The hype surrounding soundbars
There is nothing wrong with the humble soundbar.
if you have an aesthetic requirement, space limited or just want to improve TV Audio. But, to say that you can get a cinematic experience with any soundbar is stretching the truth. I sell and listen to many sounders from many companies and while I do find them impressive based on the size of the speakers and overall dimensions of the bars there has never been a soundbar released to date that truly excites me, makes me feel like I am listening to a great sound system or that has the ability to immerse me in a great soundtrack. So lets put things into perspective! Soundbars are TV enhancements, yes you can listen to music and yes you can listen to movies but a soundbar is not the only option.
- Give thought to your room size - we know room effects sound, in a large hard space a soundbar could sound thin and tiny.
- Where you are sitting - small drivers have a tendency to be quite direct so if you are off access you will be missing information and may not get good vocal articulation
- What is your expectation from the sound system - if you are going to be using the soundbar as your only music system then you need to understand the limitations to avoid disappointment.
Why does this Matter?
When buying a new TV give thought to what is important in the audio system,
- What do you expect from the sound?
- Is it your only music system?
- Will you be watching movies?
- Do you want surround sound?
- Or do you JUST want to make TV audio better than the standard TV speakers?
If you just want to streamline and simplify your system then a Soundbar could be the right product. BUT if you fall into the advertising hype and think that by taking a slim array of speakers home will make you feel like you are in the latest Events Mega Plex Cinema - you will be sadly disappointed. To get a cinematic experience you will need a proper home cinema system, to feel the emotion and immerse your self in great music you will need a proper stereo system.
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Mick Stillone
Author