Sound No Bar

As audio technology has gotten more sophisticated and cheaper, a significant fallout has been the disappearance of the home theatre system. Compact soundbars are the big new trend

- Ashwin Rajagopalan

This is a tech trend that's been bubbling for a while now, and one the missus might approve of. Gone are those wires and a bunch of speakers that used to make up the home theatre, and in its place, comes a thin soundbar that complements your ultra-slim, large screen TV. Serious audiophiles might still not be impressed, but soundbars are taking over living rooms and entertainment dens across India, as many homes embrace these space-saving audio boom boxes' convenience and aesthetics.

HOME THEATRE VS SOUNDBAR

The most significant argument favouring a conventional home theatre system is surround sound. Most home theatre systems boast accurate imaging with dedicated satellites for each channel. It's why those audiophile snobs will argue that you can hear every sound from the right direction. It's a strong case when you've invested in a premium projector for your den to simulate a movie theatre experience. But soundbars might be a more convenient option for a TV in a living room or bedroom, especially in a compact apartment.

SOUNDBAR PLUS SUBWOOFER

A subwoofer is usually a key element in a home theatre system. Quite a few soundbars (like JBL's Bar 5.1) come with a wireless subwoofer. While soundbars are terrific with low-mid to high frequencies, they are not usually great with low-frequency sound. This is where subwoofers are kitted with large drivers (and are therefore quite bulky) for low-frequency sound, especially in the bass and sub-base sound zones. It's what you need to make those walls shake, and also let the neighbours know that you've got serious firepower. Soundbars like Sennheiser's AMBEO deliver intense 30Hz bass without the need for an extra subwoofer.