Soundbar - what is it? How correctly to connect a soundbar?

For a long time, classical acoustics systems occupied a central place in the segment of devices providing sound reproduction. At the moment, manufacturers have brought the technology to ensure high-quality sound almost to perfection, but in terms of ease of use, such equipment is still far from ideal. The main drawback of traditional music centers are the dimensions - as is known, the more speakers, the more spacious the sound. This rule did not allow even theoretically to consider the possibility of the existence of a compact sound system having a similar acoustic potential. Nevertheless, the revolution was accomplished, and a soundbar appeared on the market. What is it, how to use and connect this device - questions that are obvious to advanced lovers of sound. However, for most unsophisticated music lovers, the novelty is still little known.

What is a soundbar?

In essence, it is an elongated column that has several speakers inside and an optical drive for disks. There is also a more technological kind of such systems - a sound panel in which there is no drive, and "reading" of multimedia files is carried out directly through USB. Taking into account this feature, another question may arise: "Soundbar - what is it in the cinema system?". First of all, it is a full-fledged and even more convenient replacement for acoustic systems with several speakers. It is modest size that contributes to the popularity of soundbars. At the same time, the sound quality remains at a high level. Almost all models assume, at least, the presence of two channels to create a stereo effect. More expensive options due to the presence of several channels already refer to sound projectors.

Of course, the design features of devices of this type also impose some limitations on the quality of the acoustic effect. The stereophonic zone expands at best to a meter, which does not allow maximum use of the capabilities of the speakers. The solution to this problem distinguishes the best soundbar from less qualitative analogues. In particular, bona fide manufacturers use special algorithms for processing an acoustic signal, which allows to reproduce surround sound through mono-channels.

How to choose a quality saudbar?

All modern models of sound projectors are conventionally divided into several categories, knowledge of which will determine the choice of the optimal device. Budget systems are designed directly for playback, so in them the entire filling is grounded in the implementation of the audio component. Although there are quite good representatives in this category, their functionality is usually minimized. It is important to initially determine: soundbar - what is it in the house of a particular user? Perhaps, there is no need for wide functionality, nevertheless, many people are striving for maximum use of a modern multimedia system. And already in the mid-range models you can find such options as Bluetooth and an optical drive. In the premium soundbars, in addition, network integration, a Wi-Fi interface, a Smart TV system, etc. are provided.

Traditional connection scheme

A lot of problems for beginners is caused by the procedure for connecting the soundbar. In part, this is due to the variety of devices and, consequently, to the many options for implementing this task. To understand how to connect a soundbar, you should refer to the outputs and connectors in a specific model. The easiest way to do this is with a coaxial connector, which also provides multi-channel audio. The operation requires a coaxial cable and corresponding connectors on the equipment. Such connectors can be labeled COAXIAL IN and COAXIAL OUT.

Connection via fiber optic cable

The presence of an optical digital output will be an important plus. Through it, you can perform the most advantageous connection in terms of quality multi-channel sound. For connection it is necessary to use a fiber-optic cable, which has an important advantage - it is immune to electromagnetic radiation, which helps reproduce the sound without distortion and interference. It is important to note that connecting the soundbar to the optical channel requires the organization of the signal from the TV connector to the input of the receiver. The connectors are designated OPTICAL (OUT and IN).

Connection with the help of "tulips"

The classic way, which is the most popular when you connect audio and video equipment. It is necessary to use a cable with two RCA connectors, so-called "tulips" (red and white are required). During the connection, the port is connected to the receiver AUDIO IN and its analogue OUT on the TV. But in this case it is not necessary to expect high quality of sounding - in any case, it is incomparable with previous methods.

Connection via Scart

Modern receivers for home theaters are rarely equipped with connectors like "Scart", but the manufacturers of TV sets have not yet refused them. It can be a good option for playing audio TV signal through the speakers. To figure out how to connect a soundbar to a TV via Scart, you need to find either a SCART connector or a 2RCA output. The cable must connect the connector on the SCART OUT TV and the input on the AUDIO IN.

Recommendations for connection

Regardless of which connection option is selected, the equipment should be switched off and de-energized. This is required for safety, since static electricity can cause serious damage to the equipment. It is also recommended to install the equipment in advance to the place where it will be used in the future. Any manipulations with the enclosure of connected equipment are undesirable. But here there is a natural question: "Soundbar - what is it in terms of providing acoustic sound?". Of course, it is necessary to initially calculate the most advantageous position in terms of sound reproduction in the room. After that, you should make sure that the cables and the equipment are working properly, and then make the connection.

Subwoofer in addition

As noted above, the main problem of saudbar is the sound limitations imposed by the design of devices. In general, the sound quality of such systems outperform the regular acoustics, but their small drivers in combination with thin cases do not allow to fully process powerful bass.

To solve this problem, manufacturers offer separate subwoofers. The most convenient way to connect this device are wireless interfaces that allow you to acoustically amplify the soundbar. Reviews indicate a high quality reproduction of bass with this combination. But for optimum sound performance, you should experiment with the position of the subwoofer in the room, since the corners and some varieties of decorative coatings may not have the best effect on the characteristics of the acoustics. It would seem that such a combination should go against the concept of a sound panel as a small and attractive device. But there are subwoofer options that integrate into the wall niche, saving space and providing the sound of the proper level.