A soundbar doesn’t just simply amplify your music, movies, or television programs—it brings life right into your house. With so many choices available, picking the right soundbar can seem a bit overwhelming, but narrowing it down just takes a few considerations. Your home theatre is all about customization, and your soundbar is just another piece of the puzzle. It’s all about finding what suits your individual wants and needs. BestBuy.ca has you covered with the choices, but the decision lies in determining exactly how you like things.
What is a soundbar, exactly?
You, like I once did, may be wondering what the big difference is between a speaker system and a soundbar. Unlike speakers, a soundbar functions as an all in one compact system. It requires very little space, is often less expensive than it’s speaker system counterparts, and operates with much less complexity. Wireless and Marie Kondo approved? Sign me up.
Soundbars are designed to be long and slender, and contain a minimum of two (surprisingly loud) speakers. Whether you get a killer bargain, or splurge on the soundbar of all soundbars, you’re guaranteed to find the joy in converting to your new system.
What size sound bar should I choose?
One of the most important factors to deliberate is how much space you’re looking at covering. The bigger the room, the bigger the soundbar, the more bang you get for your buck. If you’re only covering a small apartment sized living room or bedroom, you don’t necessarily need to disrupt your neighbourhood just because you can, and in this case less is probably more.
The more space you’re covering, the bigger you want to go with it: the power is in all the watts and base. If you’re apartment living, a little goes a long way, and that’s what LG’s SK4D 300 Watt 2.1 Channel Soundbar gives you. On the flip side, a bigger space will benefit from an LG SK9Y 500 Watt 5.1.2 Sound Bar. Both of these speakers come with a subwoofer that can be turned on or off to your desire.
Your voice command has never sounded better
The next consideration you need to make is your connectivity. Soundbars almost always connect through Bluetooth, but some also come with built in voice command systems like Alexa or Google Home. If you’re home buddy is Google, the Polk Audio Magnifi Max System comes with a built in Google Chromecast, and works with Google Assistant.
If it’s Amazon Alexa on your side, Sonos PLAYBAR Soundbar is compatible and connects with your Amazon Alexa device to be controlled by the sounds of your beautiful voice.
Can I get Dolby Atmos in a soundbar? Yes you can!
A home theatre system should be designed to take you places far far away, while you stay in the comfort of your own house. You don’t need to make a trip to the movie theatre to feel the sound – Dolby Atmos will bring it right to your living room. Dolby Atmos has been described as”the most significant development in cinema audio since surround-sound,” because it’s created 3D spatial audio with the addition of overhead speakers. And, yes, it’s possible to get an Atmos effect from a soundbar, thanks to the addition of upward firing speakers in the bar that bounce sound off the ceiling to add to that 3D effect. TV & Home Theatre Editor Erin Lawrence reviewed a soundbar from Sony that does this, and you can read about that experience here.
A few soundbars with Dolby Atmos features include the Samsung HW – N860, and the Sony HTST5000. Unlike your typical speaker system. these soundbars require no extra set up to enjoy the benefits of Dolby Atmos, so you’ll be immersed in sound in no time.
Can I wall mount a soundbar?
If your television is mounted to the wall, chances are you’re a fan of decluttering. Unlike a regular speaker system, a soundbar can easily be mounted onto the wall right underneath your television. And because soundbars are sleek and stylish, they won’t be an eyesore, but may even add an extra level of feng shui to your home theatre space.
If yours doesn’t have hooks built in for easy hanging, you can find a variety of wall mounts online, but you’ll want to make sure it’s compatible with the soundbar you’ve chosen. Sanus Sound Bar Speaker Mount is easy to install and doesn’t require any drilling into your walls. Plus, it functions with full-motion mounts, letting your sound travel alongside your TV. If you’re not into doing the thing yourself, just get Geek Squad to come to your rescue and do it for you.
Choosing a soundbar: Decisions, decisions
Now that you’ve considered exactly what you’re looking for in a soundbar, you can find the right one for you. While you can’t really go wrong with any choice, it’s always best to check off all your boxes and make sure the soundbar you choose fits nicely in with the rest of your system. Happy listening!
I found that mounting the soundbar above the TV, using the Sanus mount suggested or similar, will typically yield much better dispersion characteristics of the sound from the sound bar, making it more open and radiant.
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