When creating the perfect home entertainment set-up, you’ll need to dedicate some time to thinking about audio. It’s easy to forget just how impactful good audio is to the viewing experience. So often, we spend most of our time worrying about finding the best-looking TV. So when it comes time to watch our favourite films or shows, we might find the audio more than a little lacking!
There are all kinds of different sound systems and solutions across the market. But few have proven quite as popular or impactful in recent years as soundbars. In fact, it’s likely that you’re reading this now because you want one of your own.
The trouble is, there are all kinds of different soundbars available on the market. It can be really tough to tell which is the right one for you.
Ready to maximise your audio potential with a soundbar? Our Reliant tech experts have chosen some of the most important factors you need to consider, to find the soundbar of your dreams!
What Benefits Can A Soundbar Offer?
There are a number of reasons why soundbars have become such a popular audio solution for living rooms across the world.
Soundbars are absolutely worth every penny. A single soundbar can emulate the surround sound experience. Saving you the trouble of painstakingly setting up multiple individual speakers around the living room!
One reason is that they are incredibly compact. With a single soundbar, you can achieve powerful audio that can easily rival a more complex multi-channel audio setup. This makes them a great option for those smaller homes, where a complex surround sound system might be totally unviable.
But despite their compact nature, soundbars are still immensely powerful. They can pump out audio that’s not only high fidelity but also incredibly loud. A good soundbar can easily fill your living room with audio that closely matches your TV content.
What Should You Consider In a Soundbar?
Of course, while soundbars are a convenient audio solution for anyone, they can differ massively from model to model. To ensure you pick the right one, you’ll want to make sure to consider each of the following things!
Size
The first thing you’ll have to consider with your new soundbar is its total size. Now, while we noted that soundbars are a compact sound option, they do come in a range of different sizes. Some are incredibly long, while others are much smaller.
First, you’ll want to make sure you pick a size that fits into your space. Your new soundbar should be able not only to fit through the door but also to fit into the position you’ve chosen for it.
It’s important to find a soundbar of a good size. When the size of your soundbar and television closely match, it results in a more connected experience. You’ll believe the sound is coming from the action on screen!
Next, you’ll want to consider a size that matches your TV. While your soundbar does not have to totally match the dimensions of your TV, it’s best to have them line up as closely as possible. When the two are similar in size, it will allow the power of the audio to match the scale of the image. This results in a much more uniform experience.
Finally, you’ll want to consider the size of your soundbar to ensure you get the right sound experience. The size of a soundbar directly correlates to the number of individual speakers (or audio channels) that are packed within. A larger soundbar will have more audio channels. The more audio channels there are, the more powerful the sound will be.
Position
Once you’ve chosen a soundbar of a suitable size, you’ll need to consider where exactly you’ll be keeping it. You’ll need to decide whether you plan to wall mount your soundbar, or whether you simply plan to place it on a shelf. If you plan to wall mount your new soundbar, you’ll want to make sure you pick a model that’s easy to do it with.
No matter how you plan to install your soundbar, you’ll want to ensure it’s placed either above or below the TV screen itself. This is crucial for ensuring a seamless audio-visual experience. For best results, your soundbar should be aligned to the centre of the TV screen. Again, this is crucial for ensuring a natural sound experience. It creates the sense that audio is coming naturally from the action on screen. If the soundbar is too far to the left or the right, the audio and video will seem misaligned.
Make sure there’s space above or below your TV for you to place your soundbar. Your soundbar should always be aligned to the centre of the TV screen to allow both audio and video to sync up in your mind!
Make sure to carefully consider the space around your TV. You may need to adjust your existing setup to guarantee that there is space available either above or below!
Connections
Soundbars can be connected to a TV using all kinds of mediums. Most commonly, soundbars make use of an HDMI Audio Return Channel. Essentially, what this means is you can plug your soundbar into the TV through the use of a HDMI cable. This ensures the sound and visuals of your content closely match. Most likely, your TV will support the HDMI format too.
However, if you want to use any other connection type, you’ll need to make sure your TV is compatible. Some soundbars can connect to a TV entirely wirelessly. This is a very convenient option that helps you to cut down on all of those cables at the back of your TV. However, in order to facilitate a wireless connection, you’ll need to make sure your TV is compatible with Bluetooth. If your TV isn’t compatible with Bluetooth, you could always save money by not opting for a wireless soundbar!
You can also connect a soundbar through a simple optical cable, or an audio jack cable. Once again, though, you should make sure your TV is compatible with the connection type!
Smart Features
Some soundbars are packed full of extra features that can help to take the user experience even further. For instance, some soundbars come equipped with voice assistants. A small microphone built into the soundbar allows you to use voice commands to alter your experience without touching a button. These soundbars can then be connected to a TV using an HDMI ARC connection, so you can even control your TV with just your voice.
Some soundbars also come with tools that might be of some use to budding sound experts. For instance, some soundbars come with equaliser settings. By playing around with these settings, you can adjust the audio experience as you see fit. For instance, if you wanted the sound to be a little punchier, you could up the bass.
Soundbars come with all kinds of different features. It’s worth looking around for features that will improve your audio experience. But if you want just a simple soundbar, you can save a lot of money!
If you want your soundbar to be easy to set up and control, then it’s also worth looking for one with app compatibility. Some soundbars can actually be controlled entirely through compatible apps. So you can control the sound through just your phone!
Be sure to take a look at the different features offered by different models. Some might be of great use to you! And if you just want a simple soundbar, you can save money by buying a soundbar without all of the extra bells and whistles!
Brand
As you’re taking a look through some of the different features offered by different soundbars, you’ll inevitably encounter some of the many brands that dominate the market. Make sure to consider the brand that your soundbar is from, as certain extra features might exclusively be found in certain models.
It’s also worth finding a soundbar from a brand that matches your TV. While not totally essential, it can improve the user experience quite a lot!
For instance, if you have a Samsung TV, then it might also be worth opting for a Samsung soundbar. This is because you will be able to then connect both devices to the SmartThings platform offered by Samsung. This makes it much easier to control both devices in tandem.
It’s worth considering the brand behind your chosen soundbar. There are a few extra features that you can access by matching the brand of your TV to the brand of your soundbar. However, it’s not totally essential that they match!
Again, we should impart that your soundbar’s brand does not need to totally match the brand of your TV. For instance, you can still easily pair an LG soundbar with a Samsung TV. You won’t miss out on great audio!
Price
Finally, it’s time to consider the all-important price. To find a fair price, you’ll need to carefully consider all of the factors we looked at above. Factors like size, and extra features, will have a direct impact on the price of a soundbar.
It’s likely that you already have a budget in mind for your soundbar hunt. While this is definitely good for narrowing down your options, we recommend not sticking to it too rigidly. You may find that a soundbar has all of the features you need but has a slightly higher price than expected. Provided the price is not extortionate, it’s worth spending a little bit extra to get a soundbar that perfectly suits your needs.
Don’t feel as though you have to cut out useful features just to save money. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a soundbar that leaves you unsatisfied!
Do You Need A Subwoofer With A Soundbar?
While it’s not essential to grab a subwoofer to go with your soundbar, it can help to improve the sound experience. Subwoofers are immensely powerful extra speakers that are dedicated to pumping out earth-shaking bass. If you want your sound to have a true sense of impact, it’s worth paying that little bit more for a subwoofer.
Luckily, many soundbars actually come packaged with external subwoofers that you can simply install right away. Just make sure you have suitable space for it once it’s plugged in, otherwise you won’t get the full experience.
Do You Need Two Soundbars?
No. The best thing about soundbars is that you truly only need one of them. A single soundbar can do the work of the multiple speakers you’d find in a more complex sound setup.
All you need is a single soundbar either above or below your TV screen. While it is possible to connect two soundbars to a TV, it’s not only unnecessary but also difficult. If you want more power from a soundbar, we’d recommend simply grabbing a larger model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should You Consider When Buying A Soundbar?
A soundbar can help to vastly improve your TV’s sound. To find the right one for the job, make sure to consider the size of the unit, and how you plan to connect it to your TV. If you want to connect your soundbar wirelessly, you’ll need to make sure your TV and the soundbar are both compatible with Bluetooth.
How Many Channels Should A Good Soundbar Have?
Ultimately, the more audio channels your soundbar has, the more powerful and clear its sound will be. However, a soundbar with more audio channels will be of much greater size. If you only need a soundbar for a simple and small TV, then a 7-channel soundbar could very easily be overkill!
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