Technology innovation has made almost everything accessible at home. Be it the restaurant food, clothes, accessories, or watching movies. We can order them, book them, get the appliances, and sit back to enjoy them. Home entertainment also is where people love to put in the effort and search to make the experience more enriching and entertaining. The choice of a television set, speakers, CD players, etc. has always been a debatable topic. Another aspect that comes with this, is soundbar vs. home theater speakers. Which suits the need? While on one side the soundbar is compact and easy to set up, home theater as in name offers better audio quality. Below we have discussed soundbar vs. home theater speakers to help you buy the one that suits your preferences.
What is a soundbar?
It is a bar-shaped loudspeaker that projects audio from a wide enclosure. It is an all-in-one speaker that offers high-quality sound audio without requiring much space and is also easy to install. Since it is a single unit that can be connected to your TV and placed without any hassle in any space. Many times soundbars are also available with subwoofers that can put more depth to the sound, enhancing the experience. You will only need some space beneath the TV and two plug points to connect your soundbar and subwoofer. You can even connect them with Bluetooth as well.
What are home theater speakers?
Home theater as the name suggests is there to give you a theater experience and so comes with multiple units. These units can be installed at various spots inside the room to get sound from all corners. This usually has better sound quality and surround sound effects. Now since they are multiple units, they’ll need space and ask for proper installation. Also, depending upon your requirement of sound like if looking for a cafe or big hall, the number of speakers can be increased. Their set depends on the type of sound channel you want, 2.1, 5.1, 7.1, and so on.
Soundbar vs. Home Theater Speakers: Key Differences
| Factors | Soundbars | Home theater speakers |
| Ease of setting up | It being a single unit is easy to set up and needs just a shelf beneath or beside the TV, and a plug point. Some of the soundbars offer wireless connectivity to subwoofers, otherwise latter only need a plug point to connect. | Home theater speakers with multiple units that need you to make space for each one, many times leading to clutter.
Also if not wireless, it needs a lot of wiring, which makes setup more complicated. |
| Sound quality | These are compatible with small rooms and spaces, but can’t perform well in large halls. Also, they don’t offer a good surround sound experience. | These with multiple units set up across the room give an exceptional surround sound experience. It enables listeners to get amazing sound quality even in large spaces. |
| Space requirement | Soundbars are well suited for small spaces. Their slim and self-contained design even makes your TV setup look stylish. | They come as big boxes so need more space. Also if you opt for a 5.1 or 7.1 surround system, then you need space for 5 to 7 speakers including a central unit and receiver. |
| Cost | These are generally reasonably priced and come in variations. So if looking for better quality, you’ll have to pay more. | Home theater speakers offering good quality sound, are expensive. Also, you can customize their setup according to your needs, which will add to your bill but promise you better surround sound effects. |
| 3D sound | Soundbars don’t provide such functionality. | Now if you love to hear small variations in and especially the 3D sound effects, home theater is best suited to you. |
Final words:
Using above guide, and the key differences between both, you’ll be able to choose speakers that suit your space and needs. Basically if short on space and just need for regular use go on soundbars. But if you are looking for something to get theater experience or for large space, home theater speakers would be better to go for.