Few things are sweeter than the moment you turn on a new television. Mounted on a wall or balanced on a media device, when the lights come on and – after a short time of logging into all your streaming services – the picture starts playing.
So it’s a shame that the average TV – even the nice ones – often can’t compete on sound. And if you bought one Best 4K TVs During the holidays, you might want to consider supplementing your purchase with a soundbar.
Good sound is often an afterthought for TV brandwho mainly focus on image processing and panel quality as key success signs. Cheap TVs can ship with 10W mini stereo or tight applied bass, meaning a dedicated audio solution can make a big difference to the sound quality on offer.
Even models with high specifications like LG C2OLED, which excels in the field of imaging, cannot deliver the same experience to their speakers. The C-series OLED comes in at 40W, with 3.1.2-channel speakers, but this is still a fraction of what’s possible with an extended audio setup.
Of course, some TVs are better than others in this regard. by Samsung OTS Speaker array (Object Tracking Audio) integrates multiple drivers into high-end equipment, Tan QLED models, providing an assortment of built-in surround sound that matches the action on the screen. And in general, the nicer the TV you buy, the better the built-in sound.
But most TV buyers will find that their sound can be a bit thin and you don’t have to spend a fortune to fix it.
A world of sound
It’s hard to say how much of a difference good sound makes to the viewing experience. While the 10 o’clock news may not be as important, a Netflix movie or nature documentary can be taken to the next level with the sonic detail that a good soundbar can deliver: the creaking of floorboards, the sound of raindrops falling on leaves, the potential rumble of a distant explosion, or someone’s broken voice as they argue with their lover.
All of this can be overlooked in basic sound setups, robbing the intricate sound design and vibrant music that directors and composers dedicate to your on-screen content.
The multi-channel soundbar’s additional width and height can also help position sound in its environment – one of Samsung’s first OTS demos showed a series of arrows plunging down the battlefield, air The air around each bullet becomes harder and closer to the viewer with each moment.
But you don’t have to be an audiophile expert to get this benefit. Plug-and-play soundbars are easy additions to home cinema setups, connecting via HDMI and bringing the sound from movies, TV shows, documentaries and news with some extra impact. sound.
Flexible connection
Effective standard stereo has two channels – right and left. That’s nothing compared to the rich array of drivers you can get in a soundbar, from a smaller 3.1.2 channel setup to 7.1.2 surround sound that lets you hear all the highs and lows and middle that you can squeeze out from movie soundtracks.
What does 7.1.2 mean, you ask? The first number ‘7’ is the number of main speakers involved, while the second number ‘1’ is the number of subwoofers, and the last number ‘2’ is the number of upstream speakers. In general, you want that first number to be as high as possible, but a quality speaker with fewer channels is still well worth it – as long as it really improves the capabilities of your TV’s built-in driver. Friend.
One big benefit of the soundbar is that it’s not built right into the TV – meaning you can move it between different screens, in different rooms or homes, and have a set of capable soundbars. ability to last longer than a TV upgrade. Just because you exchange an old LCD for a nice new one OLEDdoesn’t mean you need to start your audio setup from scratch.
A soundbar doesn’t have to be limited to one device either. Many models come with specified subwoofers or the ability to connect multiple other speakers in parallel, allowing you to experiment with surround sound setups around your home cinema space. They can also be used in addition to watching TV, often with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection to link to your phone, to use as party speakers or the like.
What you need in a soundbar
It’s important to make sure your soundbar works in tandem with your TV’s specifications. There’s a new brand Dolby sound The soundbar works fine until you realize your TV doesn’t support Atmos pass-through – meaning that the Atmos-encoded soundtrack of your movie won’t be picked up by your hardware.
Most soundbars will connect via HDMI – although you generally want the HDMI ARC (audio return channel) specification, which allows for easy two-way communication between the TV and the soundbar. HDMI eARC (enhanced audio return channel) builds on this further with improved data transfer, allowing higher quality audio to be transferred from one device to another.
Some models, like budget Sonos ray, use an optical digital connector instead – a widely used specification, but you should make sure something is on your television before you buy. Optical connections cannot carry the same load of audio information as HDMI ARC or eARCand does not support immersive formats such as Dolby Atmos. So if you’re going to listen to Dolby Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks, you’ll need to choose one of the HDMI standards – specifically HDMI eARC to hear them at their best, uncompressed.
Which soundbar should I buy?
Your budget for a soundbar will depend on how important improved sound is to you, as the price of a soundbar can be as high or low as almost any television on the market today.
To help you choose, we’ve collated a mix of best sound system we’ve seen at every budget below.
