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As televisions have gotten progressively thinner, their ability to contain powerful speakers and project sound outwards has gone down significantly.
That’s where the role of a good sound bar and wireless speaker system comes in. This long, thin external speaker provides way better sound than the speakers built-into your TV, and sound is boosted even more by a subwoofer with booming bass.
At the very least, even an inexpensive sound bar will take your TV’s audio to the next level. From there, the features (and price) increase and offer loads of benefits and connectivity options too.
What to Look for When Buying a Wireless Sound Bar and Speakers
There are a number of factors to consider when looking for the best wireless sound bar and sound system for you. We’ve rounded up some of them below.
Connectivity: First, find out what your TV supports, and consider what other devices you’ll want to connect, such as gaming consoles. Ports are important, and this is where having multiple inputs come in handy. While options are nice to have, there can be a big difference in sound quality depending on what you use to connect.
Optical and HDMI are the most common, but HDMI Arc can pass audio in either direction, so you’ll be able to plug devices into your TV and still have the audio come out through your sound system.
Audio Format: It’s also crucial to make sure all your devices support the same audio formats before you plug in. Dolby Atmos and DTSX are the two most-common high-res formats right now. While HDMI Arc can’t transmit high-res signals like these (yet), there’s a new format that’s started showing up that can. It’s called “eArc,” and it’s becoming increasingly more popular on newer sets. Depending on your sound bar and system, these high-end formats can read information encoded in movies and games, immersing you in authentic surround sound – even with just the sound bar.
WiFi: To cut down on the cables, most systems offer wireless options like Bluetooth and WiFi (or both). This isn’t just for avoiding messy and tangled wires or having to drill holes in your walls to hold speakers. Connectivity to WiFi also means syncing up with services like voice control, Airplay, Chromecast, and of course, adding other speakers. Syncing up with the rest of your smart home can be easy too, as some systems effortlessly link up with Amazon Alexa.
Extras are nice, but it’s best to keep your eyes, and ears, on the prize: sound quality. We’ve selected these five varying sets to give everyone a chance to upgrade.
