3 essential tips for choosing a high-quality soundbar

A soundbar is a speaker enclosure designed to give you the kind of high-quality sound most televisions can’t supply on their own. Here are three essential tips to help you choose a soundbar sure to deliver theatre-quality sound in the comfort of your living room.

Before  heading out to the store, think about what you want from your soundbar. Why? Because different ones are better suited for certain spaces and entertainment. What’s more, the wrong soundbar can make the best equipment sound terrible. Here are the most popular types available:

Stereo sound

• Stereo speakers focus on providing high-quality sound that comes directly from the soundbar.

Surround sound

• These soundbars use special time-delay speakers that bounce off your walls to simulate a multi-speaker surround sound experience without all the wires.
• Think of it as a wireless speaker that uses your room’s shape for sound rather than extra speakers.

Multimedia

• Multimedia soundbars do more than enhance your TV speakers; they turn your home theatre into a central entertainment hub.
• These soundbars usually work with Blu-ray or CD/DVD players so you can watch movies or listen to music on the soundbar’s superior speakers.

Once you’ve settled on a type of soundbar, you’ll want extra features that can increase its use and versatility. Consider your priorities when looking at features. That way, you’ll use all the extras you paid for regularly rather than paying for things you don’t need.

Channels

• Soundbars typically use one, three or five channels for sound.
• Each channel provides different elements for music and sound effects.
• In general, more channels offer a more robust sound.

Subwoofers

• For the heart-pounding bass you thought only possible at the movies, get a soundbar with a subwoofer.
• Most soundbars can handle the high and mid-range sounds, but a subwoofer provides the low-end bass for a fuller experience.

Connectivity

• Your soundbar is designed to connect easily with your television, but you’ll also need some inputs depending on your other devices. HDMI is the standard for connections today, but some older devices may need component or classic AV inputs.
• Soundbars can also be integrated into existing stereo systems, so make sure your new soundbar has inputs for older speakers if you want a truly great home theatre experience.
• Bluetooth-enabled soundbars let you connect wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices.

Your soundbar has to fit with your television.

• Take a few pictures of your current setup before shopping to help you determine the soundbar size your room can accommodate.
• Remember that certain soundbars are also better in certain spaces. If you have an open-concept room, for example, a surround sound system may not work properly. As such, you’ll likely need a stereo system instead.

While we call them TV soundbars, these small speaker units can do more than just enhance your television’s speakers. Look for the right soundbar that can completely change your home audio experience.