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Nothing beats high-quality audio while watching your favorite movie on TV or playing video games on your PC. But what if your television or PC’s built-in speakers don’t produce the quality sound you want?
Your options are to go with external speakers such as a soundbar or a speaker system such as bookshelf speakers. But, which is better, speaker or soundbar? It depends on what you’re looking for. Here’s our guide to choosing the right sound system for your home entertainment setup.

Difference Between Speakers and Soundbars

Key Features of Soundbars

A soundbar is a long, single bar speaker that usually sits just below your television or computer monitor. Soundbars can be connected wirelessly or through HDMI.
Some of the key features of soundbars include:

  • Installation is easy. Simply plug it in and set your audio to connect to the soundbar.
  • Soundbars are affordable, with the lower range from $100 to $500 for most units. Higher-end soundbars can cost up to $1,000.
  • You can connect two soundbars to each other. The more speakers included in your soundbar, the higher quality the sound.
  • If you’re looking to enhance the sound after buying a soundbar, it may be difficult to do so. Brands like Sonos, Bose, and Nakamichi all make soundbars with external speaker hookup capabilities, typically an optional subwoofer. Most soundbars rarely come with the capability to add external speakers and installation is very tricky.

Key Features of Speaker Systems

A speaker set may require multiple speakers arranged throughout the room. Some speaker systems will include a soundbar as one of its component speakers.
Some key identifying features of speaker sets or bookshelf speakers:

  • Speaker systems are typically offered in 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 channel options. This means systems come with five, six, or seven speakers.
  • Soundbars range in price from $250 to $3,000 depending on the number of speakers included in the system and the sound quality.
  • A speaker system may be easier to add extra speakers to, but you’ll need to check the number of speakers your receiver can support and the number of outputs available.
  • The more speakers you have, the better quality and more full the sound.
  • You can place the speakers anywhere in the room, making it customizable.

The larger number of speakers does make installation more challenging as you have to make sure each speaker is set up correctly in order for it to function properly.

Pros and Cons of Speakers

Credit: Bose


Speakers can be a great option for those who don’t mind the setup and want an exceptional audio experience that soundbars cannot deliver.

Pros:

  • Customizable locations of each speaker
  • Offers five to seven speakers
  • Higher quality sound than soundbars
  • Able to upgrade by adding receivers or speakers

Cons:

  • More expensive
  • More complicated installation process, including lots of wires
  • Takes up more space

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Pros and Cons of Soundbars

Samsung - HW-A450 Wireless 2.1ch Sound bar with Dolby Audio - Black

Credit: Samsung


Soundbars provide greater convenience and affordability, without having to sacrifice much in the way of sound quality. That depends of course on the type of soundbar you purchase.

Pros:

  • More affordable
  • Easy installation
  • Less wires to worry about
  • Doesn’t take up much space
  • Better quality audio than your television’s built-in speakers
  • Can add extra speakers depending on specific models

Cons:

  • Not as high-quality sound as a speaker system
  • Not as easy to upgrade by adding speakers to most models

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Should I buy a speaker or soundbar?

This depends on your budget and the audio experience you want. If you’re looking to enhance the audio of your TV or PC but don’t have the budget to splurge for a surround sound system for your home theater, a soundbar is your best option. It’s easy to install and requires minimal shelf space. If your main concern is hard-to-hear dialogue coming from your television speakers, then a soundbar is an excellent choice.
But if you are an audiophile who wants to recreate the cinematic sound experience in your living room for your movies and TV shows, a speaker system is worth the extra investment. Going for a stereo system gives you the flexibility to upgrade and mix-and-match equipment as you want.
Consider the features, installation process, price, design, audio quality, and upgradeability when determining which system works best for you.

TV Soundbar Recommendations

Below are some great soundbar options to consider.

Budget-Friendly Soundbars Under $200

soundbars

Credit: Sony/Vizio/Samsung


Budget-friendly soundbars don’t offer many features but work well to boost hard-to-hear dialogue in your favorite movie or video game. Most entry-level soundbars only include two channels, meaning two speakers — left and right.

Soundbars Under $600

soundbars

Credit: Samsung/Bose/Sonos


Medium-tier soundbars offer better audio quality because many include three channels — left, right, and center. The extra channel gives a fuller sound, allowing you to hear audio in more detail which can be better for gamers.

Speaker System Recommendations

If you’re wanting a fully-immersive audio experience and you have the money and space to do it, perhaps a surround sound system would be best. Surround sound systems may be pricier than soundbars but they enhance all audio and dialogue from your show or game.

Budget-Friendly Speakers

Klipsch HD Theater HDT 600 5.1 Speaker System, High Gloss Black, Black Pica Vinyl

Credit: Klipsch


Budget-friendly speakers will include smaller speakers with adequate audio quality. Less expensive models will include five channels — a 3.1 channel soundbar and two external speakers. Speakers will also include a subwoofer, which works to enhance lower frequency sound such as bass, movie sound effects and deep voices.

Always Get the Best Speaker and Soundbar Deals

If you are looking to get the best speaker and soundbar deals, set up a Deal Alert with Slickdeals. We can notify you instantly when a soundbar or speaker goes on sale, so you never miss out on great deals. You can even customize your Deal Alert to the brand, specs or even the store that you want to purchase your item from.

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