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In terms of what is missing, we’d certainly have liked to see HDMI included but equally Bluetooth (specifically with aptX) would have added a welcome wireless audio option. Apple fans will point to AirPlay as well, but given the premium surrounding it the price would’ve taken a significant jump and an AirPort Express unit can still be attached for those unable to live without it. The final way of connecting the soundbar to the TV is Bluetooth. The convenience is that it’s cable-free, but the sound quality won’t be as good, and there’s the possibility the connection may suffer from interference. Not every TV supports Bluetooth either.
Once everything is set up and connected, play around with the position of the subwoofer by playing a bassy scene from a film you’re familiar with to find the best location/performance. Conventional wisdom suggests if you want more bass, place the sub next to a wall or in an enclosed area. The results aren’t always welcome, from either an overpowering sound to a boomy effect. There are various ways of doing this, but the best option is HDMI. HDMI can transfer both picture and sound, and ARC has been around since 2009. It allows data to flow in both directions, so from the TV to the soundbar and vice versa. An ARC connection on a soundbar must be connected to the TV’s ARC connection. The same applies with eARC, and they will be labelled as such on the TV and soundbar. If you plug the soundbar into a different HDMI port, you won’t get the benefits of either ARC or eARC. For some TVs this doesn’t matter. For instance, all of the HDMI ports on LG’s OLED TVs are eARC compatible.
In the sound settings of the TV you’ll see a selection of the available outputs: TV, Receiver (HDMI), Bluetooth or SPDIF (Optical). Select the one your soundbar is connected to and play some audio to make sure. Press and hold the button on your soundbar for 3 seconds. The control panel will show lights on the right panel going from left to right.
The HT-A7000 also has excellent, clear dialogue levels that will suit any dialogue heavy video games and movies and features 360 Reality Audio music, which gives a room-filling sound when listening to music that we said in our review gives a "clear idea of where all the instruments are located." If you have a source plugged into the soundbar such as 4K Blu-ray player, make sure the soundbar can pass-through HDR. Some, such as Samsung’s soundbars, will let all types of HDR signals through (HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision). Some are like lollipop ladies/men, they’ll only let HDR10 or Dolby Vision through. There’s a learning remote function, which allows you to control volume using your existing TV remote. Panasonic TVs aren’t currently supported but it works with Sony, LG and Samsung sets. Orbitsound A70 airSOUND Bar – Performance
Can I use Wi-Fi to connect to my speaker?
The ‘S3’ wireless subwoofer communicates with the soundbar via Bluetooth, using an optimised digital bandwidth that guarantees low latency and low interference without affecting normal Bluetooth performance. It uses a side-firing 6.25-inch woofer and dives down to 45Hz. Yes, the level of detail you get from a full home theater system compared to soundbars with 'virtual' Atmos or surround soundbars isn't quite as high, Dolby Atmos soundbars are becoming more sophisticated and provide an extra level of immersion to your cinema experience. Are soundbars worth it?
While some suggest placing a soundbar in a cabinet, that’s a definite no-no, especially for Dolby Atmos soundbars. There needs to be clearance above the unit so it can bounce sound off the ceiling. Even with conventional soundbars the potential for echoes, reverberations and vibrations is too much. Do not put the speaker on the floor either. Wireless subwoofers are hard to get right, as a digital wireless connection has delay (latency). If this delay exceeds 30ms, the subwoofer sounds out-of-sync with the rest of the audio. This can be fixed by delaying the audio from the soundbar, but this can then cause lip-sync problems, which you’d have to adjust for using your TV’s controls, if available. Whereas the T12 soundbar was already compact measuring just 605 x 110 x 100mm, the T9 is less than half its length at 300mm with its depth and width a mere 94mm. It is smaller than a shoebox… made for one shoe. The accompanying subwoofer has also been hit by a shrink ray. While the T12 sub came in at 460 x 230 x 230mm, the T9’s sub is 344 x 230 x 139mm meaning the whole unit should squeeze into the tightest of home cinema setups and appease even the most technophobic of partners.You might be wondering how there can be a best soundbar for gaming; let us explain. If you're a gamer and find yourself with both the PS5 and Xbox Series X, on a large number of TVs you will often find you only have two HDMI 2.1 ports. One of these will be dedicated to eARC, the HDMI audio channel, leaving you with just one HDMI port for both consoles if you want the full 4K 120Hz experience. If you’ve bought a bar/subwoofer combo, the sub offers non-directional sound to the soundbar’s directional audio, therefore placement isn’t as restricted. However, this doesn’t mean it can be placed anywhere in a room, but some subs can be close to your seating position (i.e. the sofa), or you can have it near the soundbar instead. With a number of TVs supporting HDMI-CEC, you can control the volume level with the TV remote. Any specific features you need (subwoofer levels, display dimmer), consult the soundbar zapper. Don’t be fooled by the A70’s diminutive size – its vast, room-filling sound belies its compact dimensions, investing movies with the sort of scale and excitement that most TVs can only dream of.
In terms of design, the HW-Q800C may not be the most visually appealing bar, but there is an attractiveness to it in an almost industrial sense. Although it's heavy compared to to other soundbars, it's a reassuring heaviness that gives it that sense of quality. At 43-inches wide, it fits well exactly with a 50-inch TV and would look great with 55-inch plus sized TVs. Absolutely. Even if you don't consider yourself a hardcore cinephile, the best soundbars make a world of difference to your TV watching experience—even the built-in speakers that come with the best TVs just don't do your favorite films, TV shows, and games justice. How much should I spend on a soundbar? All in all then the T9 is exceptional value for money and this provides the finishing touch to an already exceptional device.
Airsound docking powerhouse
Most modern TVs detect a connection to an external audio device over HDMI and automatically default to it. Other TVs don’t, so you’ll need to dive into the settings to make sure. The soundbars we review are usually designed to deliver surround sound. Not the T12. There are no HDMI inputs, surround sound processors or video upscalers here. We have to say that the M12 sounds great and it’s very-well balanced, with the subwoofer blending neatly with the soundbar without overwhelming it. Sound effects in Star Trek sounded great, with explosions given real depth by the subwoofer. By now you’ve found a good placement and an optimal connection. Now you need to make sure it works.
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