Nowadays, even the most cost-effective TV systems are equipped with pristine, high-definition displays. In these modern times, where you can purchase HDR color and 4K ultra HD TVs, there is still one area where they lack performance, sound. The thin screens do not accommodate top-tier speakers, and that is why sound bars have gained popularity. They are unobtrusive, slim, and quickly set up and can efficiently imitate a full-featured surround sound system at an affordable price and with hardly any effort.
Figuring out which sound bar is the best for you may become tricky, given the broad selection of options with puzzling numerical suffixes accompanied.
Subwoofers
Irrespective of the sound bar you select, it will offer a substantial sound improvement over your TV’s internal speakers. There are, however, decisions to be made of which getting a sound bar with a subwoofer or not is predominant. A subwoofer is a speaker driver, which is devoted to the reproduction of low-frequency audio. Sound bars with subwoofers included adds base to movies and TV shows, offering a fuller sound and is more efficient in distributing audio throughout a room. If you want to watch action movies or movies that feature epic music, then a subwoofer is going to be probably the best fit for you. Some sound bar models are equipped with dedicated subwoofers that typically connect wirelessly while others necessitate a direct-wired connection. In some scenarios, it would be better to purchase them separately. If you opt for buying a third-party dedicated subwoofer, you have first to determine if your sound bar can support it since not all systems come with a dedicated subwoofer output. Check here for a comparison of cost-effective sound bar selections.
Connections
In most cases, you will only necessitate one cable to be connected to a sound bar with the television. Some models are dependent on optical cables, which is sufficient; however, HDMI is the preferred choice. An HDMI interface supports most audio formats as opposed to optical, meaning you’ll be able to have a better quality sound, which is more immersive with HDMI. In addition, audio return channel (HDMI ARC) is protocol with most of the latest sound bars that have HDMI connections. This enables the TV and sound bar to exchange information a lot easier, including the capability of routing video to your TV as well as routing sound from the TV, over a singular connection. This often permits the viewer to control the power and volume with one remote. Some sound bars can even have the function of an entertainment hub for the home, where all components can be plugged in for easy control.
Entire-Home Audio And Bluetooth
Sound bars are now more extensively utilized for listening to, much in the same way as listening to your TV, especially in smaller homes and condominiums. Most sound bars support Bluetooth streaming from a tablet, PC, or smartphone. However, the more sophisticated selections like HEOs, Bose, Sonos, Yamaha, and more provide sound bars that can be connected to entire-home wireless music systems via Wi-Fi. If you’re deliberating whether to expand into a more extensive music system that supports Wi-Fi, then it makes sense to instead opt for one of these sound bar models.
