How to find the perfect soundbar for your home

Imagine: you don’t have the budget to buy a new TV, or to improve the audio of your TV. Your best and most affordable option in this scenario is a soundbar, but where do you start? Read here everything you need to know when purchasing a soundbar.

A soundbar is a beam-shaped sound system designed to enhance the sound of televisions. The device consists of multiple speakers that take the TV audio to the next level. Modern soundbars are available in all shapes, sizes and prices. It is therefore often a matter of looking for the perfect model.

Why do you need a sound bar?

Soundbars are an ideal first step in home theater audio. They are nice and compact, easy to set up and sound a lot better than most built-in TV speakers. The quality you get from the device ranges from basic bass enhancements to room-filling home cinema audio. Regardless of which version suits you best, a soundbar is an easy way to get more out of your viewing experience.

Find the right size

Soundbars are classified according to the number of built-in treble, bass and height channels. A channel in this case is the area on the speaker that transmits the audio. For example, a 2.1 system has two speakers and a dedicated subwoofer. A 5.1 system, on the other hand, has five speakers and a subwoofer.

Sound bars usually have three channels on the front (left, center, right) and come with a subwoofer. This is a 3.1 system. The most important channel is the middle one, because TV and movie mixers move most of the audio clips here. The more channels you purchase, the bigger the system will fail. It is especially important that the model you buy fits your media console. So you have to fit and measure at the beginning, but you get a lot in return!

Do you need a subwoofer?

A subwoofer is a very nice addition. This is because the subwoofer is specialized in transmitting low (bass) tones. A woofer gives your sound an extra dimension. We therefore recommend that you buy a soundbar that comes with a subwoofer. If these are too expensive, you can choose to purchase an external subwoofer. You do have to free up some space for it, because the subwoofer is fairly large for a speaker.

You will learn all about the subwoofer in this video for beginners

Connecting the sound bar

Most modern models use HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel). This allows you to easily connect the speaker via a single HDMI cable. Once the soundbar connects to the TV, you can control the volume with the TV remote. Some models also offer Bluetooth connectivity.

What about Surround Sound?

Surround Sound is actually exactly what you think it is. You surround yourself with sound through special speakers that are scattered in your room. That way, the sound plays around you. Soundbars often have digital surround sound, but this does not quite cover the same charge as distributed speakers. Some models come with Surround Speakers, but you can also buy your own.

How much money do you spend on a soundbar?

You can buy sound bars from around 90 euros. These are small models with a better quality than TV speakers. They’re a great option if your budget is tight, but the sound isn’t all that great just yet. For 100 to 400 euros you already have a high-quality non-Surround speaker. There are a few Surround models in this price range, but the quality of these is not exceptional. In this class it differs per model whether a subwoofer is included or not.

You will find high-quality Surround soundbars with real satellite speakers between 400 and 1000 euros. If you spend more than 1000 euros, you are undoubtedly in the A-class. These models are similar to home cinema systems. The most expensive soundbars are very large, so you have to have the space for them.