Separate Speakers vs. Soundbar. Which To Use In Your Home Theater?

Modern TVs have improved leaps and bounds in terms of picture quality but sound quality has not follow suit. As sets get thinner, there is less room to fit speakers causing a decline in sound quality. Upgrading your home entertainment sound system is actually more important than upgrading you TV screen. Movie enthusiasts prefer to use a dedicated surround sound system instead of a soundbar. The most popular configuration for a dedicated system is a 5.1 system which means 5 main speakers and 1 subwoofer. A soundbar is less expensive, low profile and easy to deploy, making an attractive option for upgrading your TV’s sound. Nearly every speaker company is coming out with their own soundbar which is creating some great products.

5.1 Surround System

When you have a larger entertainment area, a soundbar may not have a wide enough soundstage to encompass your entire room. With a dedicated A/V receiver and a 5.1 system, you have separate left, center and right speakers which can be located best to deliver a more immersive surround sound experience. A 5.1 system also has 2 rear speakers to bring the sound fully around the room. If you prefer to hear and not see your sound, architectural speakers are an option. These include in-ceiling, in-wall, or speakers hidden inside the drywall and blend right into your architecture. 

Powering a surround sound system requires an A/V receiver. We have multiple options for different levels of fidelity. At the top end is McIntosh, for the highest level of power and fidelity. We also offer Rotel and Integra components for more affordable and great sounding option.

Bowers and Wilkins Panorama 3

Bowers and Wilkins is no shipping their new Panorama 3 soundbar which looks stunning and sounds even better. 13 individual drivers including 2 subwoofers are placed throughout the bar to create a Dolby Atmos certified sound. Due to the power of the built-in subwoofers, this soundbar does not need an external subwoofer for you to feel the bass, which sets the Panorama apart from the rest of the soundbar field.  

Sonos Arc

Another popular choice for soundbars is the Sonos Arc. This soundbar is popular because of its expandability. To add bass, just add a Sonos Subwoofer. Sonos also makes smaller speakers which can be placed in the rear of a room to provide rear channels. This creates a wireless surround sound system for an average sized room.

If you have a larger room, a dedicated 5.1 or 7.2 system will prove to be more powerful. Having multiple sources of sound is a massive advantage to creating a fully surround sound system. Upgrade that to a Dolby Atmos system and you have 3 dimensions of sound.

Come visit our showroom to hear and see the difference between our soundbars and surround sound options. We show everything from a Sonos Arc to a 5.1 in-ceiling system all the way up to a 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos system in our amazing theater room. We look forward to working with you!