Enhance Your Home Theater: Top Soundbar Configuration Tips for an Unmatched Listening Journey

Key Takeaways

• Find a soundbar with a wide-band EQ and tweak settings for optimal sound
• Sound modes simplify adjustments, offering presets that suit different music genres and situations.
• Utilize volume leveling settings for consistent audio quality; update software for optimal control improvements.

Soundbars have made a splash in the audio market for their compactness and ability to significantly improve on built-in TV speakers without breaking the bank. However, out of the box, I find the sound requires some tinkering. Whether you’re setting up your soundbar for the first time or trying to master better audio for the hundredth, there are a few go-to settings you must familiarize yourself with.

Why Soundbars Need Tweaking

The human ear is incredible, picking up sounds between 20Hz-20,000Hz, meaning we can detect when frequencies are overpowering or not powerful enough. Such imbalance can ruin an audio experience, whether it’s a song, show, movie, or game.

Soundbar owners face imbalance issues given they typically power between 2 and 8 speakers, each handling a specific frequency type. When I first bought a soundbar, I discovered the factory settings needed serious alterations. Thankfully, the right sound bar offers settings to strike a tonal balance and create the most immersive sound experience possible.

At this point, I’ve gone through multiple soundbars. The more I use them, the more I find myself looking for and playing around with these specific settings and features.

Equalizer Settings

The EQ (Equalizer) is the control center for any audio device. Adjusting the EQ lets you handle different frequency ranges, also known as bands that handle everything from low rumbling lows to mid-range dialogue to high-pitch harmonies.

You can access EQ settings either through the soundbar app on your phone or through the remote on the device interface. From there, adjusting the bass, mids, and treble, is super simple. To perfect it, run some sound tests to fine-tune the audio in a way that appeals to your listening preferences. I run tests by playing a few songs that focus on different frequency ranges. Jazz or bluegrass work well because they incorporate instruments across every frequency range, and even include clear solos with few sound effects that highlight every range. You should also run tests with different videos, such as action movies compared to dialogue-heavy television. These also help you iron out any frequency imbalances and allow you to get to know how your soundbar reacts to various settings.

As you run through these tests, add any filters to help balance the sound. Some soundbars include a low-cut filter which reduces or eliminates any muddy bass sounds or excess noise. I find that most sound bars get distorted when cranked up to higher volumes, which is why it’s good to also test your soundbar at various volumes to see what it will sound like at different levels.

However, not every sound bar has an EQ, which I learned the hard way when I bought theBose Smart Soundbar 600 . The baseline sound was good, but when I went to make adjustments, I discovered there were only two general bass and treble controls, which meant I only had options to adjust the more extreme frequencies, instead of a wide-band EQ that allows you to create the smoothest possible sound. Given my personal desire for frequency control, I returned it and purchased a different model with more customization.

If your soundbar doesn’t have an EQ, it’s possible to make adjustments with an EQ app on your phone. Then, if you stream music or video, you can adjust frequency levels through your smartphone. However, it likely won’t be as effective as doing it straight from the soundbar, because EQ changes are always more effective when adjusting the device itself.

Sound Modes

Perhaps you’re not looking to make intricate alterations to EQ settings. If so, most soundbars offer presets that automatically balance specific music genres and listening situations. For example, many soundbars come with dialogue-enhancing modes, which puts a focus on the center channel and mid-frequencies to make dialogue clearer.

First, familiarize yourself with your soundbar’s settings. You can find most presets in your general sound settings, where you can toggle between different modes whenever you switch from movies to music to gaming. While these settings usually aren’t perfect, it’s important to see if you like them, because they do make a difference, especially with some additional sound filters.

Even though I prefer setting my own EQ, I found that my soundbar’s music preset accents notes in a way where I can hear them more clearly throughout the house when I’m listening at higher volumes. From there, it’s just a few clicks of the remote to switch to the dialogue enhancement feature.

Volume Leveling

Have you ever watched a movie on your soundbar where action sequences are piercingly loud but dialogue scenes are so faint you canbarely hear ? If so, check your soundbar’s volume leveling settings.

Many soundbars have a volume leveler, a simple feature you can switch on and off as you please. With it, you can listen to content with greater consistency, and won’t have to strain to hear certain scenes while being blown away by others.

Software Updates

Always keepsoftware and firmware updated . This rule is true of any gadget, and soundbars are no exception. Consistently check and run any available updates. Doing so ensures you have access to the most relevant controls, and it can also solve any bugs that might hinder sound quality.

Advanced Cables

Fine—the cable isn’t necessarily a setting, but the right one can significantly increase your listening experience. In case you forgot, listening to audio via Bluetooth, while convenient, sacrifices sound quality, so a wired connection remains the best way to transfer all the sound information without loss or disruption.

However, not all cables have the same capabilities. For best performance,choose a good HDMI cable that supports the highest resolution audio formats, like Dolby Atmos, and also has a higher bandwidth that can process more channels to support extra bass and tweeter speakers.

HDMIs are most useful, in my experience, for surround sound movies and TV. I switched to surround sound and found that HDMI cables made a noticeable difference, allowing me to configure a more well-rounded setup to increase the power and accuracy of bass and high-end responses.