How To Choose A Sound Bar:
Do you know how to choose a sound bar? or Are you looking for a guideline on how to choose a sound bar? Are you thinking should I get a passive sound bar or an active sound bar? Are you thinking 5 channel sound bar is best or 3 channel sound bar?
If yes, you will be best guided here on how to choose a sound bar for you. There are tons of sound bars available in the market and some of them are amazing but others are not so good for use. Every sound bar is different as they have different features.
Yes, there are so many options available but we are here to help you in choosing the right one!
A sound bar is a long, thin rectangular shape bar that is filled with speakers and has a lot of technical features. The best soundbars for spoken word is what a good pair of glasses is required for making things crystal clear.
Sound bars are wider than sound bases as they throw sound farther afield. Soundbars these days come packaged with a separate wireless subwoofer.
How Does The Soundbar Work?
Soundbar is a small speaker system that sits below your TV screen and provides you with an immersive audio experience. Other traditional sound systems consist of multiple speakers and wires but soundbars are simple, and space-efficient to get the next-level sound system in your living room.
Soundbars are made up of multiple speakers and amplifiers that are concealed inside a slim and elegant closure. Some of them include an extra couple of speakers that you can use to place on either side of your sofa or at the back of your room. These speakers will work together to fill your room by providing crystal-clear sound.
Soundbars rarely have the physical side and the characteristics of a conventional home cinema speaker system then a subwoofer is often considered and included for a deep and impactful bass.
Soundbars consist of technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS.X that completely immerse you in your favorite and loving content, like games and videos. VIZIO elevates soundbars even consist of rotating speakers that move up and down automatically to match the location of the sound you see on the screen.
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Things To Consider While Buying The Best Soundbar For You:
While buying a sound bar for you, you have to consider the following things as they will be helpful for you in choosing the right sound bar for you.
1. A Place To Put A Sound Bar:
Where you use to put your TV and how much space you have around your TV will help you to detect which type of sound bar is best for you. Here the type of soundbar will help you to influence the location of a soundbar to place there.
Sound bars are considered versatile when it comes to their installation, as they are designed to hang on a wall and sit under the TV. if your TV is on some table it will for you to place your sound bar on the same table, exactly below the screen.
If your TV is wall mounted, it will be best for you to mount your sound bar to the wall exactly below it.
2. Size Of Soundbar:
It is recommended that your soundbar should not be wider than your TV and if you want a perfect look, they both should be same in size as their width should be same. It will be easy to technically pair a soundbar with just any size of the TV.
When it comes to size, you should use your discretion. Make sure that your TV has the right connectivity to set up a new soundbar especially if your TV is 8 years old or more.
3. Active And Passive Soundbars:
Passive sound bars mean that these type of soundbars doesn’t have a built-in power amp and they require a receiver or amplifier to work properly. They also consist of better speakers and it means that there will be a better sound.
But passive soundbars will be costly as you have to make connections between different components together. You will also require a traditional subwoofer connection for an extra bass.
On the other hand, an active soundbar means that soundbars are designed with amplifiers that power everything. Channel processors are also present as they make separation of the left, right and center speakers in the soundbar.
So you don’t require any extra receiver to plug into and there are fewer wires with an all-inclusive device.
Ok so for your information, we are recommending you choose an active soundbar if you want to simply upgrade the audio of your TV. passive soundbars are suitable for custom installations like if you want your soundbar to disappear.
4. Soundbar Channels
Soundbar channels are the sound sources or individual speakers. Nowadays, many shows and movies offer five different audio channels. How soundbars are different from typical home theater setup; as all the channels and speakers are contained in one unit.
- 2-Channel Soundbar: it has two speakers one left and one right.
- 3-Channel Soundbar: it has three speakers, one left one right, and one at the center.
- 5-Channel Soundbar: it consists of 5 speakers, one on the left and one on the right, there is a speaker in the center and two rear speakers.
- 7-Channel Soundbar: it consists of 7 speakers, 7 channel soundbar is the same as 5 channel soundbar with a bonus. By splitting and through rear channel information into 4 channels you get the 7-channel soundbar system.
- Dolby Atmos Soundbar: It is a holy cow version of a 5 or 7-channel soundbar. How it is different; as there are upward-firing speakers located in the soundbar which reflect the sound above you. This soundbar is best workable in rooms with a flat ceiling up to 11 feet high and they are made of hard, reflective material.
Connections Of Soundbar:
Now a day’s new versions of soundbars have a variety of connectivity options, so there are some key connections to keep an eye on them;
1. HDMI ARC
It’s so easy, you have to connect your soundbar to your TV’s audio return channel input along with an HDMI cable. HDMI is best for a multi-channel soundbar.
2. Wireless Connectivity
If you want the ability to stream your audio on directly from your soundbar through your phone or tablet. Here is a guideline on what to look for;
3. Bluetooth
Now soundbars come with Bluetooth built-in and make it easy to stream music from your computer, smartphone, and tablet.
4. Wi-Fi:
Yes, there are wireless soundbars, which come in a market with Wi-Fi so they can easily hop on your home internet network and stream in a very friendly manner.
5. Optical Port
Optical patch cord provides you with a solid, best-case scenario connection between your TV and the soundbar. It is considered the easiest and most reliable connection. It doesn’t consist of bandwidth to carry out a 5.1 signal.
6. USB Inputs
USB inputs are specially designed for firmware updates. But most of the soundbar updates nowadays are completed through a software update. We recommend that it is not for you unless you are looking to plug in a thumb drive.
7. Control Of Soundbar
Your new device will come with a new remote control, but you can program your existing TV remote to make your soundbar workable. Some soundbars also come up with a free mobile application to easily operate your device through your phone or tablet.
Important Points To Consider While Buying A Soundbar:
Here are some highlighted important things to consider before buying a soundbar;
1. Choose A Soundbar With 3 Or More Channels:
2 channels soundbars are still available and they are not more than a glorified mini stereo. If you will choose a 3 or more channels soundbar you can enhance and stimulate sound for a more amazing experience.
2. Choose An Active Soundbar:
Active soundbars consist of amplifiers. They are worthful especially if you want to save space or want 2 in 1 solution.
3. Consider The Place Where You Want To Put Your Soundbar:
Do you want to hang your soundbar on a wall or want to put it on the table? Your soundbar should not be wider than a TV. your soundbar should be placed in the center or above your TV.
4. Pay Attention To Connectivity:
Most of the soundbars come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity so you can easily stream music videos from your computer, phone, or tablet. Check for HDMI switching, which makes it much easier to switch the audio sources.
5. Buy Your New Soundbar From An Authorized Dealer:
After doing this, you will get a warranty from the manufacturer about service and support.
Conclusion:
Soundbars are no longer just speakers and they are designed with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities. It will then allow you to connect your mobile device wirelessly to play the audio. Soundbars also have voice assistants such as google assistant and Alexa. These soundbars also act as smart speakers.
One important thing you should consider is your budget. If you want a true soundbar you have to buy a soundbar having a subwoofer and rear speakers for getting the multichannel sound. New models like Dolby Atmos and DTS.X consist of immersive sound technology.
As you can see, there are multiple options available while considering the best soundbar for you. But it is difficult to select to choose the right soundbar for you. So we are here to provide you with a proper guideline on how to choose the right soundbar for you.
By following the guidelines mentioned in this article you can make the best choice for you. But it is important to ensure your soundbar can be easily connected to your TV. if you are confused with the multiple options available our guide will help you surely to find the right soundbar for you.
We make it easy for you to choose the right soundbar for you by mentioning the things you have to consider.
So this Was All About how to choose a soundbar
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q: Can You Add A Speaker To A Soundbar?
Ans: Some of the new soundbars come in the market with additional speakers that are part of the system and which get users closer to real home theater sound. Another way to add wireless rear wireless speakers is if your soundbar is capable of multi-room. It is considered a great option if you have a multi-room audio system throughout your home.
Q: Can The Soundbar Be Used As A Center Speaker?
Ans: Honestly and technically speaking, though a passive soundbar can be potentially used as a center channel speaker but it is not specifically designed for that purpose.
Q: When Should I Upgrade My Soundbar?
Ans: We will recommend that you should upgrade your soundbar when you feel like a newer soundbar should be significantly better. When your soundbar becomes obsolete and it starts to lack the standard things, it’s a good time to start looking.
Like Dolby Atmos is becoming more and more accessible and more common in everyday consumer soundbars in all price ranges. If your soundbar is old almost about 5 to 6 years, it doesn’t have Dolby Atmos capabilities.
Q: Are Soundbars Good For Gaming?
Ans: Yes! A good soundbar can help you to create a captivating experience and it adds an extra layer of immersion by creating a wide and open soundscape. So if you are a gamer and searching that will soundbars will be best for gaming; so yes they are good but make sure that soundbar is good in quality.
Q: What Are Dolby Atmos Soundbar?
Ans: Dolby Atmos soundbars introduce the major concept of object-based audio as hear the sounds are represented as individual objects that can be located anywhere like you find a space above the listener or around the listener. It provides an amazing listening experience.
Soundbars nowadays are coming with Dolby Atmos technology which then bounces the audio off the ceiling to stimulate and enhance a sound effect. It is quite best but yes it is not yet a real thing.
