# Tell me about soundbars for my TV and also maybe recommend one for me? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684 "2020-11-28T18:06:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/21 "2021-11-30T02:51:06Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I am not sure if my TV has Blu-tooth connections(I suspect it does NOT). I’m not aware of any TVs that have bluetooth (but could be wrong in that regard). The speakers you linked can be used as a bluetooth speaker for connecting your phone to. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/22 "2021-11-30T03:15:04Z")
Actually, I think that Bluetooth support is standard, based on a quick Google search. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/23 "2021-11-30T03:25:52Z")
If you are buying a new TV, I would recommend checking out how good its own speakers before getting the soundbar. We got a new Samsung 50" and a $300 soundbar at the same time, and then found the quality of the TV sound was plenty good (and loud) and regretted the extra expense. YMMV of course, and also, the position of the TV matters a lot – ours sits about 8 inches in front of a brick wall, which bounces the sound from the back of the TV out into the room very nicely. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/24 "2021-11-30T06:50:59Z")
Just wanted to clarify this. For the Vizio soundbars I have, you still just connect the TV to the soundbar, typically with an RCA, optical, or HDMI cable. The soundbar then connects wirelessly to the subwoofer and the subwoofer then has wired outputs for the rear speakers. So you don’t have to worry about how you connect to the subwoofer or rear speakers from your TV, just the soundbar. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/25 "2021-11-30T13:02:26Z")
I ordered the Vizio one that was linked to a year ago. I’ll let everyone know how it connects and works for me. I’ve always been able to hear fairly well with my Samsung TV, but I keep hearing soundbars really help. My TV is nice. It’s a 2014, but I have no desire to replace it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/26 "2021-11-30T13:10:11Z")
I’d like to add that even if your TV doesn’t have Bluetooth or the right outlets needed to connect a soundbar, as is the case with some older TVs, then your streaming device might have them. Just plug it in, fool around with teh settings a bit, and it’ll work fine - so long as it’s the only device attached to your TV. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/27 "2021-11-30T13:50:33Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I ordered the Vizio one that was linked to a year ago. I own that one, it’s my link. Just a single cable to the TV, everything is contained in the sound bar. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/28 "2021-11-30T15:28:59Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I own that one, it’s my link. Just a single cable to the TV, everything is contained in the sound bar. Yep, I’m hopeful. I paid $125. Probably not the world’s best price, but I’m happy. It is kind of my Christmas gift. I hope it works out well. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684/29 "2021-11-30T21:03:37Z")
I got a TCL soundbar for my ancient Samsung TV and it made a good difference. It made dialogue more intelligible and put some punch into music and sound effects. There is also a “Volume mode” setting on my Roku, I set it to “Leveling” that helps keep the music and sound effects from being too extremely loud. But it’s still a problem on some shows/movies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-soundbars-for-my-tv-and-also-maybe-recommend-one-for-me/926684.md?page=1)