology has now been implemented in soundbars.

This is especially useful with a smart home or a smart entertainment system. With multiple devices interfacing with one another, a voice assistant will let you control them with just your words. Note, though, that this feature is not practical if your setup only has a few smart devices.

Most televisions nowadays offer built-in streaming services out of the box. However, older models require a streaming device like Chromecast to have that functionality. This can all add up to cost, so we suggest that if you fit in that category, why not get a soundbar that doubles as a streaming device?

Just expect that soundbars with this function may sound poorer than other devices in the same price range. This is because extra space in the unit is taken up by a motherboard rather than being dedicated solely to the speakers.