Basics
What advantage do sound bars have over traditional surround systems?
Simplicity. A sound bar means no routing wires to six or more speakers all over your room. The thin designs also complement modern flatscreens. Even better, powered sound bars (like the ones here) don’t require a separate receiver or amp.
But I won’t get real surround sound.
Correct. Physics is physics, and only a 5.1 or 7.1 system will give you true surround sound. But the better sound bars do a reasonable job of faking it with digital signal processing (DSP). Some tweak timing and volume to trick your ears into thinking sounds are coming from different directions; others accomplish this by reflecting sound waves off the walls behind you. When these systems play movies with a properly encoded surround source, like Dolby Digital or DTS, listeners gain the illusion of being in the middle of the action.
How do they do with music?
They can struggle. The limited cabinet space leaves very little physical separation between the speakers. This translates into a narrow listening field and sub-par bass. But as traditional audio companies push into the sound bar market, the incorporation of technologies like crosstalk-cancellation circuitry — which helps these 40- to 50-inch bars sound even broader than their actual length — is growing. Also, most sound bars come with a wireless subwoofer for added low-end punch.
Buying Advice
Even the cheapest sound bar will deliver better audio than built-in HDTV speakers, but higher-end models tend to have greater separation between drivers and more sophisticated DSP. If your priority is movies, look for a sound bar with Dolby Digital or DTS sound decoding. If you’ll mainly be streaming high-quality music, get a model with crosstalk-elimination circuitry, which will minimize the signal interference that occurs between the closely spaced speakers. Next, consider your room. Powered sound bars like the ones in this roundup are fine up to about 250 square feet. If you’re dealing with a bigger space, consider a passive sound bar paired with a receiver.
All photos by Greg Broom/Wired