STACK #235 May 2024

TECH FEATURE

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BEST SOUND, BAR NONE

Let’s face it: built-in TV speakers aren’t going to match the picture quality you’re getting on a big screen.To get the most out of your home entertainment, you’re going to want some external speakers, and a soundbar is one of the best options.The sound quality is fantastic, reproducing the surround sound experience, helping dialogue stand out from background music or explosions – and they’re simple. As the weather cools down and hibernating indoors feels more enticing, now’s the perfect time to spruce up your home theatre setup with this year’s latest soundbar models. Words Michael Irving

In sync Once we’ve set up our home theatre system, many of us will instantly forget that our TV has its own built-in speakers, just sitting there neglected. So why not put them to work as well? In some cases, if you get a compatible TV and soundbar from the same brand you can sync the sound, making use of those extra speakers for a more immersive audio experience. Samsung, for example, calls its version of the tech Q-Symphony. If you connect a compatible Samsung TV and soundbar through HDMI, optical cable or Wi-Fi, you can activate Q-Symphony through the sound output menu on your TV.

Samsung Q990D Q Series 11.1.4 Channel Soundbar

The high end of Samsung’s soundbar offerings for 2024, the stunning Q990D system not only includes the soundbar itself, but a subwoofer and two wireless rear speakers. That’s a total of 22 speakers between the four units, to deliver an astounding 11.1.4-channel system. For reference, the 11 is the number of front and surround channels, the 1 refers to the bass blasted out by the subwoofer, and the 4 is the number of up-firing channels, which bounce sound off the ceiling. The end result is an all-encompassing bubble of sound that fills your living space. You can personalise it even more with the

If you’re plugging in a game console or a 4K Blu-ray player (and honestly, who isn’t these days), the Q990D supports passthrough to your TV with up to 4K, 120Hz, HDR10+ video. A range of listening mode options means that you can just use the rear speakers to avoid disturbing others, or sync the TV speakers and soundbar together while playing music

Likewise, some LG TVs and soundbars can get in sync with WOW Orchestra. Even over Wi-Fi, the system provides lossless 7.1.2 multi channel audio thanks to WOWCAST Ready, with the interface on your LG TV letting you easily connect your soundbar and select sound modes. Sony, meanwhile, connects its soundbars to its BRAVIA line of TVs via Acoustic Center Sync. All of the soundbars featured here are compatible with their brand’s version of syncing technology, so if you’re shopping for both a soundbar and a TV at the same time, or you already have a certain TV, it’s worth considering the benefits of getting the same brand.

to spread the sound throughout a party.

SpaceFit Sound Pro feature, which analyses the reverberations in a room and tweaks specific types of audio accordingly, to get the absolute best sound experience possible.

34 MAY 2024

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