How often have you watched a TV show and found the sound lacking? In reality, you miss out on what’s happening in the background. When it comes down to choosing between a soundbar or speakers for your TV, both choices have pros and cons. A speaker set will give you better sound quality but may not look good with your TV setup. Soundbars provide more flexibility regarding placement but don’t offer as great of audio quality. The choice is up to you! Soundbar vs. speakers is the ultimate choice!
What is a soundbar?
A soundbar is a single bar that contains multiple speakers. These days, most soundbars connect wireless or via HDMI/Optical, which means you can place them anywhere around the TV and get better audio quality without worrying about wires or cables running across your room.
What are standard speaker sets for TVs?
Speaker sets look like small cabinets containing two or more separate speakers inside each one. In some models, you also have an external subwoofer, but they all connect to the television with a wire (usually digital optical or coaxial). Speaker sets usually come with surround effects which makes watching movies more immersive! They may be bulky, so placement isn’t always ideal, depending on where your TV sits and the space behind it.
Are soundbars or a speaker set better than integrated TV speakers?
A soundbar is better than the built-in speakers on your TV. But honestly, any speaker will be better than the built-in speakers. They provide a much richer and fuller sound, giving you more options for placement around the room without wires or cables running everywhere.
A speaker set would be best if you have them sitting directly underneath or behind your television because they will give you excellent audio quality and surround effects. A decent 2.1 speaker set will do wonders, and you can always choose a surround sound setup if you have the space and budget.
Soundbar vs. speakers set – Sound quality
A soundbar would give you better audio quality than the speakers built into your TV. But most people feel that a speaker set gives a much richer and fuller sound with more depth. Go for a speaker set if you’re watching action movies or dialogue-heavy shows!
A good set of speakers has stereo sound (2.0 or 2.1 at least) and a subwoofer, which will give you much better sound quality than a simple soundbar. If you’re a gamer, music lover, or love watching movies or TV shows with significant sound effects, you should choose a speaker set.
There are “surround sound” soundbars, but they are usually expensive and don’t provide the best experience. Soundbars are not for you if you’re a gamer or movie enthusiast. Get yourself some good speakers!
In terms of sound quality, a good set of speakers (2.1 or above) will always defeat the soundbar and crush the built-in audio. Check out our top speaker brands here.
Soundbar vs. speakers – Design and comfort
A soundbar can be placed anywhere around your TV if you choose a wireless model, but it may still block other HDMI ports or make some remotes hard to reach, depending on placement. It will look better than a clunky speaker cabinet, though!
Speaker sets often come with subwoofers, usually separate boxes underneath furniture, so they aren’t gorgeous to look at aesthetically. You should probably put those in cabinets or somewhere where they blend into the background because otherwise, it’ll stick out like a sore thumb! Not to mention hiding speaker cables can be a daunting task! Even worse for surround sound setups with 6-9 speakers!
In terms of design and comfort, the soundbar wins hands down.
Soundbar vs. speakers – Pricing and upgradeability
A soundbar is usually less expensive than a speaker set. However, they aren’t upgradable like a good quality speaker set that will stay with you for years!
Speaker sets are the most expensive choice, but if you choose wisely, an entry-level one won’t break your budget and can last several years, depending on how much use it gets. You can also get better models later when funds allow or upgrade specific components as time goes by (speakers, subwoofer, add an amp., etc.).
In terms of pricing, short-term, the soundbar wins, but if you think long-term, a set of speakers is the better choice.
Pros and cons of a soundbar
The soundbar offers better quality sound than the built-in TV speakers. It also frees up space from bulky speaker cabinets and gives you more options for placement around the room due to the lack of wires or cables!
A soundbar is convenient but doesn’t give as good audio quality as a decent set of speakers, lacks surround effects which can be fantastic when watching movies or playing games, won’t have upgradeability like a speaker set will, and isn’t aesthetically pleasing if placed in front of your television on top of furniture.
Here are the main pros and cons of a soundbar.
Pros
- Better sound quality than the built-in TV speakers.
- Frees up space from bulky speaker cabinets.
- Budget-friendly.
- Easy to install and connect without too many cables.
Cons
- It lacks surround effects, which can be fantastic when watching movies or playing games.
- No upgradeability.
- Some soundbars can be as expensive as a good speaker set.
- Limited features.
Pros and cons of a speaker set
A speaker set will give you much better sound quality than the built-in TV speakers. It also gives you more freedom of placement around the room and is aesthetically pleasing to look at if placed underneath your television on top of furniture!
The disadvantages are that it can be pricey and bulky and requires proper cable management, especially if you’re going for a surround-sound speaker set.
Here are the main pros and cons of a speaker set.
Pros
- Much better sound quality than the built-in TV speakers.
- Free up space around the room if placed on top of furniture underneath the television.
- Customizable surround sound with multiple speakers, if you will.
- Upgradeable components in addition to regular speakers like subwoofer and amplifier.
- Great for music and movie lovers.
- You’re not tied to a single manufacturer.
Cons
- It can be a pricey investment.
- Bulky if you need to hide speaker cables from the television to speakers around the room (especially with surround sound setups).
- Installation can be more complex if you’re not tech-savvy
Final thoughts – which one should you buy?
As you can see, there are pros and cons for both soundbars and speaker sets. Both options offer better sound quality than the built-in TV speakers but at a cost! To make an informed decision, it’s essential to look at your needs as far as budget, space around the room (if you have limited space), design preferences (do you want something that looks discrete or bold?), how much use do you plan on getting out of them? And how much do you care about sound quality?
If you’re looking for something more permanent and have a bit of cash to spend, then the speaker set is probably your best bet, but if you want better sound temporarily or on a budget, go with the soundbar. Remember that even though both options are far superior to integrated speakers, they won’t compare to dedicated floor-standing speakers!