5 Tips On Choosing A Soundbar For Your Sound System Needs
Soundbar - Clear, clear sound and steady bass are the audio that many people crave when watching movies and listening to music. The soundbar can be the solution for you. A friendly size for a small room, there are not many cables installed, and affordable prices are one of the many reasons to choose a soundbar as a complement to the sound system in your home.
You've never bought a soundbar? That's not a problem. We will discuss tips on choosing the right soundbar for your home sound system needs. Quite a lot of Soundbar brands such as JBL, Bose, LG, Samsung, and other products. But it would be nice to know the specifications of the soundbar that you will buy later.
What is a soundbar?
Imagine when you're watching a movie but the sound from your TV is not clear, the bass sound is not steady and the noise is annoying in high tones, surely this is very annoying, right? Such noise can happen if your TV's built-in speakers are of poor quality. Therefore, you need external speakers such as a soundbar or a home theater.
The soundbar is a kind of speaker with a slim elongated design and can produce clear and wide sound. Compared to a home theater, a soundbar is more compact and more affordable in terms of price. Of course, the sound quality and coverage are still inferior when compared to home theaters. However, when compared to your TV's built-in speakers, the soundbar is still better.
If you are not constrained by financial problems and have a house with a spacious room, maybe a home theater is the right choice. Conversely, if you need additional speakers, but the space and money you have are limited, the soundbar will help you. Soundbar also does not require complicated installation techniques, just unplug or plug the cable only. Surely this is very interesting?
How to choose the right soundbar
There are several things to note in choosing a soundbar, including the number of channels, their size, and connectivity. The following tips will make it easier for you when choosing a soundbar.
5 Tips for choosing the right soundbar
1. Check the number of channels
For the first time you've chosen an audio-related electronic device, you may be confused about channel definitions. Channel can be interpreted as the source of the sound or the direction the sound will bounce. The more channels, the better the sound you'll hear in the room. This makes the atmosphere of watching TV or listening to songs feel more real and more intense.
Choose a soundbar that has at least two channels, meaning the sound will come from and to your left and right sides. A soundbar with three channels means there will be additional sounds from the front. Meanwhile, five channels mean there are two more voices from the back. Now there are many premium quality soundbars with up to nine channels.
In addition to channels, usually, a soundbar is equipped with a subwoofer. If you find a soundbar of type 5.1, that means it has five channels and one subwoofer. The subwoofer amplifies the bass sound in the currently playing movie or song. This bass boom is what sometimes makes the difference because the sound becomes more steady.
2. For people who are familiar with audio equipment, choose an active soundbar
Active soundbar means that inside the product is already installed audio power amplifier or amplifier. With just one soundbar device, you can already enjoy good sound quality from all corners of the room. Its use is also very practical because you don't have to set things up. If you're first buying or aren't familiar with audio, we recommend choosing an active soundbar.
On the other hand, the passive soundbar doesn't have an amplifier and receiver so you have to add it yourself. Automatically there are more devices to set up. At first glance it looks troublesome, doesn't it? However, the passive soundbar is more you can adjust according to the quality and atmosphere you want. If you crave quality that is close to home theater, learn to use the passive soundbar.
3. Consider the place of laying before buying
The soundbar is famous for its sleek and elongated design. This can be an advantage as well as a limitation because the coverage area that can be covered becomes more limited. Soundbars generally work well in small to medium rooms. For a room such as a bedroom or family room, of course, the soundbar can be relied on.
The place of placement also affects the quality of the sound produced. Usually, the soundbar is placed slightly in front of the TV. If you have a TV hanging from the wall, place the soundbar right below it. There is also a soundbar at the top of the TV, but the resulting sound is less good.
You can also try it by having a watch party with friends. Surely your friends will spread out throughout the room, then you can ask about the quality of the sound they receive. You can also ask the seller if the soundbar of your choice is more suitable for small, medium, or spacious rooms.
Read Also: 8 Best Soundbar Brands To Replace Home Theatre
4. Know what connectivity on the soundbar
No less important is to check the connectivity of the soundbar you have. Generally, the soundbar comes with an HDMI cable and plug to connect it to the TV. Not only HDMI, now soundbar products are equipped with wireless connections such as Bluetooth and Wifi.
With Bluetooth and Wifi, you'll be easier when you want to listen to songs or watch movies from your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. You can also more freely access paid services like Spotify or Pandora. Lately, there is also a soundbar that can be set via voice command.
5. Buy original soundbar from the best brands
You need to keep this in mind when choosing a soundbar. You want to solve the audio problem, instead of wanting to add a new problem. When you have limited funds, maybe counterfeit products will look tempting. However, likely, the product is easily damaged or the sound quality doesn't differ much from the built-in speakers on your TV.
You don't have to worry because famous brands like Samsung, Bose, Sony, and Harman Kardon have many variants of soundbar products. The price range is also very diverse, therefore, always choose original products and try brands that have a good reputation.
Now is not the time to have a large audio device with many cables to the connected unit. It's time to move on to the soundbar, a simpler and more elegant audio device with an ergonomic shape but still has powerful audio quality. With the focus on sound output without wasted dissemination, making the satisfaction when listening to music and watching movies more maximal and memorable.