While soundbars are far more popular than soundbases as a simple solution for improving your TV’s sound, a soundbase can be right for specific circumstances — if, for example, you have a TV with a stand that the soundbase can go under. But if you also want impressive sound quality, few soundbases will meet your needs. Fluance’s AB40 offers a sweet spot in terms of price and performance for a soundbase. It delivers full, loud sound with big bass — without a subwoofer — all for $199.

Design

At 26 x 14 x 3.9 inches, the AB40 is smaller but slightly taller than many soundbases, such as the 30 x 14.5 x 3.5-inch ZVOX 570 and the 28.4 x 15 x 2.5-inch Sonos Playbase.