If only Buy a fancy new TV, you can be surprised to find as bad as your old (or worse). Either the Best TV We try to need a hand to give the sound going on their beautiful performances. But it may be difficult to know where to start when it comes to upgrade your TV audio. Don’t Fear, Intrepid Buyer: The easiest and cheapest solution is just get a soundbar. Modern sound sounds come in all forms, sizes, and prices. Here, we make a checklist of types to consider before pressing the butt button.
Be sure to check our Best sounds and Best book speakers guides, as well as our advice on How to buy a TV and How to set up a TVwith real photo adjustment advice.
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Updated June 2025: We have the latest information and updated model recommendations from our most recent rounds of many attempts.
Why do you need a soundbar
Photo: Ryan Waniata
Soundbars are a good first step in Teater Audio because they are usually compact and can easily be placed And good is better than mostly built by TV speakers. Seriously: Almost all TV speakers are bad! The quality spectrum you can get from a soundbarg from basic development of bass and the sum of the bedroom room and a reddished receptionist and a dedicated receiver). Regardless of your view, a soundbar is a low effort to take more than your view experience.
Find the correct size
Photo: Ryan Waniata
Sounds with a large size and configuration, which is focused on acoustic size and the number of buil-in trash, base channels. You can think of soundbar fannels as the number of individual zones that change the sound. art “2.1” Soundbar system There are at least two individual strong speakers and a dedicated subwoofer. art 5.1 System There are at least five main speakers (a central, left, right, plus two surroundings) and a subwoofer.
While most of the budget bars can only stereo, our favorite perforterers usually have at least three front channels (left, center, and right) and a subwoofer. That’s a 3.1 system. The center channel is generally the most important because where TV mixers and films are placed the dialog. There’s a problem with hearing listening to movies and shown? Get a three-channel (3.0) bar at the minimum.
Sometimes, you’ll see an extra number at the end, like a 3.1.2 system. “.2” means there are two lengths of channels. In sounds of sound, it’s upwards facing ceiling speakers, simulating speakers mixed with inner 3D audio formats Dolby Atmos and DTS: X. Mainly, these sound sounds re-tending a spatial audio experience without asking for the speakers on the ceiling. Pricier’s soudbar systems come with more dedicated reversal- and drivers who have fired firing your walls for further immersion, using a configuration of 5.1.2 (or higher).
The more channels, the Your Soundbar system is larger. The most important step is to ensure whatever you buy fit your media console (well, it will be together between your TV’s feet). We will go around the sound and Dolby Atmos in more detail below.
Do you need a subwoofer?
Photo: Parker Hall
For most spaces, the more appropriate to consider a soundbar with a dedicated subwoofer. If this is more expensive or you are worried about neighbors, some fires sounds a less powerful bass channel built, while other systems add a subwoofer later, including models from Sonos,, Klipsch,, boslsand so on. Each of these examples allows you to add speakers to the spill later, allow you to upgrade to a perfect sound system.
