Soundbars are all the rage at the moment, as they are a simple and affordable way to get higher quality audio from televisions. Most major audio (and television) brands now have their own soundbars available for purchase. To newcomers in this industry, most soundbars likely seem the same, with many looking primarily at brand. However, there are a number of soundbar features which are relevant to consumers and should be considered before buying.
Why Buy A Soundbar?
Soundbars are alternatives for standard home audio surround sound setups. Typical setups consume a much larger amount of space, requiring an A/V receiver, multiple speakers, and a lot of wires. Soundbars, by contrast, consist of long bars which pack everything you need into a compact space. This is much more convenient for those who lack space or have no desire to build a new surround sound system.
Are soundbars as good as full audio/video surround sound setups? Not necessarily- it really depends on what your price point is, because price ranges will vary widely between soundbars and high-end A/V setups. That said, lower-end A/V setups are still fantastic upgrades to normal televisions. In the same way, a soundbar will make a notable difference to any standard television audio.
What Size Soundbar Should You Get?
This is simultaneously the most and least obvious specification to look at when soundbar shopping. First off, you should measure the area in which you wish to put your soundbar. This could be in front of your television, in a cabinet below, or even above; make
sure the soundbar you choose will fit before you buy it. Next, it's suggested that soundbars should only be, at most, the same width as your television. Longer soundbars can work, but aesthetically they are much less pleasing unless somewhat hidden away below the television, such as in a cabinet.
Active vs. Passive and Number of Channels
It is incredibly important to determine whether you want an active or passive soundbar before shopping, as there is a significant difference. Passive soundbars
require a separate A/V receiver or amplifier to function, and probably even a subwoofer. These are additional purchases which will take up even more space. They have higher audio quality than active soundbars, but are ultimately more expensive to set up and get going. Active soundbars, by contrast, have built-in amplifiers. Active variants are thus the more traditional, all-in-one devices which are typically expected when one talks about soundbars. Even though they are not quite on the same level as their passive counterparts, they are still notable upgrades to otherwise normal television setups.
Regarding channels, the rule is typically that the more, the merrier. Channels refer to the number of audio sources, to put it simply. Two channel speakers, for example, would have a left and right channel. Three channels would add a center one, while five channels would then add two additional ones in the rear. This is meant to simulate a three dimensional sound experience, and it is commonly accepted that the more one has, the better. Five is the standard these days, but seven channel systems are ideal for the most part. Naturally, price increases along with the number of channels, however, it is worth noting that five channels are the standard at this point for soundbars. Finding anything lower would be an exception.
Other Things to Look For
Dolby Atmos: Dolby Atmos is a technology which adds two up-firing speakers to the top of soundbars, bouncing sound waves off of the ceiling. This is a high-end technology so don't expect to see it on lower-end (cheaper) models. It makes the resulting audio closer to that of actual surround sound when compared to other devices.
Additional Speakers: Some devices do allow additional speakers to be connected to them, but many others do not. This is something to keep in mind while shopping around, as it could be a make or break feature for you in the long-run.
Connective Ports: This is another
super obvious thing, but you would be surprised how much of a problem it can cause if you do not consider it prior purchasing your soundbar. HDMI is standard now, so it is typically assumed that both televisions and soundbars will have HDMI input/output. Optical is also fairly standard, an even better alternative than HDMI in most cases. USB, Bluetooth, and WiFi are not rare options, but none inherently improve audio quality on their own. Wireless soundbars are unique in that they allow other devices to connect remotely, eradicating the need for all of these cables. In some cases, such as the
Samsung HW-J450, the soundbar can wirelessly connect to appropriate subwoofers or other devices.
Conclusion
Soundbars can be intimidating to shop for when entering the market. Hopefully these tips can help you out when you start shopping for a new audio setup- there are a huge number of soundbars out there, given the many brands which exist along with their individual yearly models. Sorting out the one which is right for you is intimidating, but absolutely doable.
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