If you’re drawing up a list of the best budget soundbars, chances are you’ve got Sonos and Sony on there somewhere. After all, several capable ‘bars from both of these brands have passed through our test rooms over the years.
But have you considered Sharp? What if we said it offers a Dolby Atmos soundbar that doesn’t break the bank but will do a good job of boosting your TV’s audio for not a lot of money.
Because that’s exactly what the Sharp HT-SB700 offers, and it currently does so with £50 off, which takes the asking price down to a not-too-shabby £149 at Electricshop.
While the picture quality of today’s best flatscreen TVs continues to wow us, the same can’t be said for sound quality. We find ourselves regularly recommending a soundbar to boost a TV’s audio, whether it’s a premium set or a more budget offering.
When it comes to affordable flatscreens, some of the best-suited soundbars we’ve tested come from the likes of Sony with its HT-S2000 (which you can buy for £270 at Amazon, down from £349) and Sonos with the Ray (which you can buy for £199 at Sonos, down from £279).
But if you have an affordable flatscreen which just isn’t doing it in terms of audio, then we’d like to throw an alternative ‘bar into the mix which is a little cheaper than both of the above options. And it’s even more affordable now, thanks to a tempting £50 saving we’ve spotted online.
It’s fair to say Sharp, one of the bastions of flatscreen TVs back in the day, had fallen off our AV radar in recent years, but our experience with its HT-SB700 Dolby Atmos soundbar has given us a cheaper option which could be the perfect partner for a similarly budget TV.
In our Sharp HT-SB700 review we said, “The midrange delivers a mostly full-bodied and rich sound that provides an easy-listening experience.” We also highlighted that there was “a decent level of detail present” and noted that, “For such a small product, it packs a surprisingly big punch.” Not bad for a soundbar at this level.
As for its Dolby Atmos delivery, we said, “While its execution of Dolby Atmos is not the most precise, the Sharp HT-SB700 does succeed in delivering some of the atmosphere,” so it by no means disgraces itself here either.
In terms of connectivity, you have an HDMI eARC socket, which can extract the audio from the corresponding socket on your TV. There’s also an optical digital input and Bluetooth connectivity should you want to beam any music to it from a smartphone or tablet.
It features a 2.0.2 speaker system with two forward-facing drivers at the front of the ’bar, as well as two up-firers at either end. Its dimensions are 7.2 x 52 x 11cm (hwd), which should also make it reasonably flexible in terms of positioning.
Yes, the Sony and Sonos bars mentioned above just have the edge sonically, but in both cases, you’re looking at significantly more expensive options.
If you’re wanting to boost your TV’s sound while working within a stricter budget, we think this Sharp soundbar is worth a flutter thanks to this £50 discount at Electricshop.
MORE:
How to improve your TV's sound: budget and premium options for better audio
Which TVs have the best sound (as well as great pictures)?
HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC: everything you need to know
Our pick of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars
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