3 Reasons Why Some Audiophiles Hate Soundbars

A soundbar may seem like a convenient way to upgrade your TV's audio. Unlike a traditional speaker system, which can involve multiple unwieldy cables and connections, a soundbar combines several speakers in one cabinet. This allows you to improve the sound from your TV without a cumbersome setup. However, before investing in one of these units, it's important to research all your options. There are some limitations to soundbars worth knowing about before you decide that buying one is the ideal way to optimize your home theater audio experience. In fact, it's not uncommon for true audiophiles to discourage others from purchasing one of these devices.

That's not to say there are no benefits to soundbars. In some circumstances, a soundbar might actually be the ideal option. Just be confident you understand the pros and cons of a soundbar before committing to one. Knowing why some audiophiles hate soundbars so vocally can be valuable when upgrading your own home sound system.

Discussing the topic of soundbars in communities like Reddit's r/audiophile subreddit, users point out that audiophiles often have a generally negative opinion on soundbars primarily because soundbars aren't necessarily designed with audiophiles in mind. Users explain that audiophiles care about technology that "focuses on high quality audio reproduction."

Soundbars don't exactly serve this purpose. Yes, soundbars are meant to deliver more impressive audio than a TV's speakers can deliver, but that doesn't mean they offer the same quality that a decent speaker setup would offer. Soundbars are also meant to comfortably fit in a living space without taking up as much room as traditional speakers.

Again, that may mean they're relatively convenient for people with smaller entertainment rooms, but the sleekness a soundbar offers requires a certain degree of compromise when it comes to overall audio quality. That said, even in the thread linked to above, some users do admit that a soundbar might make sense in an apartment with thin walls, as proper speakers playing at a loud volume could annoy neighbors.

In both the thread above and a thread in Reddit's r/Soundbars community, multiple users state that a soundbar might be a perfectly acceptable alternative to a speaker system if someone only plans to use their soundbar for casually watching TV. They state that a decent soundbar should improve the clarity of dialogue, and proper calibration can allow a subwoofer to add real sonic power to action scenes. However, they also explain that soundbars lack the ability to reproduce certain frequencies that traditional speakers can reproduce.

This means soundbars might not be ideal for listening to music. Specifically, users explain that soundbars have smaller drivers than traditional speakers often have. This means it's basically physically impossible for them to reproduce some of the frequencies that speakers can handle. As such, no amount of fine-tuning or calibration will allow a soundbar to match the quality of good speakers when it comes to listening to music.

This highlights an important point: Whether a soundbar is a smart investment depends on how you plan on using it. If you live in a small apartment and only care about making your TV sound better, a soundbar might do the trick. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy all the nuances of your favorite music, you might be better off with a true audiophile setup.

A strong home theater setup, particularly if it's meant to optimize the audio experience, will usually consist of multiple components. These can include a receiver and various speakers placed strategically throughout a room. Naturally, you might assume that designing and installing such a setup would cost more money than buying and installing a soundbar, which is just a single unit.

That's not necessarily the case. According to some audiophiles, an impressive setup doesn't have to cost more than a soundbar. While installing such a setup will be more complicated than a soundbar, that doesn't mean it will be more expensive.

Just remember, none of this is meant to suggest that no one should ever purchase a soundbar. It merely helps to know what these devices can and can't do before you spend your cash on one. If you do decide a soundbar is right for you, research the best soundbars on the market to ensure you're buying something that will serve your needs. You can also research soundbar tips and tricks to get the most out of your unit.