Early Black Friday 2024 sales are bringing the noise, as we’re already seeing doorbuster-worthy discounts on some of the most popular speakers and soundbars from Bose, JBL, Sony, Sonos, Marshall and other top audio brands. Ahead of the big show we’re seeing live cuts as steep as 50 percent, indicating retailers are using aggressive prices to move inventory while new 2025 models steal attention.
Historically, electronics are the purveyors of some of the deepest holiday discounts: Adobe Analytics has charted average holiday discount rates in the mid-20% range during Thanksgiving week — standout categories often top 30%, with occasional outliers in excess of 50%. The opening wave of this year is already reflecting that trend — specifically in Bluetooth speakers and Atmos-ready soundbars.
Standout speaker discounts on portable audio gear
Portable speakers have seen the steepest reductions. A case in point is Marshall’s Emberton II — now about 50 percent off at several major retailers. It’s still a go-to for its warm, rock-tuned sound signature, IP67 durability and multi-day battery life — features that tend to keep prices higher until the week of Black Friday arrives.
Bose has several early cuts worth considering. The Bose SoundLink Micro is back down at around 25% off, a good chunk of savings on an already nice price for a model that will fit literally in your pocket and still delivers clean mids with a surprisingly full low end. If you desire real 360-degree playback, consider the SoundLink Revolve+, which has dropped by roughly 40% and offers long battery life as well as ruggedized construction for indoor-outdoor use.
JBL’s new portables are also playing. The Flip 7 is currently trending at nearly 27% off and features a brighter top end and more output than the previous generation. The Charge 6 is off by about a third, which is significant considering it punches way above its weight when it comes to sound quality and battery life, and doubles as a power bank — the kind of two-fer you want during travel season.
If you want or need value, you don’t necessarily have to go all-in for a triple-digit option. Entry models such as the JBL Go and budget stalwarts from Anker’s Soundcore line have experienced some of the best sub-$50 prices of the year, often with IP67 or IPX7 water resistance and batteries that last a full day — features that used to be considered premium tier just a few years ago.
The best soundbar steals for making Dolby Atmos at home
Theatrical upgrades are coming early as well. Sony’s HT-S2000 3.1-channel bar is routinely surfacing at about 40% off here. It offers virtual Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, too, as well as dual built-in subwoofers capable of creating stage width that most basic 2.0 bars can’t match, and setup is almost literally just plugging in a single HDMI eARC cable.
Bose’s newest Smart Soundbar is now 20% off, providing Dolby Atmos and room calibration with the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth subwoofer support in addition to Alexa built-in. A stylish living-room upgrade that makes dialogue clear and offers support for streaming through platforms like AirPlay 2 without extra boxes.
As far as one-piece Sonos immersion goes, bargains on the Arc are big: Around 20% off discounts for that model almost never happen outside of short-lived promos. It has actual upfiring drivers for overhead effects, good app support and is still the go-to favorite for people who want Atmos without stringing speaker/room wires all over the place. In the meantime, larger packages like JBL’s Bar 800 have fallen in price by about 40%, sometimes including a wireless subwoofer for room-filling bass.
Why the early prices on speakers and soundbars are low
Two forces are at play. First, the upgrade cycle: 2024–2025 ushered in refreshed Bluetooth stacks with unofficial Auracast support on future 5.4 devices and more TVs shipping with eARC as a standard feature that incentivizes users to upgrade. Second, competition: The Consumer Technology Association says holiday tech demand will be strong this season and retailers are fighting to nail down early wallet share by offering discounts earlier to keep people from procrastinating and hoping for bigger markdowns later.
Supply chains also appear healthier than in other recent years, giving stores more room to push for aggressive pricing without risk of extended stockouts. The result is an unusually strong pre-Black Friday window where many of the “best” prices are already out there — especially for audio categories, as model refreshes are telegraphed moves.
What to look for before you buy speakers or soundbars
- Confirm connectivity. For soundbars, it’s HDMI eARC that enables lossless Dolby Atmos from modern TVs and game consoles; optical won’t deliver the advanced formats. For speakers, Bluetooth 5.3 or 5.4 can help with reliability and latency, with Auracast as a future-looking bonus for multi-listener audio.
- Know the size of your room and driver layout. A 2.0 bar will clear up TV sound, though a 3.1 or 5.1.2 system tackles dialogue and bass with greater authority. “Virtual Atmos” creates a height signal through digital processing, whereas bars with upfiring drivers physically beef up your ceiling sound game for better overhead cues.
- For portables, make durability and strong battery performance your top priority. An IP67 rating signifies dust-tight and submersible protection — perfect for the pool deck or packing in a suitcase. Over 12 hours of battery life is more realistic for all-day use, and USB-C fast charging means less downtime.
- Consider ecosystem features. If you’re streaming via AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in or Spotify Connect, confirm compatibility before purchase. Some brands offer multiroom pairing or stereo mode between two identical speakers, which can be a budget way to get bigger sound down the line.
How long these early Black Friday audio deals last
According to Adobe Analytics, in many cases prices for electronics will be just as good if not better between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, but the lowest single-SKU deals are likely to sell out early.
If you see a verified all-time low or a rare 40%–50% tumble on a model you desire, waiting for incremental savings opens the door to stockouts or shipping delays.
Bottom line: Early Black Friday is already serving up the caliber of savings you’d expect from the big day itself. Whether you’re adding Atmos to a living room or stashing a waterproof, travel-friendly Bluetooth speaker in a carry-on bag, this is a good time to buy — just make sure the features work for you and double-check return policies (and compare prices) before they expire.