Best Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

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The Best Sound Bar for Your Flat Screen TV

Sound Bars are a necessity now. I didn't realize that before we bought our new 46 inch TV.

My husband kept complaining that the sound wasn't very good. I finally Googled it to see if it was his imagination or what. He was right; the sound isn't good on flat screen TVs. Here is why - TVs have gotten much smaller and we all love the new size; but what we didn't realize was that there is no room for the nice speakers inside there.

So, we must now purchase a Sound Bar to make the sound on our flat screen TVs much better. I did my homework and here is what I have come up with for research on Sound Bars.

There are many things to look at before you buy. How big is your room? How much of an audio buff are you and how much do you want to spend to get the really good sound?

Below you will find a selection of Active Sound Bars ranging in cost from about $200 and up. Read the reviews carefully so you know what you are getting into...good and bad.

I hope you find the perfect sound bar for your flat screen TV.


Photo Credit: Amazon

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Interesting facts about Sound Bars

NO Amplifiers Needed - NO Long Speakers Wires All Over the Room

Sound Bars are designed to complement flat screen LCD TV and Plasma TVs.

Depending on the model, a sound bar either sits below your TV or in front of it. There are no long speaker wires needed, no installation really. Just plug it into an outlet and then plug the correct cables from the back of the Sound Bar to the back of the TV. You won't need a separate receiver or amplifier, Sound Bars come with a built in amplifier. You'll get the benefits of better sound, plus a nice, streamlined setup.

Most Popular Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

LG LSB316 280W Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Bluetooth


This powerful sound bar & wireless subwoofer are designed for optimal use with your flat-panel TV and have flexible placement options on either a wall or a tabletop.

LG LSB316 280W Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Bluetooth

Top Rated Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

Panasonic SC-HTB520 2.1-Channel SoundBar Speaker System with Wireless Kelton Subwoofer


Vocals are purer and clearer, and the dialog is crisper and easier to understand than ever before.

Panasonic SC-HTB520 2.1-Channel SoundBar Speaker System with Wireless Kelton Subwoofer

How to choose a sound bar for your size room?

Shape and Size are important

Sound Bars work well in a small-to-medium sized room. You will want to consider larger and more powerful sound bars for larger rooms, just like you would with conventional speakers.

The shape of your room can also be a factor when it comes to virtual surround sound models. If you're adding sound to a square or rectangular room with four walls, you will like sound bars that work by bouncing sound waves off the walls and in turn makes it seem like it is a home theater surround sound speaker system.

Models that use this technology won't be as effective in an large open floor plan or a room that is extremely long.

Leading Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

Sony HT-CT150 3D Sound Bar System


Complete your 3D home entertainment experience with simple, yet powerful surround sound. The HT-CT150 32" 3D sound bar home theater system features 3D compatibility and can also be turned into your entertainment hub by connecting multiple HD or 3D devices using a single HDMI cable per device.

Sony HT-CT150 3D Sound Bar System

Greatest Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

Sony HTCT550W 3D Sound Bar Home Theater System with Wireless Subwoofer



Powerful sound and an easy-to-place wireless subwoofer distinguish the Sony HT-CT550 sound bar. Three HDMI inputs offer flexibility and future-proof with 3D pass-through.

Sony HTCT550W 3D Sound Bar Home Theater System with Wireless Subwoofer

Home Theater Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

VIZIO VHT215 Home Theater Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer


This compact sound bar is packed with advanced audio technology, including Dolby Digital, SRS Studio Sound HD and SRS TruVolume. It features a full range of inputs, including HDMI for HD audio and video through one simple cable to your entire home theater. The wireless subwoofer allows you to place the speaker anywhere in your home theater*. With the Sound Bar's table-stand or wall-mount options, this powerful system is and versatile addition to any home theater.

VIZIO VHT215 Home Theater Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer

Finest Sound Bar for Flat Sceen TVs

Yamaha YAS-101BL Front Surround System, Piano Black

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW ON THIS UNIT.
The Yamaha YAS-101 is a single speaker home theater Soundbar system with a built-in powerful subwoofer. With easy setup, stylish design, and luxuriously rich surround sound, this soundbar takes video enjoyment to a new level. This powerful sound bar system is designed with a focus on simplicity and elegance. This system is meant to be visually

appreciated, it conveys the impression of fine Yamaha fine sound quality. Glossy and beautiful, the elegance and sophistication of the YAS-101 emanate from its polished black surface, not giving a feeling of its size and perfectly harmonizing with any interior. The front is beautifully designed with a gentle curve. This stylish one-bar speaker system provides the impressionable surround sound to fill all parts of your room.

Yamaha YAS-101BL Front Surround System, Piano Black

Video Yamaha YAS-101 Front Soundbar System

This is the Sound Bar I bought. I can't wait for it to get here.

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Helpful Tip

If you decide that you do want to have conventional speakers or a surround sound system, remember that you have to run wires to do that. Think about how easy or difficult that will be to run wires all over the room where you want the speakers?

Most Wanted Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

Polk Audio Surroundbar IHT 3000 Home Entertainment System


Complete home theater experience from a single speaker and an unobtrusive wireless subwoofer--no rear speakers, no extra wires

Polk Audio Surroundbar IHT 3000 Home Entertainment System (Black)

Sleekest Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

Polk Audio Surroundbar IHT 6000 Instant Home Theater


Sleekest, leanest, self-powered single-speaker surround solution yet. The SurroundBar 6000 blends almost seamlessly with the new generation of TVs, while the wireless subwoofer tucks away anywhere you want it to. But the real beauty of the SurroundBar 6000 becomes evident the moment you turn it on. That's when your flat panel comes alive with the astonishing performance of Polk's 3D Audio. You'll never look at your flat panel TV the same way again.

Polk Audio Surroundbar IHT 6000 Instant Home Theater (Black)

More information on Sound Bars

Active Sound Bars vs Passive Sound Bars

A sound bar that doesn't need to be plugged into an external amplifier is called an Active Sound Bar. Some of the Active sound bars come with a external sub-woofer. The sub-woofer placement is up to you. But this will help with the sound, especially the base. Most, if not all, have an internal subwoofer for better sound. It is your choice - internal or external subwoofer.

The sound bar that you have to plug it into an amplifier is called a Passive Sound Bar. If you already have a home theater system set up in your home with an amplifier, this would be a better sound bar choice for you. According to the consumer electronic reports that I have read, this will also give you much better sound and is ideal for bigger rooms as well. Anytime you add an amplifier you can guarantee the sound will be great.

Well Reviewed Sound Bar for Flat Screen TVs

Boston Acoustics TVee Model 30 Sound System with Sleek Sound Bar and Wireless Subwoofer


Boston Acoustics TVee Model 30 virtual surround sound speaker system envelops you in rich, room-filling audio. The 3.1 speaker system, with its dedicated left, center, and right channel drivers, delivers clear dialogue for television, cinematic surround sound for movies and gaming, and enhanced stereo for music. Perfectly sized for televisions 40 inches and larger, the plug-and-play set includes a soundbar and wireless subwoofer.

Boston Acoustics TVee Model 30 Sound System with Sleek Sound Bar and Wireless Subwoofer (Black)

About Me

This lens came out of my needing to find a better choice for sound from our flat screen TV. I hope my experience was some help to you in finding a sound bar for your flat screen TV. I bought the Yamaha YAS-101BL Front Surround System on Amazon, now I am waiting for it to arrive. I will update you on how it is performing with our Flat Screen TV.
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Best Sound Bars for Flat Screen TVs

I hope I helped you with your purchase of a Sound Bar for your Flat Screen TV.

  • Brite-Ideas Apr 17, 2012 @ 10:27 am | delete
    didn't know these even existed, what a great idea for better sound, and they look nice as well
  • LubosLabik Mar 6, 2012 @ 4:33 pm | delete
    nice and great lens :)

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