I went through a whole mess of trouble with a cheap setup before settling on my current rig. You really gotta be careful with compatibility since some bars just dont talk to Bravia sets right. I personally tried a generic bar once and it kept dropping the ARC connection, which was a total nightmare when I was just trying to watch Netflix late at night. I would suggest you look at the Sonos Beam Gen 2 Compact Smart Soundbar. Its honestly perfect for a smaller space because it handles dialogue really well without waking the neighbors. Make sure to check if your TV supports eARC tho... if not, you might lose some of the better audio features. I eventually added a Sonos Sub Mini Wireless Subwoofer to mine, but the Beam holds its own for clear vocals. Stick to reliable brands so you dont end up with a glitchy mess.

• The Sony HT-A3000 3.1ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar fits your budget perfectly and the sync is amazing!
• Love the Samsung HW-Q800C 5.1.2ch Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer for fantastic dialogue clarity at night!

Jumping in here... unfortunately most people get blinded by the ecosystem hype and ignore the actual acoustic data. I was pretty disappointed when I ran tests on some Sony mid-range stuff lately because the frequency response is so inconsistent. If you look at the raw measurements on sites like RTINGS or AudioScienceReview, youll see that many bars under $800 struggle with a mid-range dip right where voices sit. I had issues with the Sony HT-S2000 3.1ch Dolby Atmos Soundbar lacking punch, but it handles dialogue better than most. Honestly tho, the Bose Smart Soundbar 600 with Dolby Atmos is a superior technical choice. It uses discrete transducers for the center channel rather than just software processing, so youll actually hear those quiet Netflix scenes. Tbh, paying the Sony tax for a sub-par center channel just doesnt make sense when you can get better hardware specs elsewhere.

Saw this earlier but just now responding... over the years Ive prioritized reliability after seeing cheaper units fail from thermal stress in cramped cabinets. In my experience, the Denon DHT-S517 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer is a safer bet for longevity because it manages power distribution efficiently. This is vital for maintaining clear dialogue without overloading the processor. No hardware resets during late-night Netflix sessions... it just works.