This is the only guide you will need to choose the best soundbar for your setup. As TVs get thinner, there isn’t much room for speakers in them, so they sound worse than older TVs. A soundbar will help you get better, richer bass, make dialogues more clear and give you a better listening experience overall. A good example of this is the Sony Bravia Bar 9. In this article, we will go over everything you need to consider to get the best soundbar.
Things to consider when buying a soundbar
- What will you listen to?
- Channels
- Active VS Passive
- Do you need external subwoofers or speakers
What will you listen to?
Think about what you need the soundbar for. Some people only need one for clear audio and dialogues, some need it for the richer bass and surround sound capabilities, and some want all of that with immersive audio. If you want to listen to music, you will need to ensure that your soundbar has Bluetooth, Chromecast, or Airplay, but most soundbars these days offer these features. Some soundbars even have voice control, for those that use Alexa or want to use their soundbar with voice commands.
Active VS Passive Soundbars
Active soundbars have a built-in amplifier that will power all the components like the the different channel speakers. Passive soundbars do not have an amplifier built-in, and you will need to buy one separately. However, this does mean that there will be extra room for the speakers which makes passive soundbars sound better.
If you simply want to upgrade your TV setup or if you are a beginner, get an active soundbar. If you are doing a custom setup or if you want a great Dolby Atmos setup, then you should get a passive soundbar.
Soundbar Channels
You can think of channels as individual speakers in a soundbar, what makes a soundbar different from a home theater setup is that all the speakers/channels are in one place in a single unit. Almost all movies and TV shows offer 5 different audio channels now. The more channels you have, the better your listening experience will be. When looking for the best soundbar, you will see some numbers like 2.0, 3.0, 5.1, 9.1.4. The first number represents the speaker channels, and the second number represents the number of subwoofers. If the soundbar has three numbers, then the first number represents surround speaker channels, the second is the subwoofer, and the third number represents the height channels.
2-channel soundbar: has two speakers, one on the right and one on the left.
3-channel soundbar: has three speakers, left, right, and a center speaker.
5-channel soundbar: has five speakers, left, right, center, and two rear-facing speakers. For almost 20 years, home theatres have used 5-channel systems.
7-channel soundbar: It is essentially a 5-channel speaker, but surround and rear channel information is split four ways, so you get 7 channels.
A Dolby Atmos soundbar is similar to a 7-channel speaker. The main difference is that it also has upwards-firing speakers, these speakers reflect sound off your ceiling to give you a 3D experience.
External Subwoofers and Speakers
Many soundbars come with external subwoofers and speakers, like the JBL Bar 1300X. Some soundbars do not have that option, and if you feel the need for some extra bass then you can get an external subwoofer. And, if you are looking for a home theatre system, then some external speakers will come in handy.
Connections
Soundbars come with a variety of connectivity options, these are some options that you should get.
- HDMI ARC
- Wireless Connectivity (Bluetooth and WiFi)
- Optical Port
What Brands Are Good
Soundbars are made by many brands like Sony, Samsung, Bose, JBL, and Sonos. It is up to you to decide what channels, connections, and type of soundbar you want.
Soundbar Placement
Soundbar placement is fairly easy, and it depends on your room and where your TV is. You should place your soundbar directly below the TV, in the center. If you’re not sure about the space, you should check the soundbar specs and measure your room before spending money.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, getting the best soundbar greatly depends on what you will use it for, the channels you need, the soundbar type you need, and where it belongs in your room. If you’re a beginner, then you don’t need to worry about any external subwoofers or speakers.