The big question, right?
I got the answer. Just hold on for a sec with me.
There are a ton of types when it comes to choose a sound bar, so how the heck do I decide what to buy and what to not? Which one is the best fit for me?
Before you even go out and search for a soundbar buying guide, you have to answer the following questions.
Choose the right size sound bar of your room matters a lot when you are purchasing a best soundbar.
If you have a small room, then you don’t need to get a soundbar that has tons of bass. A smaller one will do just fine.
The main purpose is for audio quality clarity and voice dialogue.
Multi room audio system is big enough to make you feel like it’s comfortable, then maybe you should consider getting one with more bass.
The extra bass will make your music sound fuller and more powerful.
Sizes of rooms are measured in square feet, so go out and measure yours if you don’t know it!
Is this an open concept room, or is it closed off? If it’s closed off, then you might need to find a soundbar that doubles as a speaker for your TV.
Open concept room = you can hear the dialogue from the TV clear without having to strain or raise the volume on it, and also clear when watching movies.
Closed-off room = you’ll need something with extra bass for this situation, maybe something like this one if you want extra bass.
You need to know what you want this item for, or what’s the point of even buying one?
Do you want a immersive audio formats experience for watching movies, or do you want something to enhance your gaming experiences?
If movie viewing, then maybe something like this one would be good. Or if you want a combo soundbar with a TV speaker.
If gaming, then maybe you should go with something like this. If you don’t know what is best, it’s really best to ask someone who knows about these things.
If your TV is used strictly for streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, then you’ll need something with surround sound so it can accurately deliver the audio from the movie or show on the screen. The smart soundbars supports voice control, remote control, google assistant and voice commands. You can mount soundbar on TV above or below and wall mounted. Your mount selection is provide you better sound
How many speakers does it have? 1, 2, or 3?
1 = minimal bass and great for voice dialogue.
2 = decent amount of bass and good for movies.
3 = a lot of bass and good for movies with the most bass.
How much is it? (can be determined from the title of the post itself) $ – $=budget friendly $= mid-range $ = high end
Source:www.sony.com
Audio Return Channel (pretty much your HDMI ARC cable can handle video AND audio at the same time. Get a TV that has ARC, and then you won’t need to buy an extra HDMI cable to get this feature. These days, most TVs have an optical audio output as well as HDMI ARC. The design is simple because you only need your TV remote to change inputs.
A Bluetooth-enabled phone or tablet can wirelessly stream audio. Can connect to your phone and play music wirelessly from it. It is a great way to listen to music from your phone, or if you want even more bass, you can opt for getting one like this that also has the ability to plug in your device for extra bass playing power. Bass isn’t needed if you want to watch movies, but it’s still there for those that love bass.
Yes or No? USB ports are the easiest way to connect your device and make a movie night even better! If you have multiple TVs in your house, then this is the best option though I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t invest in one of these for their main tv.
HDMI connections connects your device to the soundbar, and you’ll need this when you plug in your device. That way, it will play hdmi inputs through the soundbar.
This is a problem with older TVs and devices, but if you have an older TV, then this might be for you, or you can get an adapter.
The answer is, it depends on what you got your soundbar for. If you need something that’s going to deliver every single word spoken in a movie, then something with great clarity is best.
If your room isn’t too big and music will be playing over the movies, then maybe something with more bass will be good. (something like this would be perfect)
Are there multiple great sound channels like 2.1, 5.1, 7.1, or 9.1?
Stereo sound, just like your TV has a 2.0 channel system. Great for watching movies or having clear dialogue when listening to music, but not the best option if you want more bass from your soundbar.
Three speakers in front of you, one is behind you and two on each side. Fairly good for watching movies but not as good as a 5.1 system.
Channel five adds channels for wireless rear speakers or surround sound speakers. In some cases, soundbar systems come with a wireless subwoofer or a separate subwoofer as well as wireless satellite speakers.
Five speakers in front of you, one behind you and two to each side of the TV, and then two more behind your listening experience area. This is the best option if you want an optimal movie viewing experience with great simulate surround sound setup that will truly deliver the movie immersive surround sound experience..
Seven speakers in front of you, two behind your listening experience, and then one to each side of the TV. This is what I have because I wanted optimal sound for everything without going overboard on bass (which some may find value in). Not needed for movies with no explosions or Anything that requires true surround sound system, but great for TV shows and movies that require it.
Nine speakers in front of you, two behind your listening area, and three to each side of the TV. This is just crazy since no one really needs this much bass (unless you want friends over to watch a movie). The only time I’d recommend this is if you have a room that’s very big and people can stand back from the screen to watch movies.
There are many sizes of soundbars like Short, Medium, Tall, or Giant?
2 speaker systems (usually 10 inches) best for small rooms as they offer minimal bass. If you don’t care to fill your TV room with sound, then a soundbar like this will probably do you just fine.
3 speaker systems (usually 12 inches) I recommend getting a medium size if you have a small/medium-sized room and want something that’s going to deliver the full movie experience without needing to crank it up too high. Suitable for both movies and music.
4 speaker systems (usually 15 inches). This is what I have, and it’s absolutely perfect if you can’t put your soundbar directly in front of your tv, or if you want something that will deliver the full movie viewing experience with a little more bass than a TV could ever offer.
5 speaker systems (usually 17 inches). If you have the money and want to have a giant soundbar, then this is probably for you.
Wired will deliver better quality audio, but that might be something that you’re not concerned with. If your tv or device doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilities, then wired connection is the only option.
Wireless means you won’t have to deal with wires, but your sound quality will probably be compromised if you’re not within a certain range of your device. Most people shouldn’t care about this since they’ll either be watching movies on their TV or on their computer.
If you only want your soundbar for movies and you don’t care too much about music, then it can be as simple as getting a basic soundbar. If, however, you find yourself listening to more music than watching movies (like me), then consider buying a system that has some good bass capability without compromising on sound quality.
Source:thehometheaterdiy.com
Usually more expensive than passive sound bar but worth it if you want a soundbar that is future-proof.
Choose an active soundbar if you just need to improve your TV’s audio quality. Active soundbars are usually Dolby Atmos or DTS certified, which means they’re going to deliver the most immersive movie experience possible. They also connect directly to your TV, which results in fewer cords and better quality audio without compromising on the bass (some passive systems have little bass).
Active soundbars can be used without a subwoofer (more on this later) and will still deliver great bass.
Cheaper than active but not worth it in my opinion, as they don’t offer very good bass and are limited by the TV’s output.
Passive soundbars connect directly to your TV for sound, which is great, but that also means you’ll be limited by what your TV can output. If you find yourself wishing that the bass was louder, then either consider upgrading to a soundbar that has a subwoofer or getting an active soundbar.
If you want something really cheap and basic, passive is the way to go.
Most soundbars can deliver great bass on their own, but if you really want to feel the action, then consider getting a subwoofer. The price may turn some people off (although it’s not that expensive), but the added bass will make your whole viewing experience much more exciting.
This is a great question, but it’s really difficult to answer because there are so many models and features available. I’ve put together this little guide to try and help with that:
Anything under $100 will be pretty bad quality (not terrible but don’t expect too much). Anything above and under $500 will deliver excellent quality (but it isn’t necessary unless you watch movies a lot). Make sure that whatever you get is at least 2.1, so you have the option of getting a subwoofer in the future. See if there are any bundles that include a wireless subwoofer because they’re usually cheaper than buying both separately.
I hope this answers some basic questions that people have when buying a soundbar you feel a real home theater sound. If you’ve got any more or if you’re looking for something specific, just leave a comment, and I’ll try to help out!
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