How do you choose a soundbar for your TV?
Choose a soundbar
Soundbars are available in all shapes and sizes. Ask yourself the following 5 questions and choose the soundbar that suits you best.
- What brand is your television?
- Which connectors do you have?
- Do you already own multi-room speakers?
- What sound quality do you expect?
- Do you want to connect wirelessly?
What brand is your television?
First, look at your television brand. You might want a soundbar from the same brand. It's often the case that the television and soundbar are easier to connect and that you can use extra functions this way. If this isn't important to you, make sure the soundbar fits on your TV cabinet.
Which connectors do you have?
Before you choose a soundbar, check which connector your TV has first. You need an HDMI ARC connector or an optical connector for a soundbar. You can see what these inputs look like on the image. Do you have both? Choose the HDMI connector. It'll provide the best sound quality. Some TVs and soundbars have a 3.5mm jack connector. You can also connect the 2 devices that way, but we don't recommend this method due to quality loss.
Do you already own multi-room speakers?
Do you want to enjoy your favorite music throughout the entire house? Choose a soundbar that you can connect wirelessly to the WiFi speakers throughout your house. That way, you can go from room to room without the music being interrupted. It's important you take the brand of these multi-room speakers into account. Usually, you can only connect speakers from the same brand to each other.
What sound quality do you expect?
Consider what sound quality you expect in advance? In general, a more expensive soundbar provides a higher quality sound than a more affordable soundbar. If you want to make the most of your new soundbar, you have to take a couple of things into consideration. For example, the budget, setup, or Dolby Atmos.
Do you want to connect wirelessly?
In some cases, it's also possible to connect the soundbar to your television wirelessly. We don't actually recommend this, because it can cause a delay in the sound. If you have a soundbar and television from the same brand, they sometimes support the same technology. In that case, you can connect the TV and soundbar wirelessly via Bluetooth.
