Soundbars are gaining popularity, and people are getting crazy for them because a soundbar looks good, takes less space, and delivers good sound quality if chosen wisely.
These reasons are compelling enough for many people to buy a soundbar.
But the question is, Is it worth buying a soundbar? Are soundbars worth the price or a waste of money?
In the era where you have too many options in the audio category, do you need to invest in a soundbar or buy a home theater system instead?
If you have all these questions in mind, we have a straightforward guide to help you determine whether a soundbar is worth buying.
Do Soundbars really make a difference?
No matter how good your TV’s in-built speaker is, it can never match the loudness and bass to the external speakers.
When it comes to soundbars, they make a huge difference in sound quality, whether it’s treble, vocals, bass, or loudness.
If you own a good quality soundbar and listen to the music at 80-90% volume, surely your neighbors will come to ask you to lower the volume.
Furthermore, many soundbars come with a dedicated sub-woofer so that music lovers don’t miss the bass.
You can even feel the vibration because the bass is so pronounced on many soundbars, which most people tend to enjoy
Please note that we here are comparing a soundbar to the TV’s inbuilt speaker, not to an external home theater system.
Do Soundbars sound better than Speakers?
This one is a tricky question that is not so easy to answer.
While we praised soundbars in the previous section, it doesn’t necessarily mean they can easily outperform traditional speakers.
Let’s imagine you have a good quality 5.1 speaker or home theater setup.
Now, you have placed the subwoofer in the front with one speaker. Then you put two speakers beside the TV and the remaining two beside your sitting place.
The moment you start listening to the audio, you will immediately fall in love with the sound because the audio experience will be so immersive.
Since the drivers have more space to move, they will produce a richer sound with deeper bass.
This system will definitely produce better sound compared to a budget soundbar.
Now imagine you have only a 2.1 channel speaker. Will it sound better than a soundbar?
In this case, a soundbar can sound better.
How much better? Well, not significantly if both the speaker and soundbar are of good quality.
However, In the budget segment, we’ve observed that many soundbars can produce significantly higher volumes than speakers, provided they both have the same number of channels.
In conclusion, the 5.1 or 7.1 speakers sound better than a soundbar, but 2.1 or 4.1 channel speakers sound more or less similar to the soundbar.
You can check people’s favorite soundbars here.
Are Soundbars worth it?
If you want a truly immersive experience, then a traditional 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system produces better sound for sure.
But the installation process is complex.
Furthermore, what if you had a proper setup of all speakers, but suddenly, you want to move your TV to another location?
You will need to redo all the setup again, which will take time and money.
On the flip side, installing a soundbar is super easy. Just place it below the TV and connect the cable. That’s it. The setup is complete.
Coming to sound quality, many soundbars do have a subwoofer, which enhances the sound and bass a lot.
Furthermore, some soundbars also come with an extra pair of BT speakers/channels that you can place behind you to get an immersive sound effect.
Combining all these features, we believe that buying a soundbar is worth it.
Just make sure to buy one wisely. If you do so, then Soundbars don’t end up being a waste of money.
Are Soundbars worth it for gaming?
The primary purpose of a soundbar is to enhance overall audio quality, and gaming is no exception.
No special adjustments are needed to make a soundbar compatible with gaming.
When you connect a soundbar to your TV, it automatically synchronizes the audio with the visuals.
It means that while playing games, you’ll have a fantastic experience with the soundbar.
So, overall, a soundbar is definitely worth it for gaming.
If you are interested in tower speakers, then check these best tower speakers under 10000.
Is it worth buying a Dolby Atmos soundbar?
The idea behind Dolby Atmos is to deliver a 3D sound experience with object-based audio.
What does it mean?
If an object is moving on the screen, the sound will also move in the room you are sitting in.
If a car goes by side on the screen, you will feel it crossing by you. The floating object feels like they are floating over your head. It’s the Dolby Atmos effect.
It requires at least six separate channels to get this effect. In soundbars, we have all the channels integrated into one bar.
But the thing is, some soundbars mimic the surround effect by throwing the sound upwards and to the sides to give you an illusion of sound coming from different directions.
How effective is it?
To be honest, you can’t compare the Dolby soundbars to a proper Dolby setup, but you can get some sort of virtual Dolby Atmos effect.
Now coming to the question, Is it worth buying a Dolby Atmos soundbar?
If you can’t spend much, then don’t expect a premium Dolby Atmos experience.
You can also check these Best Party Speakers under 20000.
How much should you spend on a soundbar?
While soundbars are worth buying, it doesn’t mean you should spend an unnecessary amount on them.
Ultra-premium soundbars can cost more than a lakh or two, and audiophiles are happily purchasing them.
However, not everyone can afford to spend this much money, and in our honest opinion, no one should invest such a hefty sum solely in a soundbar.
So, how much should you spend as a regular user?
You can spend at least Rs 8000 to 10000 on a non-Dolby soundbar. Such a soundbar can provide a good experience with loud sound and deep bass.
You can check the list of best soundbars under 10000 that deliver great sound quality.
Rs 8k is the minimum amount you should consider spending a good soundbar. You can spend more if you desire a higher-end sound output.
If you want superior sound quality with Dolby Atmos support, then a budget ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 is reasonable.
For most users, there’s no need to spend more than this, as these soundbars will deliver the desired sound quality.
Final Verdict
So, is it worth buying a soundbar? We’re confident you know the answer by now.
The sound quality of soundbars has improved significantly over time, and they have now reached a point where it wouldn’t be wrong for anyone to recommend them.
Just make sure you don’t purchase any random soundbar from a brand you’ve never heard of.
Opt for a reputable brand for better reliability. Popular brands also tend to offer better after-sales service in case anything goes wrong with the soundbar.
You can also check these Best Soundbars under 3000 and 4000.
Now we are sure you have a good idea of whether a soundbar is worth buying or not.
If you still have any doubt, then feel free to ask us. We would love to help you out.
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