Sound bar setup guide

If you prefer a sound base over a soundbar, consider these factors. Depending on the brand, a sound base may be labeled as an "audio console," "sound platform," "sound pedestal," "sound plate," or "TV speaker base. One common feature in many soundbars is Bluetooth. This technology can stream music from your smartphone and other compatible devices. Some soundbars enable you to send audio from the soundbar to Bluetooth headsets or speakers.

Another feature included in some soundbars is wireless multi-room audio, which allows you to use the soundbar, in conjunction with a smartphone app, to send music from connected sources or streamed from the internet to compatible wireless speakers located in other rooms in the house. The soundbar brand determines with which wireless speakers it's compatible.

Despite not being equivalent to a complete home theater setup with a receiver and multiple speakers, for many, a soundbar can provide a satisfying TV or music listening experience—with the bonus of easy setup. For those with a large home theater setup, soundbars are an excellent solution for second-room TV viewing. When considering a soundbar, don't only look at the price. Look also at the installation, setup, and use options it may provide to deliver the best possible entertainment experience for the money.

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Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. By Robert Silva. Robert Silva. Robert Silva has extensive experience in consumer electronics and home theater product sales and sales supervision; he has written about audio, video, and home theater topics since Robert has articles published on HBO.

Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr. Tweet Share Email. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Some models even take that duty to the extreme, like the Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra on Amazon , which offers multi-channel speakers that have audio routed to them from the soundbar. And in some cases, using an amp that drives signal to your soundbar can damage speaker equipment.

As you can see, each of these options has different pros and cons, and should be used for different purposes. An optical cable might get you a high-quality signal across its fiber-optic cables and make installation simple. But, HDMI Arc may offer features that you see value in, like reducing the number of remote controls you might need to juggle while using your system. Bluetooth will add flexibility, and bring you closer to the dream of a cable-free setup, but at the cost of some signal quality issues and limited bandwidth that prevent you from using advanced audio standards like Dolby Atmos.

And RCA may allow you to connect to more legacy Television models. Be sure to choose the right method for your setup, that optimizes for your end goals. Home theaters can be expensive, confusing projects, but when it comes to soundbars the simplicity is a breath of fresh air. But you plan your setup and know what connection method you want from the start to get all the benefits a soundbar can offer.

Troubleshooting Common Soundbar Issues. These soundbars are best installed in a spot where they can project sound upward for optimal surround sound distribution. Also, many soundbars are designed for wall mounting. These designs allow for placement under or above a TV mounted on a wall.

However, it is usually best to mount the soundbar under the TV to ensure optimum sound from most viewing positions and provides an easy way to hide the power and other cords. Most soundbars have templates that help make it easy for you to find the ideal spot for placement. These templates show you the appropriate screw points for the wall mounts that come with the soundbar. If your soundbar does not have wall mounting hardware included, check the installation instructions to find out what you need to mount it to your wall.

In some cases, the necessary hardware may be available as aftermarket options. After you have placed or mounted your soundbar, you can connect it to additional speakers and the other components of your home entertainment system. If you are mounting the soundbar to a wall, it helps to set up the connections properly before finalizing the wall installation.

The digital optical connection routes audio digitally between the TV and the soundbar. If your TV does not have a digital optical connection, you may use the analog stereo connection instead, provided your soundbar supports it. If your TV has both types of connections, you can select the type you prefer. You can connect the digital coaxial connections for DVD or Blu-ray players or any other device that has the appropriate connectors.

Most devices do not have digital coaxial connectors and use digital optical or analog connectors to route audio. Mobile devices most commonly use Bluetooth. Some soundbars may additionally have a 3. These options make it easy to connect your soundbar to play music or other audio from mobile phones, tablets, laptops, or another device. The most basic soundbars have only a few connections, the most common of which are analog stereo, digital optical, and digital coaxial.

However, higher-end soundbars may have HDMI connections as well. These connections essentially pass video signals through without added processing. On the other hand, audio signals are typically extracted and decoded by the soundbar. One of the advantages of having an HDMI connection in your soundbar is that it reduces the number of cables needed to connect your various devices. These connections let you send sound from the TV to the soundbar using one cable that transmits video from the TV.

This particular feature eliminates the need to connect a dedicated audio cable between the TV and the soundbar. The process for activating this feature varies between different TV and soundbar models, so check your user guide beforehand.

Adding a subwoofer to your system will increase the power of your music especially. Your soundbar may have a subwoofer output as well, which will let you extend the bass reproduction of your system. The resulting low frequencies often help bring an extra dimension of excitement to gaming, movie viewing, and music listening. You will have to find a place in your room for your subwoofer. Having a good quality soundbar will allow you to easily connect it with any other device like TV, LCD, Computer, and even though, with Laptops.

The soundbar will provide you with a better sound experience which you never get within TV or other devices. Some of the main and obvious qualities of having a Bluetooth soundbar are mentioned below. Have a look at them:. Having a soundbar means, you can enjoy a maximum of time while listening to your favorite movie with your friends and can able to make some noises as well. A soundbar will deliver some immense quality of audio with a maximum adjustment of eco-system and much more.

People would love to enjoy their movies and audios now when they plug in with the best soundbar to their tv. However, a soundbar can give you more enjoyable moments when you just get a day-off to your work and want to spend some quality time with your family.