I Tested This $119 Hisense Soundbar and Subwoofer – They Sound Like They Cost Three Times More

The Super Bowl is just over a week away, and what better way to experience it than with room-filling crowd eruptions and booming touchdowns from the comfort and warmth of your home?

Last week, I got my hands on the Hisense HS2100 soundbar and subwoofer, that's discounted to $119.99 at Amazon right now, and I was blown away by its thunderous sound quality that's almost unheard of at this price.

It's one of the best soundbars for tight budgets, especially as it includes a subwoofer, a non-negotiable if you want live sports games to roar through the room. I've tested 11 of these sound systems, and in my view, this one performs like it should cost three times as much.

For Superbowl and beyond

Hisense HS2100 | was $129.99, now $119.99 at Amazon (save $10)

Deep bass, clear dialogue, and a rumbling subwoofer make this one of the best-sounding soundbars you could possibly buy at this low price.

Read more in my full Hisense HS2100 review.

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The Hisense HS2100 Sounds So Good, It Should Cost Three Times as Much

I've tested soundbars that cost more than a grand, and I'm lucky to be able to experience the immense sound quality that these premium home speakers offer. But as you slide down the price point scale, you will notice audio downgrades and the performance differences that warrant the lower cost.

That's why I was so impressed by the Hisense HS2100. This is the cheapest soundbar I've tested, but instead of sounding cheap, it made the dialogue clearer, the bass boomier, and it can go loud enough that it vibrates the room.

These are the foundations for exhilarating live sports games and movies at home. The slim but powerful subwoofer delivers a gorgeously deep undercurrent that will drive room-filling crowd eruptions and rich commentator vocals, and you'll be feeling these big moments from beneath your feet – not just projected out of your TV screen.

Clearer dialogue is one of the most sought-after features of a sound system upgrade, and even at the Hisense HS2100's low price, it absolutely delivered on that front. You won't have to worry about commentators being drowned out by loud crowds or too much action on the field.

David Attenborough's voice in Our Planet was projected clearly, never overshadowed by the dramatic score or the crashing waves, avalanches, and stampedes of animals that I could feel rumbling from the subwoofer on the floor.

And during action movies, notably John Wick Chapter 2, I was blown away by the volume capacity. Things got loud, and even with fighting, gunshots, and running crowds, I could still make out every detail, delivered with clarity and impact.

Sure, the Hisense HS2100 may not compete with the Samsung HW-QS750F or the Sonos Arc Ultra's market-leading sound quality and room-filling surround sound, but these models cost upwards of $600.

Hisense, on the other hand, produces strong alternatives that cost a lot less, and I enjoyed being able to experience first-hand that the HS2100 isn't just another cheap soundbar with poor sound quality.

That is to say, poor-quality soundbars are common at this price. Whether it's for the Super Bowl or to watch a low-stakes sitcom, knock-off brands can offer strong claims of transformative audio and directional sound, but from my years-long experience as a product tester, they're often duds.

So, to find out that the Hisense HS2100 at Amazon actually sounds good feels like a loophole.

It's also effortless to install. There's no app to fiddle with, so once you've connected the soundbar's two cables (one for power and one for audio), it can start playing your TV audio immediately.

Then, once you plug in the external subwoofer, it connects wirelessly to the soundbar in seconds. It couldn't be simpler – out of the box, in just a couple minutes, you'll be able to enjoy sports games or your favorite movies booming through your living room.

Although the HS2100's subwoofer only takes up 4.3 x 11.8 inches of floor space, not every home can accommodate that, and the Fire TV Soundbar Plus or the Yamaha True X Bar 40A are great alternatives. They're single soundbars without any external components, which both sounded mega on test.

The Super Bowl is just over a week away, and as this Hisense HS2100 deal is on Amazon, you'll be able to have it delivered long before the big game, giving you enough time to play around with the settings to make them perfect for you.

The Hisense HS2100 is discounted to $119.99 at Amazon.

More to Shop

Want to shop around? Here are some more winners from my soundbar testing sessions that will elevate every sports game, movie, and TV show.

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Next, learn how to highlight a soundbar or hide a soundbar, to help it blend into your living space.