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Are Soundbars Worth the Money?
- Thread starter Fiery Phoenix
- Start date
But it doesn't have to be very pricey. There are plenty of decent entry level speakers that will sound better than the sound bar. Also, the beauty is you don't need to buy it all at once. You can add to it over time to expand it. Start with a receiver and two speakers, and then go from there if the budget is tight at the moment.
Yes, that is all true. However for me I'm going for much better bookshelf speakers than what I have now so I'm spending hundreds of bucks either way!
There are multiple ways. Assuming a single HDMI input into the soundbar (some have multiple) you can have an HDMI switch in front of that, and all the devices feeding into the switch and you control what gets fed in. You would feed HDMI out from the soundbar into your TV.
Most soundbar and TVs also do ARC, audio return channel, so you feed all the HDMI inputs into your TV (Hdmi1, hdmi2, etc) and then one of the HDMI inputs (ARC) actually goes to the soundbar HDMI out, TVs label one of the HDMI inputs as ARC. You configure the TV and soundbar to turn on ARC and then all your devices output sound to the soundbar thru the TV over ARC. ARC does not support TrueHD ATMOS but eARC does and some soundbars will do dolby direct ATMOS over ARC.
I have an LG B7 OLED TV and an LG SJ9 soundbar hooked up to each other, PS4 Pro and Xbox One X and Switch hooked up to the various HDMI ports and ARC to the soundbar, works great. I also have my PC hooked up and it connects over HDMI or Bluetooth, my phone also hooks in via bluetooth if I wanna play a song off that.
Soundbars are great if space is an issue over sound quality, I have it in my office and got rid of the receiver and the 5.1 setup I had for years a while back, it was just a mess of cables and stands and speakers all over the place. It does NOT sound as loud or as good but its 90% there and good enough for me.
One funny thing about soundbars and bluetooth is most have zero security, I can walk around my neighborhood and start piping porn audio straight into random neighbors soundbars.
They have their place in a small room or apartment where a decent 5.1/7.1 surround sound set up is just.... not practical.
I'm looking into getting a sound bar for my small bedroom at the moment, and I have the cash to spare for surround sound. But like I said, in this small of a room it's just not necessary.
I'm looking into getting a sound bar for my small bedroom at the moment, and I have the cash to spare for surround sound. But like I said, in this small of a room it's just not necessary.
I don't have room for a proper setup lol, so I bought a soundbar for my room TV. Sounds better than the TV speakers, that's for sure. But the audio lag is the worst. There's a notable delay between video and audio that I can't fix that just drives me nuts. That's probably why I'm rarely using my nice, new big TV as much.
Soundbars are absolutely worth the money, so is surround sound. It truly depends what your end goal is with audio, you have options based on price. Also, don't listen to any nonsense about audio delay, almost every soundbar has settings to adjust audio and sync properly.
Soundbars:
1. Low end are typically $100 and under - even a cheap soundbar is miles better than the built in speakers on modern TV's, these will likely not include a subwoofer.
2. Mid range are typically $200-350 - this is where you'll find most of the Samsung, LG, and some Sony model soundbars, many of these include subwoofers and have Bluetooth if you feel like streaming audio from a phone / tablet.
3. High end are typically $700+ and can range to a couple grand depending on brand, sometimes not even including a subwoofer. You'll find everything from Sonos to Bowers and Wilkins.
Surround sound:
Surround sound basically comes in two flavors - "HTIB" which means home theater in a box, and build your own. The most common set ups are 5.1 or 7.1 meaning 5 or 7 speakers and a subwoofer.
1. HTIB $300-700 - A home theater in a box is where you literally get everything in a single box. These systems will include either 5 or 7 speakers, a subwoofer , and a receiver or faux receiver. What I mean by this is that often times these devices are proprietary meaning that the receiver isn't replaceable, in fact the speakers may be proprietary too, so if something breaks you're out of luck.
2. Real deal surround sound $ depends on what you want, these systems are very modular and interchangeable. You can start off small and build as you go or do it all at once, for example you can start with a receiver and 2 speakers, add a sub, add 3 more speakers later etc. A good 5.1 setup is going to start at $1000 but you can go cheaper or much more expensive, a few grand is more than reasonable in this category. The long terms benefits here are incredible because nice speakers can last 10-15 years easily, and the receiver can be swapped out as technology advances. Speakers don't really get outdated like other tech.
What I went with:
Personally I went with the Sonos Playbar setup. The Sonos is kind of a best of both worlds because it allows you to have a surround setup of sorts and has wireless music capabilities and can be linked up with their other speakers. The Sonos Playbar starts at $700, the Sonos Sub is $700 as well and can be linked with 2 additional Sonos Play 1 or Sonos Play 3 Speakers. This gives you a fully wireless surround set up but it isn't the cheapest option obviously.
Hope this helps!
Soundbars:
1. Low end are typically $100 and under - even a cheap soundbar is miles better than the built in speakers on modern TV's, these will likely not include a subwoofer.
2. Mid range are typically $200-350 - this is where you'll find most of the Samsung, LG, and some Sony model soundbars, many of these include subwoofers and have Bluetooth if you feel like streaming audio from a phone / tablet.
3. High end are typically $700+ and can range to a couple grand depending on brand, sometimes not even including a subwoofer. You'll find everything from Sonos to Bowers and Wilkins.
Surround sound:
Surround sound basically comes in two flavors - "HTIB" which means home theater in a box, and build your own. The most common set ups are 5.1 or 7.1 meaning 5 or 7 speakers and a subwoofer.
1. HTIB $300-700 - A home theater in a box is where you literally get everything in a single box. These systems will include either 5 or 7 speakers, a subwoofer , and a receiver or faux receiver. What I mean by this is that often times these devices are proprietary meaning that the receiver isn't replaceable, in fact the speakers may be proprietary too, so if something breaks you're out of luck.
2. Real deal surround sound $ depends on what you want, these systems are very modular and interchangeable. You can start off small and build as you go or do it all at once, for example you can start with a receiver and 2 speakers, add a sub, add 3 more speakers later etc. A good 5.1 setup is going to start at $1000 but you can go cheaper or much more expensive, a few grand is more than reasonable in this category. The long terms benefits here are incredible because nice speakers can last 10-15 years easily, and the receiver can be swapped out as technology advances. Speakers don't really get outdated like other tech.
What I went with:
Personally I went with the Sonos Playbar setup. The Sonos is kind of a best of both worlds because it allows you to have a surround setup of sorts and has wireless music capabilities and can be linked up with their other speakers. The Sonos Playbar starts at $700, the Sonos Sub is $700 as well and can be linked with 2 additional Sonos Play 1 or Sonos Play 3 Speakers. This gives you a fully wireless surround set up but it isn't the cheapest option obviously.
Hope this helps!
I like my Teufel Cinebar 11 quiet a bit, the subwoofer is also nice. But seriously, good stereo headphones are so much better for gaming, movies and music.
I only use the soundbar if others also have to listen.
I only use the soundbar if others also have to listen.
Yeah definitely this, funny how it seems that choices are either soundbar or surround setup nowadays
This poster nails it, OP.
If you're already investing in a really nice TV but a surround sound system is too much of a luxury, a sound bar is practically a necessity. Don't neuter your big 4K HDR TV by running the sound off its onboard speakers. A $100 2.1 sound bar system is gonna give the richer more powerful sound the beautiful picture deserves, and in a financially accessible way.
I have a 32" Vizio one that came with a subwoofer which connects wirelessly to the sound bar. So far I'm very happy with the sound quality. The sound bar itself it excellent for dialogue, while the sub and the speakers connected to it produce deep bass and adds dimension to the sound effects. Miles better than my TV speakers.
Was originally $140, but I was able to get it for $100 during a sale.
Was originally $140, but I was able to get it for $100 during a sale.
It seems like the sound is about to go on my TV. It keeps getting really quiet randomly when I'm watching things. Should I invest in a sound bar to alleviate that problem? Are cheap ones okay?
Especially if you live in a wood frame condominium. We had one person who didn't give a fuck, and blared his tv all night playing video games. It's beyond annoying when you have to get up and go to work the next day, and the guy above you is playing an FPS at maximum volume.
This is bad advice.
OP soundbar will go a long way, not just for games but when you have mates over for movies aswell
Ive just bought a dolby atmos soundbar for £800 and its a game changer. But you can still get good ones for far less.
On the note of headphones 2 questions:
- are there proper wireless tv headphones with proper sounding 5.1 or 7.1 sound?
- I have been using for years the sennheiser 170 and the virtual sound it has is quite ok (compares to my 5.1 surround system). Any really good reason to upgrade those?
- are there proper wireless tv headphones with proper sounding 5.1 or 7.1 sound?
- I have been using for years the sennheiser 170 and the virtual sound it has is quite ok (compares to my 5.1 surround system). Any really good reason to upgrade those?
I just don't get it. How do people consistently fall for the marketing bullshit. Bose and Sonos are so overpriced its not even funny. You spend $1400 on a soundbar and a sub that couldn't outperform a $300 one. An HSU Hybrid 2 - 5.1 system is only $1300 and is likely 50x the performance.
Soundbars would be better if they weren't constricted to the bar-shape, had much bigger woofers, there was two of them, and they lived on speaker stands to the left and right of your TV for stereo separation.
Yeah, I know, soundbars win for convenience, but seriously if you can deal with the slight inconvenience, a basic stereo setup will kill most of them (and a lot of the cheaper 5.1 setups). And you can get 'active' sets these days with a little remote and optical input for minimal clutter. Personally I have the Q Accoustics BT3 in black.
Yeah, I know, soundbars win for convenience, but seriously if you can deal with the slight inconvenience, a basic stereo setup will kill most of them (and a lot of the cheaper 5.1 setups). And you can get 'active' sets these days with a little remote and optical input for minimal clutter. Personally I have the Q Accoustics BT3 in black.
This.
I just got a 4K TV myself and purchased a soundbar with subwoofer. The sound difference between the TV speakers and soundbar is noticeable. I refuse to go back to the TV speakers.
Yes, but remember you're asking on an enthusiast forum and those with an extensive knowledge of audio tech are more likely to post here
They're not as good as a proper sound set up, but a decent soundbar will be 10x better than your TVs speakers, so if you want a simple plug in play improvement to your audio set up then pick up a bar with a sub-woofer and you won't be disappointed
I got an LG bar for about £150 and it's been fantastic
They're not as good as a proper sound set up, but a decent soundbar will be 10x better than your TVs speakers, so if you want a simple plug in play improvement to your audio set up then pick up a bar with a sub-woofer and you won't be disappointed
I got an LG bar for about £150 and it's been fantastic
I bought a 400 dollar Yamaha HTIB from best buy. Was a huge step up from TV speakers. Eventually upgraded the fronts to 2 huge floor standing speakers and it's even better now. Next is the Sub, but overall I'd say my 5.1 set-up smokes a soundbar, even with just the stock speakers. Find a good HTIB that can be upgraded at your leisure. It's worth it.
I can't have a proper 5.1 setup and my KS8000's sound quality is downright atrocious so yep, a soundbar was worth it.
I still swear by headphones, I have a nice wireless pair and use them a lot, but sometimes I don't feel like it (it's too hot, my ears are hurting after a few hours, etc). It's nice to have something to fall back to.
I still swear by headphones, I have a nice wireless pair and use them a lot, but sometimes I don't feel like it (it's too hot, my ears are hurting after a few hours, etc). It's nice to have something to fall back to.
I would think that most 7.1 setups are louder than soundbars for two reasons: A 7.1 receiver most likely delivers more power than a soundbar's amplifier, and the number and size of the speakers in a 7.1 setup are most likely larger than those in a soundbar. The physical limitations of a soundbar would be the restricting factor vs. a surround setup.
Personally, I have a stereo setup, but that's just because I value listening to music over replicating a movie theater.
Vizio 5.1 with the flat subwoofer that you can put under your sofa. Has pretty much all the inputs you need, you can stream audio via wifi and bt, and control it with an app. New is kinda pricey, but there are plenty refurbs that are reasonably priced. My advice is get the biggest one you can afford for best sound separation between the front and center channels.
I personally love my Sony HTXT1 I bought 2 years ago on sale. 179 Eur for a "2.1" soundbar (sub is included in the bar, which is actually more a "base") that also delivers a sound for music that rivales with some sets above 500, I have no regret. Headphones are great for videogames, but none can give you the "physical" punch you get from open sound.
if you're going very cheap and/or you have no space for speakers and receiver, then soundbar is the way to go.
I got the vizio 5.1 soundbar and i love it. I wanted surround sound but i have no room by the tv to set up any front speakers. The setup comes with the soundbar, a good wireless subwoofer, and two rear speakers that i set on the sides of my chair. I consider it one of my greatest purchases next to my ks8000 :P
I got the vizio 5.1 soundbar and i love it. I wanted surround sound but i have no room by the tv to set up any front speakers. The setup comes with the soundbar, a good wireless subwoofer, and two rear speakers that i set on the sides of my chair. I consider it one of my greatest purchases next to my ks8000 :P
Just use anything other than TV speakers please people!
It's a nightmare making a mix for a game where it sounds good on TV speakers, they are almost universally terrible. Use headphones, a soundbar, stereo speakers or a full surround system, but please don't listen to games (or anything for that mater) via TV speakers.
It's a nightmare making a mix for a game where it sounds good on TV speakers, they are almost universally terrible. Use headphones, a soundbar, stereo speakers or a full surround system, but please don't listen to games (or anything for that mater) via TV speakers.
What do you mean by this? When you output a stereo mix, a 5.1 or 7.1 system will output stereo to your two front speakers. Or you can set your receiever to 5ch stereo where it plays a stereo mix out the front speakers, and out the back speakers and throws in the subwoofer too.
All I mean is I'd rather allocate more of my budget to just 2 speakers, rather than 5 or 7. I would definitely like to add a subwoofer though, as soon as I get out of apartment living.
I have a Sonos Playbar on my TV but I'd still prefer to use my Beyerdynamic headphones while gaming.
Go Sonos. However, If you have the room. the money and time, go 7.1 A/V receiver with good speakers. That's the top shelf. But if you just want a simple solution, set up and go, with great sound, a soundbar is great, but a Sonos is amazing. I have a Playbase and 2 Sonos 1 speakers, they're fantastic sounding, and better than my old 5.1 system. It's also nice to be able to integrate all the services like spotify, google play music, and Amazon Alexa easily.
Well, for Sonos you aren't necessarily saving much money depending on the setup. Don't get me wrong, I like Sonos for what they offer but my Sonos Playbase and Sub setup in our upstairs media area (mostly for the kids) was almost $2000. It sounds great for what it is, and it has the benefits of being part of my distributed home audio setup as well, but my proper 5.1 setup in the family room is still much better and wasn't much more expensive. Sure, running wires and mounting the surrounds is a bit of work, but a few hours of effort is worth it for something that will be part our setup for years.
There are creative solutions to wires. I use a big rug in front of my TV under the coffee table. Run the rear speaker wires under the rug, and under the couch. One of the rear speakers has an exposed wire for maybe a foot. I have hardwood floors, so I just got some woodgrain tape, and problem solved. Looks great.
Worth it. Drop $200 and get a decent 2.1 from Sony, Samsung, LG, etc... Or $250-$300 for a 3.1. Should be plenty for an apartment setting. Really takes games with great sound design to the next level.
The sound bar is powered from a wall outlet. It connects to the TV either through digital optical or HDMI. If your sound bar came with a subwoofer, those can be plugged into any outlet and wirelessly speak to the sound bar.
The sound bar is powered from a wall outlet. It connects to the TV either through digital optical or HDMI. If your sound bar came with a subwoofer, those can be plugged into any outlet and wirelessly speak to the sound bar.
Under £100, sure as they're a lot better than TV speakers and look cool. Over £100 then you'll be much better off getting some kind of 2.0/2.1 system but they depends more on space within your living room.