Introduction
If you’re new to this website then welcome! The site is all about creating the most ideal home theater, gaming room set up, and man cave design. Today we’re going to talk a little bit about whether or not you need a sub-woofer with a sound bar. If you’re conducting research thinking about buying one, then be sure to read this article and it’s entirety so you can make the most informed decision possible.
So do you need a sub-woofer with a sound bar?
No, you do not need a sub-woofer with a sound bar. While having a sub-woofer dramatically increases the audio quality output, many people will enjoy the original output of the soundbar without one. You can always add a sub-woofer to your setup once it matches your budget.
Most to sound bars these days already deliverer great audio quality. A sub-woofer is a great addition for someone looking to create a more serious home theater set up of superior sound quality.
Table of Contents
Do You Need One?
Reasons to Get a Sounbar
Reasons You Don’t Need One
Other Factors to Consider
Active vs Passive Soundbars
But does that mean I should get one?
Sub-woofers are specifically for reproducing low-frequency audio and bass. This adds more audio avidity to speaker output and gives you a more immersive feeling overall.
It does not take away from dialogue in movies, but rather gives a character’s voice even more depth. Bombs explode with more intensity and helicopter blades sound even cooler during action movies.
If you’re in the process of designing your home theater, then it might be a good idea to look at doing this potential upgrade.
People looking to create the best home theater possible should consider buying one of these however. Audio is something that you will always feel the rewards of investing in and sub-woofers aren’t super expensive. I don’t recommend breaking your budget if this was not originally part of your plan.
The best way to make a decision whether or not to get a sub-woofer is to determine which of the following sections apply more directly to your setup.
Reasons You Should Get One
- A sub-woofer is going to last you for decades to come, and it would be awesome if you could immediately enjoy high-quality audio right from the start of your home theater installation.There’s nothing more satisfying than listening to high-quality exploding bombs, bullets hitting walls, and deep character dialogue during the most iconic scenes of movies from the last 20 years. Avid movie watchers and gamers can appreciate the high-quality bass that comes with a sub-woofer as well.
. - Subwoofers are more affordable than you might think. The best subwoofer that my family still uses to this day is this one from Sony. We got it for a great price compared to the most expensive stand-alone brands and it more than delivers on its quality. Adding one of these to your current setup is actually an affordable option. This also means you can consider a soundbar without a built-in sub-woofer system and save some money on the initial purchase.
. - Sub-woofers allow you to customize your sound settings a lot more than the built-in soundbar speakers. It’s easy to go too overboard with its settings to the point where you find yourself adjusting the settings every time you sit down to watch a movie, but the option is there to do so with a sub-woofer if you’re that keen. Some movies by nature have harder to understand dialogue so being able to easily adjust your base settings from outside the soundbar is extremely convenient. Some people mount soundbars in hard to reach areas so having a sub-woofer adds a layer of flexibility.
Reasons You Don’t Need One
- Most high quality sound bars already have built-in speakers that mimic the effect of sub-woofers. But I’m talking really high quality such as the Samsung HW-Q90R. These things are the all-in-one setup that require no further upgrades. If your price is well-below this range (which is more than fine), then just add a sub-woofer separately.
. - Some soundbars come with wireless sub-woofers already. This isn’t in regards to built in speakers. Some systems come with the external one as part of the overall price.
. - You’re not looking to create a home theater-style cinema experience. If you just want to enjoy TV in the living room, then you’re going to be perfectly happy with a standalone soundbar. The one my family uses for our TV (not our home theater system) is the Sonos Play Bar. Since this brand has been discontinued, the Sonos Beam is a suitable equivalent (and more affordable).
Other Factors to Consider
Consider asking yourself some of the following questions:
Are you looking for a full-on home theater experience, or do you want a sound system that allows you to hear dialogue more clearly?
Being able to hear the TV more clearly could have to do with the speaker system you’re currently using. If you have a hard time hearing the dialogue when watching, consider upgrading your system or using a soundbar that is specifically designed to increase dialogue audio.
Will you be using your sound bar to play music? If so, then definitely get a separate sub-woofer. Audio quality for playing music is actually more noticeable than when you’re watching a movie. If you have a good ear for this kind of stuff or produce your own music, then a sub-woofer is a must-have.
Would you like for it to be part of a multi-room audio system? Is voice control important to you? Voice control through Alexa is the most convenient option, and Bose soundbars support this feature.
Where is it going to go? If you get a sub-woofer (whether it’s wireless or wired), makes sure you have a place to put it. If you have a TV mount above your fireplace, it might be tricky to place a sub-woofer in a safe location at the front of your setup or in a manner that doesn’t look out of place.
Important Note* There is a difference between Active and Passive Soundbars
Active soundbars are the all-in-one setup. They come with numerous speaker channels, surround sound features, and sub-woofers as part of their total price.
Active soundbars are the simplest in design, the most user friendly, but tend to be on the higher end of people’s budgets.
Passive soundbars don’t support built-in power amps and some other features. This means you have to be a little more savvy with hooking up the right wires and installing your own sub-woofer and external speakers. Passive soundbars give you more control with crossover settings. People who are into music production or take audio listening very seriously will likely choose this type of speaker system.
Conclusion
There’s actually too much information on this topic, so I did some research to shorten down all the important points that you need to know about purchasing a subwoofer with a sound bar. Remember, a lot of this comes down to personal preference. You’re not committing any heinous crimes by choosing to go with a subwoofer or opting to purchase a sound bar without one.
My guess is you’re someone who really wants to invest in a good quality sound system, so I applaud you for doing the research and letting me help you on that journey! If you have any further questions or comments after this reading, feel free to reach out at the email provided in other articles and I’ll do my best to respond. I don’t put them in every single article to reduce the amount of spam. Thanks for reading!
