Soundbars are an easy way to improve your TV’s audio, but a separate speaker system can take Dolby Atmos sound to the next level.
Let’s hear it for soundbars: they offer a cheap and easy way to upgrade the built in audio of the best 4K TVs, and the better ones add features like Dolby Atmos processing, a separate wireless subwoofer and surround sound speakers, plus up-firing speakers to convey overhead effects in Atmos soundtracks – something they do by bouncing the sound off the ceiling.
A few soundbar systems like LG’s S95QR, big brother to the S80QY that TechRadar reviewed, pack all the features listed above, delivering a whopping 9.1.5 channels of audio. But the S95QR costs $1,800, and at that price level you really should be considering a separate speaker system instead.
What do you need to get up and running with a Dolby Atmos speaker system? First, you’ll need the speakers, which are typically sold in configurations listed as 5.1.2, 5.1.4, or 7.1.4. Those numbers refer to the number of speakers and their function, with the 5 (or 7) representing the main left, right, center, and surround speakers; the 1 representing the subwoofer; and the 2 (or 4) representing the Atmos overhead effects speakers.
Next, you’ll need an AV receiver, an all-in-one component with Dolby Atmos and other types of surround sound processing, multiple amplification channels to power all the speakers, and HDMI input ports to connect source devices like an Apple TV 4K and 4K Blu-ray player, plus HDMI output ports to link to a 4K TV or projector.
Last, you’ll need speaker cables to connect the A/V receiver with the various speakers in the system, an inelegant and sometimes complicated process – one that causes many people to instead opt for a soundbar in the first place.
If you do choose to go the separate speakers and AV receiver route, which in some cases can be done for the same price or even less than high-end soundbar systems like the LG S95QR mentioned above or Samsung’s HW-Q990B, you’ll find that it provides multiple advantages.
