The Best Floorstanding Speakers For 2023

First off hope everyone is doing well. Today we’ll be getting into the best floorstanding speakers for 2023.

There’s also some additional information on what to look for in the form of a guide below the list which should help.

Yamaha NS-F150 (Single)

Klipsch RP-280F Reference Premiere (Single)

BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 (Single)

Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II (Single)

JBL Studio 180 Dual 6.5-Inch 2.5-Way (Single)

Polk Signature Elite ES55 (Single)

Dayton Audio T652-AIR Dual 6-1/2″ 2-Way Tower Speaker (Pair)

SVS Ultra Tower Speaker (Single)

Decision Guide

Yamaha NS-F150 (Single)

The Yamaha NS-F150 is a speaker that manages to hang with the best of them. It’s sound quality is exceptional and errs on the warmer side. What’s really interesting about this one is that despite the fact it has 3 total drivers, it’s actually still a 2 way design.

How?

Well instead of a dedicated midrange driver, they’ve decided instead to opt with two 6 ½ inch bass drivers and a large 1 inch soft dome tweeter. It’s an unorthodox setup but it’s one that brings surprisingly rich sound for pretty much everything. Content really comes alive with these.

It’s also ornate in appearance, draped in a piano black finish that no doubt looks incredible in person. They do pick up fingerprints though, but I doubt you’ll be moving them often so that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

They’re also a hefty 24.7 pounds each and measure 40 ½ inches tall, 14 ¼ inches deep, and 7 7/8 inches wide. In terms of connection options, you can use pin plugs or banana plugs due to the gold plated screw terminal.

When it comes to the frequency response, these things are impressive, going from 37 Hz to 30 KHz. That’s deep enough to forgo a subwoofer all together if you so chose. They have an impedance of 6ohms, wattage of 180, and sensitivity of 88 decibels so you may want a receiver to that’s powerful enough.

That, these are awesome in my opinion.

Pros

• Rich & clear sound even at high volumes
• Powerful enough to be used without a subwoofer
• Beautiful piano black finish

Cons

• No dedicated midrange driver

Overall, this is a great speaker that works in a variety of different situations.

Yamaha NS-F150 (Single)

Klipsch RP-280F Reference Premiere (Single)

If you need a speaker to fill a large space with quality sound, then this is definitely the one that can get the job done. The RP 280F is certainly no slouch when it comes to output. It features dual 8 inch copper spun drivers and a 1 inch horn loaded tweeter that allow it reproduce high and low end sound effects with ease.

This is also due to its 90×90 tractrix horn that happens to be Klipsch’s signature feature. It basically allows the sound to be dispersed over a wider area while providing a greater detail, so things you’ve watched before will sound completely different with these. It also allows it to reduce distortion, so that content will sound much cleaner as a result.

These have dual 5 way binding posts meaning you’ll be able to connect them however you please. They measure 43.06 inches high, 10.55 inches wide, and 18.32 inches deep. They also come in at an impressive 62.5 pounds so make sure you have the space beforehand.

If you do, then once again, these are incredible.

Pros

• Horn loaded tweeter allows for a greater detail
• Dual 8 inch drivers allow it to be punchy and hard hitting
• Connection choice due to 5 way binding posts
• Looks amazing

Cons

• Heavy at 62.5 pounds

Klipsch RP-280F Reference Premiere (Single)

BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 (Single)

The first thing you’ll notice taking a look at the Bic Acoustech 89L is the array of drivers dotted along it. This is due to the fact that it utilizes a 3 way design. At the top you’ll notice the 6 ½ inch tweeter that’s also technically not a tweeter. That’s because it’s able to reproduce high frequencies along with the middle ones as well.

Then you have 2 8 inch woofers that provide the satisfying low end so things like explosions and action immerse you. This also means it isn’t necessary to use a subwoofer with these which is a plus.

They even come equipped with 2 passive 8 inch woofers which essentially get rid of any port noise that may occur, helping to clean the sound up even further. As a result, they’re able to go down to an impressive 25Hz which is insane. To put that into perspective, there are subwoofers out there that can’t even accomplish that.

To make things even better, they’re also extremely powerful, capable of a whopping 600 watts of peak power. That’ll makes movies quite interesting to say the least. As if that wasn’t enough, they also have an extremely high sensitivity of 98 decibels.

This means they’ll be extremely easy to power with even an average receiver, and will be able to reach louder volumes much easier with no discernible distortion. The cabinet itself has black lacquer tops and bottoms that are also scratch resistant, while the sides are made of veneered wood.

All together it comes in at 43 inches tall. 5 way gold plated binding posts are also present, so you can connect them anyway you please.

Pros

• 3 way design provides a sound experience that is almost surreal
• Can go down to 25 Hz meaning it can actually outdo a lot of subwoofers
• 600 watts of peak power and 250 watts of continuous power
• 98db sensitivity makes them extremely easy to power despite their respectable capabilities

Cons

• Large meaning you’ll need a decent space for them

There’s really not many bad things to say about these. They perform in a way that’s hard to believe and are perfect for larger rooms.

BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89

Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II

The monitor 70 series 2’s are another great choice if you need a lot of output that doesn’t distort at higher volumes. There’s 4 6 ½ inch polymer composite cone drivers that pump out respectable amounts of bass without sounding muddy or dull.

Then you also have a 1 inch soft dome tweeter that makes the higher end sounds seem as though they’re happening right there in your living room. Polk also utilizes what they call their power port technology which helps further reduce distortion and chuffing (which is unwanted port noise)

Their outwardly appearance is nice too, with an MDF finish that compliments their color depending on which one you pick. They measure 42 inches tall, 15.6 inches deep, and 7.7 inches wide and weigh in at about 47 pounds.

You can use any connector as well due to their handy 5 way binding posts.

Pros

• Capable of high output with no distortion
• Can pump out amazing low end bass
• Can also provide high levels of detail
• No port noise
• MDF finish looks premium

Cons

• Warm sound signature may not appeal to everyone
• Very heavy at 47 pounds

Overall, it’s extremely hard to find things that these don’t excel at. In a word, they’re excellent.

Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II

JBL Studio 180 Dual 6.5-Inch 2.5-Way (Single)

Here’s another excellent one for a lot of coverage in a really big room. The best way to describe the JBL Studio 290 would warm, but that may have something to do with its dual 8 inch bass drivers that are able to dig incredibly low with ease.

The 4 inch dedicated midrange driver helps further with this, making dialogue crisp and easy to understand. It has a 1 inch CMMD Lite high-frequency driver that allows it to depict the fine details in content that other speakers might otherwise miss.

It does this by utilizing an aluminum sphere that is covered in a ceramic material. This allows it to retain its shape even at high volumes which translates to a much better experience as a whole. What makes all of this even better is the fact that JBL also makes use of their HDI (high definition imaging) horn technology that helps provide everyone in the room with an even and fulfilling soundstage.

The frequency response goes from 40 Hz to 40 kHz and it can provide up to 225 watts of power. It also has a 90 dB sensitivity so it won’t be too difficult to power these. They’re also 39.37 inches tall, 9.05 inches deep, and 11.61 inches deep so these aren’t small by any stretch of the imagination.

The listed 38.03 pound weight only perpetuates that. But when looking at everything as a whole, it’s easy to see why; there’s a lot offered here.

Pros

• Satisfying bass
• Great high end
• Relatively easy to power
• Horn technology disperses the sound to everyone in the room

Cons

• Heavy at 38.03 pounds

The Studio 180s are certainly worth your time if you desire a quality tower that’ll deliver crystal clear sound even when the volume is cranked to 11.

JBL Studio 180 Dual 6.5-Inch 2.5-Way (Single)

Polk Signature Elite ES55 (Single)

This is a speaker that I’ve found to be particularly good with music for some reason.

It could have something to with the fact that it utilizes a 1 inch terylene tweeter that is incredibly adept at representing every miniscule detail that’s available in the content. That coupled with the two 6.5 inch, mica-reinforced polypropylene woofers, provides you with a soundstage that is almost surreal at times.

In true Polk fashion, their signature powerport makes an appearance here as well; which gets rid of port noise leaving you with a much cleaner sound overall. There are dual 5 way binding posts that allow for biwiring and biamping as well. That’s basically where you connect 2 wires for each positive and negative terminal, and this is said to improve output quality even further.

It’s capable of an output of over 200 watts, has a frequency range of 32 Hz – 40 kHz, and a sensitivity of 90dB making it easy to power. It’s 41.5 inches tall, 11.7 inches wide and 12.5 inches deep making it manageable in the average household.

It also happens to look nice too, with a removable grill that showcases the multiple drivers on display.

Music lovers will certainly love this one.

Pros

• Quality sound
• Great clarity
• Nice Bass
• Detailed treble

Cons

• No dedicated midrange driver

It’s an awesome speaker that performs great.

Polk Signature Elite ES55 (Single)

Dayton Audio T652-AIR Dual 6-1/2″ 2-Way Tower Speaker Pair

Now for those of you out there interested in the premise of a floor speaker but don’t quite want it to be a towering behemoth that some can be, then the small stature of the t652 might be right up your alley. Coming in at 30 inches tall, this might be an attractive option if your limited on space.

But don’t let its small size fool you, this is the perfect example of big things that come in small packages. Simply put, it’s capable of some surprisingly loud and crystal clear sound. It’s dual 6 ½ inch woofers insures that it’s capable of pumping out large amounts of bass, making movies and games come to life.

It’s able to go down to 45 Hz which is pretty incredible given the fact that it isn’t super large. This has to do with the port in the front that allows it do this while also helping to minimize distortion. The 5/8 inch polycarbonate dome tweeter with ferrofluid cooling does a great job at recreating all the nuanced details that typically reside in a lot of content.

It’s also only 28 pounds, so it can easily be moved around if need be. Aesthetically, it’s pleasing with a grill that can be removed if you chose to do so. It also uses spring clips in the back, so you’ll need pin plugs to use with this one.

Pros

• Small size, big sound
• Bass goes to 45 Hz
• Only 28 pounds
• Does a great job with pretty much everything

Cons

• No 5 way binding posts means you’re relegated to pin plugs

Besides that, the T652 by Dayton is no doubt a great choice as well.

Dayton Audio T652-AIR Dual 6-1/2″ 2-Way Tower Speaker Pair

SVS Ultra Tower Speaker (Single)

If you’re into high end audio, then SVS is a name you’ll often come across. This is for good reason as the quality of the things that they put out often turn out well…quality!

This has never been more true than with one of their more recent offerings, their prime tower models. These can be described as premium, as the sound they put out is nothing short of breathtaking.

The dual 6.5 inch woofers give you a level of bass that often only seen with subwoofers while the 1 inch dome tweeter manages to make anything you throw at them seem downright lifelike.

In terms of size, they’re 45.6 inches by 13.8 by 16.8 at about 75 pounds. What’s particularly great about them is how they remain distortion free even at high volumes (capable of up to 300 watts), so no need to worry when it comes to that.

All in all, it’s hard not to be impressed by them. They even go down to 28 Hz so you could easily run these without a subwoofer. There’s also two different offerings when it comes to looks, a dark woodgrain and a piano black finish. Both look stunning but I will say that the piano black picks up fingerprints so do keep that in mind.

But since you likely won’t be moving these around too much, that shouldn’t be a long term issue.

Pros

• Lifelike sound
• Thunderous bass
• Manageable size
• Attractive looks

Cons

• 88 decibel sensitivity means that you’ll need a decent receiver to power these

Again, I can’t say enough good about them. They perform incredibly well.

SVS Ultra Tower Speaker (Single)

What Is A Floor Standing Speaker?

A floor standing speaker (also often referred to as a tower speaker) is just like the name implies, a speaker that’s big enough to stand up from the floor without the need to place it on something.

They’re designed so that those with larger rooms can get adequate sound coverage with ease. They typically come with much bigger drivers too and as a result, are usually much bigger in overall size.

Why Choose To Go With A Floor Standing Speaker?

For Bigger Rooms

So why would you choose to go with one of these?

Well the first reason is one we actually just touched on; big room applications. If you have a decently sized room and you have multiple seating arrangements, (meaning you’ll have people in different listening positions) then you’ll want a bigger driver to push more sound.

That way everybody will be able to hear the content loud and clear without any issues, even from far away.

Having a smaller speaker attempting to do the same could lead to less than desirable results.

This leads us to the next reason..

Less Distortion

Having a smaller speaker in a large room can be disappointing when attempting to turn it up, simply because it doesn’t have enough legroom to do so.

This can lead to you of course not being able to hear it, but actually also leads to another problem in the form of distortion.

Distortion happens when the driver isn’t able to keep up with what’s being asked of it ( ie extremely loud volumes) and so it ends up altering the sound in a negative way.

This results in a very scratchy and garbled sound that is unpleasant to say the least.

What’s worse, is if you push a smaller speaker too much, this can sometimes end up being permanent.

In the audio world, this distortion is referred to as clipping because it ends up clipping some of the sound that would normally have been reproduced.

You definitely don’t want this because then you start sacrificing clarity in an attempt to make it audible.

Cleaner Sound

Due to the fact that these types of speakers are bigger, they also typically have more grunt so to speak.

So even if you don’t use all of that additional power, the extra headroom is going to allow it push the audio that much easier; resulting in a significantly cleaner sound overall.

Is A Floor Stander Better Than A Bookshelf Speaker?

So if you had the option of going with one of these vs a bookshelf speaker, which would be the better bet to go with?

This is definitely a hard question to answer since they both have their appropriate uses, so it honestly depends on your particular use.

A bookshelf speaker is one that’s designed to sit atop a table or shelf, which makes it extremely convenient for the people out there without a lot of room that still want a full range sound.

Even better is the fact that some of them are still capable of pumping out respective amounts of volume despite their smaller stature.

This certainly makes it an attractive option knowing you can have both quality and a smaller footprint simultaneously. The problem with bookshelf speakers however is that since they are typically on the smaller end, (there are certainly exceptions) they aren’t as adequate at reproducing bass frequencies as a larger variant would.

This is why you’ll often see it recommended to use a subwoofer to go with them because they aren’t as capable to do so on their own. A tower speaker doesn’t have this issue.

In fact, due to their increased cabinet sizes, they’ll often have their own subwoofers built right into them, making an external sub a lot less necessary.

That means in most instances, this would allow you to forgo a subwoofer all together if you were to get one powerful enough.

Another benefit is that they’re usually a lot more powerful, which translates into a much more fun experience overall.

Also, if you’re someone who listens to 2 channel stereo a lot, then you’ll probably want to go with tower speakers as well because that’ll offer the greatest dynamic range when it comes to that.

This is also why before I said it depends because it’s really going to come down to what you’re listening to, your specific room size, and if your content is primarily movies, games, and or music.

From my personal experience since I own both, I like the bigger speakers for when I’m just listening to music but when it comes to movies, I like to let the smaller speakers handle all of the intricate sounds while my subs handle all of the heavy duty bass.

I find it works better that way, but it depends on which ones you ultimately get; meaning I can’t say that this will always be the case.

Things To Keep In Mind When Looking For The Right Speaker

When you’re looking for the right speaker, there’s a lot that you’ll want to keep in mind too.

Budget

Above everything else, budget is going to be the single most important since that’ll dictate what you’re actually able to get. Before you even shop around, make sure that you set a budget so you can have something to work within.

Otherwise you’ll be looking forever since there’s a boatload of choices out there.

Cabinet Size

Do remember that tower speakers are not small. In fact they’re quite the opposite. While some aren’t too big in size, others are absolutely gargantuan. So try to gauge how big of a space you have first, and then work down from there.

That way you don’t get the things into the house and immediately realize that you don’t have enough space.

I’m not speaking from personal experience or anything….
ahem…moving on.

Driver Size

The bigger the driver size (that’s the circular thing that produces the output) the louder and cleaner everything is going to sound. So try to get one with the biggest driver that’s still small enough to fit in your room and works within your budget.

Wattage

This is basically a measure of how much power or energy it’s going to take to produce sound. The higher the wattage, the louder it can get, thus the better; at least most of the time.

The reason why I say most is because the higher in watts that you go, the more powerful of a receiver you’re going to need. This actually segues into my next point.

The Type Of Receiver You Plan On Using With It

The fact of the matter is that if you plan on using tower speakers, you’re going to need a sufficiently powerful enough receiver to fully power them.

I would honestly recommend one that can at least provide 100 watts per channel so that it’s not underpowered, causing the sound to clip.

If you do need help with choosing a new receiver, I actually covered that as well.

https://easyhometheater.net/the-best-home-theater-receivers

The Ohm Rating Of The Speaker

Ohm rating, often referred to as the impedance, is how much resistance a component has to an electrical current before it begins to produce an adequate output.

In other words, it’s the amount it takes before it starts to produce enough sound for you to hear.

This is important because different speakers have different ratings, and if the receiver you have doesn’t support that rating, you could run into issues.

For example lets say it supports 100 watts a channel at 8 Ohms. That means that for every speaker, it can supply 100 watts rated at an 8 impedance.

What happens when you use one that it’s not rated for is that it can clip the sound, damage the receiver, and or even damage the speaker itself so it’s extremely important that you research what your specific one supports before you start looking around.

The Sensitivity

Sensitivity is basically how easy it is for it to get loud. The higher the sensitivity, the easier it’s going to be to do so. This is often referenced in decibels. You want to get one with a sensitivity that’s as high as possible since that’ll mean it take less power to go louder.

So for example if you see one speaker that has an 86 decibel rating while the other has a 96 decibel rating, the latter is going to have a much easier time of getting loud.

Passive Or Active

When it comes to tower speakers, you’ll also likely run into two different types, passive or active. Passive means that the audio component relies on an external means to power it, while an active speaker has the ability to power itself.

An active speaker has a built in amplifier (that’s the thing that amplifies the signal and helps produce the output) while a passive one does not.

Typically, if you don’t have a receiver then you’ll want to go with an active kind; especially if you prioritize things like Bluetooth. That way you’ll still be able to enjoy your content.

But if you don’t necessarily need this and you plan on using them for home theater, then you can just stick with the passive kind.

Two Way Or Three Way Designs

Yet another thing that you might come across is talk about 2 and 3 way designs. To make things simple, a 2 way speaker has 2 drivers, one for the bass (the woofer) and one for the treble (the tweeter) They’re the most common one you’ll see.

A 3 way is different in that it introduces a third driver for the midrange. On average, I’ve found 3 way designs to sound a little more lively and realistic than the ones with 2, but if a speaker is of high enough quality then that won’t matter too much.

So my advice would be to try for one with a bass, treble, and midrange driver, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t. This is especially true if you plan on using these for home theater since the subwoofer would cover a lot of those frequencies anyway.

Though these are the types you’re likely to encounter the most often, there are additional types that aren’t as common. They’re usually in higher end models, and boast an even greater frequency range.

Speaking of which..

Frequency Response

The frequency response is another important metric when it comes to a good floor stander. Think of this as the entire sound range that it’s capable of producing, the min and max if you will.

The number on the left is measured in Hertz (Hz) and the number on the right is measured in Kilohertz (KHz)

You’ll want the number on the left to be as low as possible since this is a measure of how low the speaker can go. Obviously the lower the better since that’ll make things that much more impactful and engaging.

For the number on the right, the opposite is true.

You’ll want that one to be as high as possible since this is a gauge of how high it can go. The higher it is, the more detail you’ll be able to hear.

Ultimately the greater the distance between these 2 numbers the better. That way you get the greatest dynamic range possible.

Aesthetics

Lastly, while not nearly as important as some of the other points, the look of the speaker is still pretty important too. Try to get one that somewhat matches the aesthetic of the room so that it isn’t an eyesore when it comes time to enjoy your content.

Whew!

Well peeps, that about does it for the best floorstanding speakers for 2023. There’s undoubtedly a lot of great choices out there, so these are some of the ones that I’ve tried that I feel would be worth your time.

Hopefully you found it helpful, and you’ll soon be on your way to sweet surround sound goodness.

Feel free to leave a comment about what you went with and how you liked it. Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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25+ Awesome Home Theater Gift Ideas (2024-2025)
(more…)

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

https://Facebook.com/easyhometheater

https://Twitter.com/easyhometheater

https://www.Pinterest.com/easyhometheater/

https://www.instagram.com/easyhometheater/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/easyhometheater

https://follow.it/easy-home-theater?pub

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Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones Review

If you’re even slightly interested in anything to do with movies, music, or home entertainment in general, then you’ll likely know a good pair of headphones can make your content come alive; hence why Home Theater Headphones Are A Good Idea.

But these particular pair of headphones came as a little bit of a shock to me.

Being the audio fanatic that I am, I’m always after the best sound possible without having to sacrifice my left leg just to get it.

So how did they sound?

Let’s find out in this Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones review.

Brief History

Unboxing

Appearance

Specs

Setup/Use

Sound

Likes

Dislikes

Final Thoughts

Brief History

If there’s one thing that Beats headphones have always been lauded for, it would have to be their impeccable design. From the moment that they were introduced to the public in 2008, they were praised for their unique looks.

So much so in fact, that in what seems like the blink of an eye, they quickly became a mainstream fashion piece to the masses.

From high profile celebrities to the average high school student, it became a much bigger hit than anyone could have ever anticipated.

Even today, if you were to take a look around any college campus, gym, or major city, it’s likely that you’ll see that iconic B symbol at least a few times.

And even though the original Beats brand was purchased by Apple in 2014 for 3.2 billion, (wow) the headphones themselves have still remained true to their roots.

This, along with their pedantic design philosophy and emphasis on providing you with quality sound is what still holds true.

Unboxing

The box that the Beats comes in is a lot more compact than you would think. The front of it shows a picture of the headphones that matches the pair inside, and a tag in the upper left hand corner boasts a claim of a 40 hour battery life.

On the right side, you get a little message from Dr. Dre regarding details in music along with some technical info towards the bottom and on the left side is just another picture.

The back talks about the various features of the headset, and the bottom is just some more legal & technical info. What’s really interesting is how you take them out.

The exterior of the box is actually a sleeve that slides out to reveal a black box underneath, which can then be lifted to reveal the contents inside.

Now what you get inside is pretty straightforward; the headphones which comes folded up in a case, a micro USB charger, 3.5mm cable for wired use, a carabineer, and some paperwork rounds out the list.

It’s a nice presentation overall truthfully.  I feel like the unboxing experience is something that’s extremely important as well since the first impression you get from the package is likely to steer your opinion on the product in some way.

Luckily, it’s certainly done the right way here; simple, yet elegant.

Appearance

So now that brings us to the Solo 3, a headphone that is the culmination of years of refinement and improvement. It’s the cornerstone of what they’ve worked so hard to achieve thus far.

Now to say that the headphones are beautiful in person would be an understatement. Everything about them feels premium in my opinion.

To start, each pair has the Beats signature logo on both sides of the ear cup, as well as the brand name on the top matching the color of that specific pair. This wasn’t the case just a few years ago where each logo would be red regardless of the color, so it’s cool to see that they decided to match them.

What’s interesting to note is that the left side’s logo is actually a button that can mute and stop music when you need to, as well as activate Siri. The construction of the headphones feels pretty sturdy too. The exterior is a hard plastic, while being reinforced with a metal band that runs through the headband for extra support and rigidity.

This makes them feel solid in hand, and when you adjust them to your head size, it doesn’t feel like it’ll snap or give at all; so no worries there in regards to durability. The folding hinge is also metal which is a plus.

The idea here is that with the rubber creating a larger amount of friction and therefore grip with your head, it won’t end up falling off when you’re doing any physical activity with it.

These things stay on the head without even having to set them uber tight which is something I feel a lot of people will appreciate. No cause for concern when it comes to comfort either as these are surprisingly comfortable as well.

Even though they aren’t the lightest headphones in the world, they distribute the weight evenly across your head in such a way that you wouldn’t even notice.

Of course this has to do with an appreciable level of ingenuity in regards to build quality, but it also has just as much to do with the plush ear cups that rest on your ears as well.

The cup’s material itself is a faux leather that sits atop a foam base, and the result is something that is actually quite comfortable. Even by compressing them, they quickly spring back to shape when their released which shows that these should last a while.

I can personally vouch for that since I’ve had mine for months now and they still feel just as soft with no wear and tear. I will also say however, if you do wear these for a few hours, it’s not the most breathable material in the world.

Chances are that you will sweat if you keep them on for extremely long periods of time. But this is literally after 6-7 hours or so of continuous use which is atypical for the average user anyway.

Another concern however might be for glasses users.

Now I don’t wear glasses but my friend does, and he says after wearing his pair for 3 hours, the stem of his glasses starts to feel slightly uncomfortable due to the pressure of the pads on his ears. But after a 5 minute break everything feels fine again.

So whether that is something you personally experience would depend.

On the side of the right ear cup though, you’ll find the power button to turn them on, and when doing so, it’ll give you an indicator of it’s current power status. This is done by way of 5 small led lights just under the button.

All 5 illuminated means it’s fully charged, while 1 red light means the battery is running low and needs a charge. If there’s a blinking red light, then that means it’s about to die and needs to charge immediately.

The micro usb slot that’s located just under the right ear cup is how they can be recharged, so the process is super simple.

Even if they die and you’re unable to charge them, the benefit of them being both a wired and wireless capable headset means that you can just plug in a 3.5mm cable and use them like a normal pair.

They can also be folded as well, and even come in a cool little Beats protective carrying case. Another pretty nifty touch is the fact that the cable actually matches the headphones themselves, so no matter what color you get, they’ll always be the same as each other.

The reason I make mention of this is that the cable use to always be red, so it’s awesome to see that they changed that. Speaking of colors though, oh boy do these come in a wide variety. From Rose Gold, to Red, there’s certainly one here for everybody.

Do note however that the glossy models can attract fingerprints (especially the glossy black pair.) I opted for the matte black due to this and because I thought it looked cool, but others might prefer a more bold looking one.

All up to individual preference really.

Specs

The specs of the headphones aren’t lacking either. Being that they tout wireless capability, that means that they also happen to function through the usage of Bluetooth. As long as the device you’re pairing it with has Bluetooth, then it’ll be compatible with it.

It has a lithium ion rechargeable battery that’s stated to last 40 hours on a single charge. That’s enough to get you through multiple days of use. But what’s particularly interesting to note is the fact that these also utilize fast charging, similar to that of a smartphone.

It’s so fast in fact, that just charging it for 5 minutes will give you about 3 hours of playback, and a full charge only takes about 2 hours total. You really can’t beat that. This is a great feature for those of us who are always on the go and don’t have the most time to top up fully.

The 5 LED lights on the right side that I talked about previously act as the battery gauge to give you an idea of how power is left. 5 means full, while none means empty. There’s also a built in microphone as well so that you can even take calls while wearing these.

The frequency response of these is also pretty good too. For those unaware, that’s the highest and lowest note that it’s capable of making (I talk about this more here). The higher the right hand number (the treble) the better, while the lower the left hand number (the bass) the better.

These are able to go down to about 10 Hz while going up to a little over 20 kHz which is really good. If you’re curious about more of the technical side including graphs, that’s talked about here.

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/beats/solo3-wireless#comparison_2030

Setup/Use

Using the Solo 3 is incredibly easy as well. Simply press the circular button on the side which turns them on, then once they’re fully on hold that button down for 5 seconds. It’ll begin to flash which means it can now discover nearby Bluetooth devices.

Then on that device, select to pair the headphones with it and voila. What’s great about these is the fact that they remember the last device they were paired with; so unless you listen on multiple devices often, you shouldn’t have to repeat this process more than once.

So once you have everything all paired up, you’re good to go. As a little side note, you can also control audio with the included Remote Talk cable in various ways. Here’s instructions on how to do that since it’s pretty dependent on what device you have along with its software version.

https://www.beatsbydre.com/support/how-to/set-up-and-use-solo3-wireless

Sound

Now this is what we’ve been waiting for, how do the darn things sound?! Well if I had to sum it up in one word, it’d be amazing. No mistake about it, these cans sound amazing. But let’s go deeper and look at exactly why.

So when I first got them I wanted to see how the headphones sounded by themselves without any equalization, presets, or fancy settings that would alter the original sound. So I turned all of that off in my phone and decided to play some music using the default media player.

First up was some hip hop. Immediately I found myself completely immersed in the beat. Not only was it punchy and authoritative, it effortlessly managed to maintain the clarity in the vocals which is something that’s hard to do typically.

These do it easily however.

Even with the few other hip hop songs I tried it was the same story.

The bass was undoubtedly strong, but it certainly wasn’t overbearing or sloppy by any means. All of the other details were maintained in a perfect sort of harmony so to speak. If anything, it seemed to be able to separate the sounds entirely.

Best way I could describe it would be similar to that of a home theater system but on your head as weird as that sounds. It’s hard to describe without hearing them.

Anyway, knowing that they sounded great with hip hop, I wanted to see how they faired in other genres as well. Not surprisingly, they still faired superbly. EDM and House music made these headphones come alive, while heavy metal sounded intense.

Even classic rock, which is not something you’d initially associate Beats with, sounded extremely lively and articulate. That was certainly not something I was expecting honestly, but I was happy to be wrong.

The Solos manage to be extremely versatile which is pretty awesome. They can be downright unrelenting when it comes to it, but be gentle and subdued when you need them to be seconds later. That in my opinion is a characteristic of quality, and these certainly don’t disappoint in that department.

Even better is that these respond extremely well to equalization. For those of you unaware, if you listen to music on your phones, then there are EQ applications out there that allow you to alter the sound. The one I used is called Poweramp, but there are countless good ones out there.

But with an EQ in place, it ramped up the sound quality even further. Being the basshead that I am, I also played with the bass setting.

Let’s just say it woke me up.

Turning it all the way to the max (why would I do that, I know) caused the entire experience to become tactile, and they would actually shake from the bass (insane right?)

Now this isn’t something I’d advise you to do of course, but it’s just awesome to know that they’re actually capable of this without completely falling apart.

Even when it came to movies and video games, the audio quality was remarkable.

Like I stated previously, versatility is a huge theme here, and they manage to tackle both admirably. I noticed these tended to have a warmer over & fun sound signature from my listening.

At higher volumes, you can hear what’s playing externally so that’s something to be aware of.

I don’t particularly mind either way since I never listen to my content that loud anyway, but some may and so this would need to be something that you keep in mind.

Likes

• Eye catching and attractive appearance
• Adequate cushioning makes them quite comfortable
• 40 hours of wireless battery life lasted a few days before needing a charge
• Charging barely takes 2 hours
• Can be used with a wire as well as wireless via Bluetooth
• Durable
• Sound quality is incredible
• A surprisingly good home theater headphone for video gaming and movie watching

Dislikes

• Thick framed glasses users may find these uncomfortable after a few hours
• You might sweat wearing these for prolonged periods of time due to their closed back on ear design
• Sound leaks out a higher volumes
• Glossy models pick up fingerprints rather easily

Final Thoughts

Well that’s it for the Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones review. The final verdict is that unless you prefer a totally neutral headphone, these are an absolutely fantastic addition regardless of your type of media consumption.

They’re fun, lively, and completely immerse you in the content.

Whether as a gift for somebody else, or simply for yourself, the fact remains that their sound quality is awesome.

Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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Fun Movie Night Snacks

DIY Trail Mix

Veggie Platter

Fondue

Popcorn Balls

Fruit Platter

Chocolate Fountain

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Chips With Home Made Dip

Potstickers

Homemade Milkshakes

As enjoyable as home theater is, one of the best parts about it has to be when you finally get to kick back, relax, and enjoy your hard work with some amazing food.

Whatever your preference; be it popcorn from a dedicated popcorn machine, to supreme nachos, tasty treats can make the movie watching experience that much better.

So with that, I just wanted to briefly share with you a few of my personal favorite, fun movie night snacks I typically enjoy whenever we have big movie nights (not all at the same time of course).

I’ll include the links to the original recipes, and I’ll also let you know how I put my own unique spin on them too that you can try.

So without further ado, let’s eat!! 😀

DIY Trail Mix

I feel like trail mix is one of the most versatile yet satisfying snacks that you can honestly have.

Besides the obvious health benefits like being high in protein and healthy fats, it’s also one that can be tailored to your own custom palette.

While you can technically put whatever you want in it, I usually mix peanuts, almonds, cashews, M&Ms, pretzels, and raisins together.

I find that to be a pretty awesome mix.

The best part though is that you don’t even have to eat it all at one time.

Anything that you don’t eat can be saved for a later date, which is pretty convenient.

Veggie Platter

Sticking with theme of healthy snacks, a veggie platter is definitely a healthy choice.

Now there’s a myriad options out there that you can choose from obviously, but I personally like to go with celery, broccoli, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and kale with a side of hummus and ranch.

Even a little rice from time to time.

Definitely getting hungry just thinking about it.

Fondue

If you like cheese at all, then you’ll love fondue. Be it bread, vegetables, etc. it can be paired with almost anything. There’s a million ways to make it, but this recipe I found to be pretty amazing honestly.

Plus the benefit to this one in particular is that everyone will be able to have some since it’s alcohol free. You’ll likely also want a fondue maker by the way if you want it to turn out the best.

Here’s the one I use which even comes with 6 fondue forks.

Artestia Electric Ceramic Fondue Set

Popcorn Balls

Popcorn is obviously a movie staple and has been since essentially the beginning for good reason. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love popcorn?

So this is a fun little twist on the traditional that you’re likely to enjoy.

By combining it with marshmallows and confectioners sugar, you get a crunchy sweet treat that’s downright irresistible.

Here’s the recipe that I typically use.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20519/best-ever-popcorn-balls/

Fruit Platter

Like the name implies, a fruit platter is another fun and healthy option to choose. By incorporating a wide variety of different fruits, you can create a vibrant display that is sure to amaze your guests. I like to use this recipe since it’s unique, but you can use anything you want really.

For example, I like to also add a side of Greek yogurt and wheat germ for that little bit of extra flavor (which I highly recommend by the way)

Also here’s a really cool serving platter in case you don’t already have one.

Frost White 12-1/4″ Serving Platter

Chocolate Fountain

Who’s idea was it to create a fountain that spews chocolate? That was a fantastic idea. But if you’re the type that tends to have a sweet tooth watching movies, then a chocolate fountain is an excellent way to satiate that very thing.

The best part about it is that the skies the limit when it comes to what you can pair it with. Chocolate covered strawberries anyone?

And while there’s a lot of different kinds to choose from out there, here’s the fountain I use which works absolutely superbly. Good chance you’ll love it too.

Chocolate Fondue Fountain

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Here’s another interesting spin on a classic treat. These are probably one of my favorite things to have honestly; they’re that good.

The good thing about this recipe is that it substitutes egg instead for half & half, making it perfectly safe to eat. If anything I’d say it tastes even better, so this is one that you’ll easily find yourself making more than once.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Chips With Homemade Dip

Another snack that goes well with a good movie is chips & dip. I feel like there’s so many recipes out there for dip, but this is one that you likely haven’t tried. It’s a black bean and hummus mix that’s indescribably good. You definitely have to try this for yourself to see what I’m talking about.

As far as the chips go, you can use tortillas, but it honestly tastes much better with pita chips. Couldn’t really tell you why though. Maybe the additional crunch?

No clue, but I usually get these since they have a lot of flavor.

Mano’s Authentic Pita Chip Strips

Potstickers

If you haven’t tried postickers yet, I don’t know what to say. They’re easily one of the best foods in existence in my opinion. There’s countless ways to make them though, so they’re also an extremely customizable option as well.

The only downside is that the prep time is pretty long so if you’re going to have them with a movie, then definitely make them way earlier in the day.

I typically use this recipe , but I’ll also add a ¼ cup of shredded carrots, and a ¼ cup of minced scallions to add some additional flavor. You can even leave the meat out all together and go completely vegetarian; the choice is up to you.

Now with the dipping sauce, leave everything as is except try adding 2 tablespoons of ginger and a tablespoon of scallions to it as well. It definitely kicks up the flavor a few notches without a doubt. This is another one that’s likely to be a fan favorite in the household.

Home Made Milk Shakes

These are super easy to make, but make no mistake about it, they taste absolutely incredible. Funnily enough I’ve tried some milkshake recipes that ended up being either too sweet, or weren’t sweet enough. This one though, in my opinion manages to get it just right.

Final Thoughts

Well that’s about it for now guys. Hopefully you get to try a few of these fun movie night snacks the next time you have people over. If you need some movie ideas as well, be sure to check out the recommended list that I put together.

But let us know how they turn out in the comments below; or about your own dedicated movie night snacks that you can’t live without. I’d really love to know!

Until next time though, make it easy, keep it simple.

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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Why Aren’t My Speakers Working?

Picture this scenario. You’re watching one of your favorite movies on your home entertainment system when a loud scene happens to come on.

All of a sudden you hear a slight crackle or even hiss, and the volume takes a major plummet. So you turn it off for a few minutes just to be safe, but when you turn it back on, you now get zero sound what so ever.

What just happened; why aren’t my speakers working?

It’s a tricky question to answer, especially when something like this happens, but this was definitely a topic I wanted to cover since this has happened to me before.

So what I plan to do here is give you a number of ideas as to what the problem could be, along with how to deal with them.

Though this was primarily made for remedying issues with home theater speakers, some of these tips could even prove helpful for other types as well, such as computer speakers.

Anyways let’s get to it!

Are My Speakers Blown?

Are The Connections In The Back Of The Receiver Plugged In All The Way?

Are The Connections In The Back Of The Receiver Touching?

Is The Outlet That You’re Using Faulty?

Are The Settings In Your Receiver Set Up Correctly?

Is The Speaker Wire That You’re Using Not Damaged & The Correct Kind?

Does Your Receiver Get Hot?

Are My Speakers Blown?

I know this is one a lot of us definitely don’t want to think about (me included) but unfortunately it is one we still definitely need to take into consideration.

A blown speaker can be a surefire way to ruin anyone’s day, no doubt about that, but before we jump to conclusions and assume that all hope is lost, what we need to do first is make sure that this isn’t the case.

But how in the world do we do that?

Ways To Test For A Blown Speaker

1. 9 Volt Battery Test

The first way you should be able to tell whether a speaker is truly blown or not is with the use of a 9 Volt battery. Before you do anything of course, please make sure that the speaker is fully disconnected from the amplifier before you continue.

What you’re going to want to do is take one end of the speaker wire, and hold it to one of the terminals on the battery. Then with the other wire, touch against the remaining terminal on the other side of it in a sort of brushing motion but very gently and briefly.

What should happen is each time that the wire and the battery touch, the driver of the speaker itself should move a little on some kind of way. It’ll be pretty subtle however, so make sure you pay attention when you do this.

Now it’s normal to hear static or some type of thump as well when the wire actually touches it. If you notice that the speaker reacts in any sort of way, then that’s good news because it means that it isn’t blown and the problem lies elsewhere.

2. Using A Multimeter

While the battery test is helpful when testing to see if a speaker is completely blown or not, it won’t be able to tell you if it’s partially blown; meaning there’s still electricity going through but perhaps not enough to produce a fully audible result.

This is where a multimeter comes in. While I haven’t touched upon these too much, a multimeter is basically a device that can tell you if there’s adequate electricity reaching your speaker. This is a pretty good one if you plan on using one.

Digital Multimeter Tester

~Great So It Probably Is Blown, Now What?~

If you notice that nothing at all happens during these tests, then there’s a good chance that a component inside malfunctioned. Now there’s a million different reasons as to why this can happen; all ranging from physical damage to the speaker, to crappy luck of the draw with it being defective already.

The most likely candidate why it would stop working in my opinion would be what’s known as the voice coil. The voice coil lies just below the visible cone of the speaker, and is what pushes it outward when a current is present.

However what can actually happen when too much electricity is introduced( ala playing your equipment at super high volumes) is that it can overheat and deform. This deformation wouldn’t allow it to apply adequate force against the cone, resulting in little audibility.

Either that, or the glue within the cone itself managed to come undone and now there’s not a proper seal from the outside. This would also result in a similar effect.

~Can It Be Fixed?~

So you might be asking well can you fix a blown speaker? And the answer to that is that you technically can; only if it’s the cone itself and not the voice coil. You’ll be able to tell if it’s the voice coil because there’s usually some sort of a burning smell associated with it.

Another good way to tell is if you push lightly push on the driver and you hear a scratching noise or feel a lot of resistance. It’s hard to describe but It’ll almost be crunchy in a way when lightly pressed.

Those are pretty evidential ways to confirm that it’s fried on the inside. If its the cone, you’ll be able to tell because you’ll see gaps along the edges; or if when you lightly push on it, it feels loose.

But with that said, it’s definitely not the easiest thing in the world to fix and would be something that would take quite a while in actuality. But if you’re set on fixing it yourself, with lots of patience and a steady set of hands along with some solid research beforehand, it certainly is possible to do.

Are The Connections In The Back Of The Receiver Plugged In All The Way?

This might sound like a seemingly obvious thing to point out, but believe it or not, it’s something that’s surprisingly easy to overlook. If you’re not getting any sound, check to make sure the connections are fitted all the way in.

Through various means (perhaps loud rumbles from the subwoofer or moving the cabinet with the receiver in it) it’s always a possibility that something got shook loose somehow so keep this in mind.

This is also fairly common, and is one of a number of other potential setup mistakes.

https://easyhometheater.net/25-of-the-worst-home-theater-mistakes

Are The Connections In The Back Of The Receiver Touching?

Another theory is that the connections themselves might be touching. Be sure to check that whatever connectors you’re using (banana plugs, pin plugs, etc.) aren’t touching and are in their own space.

If they do touch, it can short circuit the receiver causing it to output a lot less volume; or even turn it off in some instances as a safety precaution. Even a single strand of bare speaker wire touching something else is enough to cause issues so check for that too.

Is The Outlet That You’re Using Faulty?

This one is certainly a real possibility. If you seem to be having issues with your speaker not producing output, you can always try switching wall outlets to see if that remedies the issue. In a lot of older houses, wiring can be shoddy which can of course cause problems when it comes to electronics.

If you switch outlets and notice that it works in that one, then it’s definitely that specific outlet. While that’s certainly a good thing, this would also mean calling an electrician should be top priority since that could pose a safety hazard at any point in time.

Are The Settings In Your Receiver Set Up Correctly?

There’s a lot of little settings in the receiver that can certainly make it easy to mess something up accidentally. While it would be impossible for me to go through every setting since every receiver is different, a few things come to mind that should be checked for.

The most obvious question would be did you mute it? If not, then you should check if you pressed a button on your remote called straight or direct. This is a mode that’s designed to use the amp in the receiver and nothing else but what I’ve noticed is that it can sometimes cause zero audibility as well.

To get out of this mode, press the listening mode you were using prior to that.

So for example say you were using the movie mode preset, press movie on the remote and it should take you back to what you were using before.

Another thing you should check for is making sure the receiver is on the right input. It can be surprisingly easy to accidentally switch to the wrong one believe it or not.

Here’s a helpful little AVR guide I did a while back that talks about these things as well a guide on fixing some common home theater mistakes that could very well play a part as well.

https://easyhometheater.net/av-receiver-guide

https://easyhometheater.net/25-of-the-worst-home-theater-mistakes

Is The Speaker Wire That You’re Using Not Damaged & The Correct Kind?

Yet another thing to be cognizant of is the condition of your speaker wire itself. Are there any scuffs, holes, or obvious wear and tear anywhere on the wire? Also check the tips where it connects into the receiver. Are there a lot of bent or missing strands?

If so, you have the culprit and know that it needs to be replaced. Here’s how to do that.

https://easyhometheater.net/how-to-set-up-a-home-theater#wire

These sort of things can happen overtime without you noticing until it begins to cause more apparent issues like a mute speaker. Also, unless you plan on running the wire over great distances (50 feet or more) 14-16 gauge speaker wire works best since a greater draw of electricity is needed when you go lower than that.

16-Gauge Speaker Wire

Does Your Receiver Get Hot?

Lastly, it is possible that your receiver itself is overheating and needs a break for a few hours. This can happen when you play at extremely loud volumes for extended periods of time, when the receiver is old, or when it doesn’t get adequate ventilation.

If you also notice dust within the receiver, with the unit turned off and unplugged, you can always lightly blow on the vents to help loosen up some of that dust.

It’s paramount though that the device gets adequate ventilation in an open space with nothing placed on or around it, since improper placement can lead to it overheating and affect how long it lasts.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully all of this helps with the original question you were probably asking at the start, why aren’t my speakers working?

Being that electronics are very complex pieces of equipment, it’s to be expected that statistically, someone’s likely going to have some sort of problem eventually.

But if properly taken care of, the typical home theater speakers should last quite a while.

But again, I’m hoping that this was at least of some help and allowed you to solve the problem. If you’re however still having issues even after all of that, then feel free to reach out to me and I’ll see if I can figure out what the problem might be.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple. 🙂

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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The Best Universal Remotes For 2023

An article on the best universal remotes for 2023?? You guessed it!

It’s a nifty little tool that instantly makes your home theater experience infinitely easier.

Below you’ll find a list of the top picks of the year along with a guide detailing what to look for in a quality one.

One Of My Favorites – Sony RMVLZ620

The Best For Video Game Console Compatibility – SofaBaton U1

The Best For Smartphone Compatibility – Logitech Harmony Smart Control

The Best For Streaming – Inteset 4-in-1

The Best For Smart Home Compatibility – SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote with Hub & App

The Most Simple To Use – GE 34457 4-Device

The Best High End Model – Logitech Harmony Remote

Decision Guide

One Of My Favorites – Sony RMVLZ620

So for the person who doesn’t need a whole lot of extras, but still wants a remote that’ll serve them well, then I’d no doubt go with this one.

Don’t be fooled by the brand by the way either.

Even though it’s a Sony remote, it’ll still work with TV’s and electronics from other manufacturers.

This can be attributed to the fact that this is a learning remote; which means as long as you have the remote to the other device to pair it, it’ll be able to control it.

Another awesome thing about this one is the fact it can be paired with up to 8 devices at any given time.

This means you could have your home theater receiver, Blu-ray player, Roku, TV, and cable box all connected at the same time, how awesome is that?

In terms of looks, the remote itself is pretty average looking, but by no stretch is it ugly.

In fact it even has buttons for specific devices which should make it a lot easier for you to remember which button does what.

All in all, this is an awesome remote.

Pros

• Can control up to 8 devices at a time
• Has a button for each device so you remember which is which
• Compatibility with lots of devices.

Cons

• Doesn’t come with AA batteries

This is a remote that I feel is pretty awesome.

Sony RMVLZ620

The Best For Video Game Console Compatibility –SofaBaton U1

As a fellow gamer myself, I can see the affinity for wanting a remote with the ability to also control your console. I mean think about it, let’s say you use your console for watching movies on one of the apps, but your controller suddenly dies, what then?

Wouldn’t it be nice to still be able to control the console in some way while the game controller is charging?

Well the SofaBaton U1 allows exactly that.

What’s really unique about this remote is the fact that it actually has an OLED display on the remote that tells you what device you’re currently connected to. Even cooler is the fact that there’s a scroll wheel on the remote that lets you quickly toggle between the devices currently connected to it, offering an incredible level of convenience.

This is also a learning remote meaning you get maximum compatibility with nearly everything; and even on the off chance you have something that isn’t compatible, new updates for new devices are often released.

It can support up to 15 devices connected to it at one time, and even has support for macro commands, which allows you to perform a string of commands with one button.

That means doing something like turning the TV and cable box on, turning to channel to 41, and turning the volume to 38 is something that’s possible.

Plus with support for games consoles, you could even use it with those too. It’s just a really well rounded remote that performs awesomely.

Pros

• Learning remote that supports most devices (including game systems like the PS4 and Xbox One)
• Has a screen to toggle between connected devices
• Continually updated with support for new devices
• Looks great
• Feels sturdy
• Has its own app to work with a smartphone
• Can program one button to do a string of tasks

Cons

• Picks up finger prints easily
• No wifi

Again, if you always wanted a remote that would work with your devices, even including your game consoles, then this is definitely a solid choice.

SofaBaton U1

The Best For Smartphone Compatibility – Logitech Harmony Smart Control

Now what about those of you out there that are attached to your smartphones and want a remote that could work with even that?

Well believe it or not that actually exists and comes in the form of the Logitech Harmony.

What’s particularly cool about this one is that fact that it can work synergistically with your smartphone so even if you lose the remote, you’ll still be able to control your devices.

The included app allows you to save up to 50 of your favorite channels, and has controls for the volume, menus, and so on.

As long as you have IOS 6.0 or android 4.0 or later, it’ll work perfectly fine.

After setting up the included IR blaster and downloading the app, you’ll then be able to pair whatever devices you want to work with it.

It supports over 270,000 to be exact, so whether it’s a Fire TV or game console, this one’s got you covered.

It also is capable of connecting to your Wi-Fi signal as well which will offer a better connection.

Speaking of which, with what Harmony is calling it’s Hub, it’s actually capable of controlling your devices even when they’re behind a cabinet or wall, giving you even more leeway in your home entertainment experience.

If there’s one thing that’s irritating, it’s having to still move around with your remote just so it works; so it’s awesome that they took this into consideration.

Up to 8 devices can be paired with it at one time, so that’s definitely something to keep in mind.

As for the remote itself, it feels good in the hand and looks premium. Really no complaints in that regard.

Overall, everything comes together to make for a very impressive offering.

Pros

• Can turn your current smartphone into a universal remote with the included Harmony Hub
• Still includes a universal remote as well for the traditionalists out there
• Compatible with over 270,000 devices
• Looks premium
• No need to worry about extra batteries since it’s included

Cons

• Can’t really think of any

Like I said before, if having the ability for your smartphone to also be a universal remote sounds like an interesting idea, then this one is certainly worth checking out.

Logitech Harmony Smart Control

The Best For Streaming – Inteset 4-in-1

What happens when streaming is a major focus for you, and you need a remote that would satisfy that need?

Well getting the Insteset 4 in 1 would be your best bet.

Why is that though?

Well the first thing that makes this a worthy choice for those of you interested in streaming is its impressive compatibility with devices that do exactly that.

Be it an Xbox One, a Roku player, or even an Apple TV, it works with a variety of devices.

What’s really crazy about this one though is the fact that even if there is a device that it’s not initially compatible with, it has the ability to look up the code for that device through the device code database and then learn it; seriously, how cool is that?

Another interesting thing about this remote is a rarely included but highly helpful feature called macro programming.

Now the way it works is it remembers a string of commands that can be executed later with the press of a button.

For example let’s say you turned the channel to 45, turned the volume to 20, turned closed captioning on, and switched it to movie mode.

That would be called a macro command. So if you were to then save that entire process, you could do that later just by pressing a button.

It can remember up to 15 actions in a single sequence, so it really adds a new level of convenience to your media consumption. It also has volume and channel locks, so just in case you accidentally press one of those, it won’t change.

The remote itself is ergonomic, and allows for easy use for small or large hands.

To top it all off, the buttons are illuminated so no need to worry about fumbling to see it in the dark.

Pros

• Macro controls allow you to tag your own sequence of actions to a single button press
• This learning remote can learn to be compatible with devices that it might not initially be
• Compatible with through the use of the device code database
• Ergonomic feel allows it to rest naturally in the hand

Cons

• Doesn’t come with double A batteries

Overall, if you want a remote with insane amount of customizability, then this is the one for you.

Inteset INT-422 4-in-1

The Best For Smart Home Compatibility – SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote with Hub & App

For those of you out there with smart homes, the SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote with Hub & App makes the perfect addition for a number of reasons, the first being convenience.

If your smart device has a remote, then this will definitely work with it as well; with all it requiring on your behalf is a simple pairing between the two.

With it being able to control up to 60 devices at once, and total compatibility over 500,000, it’s has impressive capability.

The best part about it is that list of over 500,000 supported devices isn’t just based around the typical things like TVs and receivers, but the broader spectrum of smart devices that control things like lighting, heat, and even doors.

So in theory, you could set the temperature in the room, dim the lights, close the blinds, and turn your TV on all with the same remote.

Plus, with full smart assistant compatibility, this amps up the amount of control you have over everything, leading to an experience like no other.

In addition to this, if shoddy remote signals are something that annoys you, then you’ll be happy to know that it doesn’t need a clear line of sight to work.

In fact, it can still work with devices that are behind cabinets and even walls, making your life that much easier.

Pros

• Support for over 500,000 devices
• Doesn’t need a clear line of sight with a device to function
• Remote has a display
• Works with your smartphone, allowing it to act as the universal remote if you chose to do that
• Looks good

Cons

• Setup process

No doubt about it, if you have a smart home, then this is one that’ll work great.

SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote with Hub & App

The Most Simple To Use – GE 34457 4-Device

So what about those of you who like the idea of a universal remote, but want the most basic thing possible without any the extras?

Well if that’s the case then this is the one to go with. Now admittedly, there’s not really a lot to talk about with this one since like the title suggested, it’s the most basic.

However that’s also something to admire about the GE 34457 because simply put, it just works. There’s no quirky menus or fancy processes you have to go through.

Simply pair it, and you’re good to go. It also supports 4 devices at a time, and is compatible with most devices.

I didn’t mind using this one because again, even though there’s not a lot to it, it pulls off the simple but elegant approach quite nicely.

Even when it comes to looks, its brushed exterior makes it look premium which is a nice touch.

Honestly, there’s not a lot to complain about since it does what it says.

Pros

• Very easy to setup and use
• Attractive appearance

Cons

• Doesn’t come with triple A batteries.

Just to reiterate, if you’re looking for something super simple that works with your stuff, then this is a great choice.

GE 34457 4-Device

The Best High End Model – Logitech Harmony Remote

This is an awesome remote in my opinion.

First of all, this thing has actually has a display

The color display allows you to go through menus and see everything you’re doing right on the remote.

So if you had set a specific command for the remote to follow at a later time, you could use the display to find it.

If that wasn’t cool enough, this thing sports full smart home compatibility; meaning smart devices you have work with this one.

In fact, this has the ability to control up to 5 of them at any given time or even; at the same time.

That’s right; if you actually wanted to, you could technically program it to turn on or off every device with one button (each connected device is shown on the screen by the way)

But lets say you actually lose the remote, what then?

Well the included harmony hub allows your smartphone to act as a stand in universal remote, with all the same settings and tweaks that you had before.

This really takes customizability to the next level.

Even if the remote doesn’t have a direct line of site with something, it’ll still work due to its ability to connect to your internet.

There isn’t even a need to worry about batteries, since this remote is completely rechargeable.

Aesthetically, it’s a looker, with a silver finish that really adds that premium feel.

It really is amazing all around in my opinion

Pros

• Full color display
• Smart home and assistant compatible
• Supports 5 connected devices at once
• Rechargeable so no need to worry about batteries

Cons

• Can’t really think of any

Believe it or not, these are just some of the features that this one sports.

Logitech Harmony Remote

What Is A Universal Remote?

Okay so you may or may not have heard of them before, but what exactly is a universal remote?

Well besides the powerful sounding name, a universal remote is one that is capable of controlling nearly every device that you currently own.

That’s right. Be it Blu-ray players, televisions, you name it. This awesome little control can be programmed to work with nearly everything that you want it to.

Now of course not all remotes are made equal, with some having more useful features than others.

So I thought I’d take the liberty of not only letting you know about the different types, but also what you may want to look for when deciding to go with one.

Why Choose To Go With One?

A good question that this poses though is why even choose to go with one in the first place?

Well to answer that, let me know if this scenario sounds familiar to you at all.

You’re watching TV when you then decide “hey you know what, I think I’m going to watch a Blu-ray.

So you walk over to your entertainment area and…. wait….. where’s the remote?  You see every remote there except for the one you actually need.

This then leads to a 20 minute journey around the house and under couch cushions just to find the darn thing… (fun right?)

Wouldn’t it just be easier to have one remote for everything?

Well luckily, that is what these aim to do. If you’re tired of shuffling through 1000 different remotes, then getting one of these would allow you to do control all your devices without ever having to worry about losing/breaking a specific one.

Another reason you may want one is that you have a TV, but the original remote control you had broke.

So instead of getting the same one again, it might make more sense to get one remote that will be good for everything for years to come.

You also save money by not having to continuously buy extra remotes, so that’s something to consider as well.

How Do Universal Remotes Work?

So how in the world is it possible for one remote to do all of this though? Believe it or not, it’s actually nowhere near as complex as you would initially think. It’s made possible through the use of what is known as infrared light.

Infrared light (often abbreviated to IR) is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and is invisible to the human eye; though it can be viewed through the use of special equipment.

Within a lot of electronics devices is a small IR receiver whose job is to take in this light, then transform it into a command for that device to follow.

You can almost think of it as Morse code; where one party (the remote) sends an encoded message to the other (the device) which then decodes the message and decides what to do.

From there, the different messages sent previously can be saved and accessed at a later time.

In other words, each one has a programmable memory that is capable of remembering each device after being paired with it. This is in the form of a code.

Of course this is a simplified explanation but you can read more on it here if you’re curious about the technicality of it all.

https://www.ebay.com/gds/How-Do-Universal-Remote-Controls-Work-/10000000177630561/g.html

What Are The Different Types Of Universal Remotes?

When you’re looking to buy a universal remote, it’s a good idea to keep in mind the different types that exist along, with which one would suit your needs best.

Pre-Programmed Remotes

Like the name suggests, pre programmed remotes are ones that are designed to work with a specific number of products along with types.

Unbeknownst to most, each company has their own codes that they use for a majority of their products.

So for example if you have a DVD player from years back, and then you buy a new one from the same manufacturer, then they’ll still use the same universal code for their remote.

This means that some pre programmed remotes may only support specific products from Sony and Toshiba for example, while another may only support Panasonic and Samsung.

How do you know what the code is though? Well with this specific type of remote, it’ll tell you which things it supports along with their corresponding number in the packaging.

So after you learn what it is, it’ll require you to input that number so that the remote then knows what device you have and will be able to control it from there.

But the thing is, these are usually limited since they can only support a certain number of devices at any given time. I say usually because there are those out there that support many, but it’ll of course depend on the one you go with.

A cool little feature that some of these have is auto programming; which is where it’ll literally run through every code it has until it figures out the one that works with it.

Learning Remotes

These remotes are even cooler because they’re capable of learning and executing specific commands that you set.

They’re extremely flexible, and something that a lot of people prefer because of their vast customizability to their needs.

So for example, you could have one button for a Roku, while another input could control your receiver.

Or even have one button that shuts down everything at the same time. It really is shocking how helpful they can be once you start to use one.

Even More Types!

– Touchscreen

Some remotes even have touchscreens that can also interact with a smartphone

– Voice Controlled

Even crazier than touchscreen is the fact that some can be entirely voice controlled and are compatible with voice assistants.

What Type Should You Go For?

So both are pretty similar, but there are instances where one may be better suited for you than the other.

Why You Would Want To Go With A Pre-Programmed Remote?

If you’re someone that has a large amount of older devices, than going with a pre programmed remote might be the best course of action. Why?

Well since your older devices likely use the same exact program codes as the newer versions, it means they should be compatible with it; and while a learning remote would technically work with it, it’d kind of be overkill if you’re only looking to use for a few things.

But keep in mind that these are limited since they only support a few at a time.

However if you didn’t plan on pairing it with a lot of things, then that won’t matter anyway.

Why You Would Want To Go With A Learning Remote?

On the other hand, if you have a large number of devices or even a home theater, then a learning variant might be the better choice.

These can be paired with many things, and are extremely customizable.

What’s really crazy though, is that some of these are even compatible with smart lights and heating systems.

Could you imagine controlling your entire house with just a remote? Now that would be awesome.

But keep in mind that in order for it to work, you have to have the original remote that you’re replacing so that it can first learn what does what.

You’ll only need to do this once unless you change a command, so that’s the good thing.

What Else Should You Look For In A Universal Remote?

– Ease Of Use

Obviously getting something that you need a degree to figure how to use is pointless, so same principal here. You’ll want to go with one that looks easy enough to use, so you won’t have to fiddle with it forever.

– One With Lots Of Features

Okay so this one definitely errs on the optional side, but the point still remains. You’ll likely want a remote with as many features as possible since that should future proof you for a long time.

So even when you get a new gadget, you won’t have to worry whether it gets supported or not.

– One That’s Physically Reliable

In addition to getting a remote that has useful features and doesn’t have a learning curve when it comes to use, you’ll also want to go with one that’s built sturdy as well.

If you’re going to invest time and energy when looking for good a remote, then neglecting to keep in mind getting one that’s physically built well would be a huge mistake.

Build quality is important because it’s something that’s supposed to last you a very long time, and if a few months in it’s already falling apart, chances are you won’t be happy.

The buttons should have a satisfying tactile feel without being too loose, and the remote shouldn’t creak when you use it. That’s a tell tale sign that it’s built to last so if it doesn’t, then you’re good

What Is The Best Universal Remote?

So what is the best universal remote though?

Well that’s a bit of a complicated question since there is no objective, one size fits all best remote. The best remote is going to be one that manages to fit all of your specific needs.

So for example if you only need to control around 4 or 5 devices, you aren’t going to need a voice activated, Bluetooth enabled powerhouse built for thousands of devices all connected at the same time.

It’s really going to come down to what your particular needs are, then you can go from there.

Anyways that’s just a little idea of what a universal remote is and why you would want to go with one.

But that’s it for now. I really hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the best universal remotes for 2023 and learned something that could be useful.

If you happen to have any questions in regards to setting them up, or anything like that, feel free to reach out.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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The Best Sound Bars For 2023-2024

This will be an article covering the best sound bars for 2023-2024. These are some of the best fully featured sound bars that in my opinion, perform exceptionally well in a wide range of scenarios.

The actual choices are listed directly below, with a helpful guide on how to choose a quality one below that.

The Best For A Very Small Room (8 X 10 feet) – ASIYUN Soundbar

The Best For A Small Room (10 x 12 feet) – FANGOR Soundbar

The Best For A Medium Room (14 x 16 feet) – Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar

The Best For A Medium To Large Room (16 x 20 feet) – VIZIO M Series Soundbar

The Best For A Large Room (22 x 25 feet) – Yamaha YAS-109

The Best For A Very Large Room (Over 25 feet) – Samsung HW-Q950A

The Best Looking – Klipsch Bar-40

The Best With A Built In Subwoofer – Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar

A Personal Favorite – Yamaha YAS-209BL Sound Bar

Another Personal Favorite – Sony HT-S100F

The Best High End – Sonos Arc

Decision Guide

The Best For A Very Small Room (8 X 10 feet) – ASIYUN Soundbar

So for those of you out there with really small rooms, that still want awesome sound then this would be a really good one to go with.

As long as your TV has an mp3 or audio out jack, then you’re good to go. Coming in at 16 x 2 x 2 inches, it is extremely compact as far as sound bars go.

This is particularly useful if you don’t have a lot of space for anything burly or unwieldy. It has Bluetooth, so playing music without wires is also easy to do.

What I found particularly alluring about this this choice was the fact that it has a built in subwoofer.

So you get the low end benefits of a subwoofer, without having to worry about setting an external one up. Even more interesting, it happens to also have a built in microphone.

This allows you to take calls straight from the sound bar.

Now that’s cool.

As far as looks go, it’s pretty standard, with a metal grill protecting the drivers inside.

The sound it produces belies its appearance though; don’t let it fool you, this thing can put out some seriously satisfying sound.

Pros

• Small & manageable
• Built In subwoofer Is convenient
• Good sound quality
• Built in microphone allows you to make calls from it
• Bluetooth ability

Cons

• Volume level using it in anything bigger than a small room

Overall, it’s a great soundbar if you plan on using this thing in smaller listening spaces. It’s awesome.

Check Availability Of The ASIYUN Soundbar

The Best For A Small Room (10 x 12 feet) – Fangor 60 Watt Soundbar

For use with a smaller room, the Fangor 60 watt soundbar is a solid choice.

At 16 inches and a slim profile, this is a soundbar that is best suited for a smaller room.

What’s awesome about this one is the fact that there’s an internal DSP with 3 different sound profiles to accommodate the specific content that you watch.

This is supplemented by the 2 full range internal speakers and low frequency drivers that actually get much louder than one might initially think. Their sound quality is also suprisingly great.

With Bluetooth 5.0 present, you can wirelessly enjoy music and content from your device which is definitely nice.

It’s also really simple to setup, with an optical port, auxiliary input, USB port, and HDMI ARC.

Pros

• Clear sound quality
• Great for small rooms at 16 inches
• Multiple sound modes for different content
• Bluetooth 5.0 capability
• HDMI ARC Capability
• Easy to setup

Cons

• Bass levels out at louder volumes

There’s not too much else to say other than this is a great soundbar for smaller rooms.

Check Availability Of The Fangor 60 Watt Soundbar

The Best For A Medium Room (14 x 16 feet) – Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar

If you happen to do most of your listening in a normal room or even dorm room, then the klipsch cinema definitely works for that use.

The first thing that surprised me about this sound bar was the fact it uses horn technology.

Now for those of you out there who are familiar with the company Klipsch, then you’ll now that they employ this technology in their products as well.

What is it though?

Well you know how within the speaker there’s the driver that’s responsible for the output of sound?

Well with horn tech, what it basically does is place a specifically measured covering around the driver, which duckbills outwards around the edges.

This allows the sound to not only cover a wider area, but it’s usually clearer as well.

You can read about it here if you’re curious. https://www.klipsch.com/blog/how-do-horn-loaded-speakers-work

At 40 inches long, this is definitely one on the larger side.

Also, if your television has an audio out jack, then you can plug it in there as well to take advantage of its enhanced sound.

In terms of looks, I really liked the subtle yet refined aesthetic of the soundbar.

The subwoofer also has a good amount of bass that definitely adds to the experience.

It also has 400 watts which allows it to get plenty loud.

There’s even Bluetooth to enjoy your favorite content

Pros

• 400 watts of audio quality
• Horn technology makes sound incredibly enjoyable
• Nice bass quality
• Bluetooth capability

Cons

• Large at 40 inches

In summary, it’s a really performant soundbar that finds its groove in a variety of rooms.

Check Availability Of The Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar

https://easyhometheater.net/klipsch-cinema-400-sound-bar-review

The Best For A Medium To Large Room (16 x 20 feet) – VIZIO M Series Soundbar

In this size of a room where you nearly getting into large territory but not quite, you might want something with a little more oomph.

The Vizio M Series is that very thing that provides you with just that. Being able to go up to 98 decibels ensures that you get a very full and rich sound that makes movies come alive.

To put that into perspective, that’s nearly the equivalent of standing right next to a subway train in terms of loudness (that’s plenty loud)

But the thing is it’s not just the loudness that makes it impressive, but the clarity of the sound as well.

It also offers Bluetooth so that you can enjoy your music without the hassle of wires.

Even better is the fact that it utilizes DTS sound to give you the most realistic experience possible.

Set up is also simple, and even comes with the cables necessary to plug it up.

Coming in at around 8 and a half pounds and 36 inches, it makes it manageable for those with not the most space in the world as well.

Pros

• Easy to setup
• DTS sound gives a very lifelike and appreciable sound
• 98 decibels peak also ensures it can go plenty loud when it needs to
• Small enough to still be manageable

Cons

• No internal sub

For music and the casual listening this is a great option as well.

Check Availability Of The VIZIO M Series Soundbar

The Best For A Large Room (22 x 25 feet) – Yamaha YAS-109

When we start to get into the large room territory, this is where speakers need to be able to go loud, otherwise they’ll come off as disappointing.

The Yamaha YAS-109 does exactly that.

Now before even that, the first thing you’ll notice is just how thin it actually is.

This is part of what Yamaha is calling its ultra slim design.

This is to allow it to fit anywhere in your theater space with ease.

However despite this thin design, it still has managed to build in 2 woofers, 2 tweeters, and even 2 subwoofers all within this little enclosure.

The results of this is actually pretty astonishing.

You get a crisp high, and convincingly ominous low that really melds beautifully together.

Power is also something that this doesn’t lack, as it has over 120 watts of power.

What’s really interesting is the different modes available to further customize the sound.

There’s even a clear voice mode that emphasizes dialogue over everything else; which would help in scenes where the characters may be whispering or talking really low.

It comes with Bluetooth as well so you do have the option of going wireless if you want.

What’s also noteworthy about this one is the fact that you can hook it up however you want since it supports all the common connection methods like HDMI and optical.

The bar even has its own app that you can download to customize your sound even further.

Plus there’s even support for DTS Virtual:X, which allows you to enjoy virtual surround sound without the need of any external speakers.

How cool is that?

Pros

• Built in subwoofer
• 120 watts of power makes for a very entertaining presentation
• Multiple sound modes
• Dedicated app for even further customization
• Great sound clarity
• Virtual surround sound

Cons

• 37 inches puts it on the slightly longer side.

In all, it really is amazing.

Check Availability Of The Yamaha YAS-109 Soundbar

The Best For A Very Large Room (Over 25 feet) – Samsung HW-Q950A

From smartphones to TV’s, Samsung is certainly a respectable brand in technology.

That said, this is definitely one of the best ones I’ve personally tried.

Maybe it might have something to do with the fact it can support a whopping 616 watts.

Couple this with the fact that there’s an included subwoofer (which also happens to be wireless), and 2 speakers you’re obviously bound to get something that you’ll be pleased with.

The best way to describe the sound would be super crisp with no distortion, even at high levels.

Of course it comes with the usual features you’ve come to expect from a quality sound bar like Bluetooth and HDMI compatibility.

But what’s odd about it is the fact it supports surround sound.

But wait, aren’t sound bars incapable of doing surround sound?

Well as it turns out, not necessarily.

By utilizing special processing technology, it can reflect sound in specific ways where it gives the perception of being all around you.

It’s a really cool feature.

The sound bar itself is 48.5 inches long and has an attractive design.

There’s even the ability for it to connect with certain Samsung TV’s without any wires.

Now that’s convenience.

Pros

• 616 watts provides plenty of power for even the biggest of rooms.
• Wireless subwoofer
• Bluetooth
• Provides surround sound through special 3D processing tech
• Amazing sound

Cons

• Large at 48.5 inches

If you have a big room you plan on doing your listening in, then this one is a solid choice.

Check Availability Of The Samsung HW-Q950A Soundbar

The Best Looking – Klipsch Bar-40

Klipsch is known for making good looking speakers, and the Klipsch Bar-40 is no exception.

Of course sound trumps all, but it’d be hard to ignore how good this one looks, especially when it sounds just as good!

The copper metal accents and metal grille give a premium feel to the sound bar, and the logo on the front of it adds even more.

There’s an included subwoofer that ensures you’re taken care of when it comes to bass, and the added tweeters help make the higher end sounds much more pronounced.

Even better is the fact that it’s 2.8 inches tall, so even if you place it under your TV, you won’t have to worry about blocking the screen.

It is a long soundbar at 39 inches though so that’s something to note.

Bluetooth makes a welcome appearance as well, ditching the need for any wires.

It has a virtual surround mode that as the name suggests, creates the illusion of surround sound without the need for additional speakers.

Surprisingly it works really well, and is sure to impress you.

Rubber feet fixed to the bottom of the bar also ensures it can be placed anywhere without sliding, and the keyholes included as well allows for wall mounting.

Of course Klipsch’s signature tractrix horns are here as well, allowing for a much wider dispersion of sound.

Pros

• Looks great
• Included subwoofer for low end sounds
• Virtual surround sound mode
• 2.8 inch height ensures it won’t block the TV
• Great sound

Cons

• Long at 39 inches.

Besides that, this is a great option that manages to combines looks and functionality into one.

Check Availability Of The Klipsch Bar-40 Soundbar

The Best With A Built In Subwoofer -Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar

So if you’re someone who’s concerned with getting a quality sound along with good bass, then this one is certainly a solid choice.

For starters, it comes with built in dual subwoofers and 7 internal speakers that handles the high and low ends really well in my opinion.

A welcome feature this comes with is Bluetooth which is helpful for enjoying your music wirelessly.

When it comes to connecting it, you have a few options including aux, optical, HDMI ARC, and analog. It’s also on the longer side of things, coming in at around 41.38 inches so just be aware of that.

Even when it comes to looks, it has a premium look that really makes it look awesome and has different equalizer modes to dial in your sound.

It can even be wall mounted if you so chose.

All in all, it’s a really great soundbar.

Pros

• Great sound which can be further customized
• Bluetooth
• Different ways to connect it
• 2 built in subwoofers
• Works with a smartphone
• Includes remote

Cons

• 41.38 inches could be a little long for some people.

Check Availability Of The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar

A Personal Favorite – Yamaha YAS-209BL

This one is awesome with Yamaha’s inclusion of DTS Virtual X.

If you’re curious about all the specific details then you can check it out here, but to sum it up, this allows it to move sounds around you as if that object were really there.

Normally you would need extra speakers for this, but that’s where the virtual part comes in.

It uses special processing to do accomplish this without all the extras.

What’s also really cool about this one is that it comes with a wireless subwoofer to provide that extra bass.

This bar also supports HDMI so no need to worry about that.

There’s even an app which allows you to control the bar with your smartphone (just in case you lose the remote.)

The bar itself is a little over 36 inches, and has a subdued look to it.

Pros

• Includes DTS Virtual: X
• Can be controlled by smartphone
• Comes with a subwoofer
• Can be connected via HDMI
• Bluetooth
• 200 Watts of power

Cons

• On the long side

Simply put, if you have the room for it, then this is one that is awesome and excels in a wide variety of conditions.

Check Availability Of The Yamaha YAS-209BL Soundbar

Another Personal Favorite – Sony HT-S100F

Another personal favorite of mine that I think works really well is the Sony HT-S100F soundbar because of its clarity.

Particularly when turned up, I noticed that it maintained that same level of detail in the high end that made content sound really good.

One of the things I like about it most is how well it handles voices in movies.

What’s also helpful is this can be wall mounted too, so there’s additional choice with how it can be placed.

There’s even a virtual surround sound feature and Bluetooth for enjoying your content that way as well.

Pros

• Dialogue sounds awesome with movies
• Great sound clarity
• Bluetooth capability
• Can be wall mounted
• Slim design looks nice

Cons

• No Dolby Atmos
• No DTS format support
• Would like more bass

In short, this is an incredible soundbar when it comes to watching content and listening to music.

Check Availability Of Sony HT-S100F Soundbar

https://easyhometheater.net/sony-ht-s100f-review

The Best High End – Sonos Arc

If you were set on getting something that was next level so to speak, this would certainly be it.

The bar itself is super easy to hook up with only 2 cords to worry about (one is the power cord itself)

In terms of sound, this thing offers a clarity that’s hard to put into words. The internal drivers have a bass quality that’s surprisingly good.

Wifi streaming is also something this soundbar is capable of and it can even connect with other Sonos speakers.

There’s even 3D sound in conjuction with Dolby Atmos for a surround sound experience that’s really immersive.

Talk about awesome.

Pros

• Incredible clarity
• Solid bass
• Can connect to other Sonos speakers
• Built in voice control
• Attractive design
• Customizable sound

Cons

• No Bluetooth

Overall, considering the sound quality, this would definitely be a really solid choice.

Check Availability Of The Sonos Arc Soundbar

What Is A Sound Bar?

So for most of us, a home theater is our preferred way of experiencing surround since it gives a deeply immersive and satisfying experience.

But believe it or not, there may be times when this simply just isn’t possible.

So what happens when you’re unable to utilize a full home theater setup, (due to space constraints, budget, etc) but you still want a better audio experience than what your television can provide?

Enter sound bars.

A sound bar is quite the interesting creation to put it lightly. Inside each one, there’s usually a long row of individual speaker drivers whose job is to project the sound forwards.

The number of drivers is going to of course depend on which one you get, but regardless the end goal is the same; providing the listener with rich, detailed sound.

Now you might be thinking that the idea sounds awesome, but may be curious as to whether it may or may not have any advantages over a typical 5.1 speaker setup?

Surprisingly, the answer to that question would be yes.

Here’s sound bars explained in an easy to understand manner.

What Are The Advantages Of A Sound Bar?

So the first major advantage a sound bar would have over a normal speaker setup has to do with the design of the bar itself.

Being that all of the drivers are in this elongated enclosure, this ends up saving a lot of space.

This is great for those of you who may not have a lot of space, or don’t want speakers and/or wires everywhere.

Rather than having speakers situated all across the room, everything is in this simple bar, making things a lot easier when it comes to set up.

Speaking of which, that actually brings us into the next reason why you may want to go with one.

I can even say this from experience, that setting up a sound bar takes way less time than a surround sound system.

Not to mention, it usually comes with everything you need included in the package along with its own set of individual instructions; making it a much more beginner friendly option than the former.

Yet another reason why this be an attractive option to people is that typically, a sound bar will not be nearly as expensive as a full on home theater setup.

Again this is speaking generally, since there are some extremely advanced sound bars out there that can definitely be up there, but those are the high end ones of course.

What Are The Disadvantages Of A Sound Bar?

Not everything is sunshine and rainbows with them however, since there are definitely some real disadvantages you need to be aware of as well.

The first drawback again, stems from its design.

While yes, having all of your speakers in one place does cut down on space, the issue with this is that they can only fire in one direction.

What that basically means is you lose out on a lot of the directionality of surround sound.

So when watching a movie, while still immersive yes, you won’t typically get the enveloping sound field that makes the content satisfying; at least in general.

I do say in general because there are again, advanced ones out there that are able to create surround sound by some pretty creative measures, including actually bouncing sound waves off the wall so that they land directly where you ears are.

While amazing, not every sound bar will include something like this, so it’s really a matter of what you prefer.

Another disadvantage is that if something goes wrong with it, chances are you’ll have to replace the entire thing.

With a speaker, if something goes wrong, you can simply address that speaker.

How To Choose The Right Sound Bar

So now that you know whether or not a sound bar is for you, it’s time to actually go over some things you’ll want to consider when going with one.

Wattage

I’ve talked about this many times before, but to reiterate, wattage is basically the amount of power a device is capable of.

The higher the wattage, the more powerful it’s going to be. You’ll typically want to go with at least over 50 in really big rooms.

Just keep in mind that this also increases energy consumption as well.

One That Can Adequately Cover The Low End

What do I mean by this?

Well if you haven’t noticed by now, there’s one major difference between the average sound bar and a 5.1 system; the subwoofer!

You know, that black box that provides the rumble and tactile feeling during movies?

While some definitely do, not every sound bar will necessarily come with a subwoofer included.

In those instances, you’ll want to be sure that the one you’re choosing is able to cover the low end in its absence.

How do you do that?

Easy! You can make sure the one you’re choosing can do this by looking at what’s called the Hertz. (Hz)

This is a measure of how many vibrations per second speaker is capable of.

To put it simply, the lower this number, the lower the bass.

So by getting one that’s capable of going as low as possible ensures that you’re getting a full range of sound.

For soundbars without a subwoofer, if it can at least go into the 40 Hz range, then it’ll be just fine for movie watching. Honestly same thing with a subwoofer.

As long as it can at least dig that deep then you’re golden.

One That Can Adequately Cover The High End

So conversely, you’ll also want to get one that is capable of covering the higher end as well. This is usually denoted by the term Kilohertz (KHz).

With this number, the higher it is the better. Try to at least get one that is capable of going up to at least 20,000 KHz as this will give you the most detailed sound.

To help you out even more, you’ll typically see something like this 20Hz – 20,000 KHz; the number on the left is the Hertz or how low it can go, and on the right is the Kilohertz or how high it can go.

You want the number on the left to be as low as possible and the one on the right to be as high as possible. Easy enough right?

Try To Get One That Accepts HDMI

HDMI pretty much rules everything now a days, so it’s pretty rare occurrence for a modern day device not to support it. Still, it does happen.

While it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t, try to at least get one that accepts HDMI cables.

HDMI 2.1 is the most recent iteration of this standard and allows for many advantages like high frame rate, much higher resolutions, eARC, and expanded color gamuts.

You May Want One With Bluetooth Capabilities

If you’re a lover of music, or plan on using your speaker for parties and that sort of thing, then getting one with Bluetooth would be an invaluable addition to consider.

Being able to press a button and play music wirelessly from your phone is much more convenient then having to bother with wires every time.

Get One That Will Fit In Your Entertainment Area

Just as a heads up, some sound bars can be surprisingly long (some totaling over 4 feet in length)

So beforehand with any one that you choose, make sure that you’re aware of the dimensions of both the bar you’re thinking about going with, and the amount of space you might have for it.

That way you aren’t caught off guard when it comes time to take it out of the box.

With all of this being said, the ones on the list above takes into account all of these things and more.

But that’s pretty much it for now. I hope you enjoyed this article on the best sound bars for 2023-2024.

Hopefully with this list, you now understand what a sound bar actually is, along with why it still can give a great home theater experience overall.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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HDMI Cable Types, Ratings, etc. Explained

Going by the title, I’m sure you’re already aware what this article will be about; HDMI cable types explained!

Now interestingly enough, this was an article a lot of people were asking me to cover, so I figured I’d do a full-on, comprehensive guide that’ll cover everything you ever needed to know about them.

Think of this as the ultimate guide so to speak.

Feel free to jump around to any section since it’ll be segmented.

Let’s get to it!

What Is An HDMI Cable? The History Behind It Explained

What Does An HDMI Cable Look Like?

What Does Connecting Via HDMI Mean & Do?

What Is An HDMI Port & What Does It Look Like?

When Do You Need To Use An HDMI?

What Is HDMI ARC?

What Is HDMI eARC?

What Is The Best HDMI Cable?

Are More Expensive HDMI Cables Better Than Less Expensive Ones?

Is A Gold Plated HDMI Cable Necessary?

What Are The Different HDMI Versions As Of Right Now?

What Is A Category 1 HDMI Cable?

What Is A Category 2 HDMI Cable?

What Is A Category 3  HDMI Cable?

Should You Get A 1.4, 2.0, or 2.1 Cable?

Is Setting Up A Home Theater With HDMI Complicated?

Do You Need To Buy A New Cable For 4K UHD Or HDR TVs?

Will You Need To Buy A New Cable For HDMI 2.0 Enabled Devices?

Will You Need To Buy A New Cable For HDMI 2.1 Enabled Devices?

How Long Do HDMI Cables Go Up To?

Do Newer HDMI Cables Work With Older Devices?

Is There A Difference Between HDMI & DVI?

Is There A Difference Between HDMI & Component Video Cables?

Can You Convert A Component Video Output To HDMI?

Can You Connect HDMI To VGA?

What Is CL-2 And CL-3?

What Is AWG?

What Is HDMI CEC?

What Is A Direct HDMI Connection & A Multi-Segment HDMI, And Is There A Difference?

What Is An HDMI Right Angle Adapter & What Are They Used For?

Is There Anything Else I Need To Know?

What Is An HDMI Cable? The History Behind It Explained

High-Definition Multimedia Interface (or HDMI for short) is a relatively newer cable technology that’s capable of transferring significantly larger amounts of information, at a much faster rate. This additional digital information can be in the form of higher quality audio, video, or both. It was also the first cable capable of a fully uncompressed signal.

It was released in 2002 as the successor to DVI, the previous connection standard for video signals; since the more complicated and advanced electronic devices became in general, the more they needed in terms of speed.

With each additional version, came an array of advanced new features such as support for 3D, 4K, & HDR, higher streaming rates, and better connections.

These cables were also helpful because they not only allowed the transmittance of audio & video signals at the same time without the need for extra cables, but also used a different color space as well allowing it to be more accurate.

So in summation, the HDMI cable that we have today is the result of years of innovations that makes many of the technological luxuries that we currently have possible.

So with that being said, let’s hypothetically say you’re not even remotely familiar with them in the slightest, and want to know some important things about them; such as what you use them for, why you might need one, and even what they look like.

Let’s cover all of that right now.

What Does An HDMI Cable Look Like?

So of course, each cable will be decorated differently depending on the brand you choose, but in terms of the general shape, here is what they look like. As you can see, the cord is flat on top with a sort of angular dimension toward the bottom.

Like I stated previously, this is the typical shape of them, but they’ll usually be adorned with all sorts of designs and colors to entice to you to buy them.

Some even have braided cables for enhanced durability (like in the first picture). You may even come across a few cables claiming that they have clearer connections than the rest of the competition. Unless there was something wrong with the cable, or it’s a different iteration of HDMI all together, don’t worry about this too much; they essentially all do the same exact thing.

What Does Connecting Via HDMI Mean & Do?

This is a pretty common question that a lot of people ask; what does it mean exactly to connect via HDMI, and how does it work? Well the first part of that is pretty self explanatory.

All it means is that when you have an electronic device that states that it uses this type of connection, you would just need to connect the wire into the appropriately named slot that basically corresponds with it.

When it comes to what it does, though this cable is what allows sound, along with video, to be transferred between two media devices. In fact, there actually used to be two separate cables for each, but once HDMI was introduced, it streamlined everything into one much more powerful cable.

Of course the ones of today support all the universally accepted standards like UHD (Ultra High Definition) and Dolby Digital/ DTS. There’s even support for Dolby Atmos as well.

What Is An HDMI Connector

An HDMI port (often also referred to as a connector) is essentially the port in which the cable goes into. Some devices may have more than one, and some may have none at all depending on when it was made.

Now there are actually 2 different types as well. The standard one that’s shown above, and a minified version that is typically used in smaller devices like smart phones and tablets.

When Do You Need To Use An HDMI?

When it comes to when exactly you would need to use an HDMI cable, chances are if it’s a device made within at least the last 15 years and relies on audio, and or video to serve its purpose, then it most likely will use it.

But this may not always be the case. Some still have the capability for what are known as DVI connections.

Simply put, a DVI (Digital Visual Interface) connection is one that allows something like a computer monitor to display visual information, hence the name.

It’s a much older tech that was obviously replaced by HDMI as the predominant method, however surprisingly it hasn’t been phased out.

In fact, there may even be instances where you still have to use this method in conjunction with an HDMI. When would that be?

Well if you had an older device that only had DVI, and you wanted to use it with newer device that didn’t use that, then you’d have to use what’s known as a DVI to HDMI converter to do so; for the visual and the sound aspect in that instance.

Luckily that’s not usually necessary, but in those rare instances you need an older and newer device to work together, this is how you would do it.

What Is HDMI ARC?

Another important development in HDMI’s extensive history comes in the form of ARC. ARC (which stands for Audio Return Channel) came with the version of HDMI 1.4 as a way of simplifying this process.

It basically allows compatible devices to connect using a single HDMI cable from a single port, since that port acts as both an input and output for both audio & video.

Pretty cool right?

A majority of the devices today allow for this as well thankfully, so it makes your life that much easier.

That means instead of having to use a separate optical cable for the sound, and a component, or even HDMI cable for the display, you’re able to use a single HDMI from the TV for both the sound and picture.

Some televisions may require you to manually enable ARC compatibility in a menu or something, so check to see if that’s the case with yours. Usually though you shouldn’t have to since it’s typically automatic in newer TVs.

There also use to be certain caveats with ARC that were also present in previous technologies. For example, it didn’t provide support for high resolution audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS X until very recently.

However that incompatibility was short lived because with the rollout of the successor to this technology, eARC via HDMI 2.1 in 2019, support for it was introduced, while also mitigating the need for extra wiring which many will find quite helpful.

Though keep in mind both the cable and the device need to be 2.1 compatible for it to actually work.

HDMI ARC has support for a bunch of formats too which I think is helpful.

The following site talks about that more if you’re curious.

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/hdmi-arc-faq,news-26262.html

What Is HDMI eARC?

I mentioned it briefly before, but what exactly is eARC and what’s the difference between HDMI eARC and HDMI ARC?

Well eARC (which stands for enhanced audio return channel) is basically the successor to ARC, and is basically HDMI 2.1. It includes the same benefits of the original ARC, but comes with a few new things.

The most notable difference between the 2 is the newfound support for high resolution audio formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS-HD Master Audio, & Dolby TrueHD

Another benefit to eARC is that it’ll support the latest high-bitrate audio formats up to 192 kHz, 24 bit, uncompressed 5.1, 7.1, & even 32 channel audio which is super impressive in my opinion.

It’ll also provide support for the latest format from IMAX & DTS in the form of IMAX Enhanced.

What Is The Best HDMI Cable?

So by now you might be wondering what the best HDMI Cable is? Well get ready for this because I’m about to tell you. It’s… *drumroll please*… any to be honest.

Wait what?!

You see, there’s not really a “best cable” per se, since it really only has one job, and that’s to transfer information. It either does this or it doesn’t, that simple.

The only time it makes a difference in what you choose is when it’s an entirely new generation of HDMI all together with new specifications for new technologies, an entirely different material being used, or there was something faulty about the cable itself.

I know it’s a contentious subject since there are discussions out there that say the type of cable actually does make a difference, but I’ll personally tell you from all my years of experience, I’ve never noticed a substantial difference between them.

So in my opinion, there’s really no reason to stress about what cable you choose.

That being said though, if you plan to use things like 4K, HDR, and all that fancy stuff, then make sure you get the latest version for compatibility.

You can tell what the latest version is because it’ll usually say HDMI 2.1, Ultra high speed cable, or something along those lines. Actually to make it easy, this is the one I use for my devices..

Highwings 2.1 HDMI Cable

Besides this though, the rest is up to personal preference. That means things like length, colors, and even wire texture are all up to what you want truthfully.

Are More Expensive HDMI Cables Better Than Less Expensive Ones?

Here’s another common misconception that a lot of people tend to have.

That the more expensive an HDMI cable is, the better the quality will be when that isn’t always necessarily true.

From my personal experience with this hobby over the years, I’ve bought the most expensive ones to the least expensive ones and truth be told, I could never tell a difference between them. I’ve said this before, but the job of cable is to simply transfer digital information from one point to another.

So unless there’s an entirely different iteration of it being used, a different wiring material, or it’s faulty, then chances are you won’t perceive a difference.

But everyone’s different so it could be subjective at the end of the day.

Is A Gold Plated HDMI Cable Necessary?

This is another interesting variation that you may or may not have heard of; gold plated HDMIs. Why would they plate them in gold? Well the answer to that has something to do with what is known as oxidation. When certain metals are exposed to things like humidity, moisture, and the like, chemical reactions happen that can cause it to change.

This corrosion can then cause connection issues. Of course that’s a vastly simplified version of it, but you can read more about that here if curious. https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-the-definition-of-oxidized-metal-2340018

But the idea here is that since gold does not oxidize, it’s better suited for cables since there would be no loss in quality, at least hypothetically. In actuality, it’s probably not necessary since the conditions for that to even occur aren’t likely to be present in the same room your audio stuff is.

What Are The Different HDMI Versions As Of Right Now?

So here’s the interesting part. Since HDMI was introduced in the early 2000’s, there has been multiple versions from 1.0 all the way to 2.1.

But as a consumer, the ones you would need to be most aware of are versions 1.4, 2.0, and 2.1

Why?

Well besides the fact that these are the 3 most common today, 1.4 is the standard most often used with high definition television, and 2.0 is used for formats like 4K and HDR.

HDMI 2.1 is the newest standard that brings with it a whole host of exciting features including 4K 120 frames per second support, 8K 60 frames per second support, resolution support for up to 10K, and 48 gigabits per second bandwidth support which is a massive improvement over the 18 Gbps standard.

I personally just opt for the 2.1 since they’re backwards compatible with former versions, but again that’s up to you. If you want to know about every version including every specific change then you can check that here.

Then there’s the actual classification of each HDMI cable. As of right now, this classification is split into 5 types; types A, B, C, and D, and E.

The following are a synopsis of the 5 different types though you can read more about it in depth here

Type A

A type A cable was the first original cable that preceded the others, or in other words version 1.0. It has 19 pins on the inside making it a standard connector which basically allows them to be useful for high definition devices, and are compatible with DVI-D.

They also measure 13.9mm by 4.45mm.

Type B

Type B cables are much improved upon their original type A counterpart, with 29 pins on the inside allowing for support of much higher resolutions due to the fact the bandwidth they have is higher.

Although these are still technically used today in conjunction with HDMI 1.0, with the demand for more intensive screen technologies like HDR and the like, they are also slowly being surpassed by even faster cables.

They utilize a Dual-Link Connector, are compatible with dual-link DVI, and measure 21.2 mm x 4.45 mm.

Type C

Type C cables are an interesting one because they’re actually still pretty similar to type A cables. For one, they utilize a mini connector, and still have 19 pins just like the original, the only difference is its design. It’s designed to fit into a much smaller space due to the fact that they’re actually used for portable HD devices on the 1.3 standard.

They also measure 10.42 mm x 2.42 mm.

Type D

Then you have your type D cables which can only be used with 1.4 rated devices. It still retains the 19 pin design of type b and the original, however it does so in a much smaller package since they are actually the smallest of all of them. This is due to an increased efficiency allowing it to shed excess bulk.

They utilize a Micro Connector, and measure 5.83 mm x 2.2 mm.

Type E

Finally with type E, this is a connection for automotive that uses the HDMI 1.4 specification, uses a locking tab to keep it in place, and has the capability of using an adapter to connect it to the other types.

What is A Category 1 HDMI Cable?

A category 1 HDMI cable in layman’s terms, can simply be thought of as a standard HDMI cable used for high definition. Now to be more specific though, a category 1 cable has a speed of exactly 74.5 MHz. What does that mean?

Well it means it can transfer over 742 Mb of information per second, and offers support for resolutions at 720p 60fps & 1080i at 60fps. 1.4 would fall under this particular classification by the way.

What Is A Category 2 HDMI Cable?

A category 2 cable on the other hand has a speed of 340 MHz so would basically be a high speed cable. This equates to 3.4 Gb per second or 10.2 Gb total (really up up 18 per second) and can do resolutions of 1080p 60fps and 4K 30fps.

Things like 3D and improved color over the previous iteration.

2.0 would be the type that falls under this one; although HDMI 2.1 would technically count as well being that it’s backwards compatible.

What Is A Category 3 HDMI Cable?

A category 3 HDMI cable Is one that has been tested for being able to transfer data at up to 48 gigabits per second and touts the Ultra High Speed moniker.

But what is an ultra high speed HDMI cable exactly?

Well they’re a type of cable developed to accommodate for the new HDMI 2.1 standard, since there’s substantial increase in speed with this iteration. This includes support for 120 frames per second in content and uncompressed 4K and even 8K resolutions.

More specifically, the following is what’s officially supported by HDMI 2.1 and their specific cables.

4K resolutions at 50/60/100/120fps, 5K resolutions at 50/60/100/120fps, 8K resolutions at 50/60/100/120fps, 10K resolutions at 50/60/100/120fps.

Furthermore, the specification offers support for both compressed and uncompressed information, and utilizes VESA DSC 1.2a link for compression which is stated to be visually lossless. That basically means the metadata can be effectively shrunk down when using this, with no perceptible difference to the end user.

There’s also support for wide ranging colorimetry as the latest color spaces like BT.2020 are supported, as well as 10 bit, 12 bit, and 16 bit color bit depth as well.

This ultimately results in the ability to display billions more colors than what was possible previously which is pretty incredible honestly.

It’s also backwards compatible with older HDMI connection types, and supports the higher resolution audio codecs Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD via the new format eARC.

https://www.hdmi.org/spec21Sub/EightK60_FourK120

Should You Get A 1.4, 2.0, or 2.1 Cable?

So here’s the real question, out of all the cables available now, which one should you get?

Honestly if you wanted my opinion, I’d stick with 2.1. Like I said before, not only is it backwards compatible with all your previous devices, it also retains support for current tech like 4K and 8K.

I referenced the one I personally used earlier, but if you didn’t catch it, this is one I use.

Highwings 2.1 HDMI Cable

Is Setting Up A Home Theater With HDMI Complicated?

So you may be wondering how exactly an HDMI cable applies to home theater, or why you may even want to use one?

The answer to those questions luckily is quite simple. The benefits of using one compared to something like a composite or optical cable is that you get a clearer quality of sound to put it bluntly; so those movies you’ve watched a thousand times before are going to sound just a little clearer comparatively.

But how exactly do you use one?

Well the answer to that is going to depend on how many devices you plan on using.

So let’s say for example you have a surround sound system, and you want to use it with your cable box and a gaming console.

In that case you’ll likely need 3 cables, one going from the ARC slot on your television to the ARC slot on the receiver. Another one going from the next slot in the TV to the back of the cable box. And finally another one going from the TV to the back of the gaming console.

So all in all it isn’t necessarily hard to use one, you just have to make sure that the receiver you have has an ARC slot to ensure that it can decipher the signal between your speakers and the devices to ensure that you get sound output.

That and making sure everything is plugged in right helps too (it’s a lot more common to miss than you think)

Even if the television and/or receiver doesn’t have this specialized port, you can still get surround sound compatibility by plugging them in like mentioned above, with the only difference being you using an optical cable to connect the device to the receiver instead.

Do You Need To Buy A New Cable For 4K UHD Or HDR TVs?

So if you have been using the same cable for years with a normal high definition TV, and then you recently decided that you’d be interested in the newer generation televisions, then yes you will need a newer cable if that higher resolution is particularly your focus.

I say this because the older ones only support certain resolutions, and if you tried using them with a newer TV, it’d only support up to a certain resolution (likely only 1080p).

That would mean you’d be buying a new TV and only using a quarter of it’s potential (and what’s the sense in that?)

So to reiterate, you would likely need a new one in this case to fully utilize it.

Will You Need To Buy A New Cable For HDMI 2.0 Enabled Devices?

Again, for 2.0 enabled devices, it may not be necessary for an entirely new cable. I haven’t personally tried using an older cable with an HDMI 2.0 device, (for instance an Xbox Series X does support older cables, but only up to 1080p resolution) however using an older cable likely won’t allow you to utilize the standards that come with 2.0 like 4K and HDR.

However if you weren’t concerned with those in particular, given that 2.0 is backwards compatible, it’s possible that a 2.0 device will still work with an older cable. But it really just depends on the device as well as the actual cable.

Will You Need To Buy A New Cable For HDMI 2.1 Enabled Devices?

For HDMI 2.1 enabled devices, will you need a new cable to go with them?

Well it’ll again depend on the device and its usage with other devices.

Like lets say for example you were planning on getting one of the next gen consoles from Sony or XBOX (which support HDMI 2.1) but your TV was still HDMI 2.0 and you were using an older 2.0 cable.

Given that 2.1 supports things like 4K/120fps and 8K/60fps with support for the latest high resolution audio formats, you likely wouldn’t be able to take advantage of any of those new features and would be relegated to 4K/60 and standard surround sound instead.

Now if you weren’t planning on using any of those new features to begin with, then you’d still able to use your old category 2 HDMI since the standard is able to retrograde and work with previous iterations.

But if you did want to make use of all the various bells and whistles that 2.1 offers, then you would need to use an Ultra High Definition Cable with that particular 2.1 enabled device.

Then keep in mind that it’s always possible that a newer device may not work with an older one at all since manufacturers do have to enable this functionality manually and they could technically decide to not support it at all — so that’s something to keep in mind as well.

So to answer the question, if you wanted to fully utilize the new feature set then it’d be necessary, otherwise due to backwards compatibility with the previous generation, you’d be able to use an older cable.

How Long Do HDMI Cables Go Up To?

Luckily, for those of you out there that need longer cables for bigger spaces, you’re covered here too. There’s actually cables out there that have a maximum length up to 100 feet, along with extenders that allow it to stretch even longer.

That should definitely be plenty.

However technically speaking, there really isn’t a definitive distance on how long one of these cables can be. What there is though, is a given performance at a given distance since the signaly quality of the cable at different lengths can vary depending on the cable.

At 3 meters or about 9.8 feet, it should carry the signal just fine — while at about 10 meters or 32 feet, it still should perform optimally. However extending greater than this distance may require a repeater or amplifier as a result in order to boost the signal so things don’t start sounding different.

Do Newer HDMI Cables Work With Older Devices?

In short, most definitely. Newer HDMI cables are backwards compatible, meaning your old devices won’t be left collecting dust when you decide to get a new one. Pretty convenient.

Is There A Difference Between HDMI & DVI?

When it comes to HDMI and DVI, there is most certainly a difference since an HDMI cable is capable of relaying both an audio and video signal, where DVI can only display the visual information it receives. This is actually due to the fact that DVI was the wire that was used first.

On top of that, HDMI is able to support things like 11 channel audio, HDR, CEC (consumer electronics control which gives you remote control of your devices) and even different color spectrums for more vibrancy in content. Plus they look different too.

Is There A Difference Between HDMI & Component Video Cables?

While an HDMI is responsible for both the audio and video information between AV devices, a component cable can only send video signals being that it’s a much older technology and can’t transfer nearly as much information — making it relegated to much lower resolutions. Today, they aren’t used nearly as much, but it’s still good to know the difference.

Can You Convert A Component Video Output To HDMI?

Surprisingly, you actually can, and it’s a lot more simple than you’d think. There’s devices that do this, however a lot of modern receivers also have this capability which is pretty helpful.

Can You Connect HDMI To VGA?

VGA is used on devices like projectors and computer monitors. Like DVI, it’s sole purpose is to transfer video information.

In those rare instances where you need to do something like this, an HDMI to VGA converter would do the trick. But since most of those devices today utilize HDMI anyway, it’s not really necessary unless you have equipment that’s a lot older.

What Is AWG With Wires?

AWG stands for American Wire Gauge and is basically away to show the thickness of a wire. However each step up means nearly a double in size. So a 14 gauge wire is nearly twice as thick as a 16 gauge wire.

Basically for larger distances, thicker wire is typically used to keep the signal strong throughout that distance.

When it comes to HDMI cables, it’s pretty much the same story.

They’re usually made from thick copper wire as well, but you may even come across cables that claim they have different elements that helps to improve conductivity even further.

What is HDMI CEC?

Another term you may have come across is HDMI CEC.

What is that?

Well CEC stands for consumer electronics control and was introduced when HDMI version 1.2 came along; basically allowing for one device to control another via HDMI.

Pretty cool right?

So for example if you were to turn on your TV, with CEC, your sound bar would automatically turn on too (that’s actually a favorite feature of mine on the Samsung HW-T650)

Or for example with Blu-ray players and even some video game consoles, when you turn them on they have the capability to automatically turn the TV to the correct input.

It’s a really helpful feature, but sometimes with some devices it isn’t turned on by default; so check within the menus to see if it actually is enabled.

Keep in mind that CEC is actually referred to differently by various manufacturers plus certain devices may or may not work with devices from other brands, so that’s something else to keep in mind as well.

But when you are able to use multiple CEC enabled devices in synchronicity, it makes things a lot easier since it can reduce the need for multiple remotes.

Though be aware it is always possible that certain types of these devices can turn themselves on and off when you don’t necessarily want them to, but I digress.

What Is A Direct HDMI Connection & A Multi-Segment HDMI, And Is There A Difference?

A direct HDMI connection works exactly how the name implies; one end goes into the original component (game console, your cable box, etc.) while the other end goes straight into the TV. It’s basically a connection that uses that one cable to connect things. A multi-segment connection on the other hand uses multiple.

This happens when say for example you plan to use an AV receiver with your TV, cable box, and a gaming console; and each one needs a different wire.

This does also increase electrical resistance, meaning it’ll likely use more electricity to function as a result of those new connections. How much more depends on what you’re using though.

What Is An HDMI Right Angle Adapter & What Are They Used For?

A right angle adapter is one of those little devices that just makes the entire home theater experience a lot easier. Let’s say you’re unable to access the back of your device for whatever reason but you still want too be able to plug in your HDMI cable. Well in this scenario, a right angle adapter would potentially help with this.

Like the name suggests, this type of connecter is made at a 90 degree angle and connects onto your existing cable (there’s also 270 degree variants)

From there, it’s able to connect into an HDMI slot in a variety of ways, making things a lot easier to connect in my opinion.

It’s a really cool invention, and I can imagine that a lot of people would likely find it incredibly useful. Right Angle Adapter

Is There Anything Else I Need To Know?

That just about covers everything you need to know for the time being. The most recent iteration dubbed HDMI 2.1 released in August of 2018 and touts an exciting host of new features.

These include things like markedly faster streaming speeds, and support for things like Dynamic High Dynamic Range (no joke that’s actually a thing) Micro LED, 8K Variable Refresh Rates, and eventually, the next consoles from Sony And Microsoft in the form of the Xbox Series X and PS5.

Newer TV’s also support this as well; so if you were thinking of getting a new TV soon and absolutely needed the most bleeding edge technology possible, there’s a good chance a bunch of them would include some of these features.

Here’s a really good article on HDMI 2.1 pretty much detailing everything you need to know about it. https://www.techradar.com/news/new-faster-hdmi-21-cables-are-on-the-way-heres-what-you-need-to-know

Other than that, that’s about it in terms of anything you’d really need to know about them the cables in general.

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this article on HDMI cables explained and with it, you have a better understanding on their importance in a home theater setup. Like always, if you have any additional questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Just remember, make it easy, and keep it simple.

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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Hiding Speaker Wire Solutions

Just from the title alone, I’m sure you’re already aware what this article is going to be about; hiding speaker wire solutions!

With all that goes into creating that perfect home theater, it can be pretty easy to overlook a lot of the smaller things that go into it as well. From the height of your speaker, to the color accuracy of your display, it’s essentially an entire world in of itself.

And if you just recently set up a new system (congrats on that) it’s likely you noticed something else too, something rather concerning; the wires.

Yes the wires, the lifeline of your entire setup.

As great as they are, you’ve probably realized by now that they’re, quite simply, in the way.

Tripping over them definitely isn’t fun, (I would know) and neither is worrying about accidentally pulling something over.

Not only that, but if it can make a living room or theater room look unsightly and who wants that?

Hiding home theater wires is the focus, so I wanted to share with you today a few of the ways you can tidy things up so everything is clean and professional looking.

Do note you’ll have to unplug your equipment before you do this (and possibly rewire depending on what method you plan on using)

Anyway without further ado, let’s get into it 😀

Use A Wire Tacker & Cover Them With Matching Paint

Cover Them With A Carpet /Rug

Placing Them Under The Floor Itself

Place Them By A Light Strip

Use Flat Speaker Wire

Use A Cable Cover/Cable Raceway

Place Them Under Crown/ Chair Rail Molding

Install Them Through The Wall

Use Clear Tape

Use A Wire Tacker & Cover Them With Matching Paint

Let’s say you want to run your speaker wires along the wall, but you’re worried about it looking somewhat ugly.

In this case, what you could always do is paint over them in matching paint to the wall they’re being placed on.

I do want to say if you’re renting your place by the way, make sure it’s okay for you to actually do something like this prior.

Now if you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to do some measuring beforehand to see what length of wire you’ll need to run from the speaker to the receiver, so I’d recommend doing this first.

After you’ve figured out the length and cut the wire, you’ll need a way to actually pin them to the wall.

One thing that works exceptionally well is using a wire tacker to do so.

You might initially think this would hurt the wires, but that’s not the case at all. They actually have staples specifically designed for each different gauge wire so that that isn’t the case.

One wire tacker I would recommend to you is the Arrow Fastener T59 Wiring Tacker along with these Arrow Fastener Wire Staples.

Once you’ve secured the wire to the wall (which you might need someone to else to hold up) you can then paint over it so that it blends in, making it much less of an eye sore.

Cover Them With A Carpet /Rug

For those of you out there who simply don’t have the time, or energy to be doing some of the more elaborate things on this list, (I sympathize with you) here’s a super fast and easy fix for you; cover them with a rug!

If you have wires that happen to be running across doorways, and places with a lot of foot traffic, then it’s very possible for you to trip over them.

Worse still, is it’s possible for someone to trip and pull a speaker down, which is something I’m sure you’d like to avoid.

So by placing a small throw rug on top of spots like these, they’ll not only be out of the way for the most part, but you also won’t have to worry about any accidental mishaps occurring.

Plus, there’s always the added bonus of it adding a sense of style to the room which is always nice.

Obviously it won’t be able to cover every inch of the wire, but it’ll cover enough to where it isn’t a problem.

Besides the rug, something else I would recommend to go along with it would be a rug pad which would help it not move around everywhere when you walk across it.

Indoor Rug

Rug Pads

Placing Them Under The Floor Itself

Here’s a more involved method if you’re looking for a more permanent, all around solution. By running them underneath, or between your carpet/hardwood floor & even the baseboard, you’ll be able to completely conceal them.

How easy this process is for you is going to depend on how tight the space is between both of them.

If you happen to find that the space is too tight for this to be done normally, I’ve found that lightly nudging it along with a small flat headed screwdriver typically does the trick. You don’t want to be too rough obviously, just enough so that it slides in without damaging or ripping.

But for this, while not completely necessary, you may want someone else to assist you. That way, one could pull the carpet up, and the other could place the wire.

Place Them By A Light Strip

This is more on the cosmetic side of the spectrum. If you don’t like the look of bare wire running along the floor, what you can do is place LED light strips right beside it to help make it a lot less noticeable.

The awesome part about these is that they’re usually fully customizable, meaning you can change the color, length, etc. to whatever works best for you; some are even fully controllable by phone! How cool would it be to changing the lighting in a room with just a cell phone?

Plus, they can also add a sense of decorum to the room that definitely helps when it comes time for movie night. One awesome one that I like would have to be the YiHong LED Light Strip RGB Strip.

Not only is it a flat adhesive based light strip that can be placed anywhere and is super easy to install; it also works with your mobile so you can then customize the light color to anything you want. It even has smart assistant compatibility.

Seriously, how cool is that?

Use Flat Speaker Wire

Here’s another one of my favorite options; using flat speaker wire! Yes you heard that right. There’s a thing called flat speaker wire. Like the name suggests, it still acts as normal speaker wire, it’s just completely flat with the added benefit of being able to stick to any surface.

The advantage of this choice is that you’re given more freedom, since you can run the wire exactly how you want to without a lot of the extra work. Plus you never have to worry about damaging it since it runs flush with whatever surface it sticks to.

This is perfect for those tight spots where space is an issue. Heck if this is the case, you could even get creative and combine it with one of the previous tips by running it under the carpet and into the receiver; making it as least intrusive and minimalist as possible.

Now the best flat speaker wire in my opinion would have to be the Sewell Ghost Wire, Super Flat Adhesive Speaker Wire. That’s because of the fact that it’s easy to use, looks great, and most importantly, I’ve found it to actually be durable which is certainly helpful in my opinion.

You’ll also need what’s known as a terminal block which is basically where the wires go, regular 16 gauge speaker wire to connect to the terminals, and banana plugs that go into your receiver. Here’s how to connect it should you use this method along with how to actually strip the speaker wire itself.

https://sewelldirect.com/learning-center/hide-speaker-wire-with-sewell-ghost-wire

https://easyhometheater.net/how-to-set-up-a-home-theater#wire

Use A Cable Cover/Cable Raceway

Using cable raceways are another great option to hide any exposed wires.

What are they?

Basically think of them as elongated plastic covers that your wires go through to be hidden. They’re usually ran around doorways and along walls so that they’re out of the way, and can be painted to further blend in.

These are especially great to use if you’re someone who’s concerned with maintaining the aesthetic of your home, since these can be added to seamlessly to hide any unsightly wiring.

There are different types of these as well including ones that have open or closed latches that help hold the wires in place. Here’s a good one to use if you plan on going that route.

Wiremold Cable Management Cord Mate II

Alternatively, you can also take the more temporary, but still related route of using cable covers as well. These are typically made of rubber, and are extremely effective in protecting wires; even when weight is applied over them.

This makes them an attractive option for places where there would be a lot of foot traffic, since they’re flatter on the bottom which would make it hard to move around. Wire covers also tend to have the most traction on hardwood flooring, but they still work great on carpets too.

On top of that, you have plenty to choose from since they come in all kinds of sizes and types.

Cord Covers

Place Them Under Crown/ Chair Rail Molding

Crown molding is basically the plastic piece that commonly runs across the tops of walls and adds character to a room.

Its original purpose was to cover gaps within the walls, but it eventually became an aesthetic piece.

Chair rail molding is pretty much the same thing except it’s usually located towards the bottoms of walls.

What you can do to make wiring more discrete, is run them under the molding so that it gives the appearance that it isn’t even there which is pretty cool in my opinion. This option again, is extremely useful if you prioritize maintaining a clean looking movie room.

Here’s a link on how to do exactly that along with an awesome adhesive molding that may make things easier.

The process basically involves tacking the wire onto the wall then placing the molding over it. It’s a little involved so I’d recommend setting some time aside to do this.

InstaTrim Adhesive Trim

Install Them Through The Wall

Now this is of course, the most involved option on the list; running wires through the wall. Again if you’re renting your place, then I’d highly suggest getting clearance from your landlord first if you do attempt something like.

But this is an option for those of you looking for more of a permanent solution; especially if you plan on using things like ceiling speakers and such.

To be honest, unless you have extensive DIY/contracting knowledge, I’d highly recommend hiring a professional to do this for you as the process can be quite extensive.

However do note that if you are going to attempt this method yourself, you’ll likely need a friend or two to help along with a lot of time and patience.

Use Clear Tape

This option is obviously a more temporary choice, but hey, it does the job. If you have an event coming up (such as a party), and you have no time to implement a more permanent fix, then for the time being, some clear tape could always do the job.

Taping the wires up against the wall or against the floor can be an easier way to ensure that they’re out of the way.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this article on hiding speaker solutions. I’m quite sure that there are even more out there, (let’s be honest, there’s some really creative people) but these are just a few of the top ways you can hide any unsightly wires. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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Micro LED VS OLED – An Interesting Potential

I know I say this a lot, but this truly is going to be an interesting one.

Folks, today we have Micro LED vs OLED!

Chances are you may not be familiar with the former, (or possibly the latter) but just know that it’s extremely exciting since Micro LED is a display technology with the potential to set a new visual benchmark.

However, let’s take a look at both technologies to see how they differentiate.

What Is OLED?

OLED is actually an acronym that stands for organic light emitting diode.

It’s basically just a fancier way of saying its a compound capable of producing its own light when given power.

How Does It Work?

Now the way that it works is actually really cool.

Without getting too in depth, (because it can get pretty complicated) for every pixel, when an electrical current passes through it, it glows a specific color depending on the filter being used for that pixel.

This is where things get really interesting though.

Whereas the average television today uses a backlight to produce a picture; an OLED doesn’t.

Instead of a backlight, each individual pixel acts as it’s own backlight in a sense.

So when an electrical current is detected, it lights up.

Also, unlike an LCD display where other nearby pixels light up when one is active, with OLED, each individual pixel acts on it’s own accord.

For example, if a scene called for a white object on a black background, only those specific pixels would be active while the others would remain off.

I did a complete article on OLED if you’re really curious about the nitty gritty on it.

https://easyhometheater.net/oled-tv-technology-explained

The Benefits Of OLED

Better Black Levels

The biggest benefit of this technology is its incredible black levels due to its infinite contrast ratio.

That’s because with OLED, the pixel itself is capable of turning itself off.

This allows for a noticeable difference between light and dark elements on screen, hence the infinite contrast ratio.

You’ll often see people touting the importance of black levels in displays and for good reason; the darker the black level capabilities of a screen, the more realistic and deeper the image looks.

The awesome thing about OLED is that it has infinite blacks.

I mean think about it, it can’t get darker if that pixel is already off.

So the result is image quality that can look incredibly realistic.

More Dynamic Looking Colors

To top it off, colors also get noticeable boost in intensity and scope.

This 1,2 combo of amazing colors, and incredible black levels is what makes it so well renowned.

Better Viewing Angles

These types of displays also allow for better viewing angles, so the need to be sat directly in front isn’t as necessary.

They’re Energy Efficient

Since the pixels in an OLED TV can turn off, this means those pixels aren’t using electricity at that time which can save on power that they use.

Fast Response Times When Gaming

The fast pixel switching of these displays allows for a fast response time which can be great for gaming.

The Potential Drawbacks Of OLED

But that’s not to say it doesn’t have its potential drawbacks either.

In The Past, Sometimes HDR Luminance Wasn’t As Bright

When compared with an LED TV with the same content, in the past what would sometimes be the case with HDR content is it wouldn’t reach the same overall luminance.

That’s because LED TVs would directly use a backlight.

However luckily now due to advances in OLED tech, newer versions are often much brighter — with some reaching a luminance of over 1000 nits.

So even though it’s not much of an issue now with newer advanced iterations, in the past this wasn’t the case.

Consumer Affordability

Another potential drawback really has less to do with the technology, and more to do with its accessibility if anything.

Given that OLED is time intensive to produce, price could be a factor when comparing similarly sized displays.

I will say it has become more mainstream in recent years, so that’s certainly helped in that regard.

Ultimately though, it depends on the display and where it’s acquired.

Blue Pixel Degradation

The material used in the blue pixel compared with red, green or white pixels can degrade quicker.

This could have implications for the lifespan of the display.

Again though, this is another area that has been improved with newer displays but it’s just something to be aware of.

Screen Burn In Use To Be More Of An Issue

Screen burn in was also something that use to be more of an issue.

That’s where a ghosted version of the previous image remains on screen even after changing the content.

It would be caused by leaving things like a logo on screen for example, in the same spot for hours at a time.

The good news is this was typically an issue with earlier sets, so it’s not really as much of a problem anymore.

Still though, I wouldn’t necessarily leave static images on the screen for hours at a time or anything, just to be on the safe side.

So while not nearly as prevalent as this issue once was, it’s still best to not have the same non moving element on screen for extended periods of time.

What is Micro LED & How Does It Work?

Now when it comes to Micro LED, (MLED for short) you’ll be really surprised to know that it’s been around for a little while now.

In fact, Sony even showed a TV back in 2012 dubbed “Crystal LED Display” which was the first to utilize it.

(If you’re curious about the history and technical aspects of how it works, you can read more about that here)https://www.ledinside.com/outlook/2016/8/overview_of_micro_led_history_and_current_developments

But what is Micro LED?

Well you know how the typical display has some sort backlighting system that it uses to display an image?

Imagine instead of that lighting system, that you had a tiny backlight for every single pixel there was in that panel.

With this tech, that means only the pixels that need to be on for a given scene are, while the others remain off.

This offers a level of visual precision that’s incredible.

The Benefits Of Micro LED

So of course with that, there are some serious, noteworthy benefits afforded here as well.

Infinite Black Levels

As I’ve mentioned earlier, black level is one of the most important metrics of a quality display.

The darker the black levels, the better. since this is what gives a scene that realism factor.

Have you ever seen a television that looked somewhat washed out?

Well besides being calibrated wrong, it’s also possible that set had poor black levels.

You won’t have that issue with this tech since it has an infinite black level.

Factoring that the pixel technically can’t get darker, overall it can result in impressive image quality.

More Accurate Images

Due to the fact that each pixel acts independently of one another, that means that only the ones that need to be on for a scene will be.

The rest will remain off until they’re needed.

This is similar to OLED in that regard.

Because of that, scenes in whatever is being viewed will look far more realistic.

On top of that, this also negates an issue with typical LED panels called light bleed or blooming.

This is where parts of the picture become illuminated that shouldn’t be, resulting in uneven picture quality.

Pixel by pixel accuracy also helps with appropriate color accuracy as well, providing for a more vibrant yet lifelike image.

Brighter Picture Than OLED

This is something that is definitely interesting to think about.

OLED, as remarkable as it is, and depending on the display, may not always get as bright in HDR content.

Though due to its infinite contrast ratio from its infinite blacks, in normal lighting conditions you may not notice the difference between in 2 in vibrancy.

In brighter environment though, this difference can become more apparent

Micro LED was developed with vibrancy, accuracy, and black levels in mind.

So hypothetically, it should offer a brighter picture than the former when it comes to that type of content; much like the current excellent display technology QLED, while also keeping the infinite contrast ratio of OLED as well.

This brightness level is measured in nits and ideally, it’s recommended that for optimal HDR, a display should reach at least 1000 nits.

While some LED displays can do this and sometimes more, they often lack the black levels and color depth that OLEDs have.

Micro LED then can have the best of both, with a much higher brightness and the same black levels.

The Drawbacks

That said, there’s also a few drawbacks to keep in mind as well.

While these could be thought of as temporary issues, they’re still issues that are present right now nonetheless.

Time Intensive

Being that an LED has to be supplied for every pixel, this is where the problem arises.

Doing so takes a large amount of time & effort just for a smaller screen.

For a larger display like a TV or monitor, it takes exponentially more.

On top of that, the smaller the display, the harder it is to create since the LEDs have to be smaller due to there being less space overall.

Developers have yet to come up with a more efficient way to create them for mass commercial use.

The Cost

This pretty much ties in with the first point.

Because of how much time it takes to create one of these displays, the cost when producing these panels can also be a factor for manufacturers.

These screens aren’t common when it comes to home use, but I’d imagine we’ll inevitably see these become more widespread.

Thoughts About Micro LED

Talks about the actual technology have been overwhelmingly positive with it seeming like worthy competition for OLED.

Here’s an article that rounds up some of the top industry leaders’ opinion on it. https://www.ledinside.com/news/2017/12/what_industry_professionals_say_about_micro_led

Which One Do I Think Will Be Better?

So, which of the two do I think will be better?

To be honest with you, I’d have to say I’m torn for a number of reasons.

I say that because I personally have an OLED screen, so I know how incredible it looks.

But at the same time, here’s a newcomer that checks all the boxes that should hypothetically be superior.

Yet therein lies the problem, I haven’t personally seen it yet with my own eyes to speak with certainty.

I mean it does have infinite blacks like OLED, while being able to achieve a higher brightness, so I technically think it should be able to edge it out when it comes to picture quality.

But the fact that a single Micro LED screen is so hard to mass manufacture compared to other TVs makes me a little hesitant to start calling this the new golden standard.

Until they figure out a way to create them more efficiently, it’s hard to determine how things will go.

Even when it comes to viewing HDR content, my QLED TV is comparable to my OLED when it comes to peak brightness and color volume so I think MLED would expound upon this even further.

When Will Micro LED Be Available?

Technically Micro LED is already available in some markets.

For example Samsung introduced a large 146 inch panel called The Wall for business and luxury means, and have also released smaller Micro LED TVs than that too.

LG launched a 163 inch display for signage purposes and luxury homes in 2020, and Sony have also introduced their own version of the technology.

So that does show manufacturers are at least working out how to release this new technology on a mass scale.

Only time will tell how long it’ll take to actually catch on with the masses; but once it does, then we’ll no doubt be in for a treat when it comes to implementation of this technology with our favorite content.

If I had to take a guess, it’ll at least be at least 5, maybe even 6 years at the max before we start to see these displays widely catching on.

Until the manufacturing process is perfected, it just won’t be something that’s as commercially available unfortunately.

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/samsungs-microled-tvs-just-hit-a-major-roadblock

There’s also a type of TV called Mini LED, which uses a backlight to light the pixels in sections.

These are more common, and still provide great picture quality.

Final Thoughts

So here we have Micro LED vs OLED, two somewhat similar technologies with two radically different approaches.

While I’m unable to say which is better at the moment, I will say that I have a feeling that given they perfect the yielding issues, Micro LED may come out on top (though that’s just opinion)

That’s it for this one though.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I’m Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I’ve been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I’ve learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting)

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