Are Sound Bars Worth It In Comparison To TV Speakers?
Let's face it, when it comes to your TV's audio, it's internal speakers are often not so great, especially on flat-screen TVs.
Internal speakers on flat-screen TV's are often pointing their audio in the wrong direction, leaving the sound flat and shallow without a cinematic effect to the audio.
So you might be wondering, what's the solution? Well, that's where soundbars come in, of course, you could venture down the home theatre speaker set-up route too, but soundbars are a great choice thanks to their easy installation and fair price.
To help you decide whether a soundbar is right for your flat-screen TV or not, we have put together a small guide below that will tell you the advantages of choosing a soundbar vs speakers for your TV, the types you can buy and how to choose the right one.
So without further ado, let's get into it!
What Is a Sound Bar & What Types Are There?
Soundbars are a self-contained speaker device that contains different drivers and sit neatly under your TV.
They are typically wide in shape and connect to your TV via one HDMI cable, some also support Bluetooth and can be connected to your phone and computer. These bars often come with an integrated subwoofer, or you might find that you have to buy one separately if needed.
Different Types Of Sound Bars
When you are looking for a soundbar to give your TV's audio a boost, you may come across a few different numbers relating to your speakers such as 5.2.1 or 3.2.1.
To put it simply, the first number in this sequence relates to how many speakers your soundbar has, and the second number refers to whether or not your bar has a subwoofer.
Take an example of 3.2, this means your soundbar would come with three-channel speakers and two subwoofers. The third number in the sequence will tell you if your bar has Dolby Atmos or not, meaning it has upward-firing speakers which will improve the sound quality you hear dramatically.
Active Or Passive
As well as different channels, you will also come across the option to buy active or passive soundbars.
Passive soundbars use an amplifier and a receiver to work, meaning you will have to install multiple speakers and connections for them to work, active soundbars have this already included in their bar, which is the more simple space-saving solution.
What's The Issue With Flat Screen TVs Internal Speakers?
If you've come across this article and you are looking for a solution to your TVs speakers, then you probably already know the sound quality can be quite poor at times, no matter the condition of the TV.
The issue with flat-screen TVs is that the thinner they go, the smaller the speakers have to be, which can distort the sound you hear and limit the quality of the audio from the squished speakers.
This might not be an issue when you are watching a series now and then, but for movies, you need to be able to hear dialogue clearly, and these kinds of internal speakers will inevitably muffle what you hear and cause you to hit that rewind button just so as you can hear what people are saying.
That's why people often turn to soundbars, sound bases or home theatre surround sound set-ups.
Why Is a Sound Bar The Best Solution To My Flat-Screen TV Audio?
Deciding to buy a soundbar can be hard, these devices don't come cheap if your planning to purchase a very high-quality one, so you need to make sure it will be beneficial for your flat-screen TV.
We have listed out a few advantages of owning a soundbar below to see if we can help make up your mind.
- Simple and easy to use - These little devices require no excessive installation and set-up making them simple to use and connect to your TV, even for people who hate technology.
- Improves sound - One of the most obvious and important advantages of soundbars is that they make audio sound great! Although these bars are based in one area of your room, newer models are coming with surround sound and upwards firing speakers, which makes the sound much more immersive.
- Saves space - Soundbars help keep your room tidy and save space as they fit under your TV neatly. They are additionally portable, allowing you to move them around with ease and even use it with other TVs in your house.
- They can be affordable - You can score some pretty good soundbars for a low price if you do your research, meaning you can start your surround sound experience on a fairly low budget and add accessories such as subwoofers later on.
Sound Bars VS Speakers - Which One Is Right For You?
If you are looking to upgrade your flat-screen TVs audio, then most likely you will be faced with the decision of choosing between a soundbar or a home theatre set-up with speakers.
Both types of speakers are great for boosting your TVs audio but do offer their advantages and disadvantages with there solutions.
We have compared the two kinds of speakers below so as you can see for yourself which device will suit your TV set-up better.
Sound Bars
Let's start with soundbars. Soundbars in comparison to a home theatre speaker set-up save your space and time, as they don't take up too much room and are super easy to install under your TV.
Some of the higher-end models with Dolby Atmos and upward-firing speakers offer surround sound options too, so you might not even hear much of a difference in opposition to a full surround sound set-up, at half the cost!
If you have a small room which your TV is in, you likely don't need an extensive surround set-up anyway, so a soundbar would be a better solution for your TV.
The drawbacks of these devices in comparison to a theatre set-up is that they only give out audio from a front-facing direction which is limiting and will lower the surround sound feel that a home theatre set-up would have.
Advantages
- Space-saving rather than multiple speakers.
- Can be less expensive.
- High-quality models offer a similar experience to home theatre.
- No set-up.
- Great for small rooms.
Disadvantages
- Only front-facing audio, unlike a theatre set-up which has audio from all directions.
Home Theatre Speakers
Home theatre speaker set-ups in contrast to soundbars are great as they allow you to place your speakers wherever you want and customise your set-up.
For example, a 5.1 home theatre speaker set-up would allow you to have three speakers at the front of your room with another two placed at the back.
These speakers are perfect for large rooms or if you are really after that cinematic sound when watching movies as the audio comes from all directions, not only the front like soundbars.
The disadvantages of these speakers are that they can cost a lot, and take time and patience to set-up. They are also not portable and can use up a lot of space if you only have a small room with your TV in.
Advantages
- Better surround sound experience.
- You can customise them.
- Good for large rooms.
Disadvantages
- Takes time to set-up.
- Expensive.
- Not portable.
Conclusion
Overall, if you are looking for a low-costing solution that doesn't take up too much space and you want to improve your flat-screen TV's audio you should go for a soundbar.
If you are looking for a cinematic sound experience and you have a higher budget, then home theatre set-ups could also be worth considering.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sound Bars For Flat Screen TVs
Why are flat-screen TV internal speakers so bad?
Flat-screen TV internal speakers are bad because there small and squished, this is due to the TV being very thin; giving no bass or surround sound effect as the sound can't travel which is important for dialogue.
How much do soundbars cost?
Soundbars can cost anything from £100 to even £1000 if you are looking at super high-quality models.
Final Words
Overall, buying a soundbar is a great solution to fix low-quality audio coming from your flat-screen TV, just make sure to get the appropriate one with enough channels for you and ensure it fits neatly under your TV's size.
Just In Case You Want To Have A Look At Some Of Our Sound Bar Reviews 🙂
Best Soundbars For The Hearing Impaired
Best Soundbars For Dialogue & Voice Clarity
Best Soundbars With A Built In Subwoofer
Best Soundbars For A Samsung TV
Best Soundbars For Small Rooms
Contents
- 1 Are Sound Bars Worth It In Comparison To TV Speakers?
