If you are planning to get the best out of your TV in terms of sound quality, you must be using a soundbar. Television manufacturers concentrate more on the picture quality than the audio. Even the most technologically advanced TV requires a soundbar for picture-perfect sound and crystal clear voice output.
While there are many brands and models available in the market, it gets challenging to buy the right soundbar for your Television Set. The question also arises that is soundbar worth buying in india?
This article shall help you realize the need for a soundbar and the way to select the right device.
What is a Sound Bar?
A rectangular tube-like structure that has a series of speakers in it. The main purpose of using a Soundbar is to get the perfect sound from the television set. The usage of the sound bar shall help you with the following
- Completely Immersive experience
- Clear Voice
- You can also experience the newer sound technologies like the DOLBY Atmos and DOLBY digital
The major advantage is, upon purchasing a Soundbar, you need not want to spend on buying an expensive TV.
Types of Sound Bars
There are several types and each of them is priced differently. In fact, you must be aware of the types to see which one suits your requirement.
Soundbar 2.0: This is the basic Soundbar that you might use to connect your TV. Ensure that the soundbar is either placed above or below the TV set. Angling of the soundbar to your listening height is necessary as this model has just a left-right stereo.
Soundbar 3.0: This again is a basic model, apart from the left-right stereo speakers, the device has a dedicated center speaker too. The voice quality is pretty clear compared to the previous one.
Soundbar 2.1 and 3.1: This is a model that comes with a subwoofer along with the speaker set. The subwoofer is wireless or wired depending on the brand. You can keep the soundbar below or above the TV, and place the subwoofer on the sides or in the middle of the room.
Surround Soundbar: This is the basic model of a surround speaker. All the speakers, including the main one, are present inside the bar itself. It may not be as effective as the expensive surround speaker models, where the speakers can be placed at the backside of your seating positions too.
DOLBY Atmos: These are excellent speakers that give a complete 3-D effect while listening to the songs and watching a movie. You may experience the sound coming from above and you will definitely have an immersive experience using it.
Soundbar 5.1 and 7.1: This is the perfect setup where you have the surround speakers on the right and left sides. You can get the ultimate audio experience with this setup. The best part is, you may upgrade the setup as and when you want. Especially, if you do not want to spend too much on one shot, you may choose this model for a piece of luxury music set up.
Things to Consider While Buying a Soundbar
Size of The Unit:
This is an important aspect that you need to check before purchasing a Soundbar. Look for the space availability and then go for it. The 2.0, 2.1, and 3.1 are smaller size models and can fit within the TV cabinet itself. But the other models require space around your TV room for maximum experience. The size factor can be of greater help in maintaining the look of your house too. A long and big soundbar can spoil the aesthetic value of the house. Further, there are options for you to mount the soundbar on the wall too. Look at the convenience and start your shopping.
Connectivity:
The TV must have connection ports that should suit the Soundbar connection options. There are TV ports that might not suit the Soundbar options. Look for the connectivity options and know the technicality behind them before hunting for the soundbar. There are connecting options like Optical, HDMI, and even AUX. While we say this, the Bluetooth connectivity shall not give the best of the audio experience too. So, do not rely on that alone.
In some new soundbar also have inbuilt Alexa mode, so you can use your soundbar as a smart device.
Channels:
Apart from the primary speaker, check for the other speakers in the soundbar. You may have to watch out for models; 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, etc. The number after the decimal point tells you the number of the sub-woofers present. The number before the decimal is the main speaker and stereo speakers that are present in the unit. In fact, the last number in the model tells you, if the speaker comes with DOLBY Atmos.
Power:
Though the TV does not consume much power, the soundbar does. The bigger units with surround speakers consume more power than the 2.1 or 5.1 soundbars. Check with the brands that offer low power consumption units.
Scalable Options:
Check with the model if it can be upgraded later. This is an important aspect as human wants do not subside with time. You may want to add some more speakers to give a home theatre experience too.
As you look through the catalogs of the soundbars, check for these aspects and finally look for the price too. Comparing the features and the price that you can afford shall help you get the right piece of equipment for your house.
FAQ
- What are Dolby Atmos soundbars?
It is an object-based sound experience format. That means to say, the speaker allows you to listen to music from all angles in your room. The voice may come from above your head from the ceiling too. Such immersive experience is only possible with DOLBY Atomos Soundbars.
- What brands should you buy in India?
Several brands are available, but you may opt for
- Bose
- LG
- Samsung
- Boat
- MI
- Sony
- Yamaha
- Can you add speakers to a soundbar?
There are surround speaker and DOLBY Atmos speaker models that allows you to add speakers to the soundbar.
