High-quality and surround sound ensures complete immersion in watching: a movie, series, sports broadcast, TV show, etc. Clear sound also allows you to enjoy your music. The speakers built into modern TVs are not capable of providing the proper level of quality. Therefore, users are looking for alternative solutions: sound bars, speaker systems, recreation centers and stereo systems. Which is better to choose?
What is a soundbar
Soundbar is a budget-friendly, simple alternative to home theater. Inside the narrow soundbar are speakers and other components. Active device models are connected directly to a power source (220V), which are equipped with:
- speakers;
- switch;
- decoder;
- sound amplifier.
You can also purchase a passive soundbar. Inside there are exclusively acoustic elements. An external amplifier is connected separately. The speakers are located in accordance with the diagram. Three-piece models include: center, left and right speakers. As for multi-component models, they are additionally equipped with elements that simulate rear speakers. They also reproduce sound special effects.
The Soundbar can be placed on the wall under the TV. An alternative method is installation on a special rack. The headset may also have shelves necessary for installing a subwoofer and amplifier. The soundbar is not suitable for reproducing low frequencies, however, this problem is easily solved by connecting a subwoofer. This will significantly improve the sound quality.
Some soundbar models are sold with a subwoofer, which is included in the basic package of the device. Today you can get a soundbar with a wireless subwoofer. Wireless synchronization of equipment is an extremely practical and convenient solution. All elements of the acoustic system can be located in different places.
Soundbar is the best purchase for installation in a small room. The equipment takes up a minimum of free space and also costs much less than a recreation center.
It should be noted that a sound bar is an additional device necessary to improve sound quality. Quite often, sound panels are installed in the kitchen or bedroom. Some users even prefer to connect the soundbar to the computer instead of regular speakers.
Which is better: home theater or soundbar? For an objective assessment, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive study of the strengths and weaknesses of this technique.
Home theater characteristics
The difference between a home theater and a soundbar is that it is a full-fledged system consisting of several speakers that can provide surround multi-channel sound. All speakers are placed around the perimeter of the room. A properly assembled home theater will provide truly high-quality sound.
DC is a universal complex that can be upgraded by connecting additional components. The arrangement of the speakers is carried out in accordance with a special scheme. The viewing point should be in the center of the room. The user will be able to experience basic and peripheral sounds. The distance between the columns can be changed.
A home theater consists of the following elements:
- media player that provides image transmission;
- speakers – their number varies from 5 to 7 depending on the model;
- subwoofer.
A home theater should be purchased in cases where the square footage of the room allows it. The living room should be very spacious. A small room will cause a lack of surround sound.
Arguments in favor of purchasing:
- superior quality surround sound;
- setting and changing the arrangement of elements depending on the room;
- remote control of sound quality.
Arguments against buying:
- high price;
- not the easiest setup and connection process;
- suitable for owners of spacious rooms.
Pros and cons of buying a recreation center
A professional system of this type can produce much better results when watching movies compared to conventional speakers in commercial cinemas. Its sound is considered unsurpassed, as confirmed by numerous owners of such equipment. Every buyer can count on:
- sound of the highest quality combined with various effects, especially when it comes to Hi-Fi class systems;
- remote control of volume and picture;
- the ability to customize parameters depending on the characteristics of the room.
It is worth familiarizing yourself in advance with the list of disadvantages that are characteristic of most models of audio equipment of this type, these are:
- complex setup, which often only a specialist can handle;
- too many additional wires;
- high cost of the full complex.
It is worth noting that there are also wireless cinemas, but their cost is even higher.
Music Center
The name of this device speaks for itself. A music center is an acoustic system capable of playing and recording audio content. Functionality directly depends on the technical characteristics of a particular model. Manufacturers of stereo systems make every effort to ensure that their products are compatible with popular digital formats.
Music centers are divided into subgroups depending on size and design:
- microsystem – compact monoblock;
- minisystem - a medium-sized block;
- media system – installed in nightclubs.
Having finally become convinced of the need to purchase a music center, the user needs to remember the real inconveniences of its use, which will manifest themselves during operation:
- a multifunctional system is very expensive;
- impressive dimensions of the music center, subwoofer and amplifier;
- not the easiest process to connect to a TV.
Of course, there are also advantages, namely:
- reproducing content from outdated media;
- several channels of audio stream playback;
- wide range of different models;
- high quality sound.
Soundbar
A soundbar is a speaker system that has compact dimensions and is often presented in the form of 2.0 (without a subwoofer) and 2.1 (with a subwoofer). The advantage is its compact size - it can be placed directly under the TV, and there is no need to select the correct position of all parts of the system. Most of them have advanced functionality, that is, they can be equipped with karaoke, play music from a flash drive or third-party devices. Another advantage is the minimal number of wires, which often attracts users. The soundbar is quite capable of replacing a music center, since it can easily act as a signal source and work autonomously without connecting to a TV.
The disadvantage should be considered the fact that a sound panel, even the most expensive one, is inferior in sound quality to a full-fledged home theater and only creates the appearance of surround sound.
Acustic systems
Speaker systems can be independent or serve as speakers in a home theater system. Speakers mainly consist of powerful speakers and a subwoofer. Therefore, high-quality reproduction of low frequencies is guaranteed. According to the installation method, they are classified into the following types:
- floor;
- built-in;
- satellite;
- shelf;
- wall-mounted
Based on functionality, they are classified into the following groups:
- central channel;
- operating in different weather conditions;
- landscape;
- rear
Initially, it may seem that acoustic systems are too primitive a type of technology, but this is a big misconception. Using speakers to play media content has a wide range of advantages:
- long service life;
- amplifier power is automatically adjusted in accordance with the parameters of the speakers;
- clear sound.
Owners of acoustic systems note that during operation of the equipment certain shortcomings will be noticeable:
- if the amplifier breaks down, this component will be extremely difficult to replace;
- problems with frequency calibration;
- limited functionality.
Conclusions – which is better to choose?
Which is better: soundbar or home theater? Perhaps you should give preference to a music center or speaker system? Each type of technology has its own strengths and weaknesses that must be taken into account. If we talk specifically about sound quality, the undisputed leader is the home theater, which is noticeably different from a soundbar, speakers and music center:
- Users will be able to arrange all elements of the home theater system in accordance with their needs and taking into account the characteristics of the room. A fine control system will allow you to achieve the highest quality sound.
- The functional components of DCs significantly exceed sound bars in terms of technical characteristics, which ensures a surround sound effect and full immersion in viewing.
- Home theaters support absolutely all modern audio and video formats, which cannot be said, for example, about music centers. They are mostly used for playing music.
- Repairing a home theater system is much easier than repairing speaker systems. Therefore, the service life will be long, and the cost of maintenance will be as favorable as possible.
- Home theater owners will be able to customize the sound and image to suit their needs.
Now you know what to choose in Moscow: soundbar, home theater, speaker system, music center. If you plan to install the equipment in a small room, then it makes more sense to purchase a soundbar. This solution also allows you to save a lot of money.
Which is better: soundbar or home theater?
To understand which is better – a sound bar or a home theater – you will need to consider the advantages of both devices.
Home theater benefits
The sound quality in home theaters is considered the most advanced in comparison not only with televisions, but also with other acoustic equipment. Properly installed equipment evenly distributes the audio signal throughout the room and makes it spacious and high-quality, allowing you to get more pleasure from watching movies than when visiting cinemas with conventional speakers.
Home theaters are made up of several components. They include a receiver, speakers (five or seven, depending on the model), and a subwoofer for reproducing low frequencies.
To display the image, the receiver is connected to the TV using an HDMI cable or other convenient method. Via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, equipment is connected to the Internet to view multimedia content online.
Supports work with USB devices or other external audio or video sources. You can connect them via USB, AUX, Bluetooth or other methods.
When installing the device, the acoustics are placed throughout the room in such a way that the listener located in the central part of the room can clearly hear all sounds. That is why after purchase you need to carefully adjust the position of the components in order to get maximum sound quality.
The disadvantages of a home theater include, first of all, its high cost, significantly higher than the price of sound bars. The second inconvenience that users note is its dimensions. The components of the device will be placed throughout the room, wires will be stretched everywhere, which, if not disguised, will ruin the beauty of the interior. To get really good sound, you need to configure the device correctly; this procedure often causes difficulties for inexperienced users. It is also worth understanding that a home theater installed in a small room will produce deafening sound, which will not please not only the owner of the device, but also his neighbors.
Soundbar features
Soundbars are used in small rooms where it is not possible to place a full-fledged home theater or in cases where you need to improve the sound, but you cannot pay a large sum of money. These devices are compact in size and fit perfectly into any room design. They are installed on a shelf below the TV or hung above the screen. Despite their small dimensions they provide good sound. The cost of devices is lower than that of home theaters. Despite a number of advantages, this type of technology also has disadvantages. Thus, it is unable to provide full surround sound when watching movies, as a home theater can do.
Soundbars are inferior in sound quality to other devices, for example, stereo systems. In addition, it is impossible to connect additional speakers to them, and this is another disadvantage of this type of equipment.
