The Best Soundbars in Canada

If you’re tired of watching movies, TV shows, and listening to music on your television with a tinny, washed out sound – consider adding a soundbar into your home! They are generally discreet, can be budget friendly (more than most think!) and bring some bass surround sound that can escalate your listening and watching experiences. 

With the plethora of soundbars and audio tech on the market, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what you need and what numbers mean what. With our guide below we make sense of all of the numbers and what to look for based on what you’re looking for most in a soundbar.

When it comes to buying a soundbar, keep these factors and questions in mind: 

Where are you going to place it?

Soundbars can be as small as a small bar in front of your TV that you barely notice or be a full-blown home theater. Don’t overlook your current TV set-up, TV stand, and sort out where you need to place any soundbars you’re looking at purchasing. Most can fit underneath your TV in between the stands if your television isn’t wall mounted. 

Soundbars themselves can be wall mounted easily or placed in front of your TV. The space you have around your setup might dictate which type of soundbar you should be looking for and that can influence where it needs to be for the best results. Soundbars are easy to install, plug in, and work immediately.  

What size of soundbar should you be getting?

Ideally the soundbar you’re purchasing should be the same length as your TV and no bigger than it. Aesthetics are a large part for many people when they get a soundbar, so it is worth keeping in mind as well. For the most part, soundbars can work with any size of television, just as long as it is compatible with connectivity – especially if your television is older, in the 8-10+ years older than most other technology range, otherwise it will just be an expensive furniture piece underneath your TV.  

What do passive or active soundbars mean and which do I need?

Passive and active in regards to soundbars essentially is the difference between having a soundbar that has built-in amplifiers or not. Passive means that the soundbar doesn’t have a built-in power amp, meaning that you would need to have a receiver or amplifier for it to work, but they do tend to have better speakers, which equals better sound. Passive soundbars will cost more as you need the additional components and you will need a traditional subwoofer connection if you want extra bass from your output. 

Active means that the soundbar comes with built-in amps that power everything as well as channel processors that separate right, left, and center speakers in the soundbar. No extra receiver and less wires to have to fuss with, as it’s an all-inclusive device that’s ready to be plugged in and installed easily. If you’re looking to upgrade the sound your TV is outputting, getting an active soundbar will still easily upgrade the audio into a home theater. Passive soundbar channels are great for customization style builds if you’re looking into making a full home theater or looking to hide the soundbar with the TV or etc.  

What are channels and what do the numbers mean?

Channels are best thought of as individual speakers/sound sources and the numbers correlate to that. Most movies and shows offer five different audio channels (and even more if it’s surround sound) that are all embedded digitally: Left, center, right, two rear, or more. 

2-channel soundbar: Two speakers, one on the left and one on the right. 

3-channel soundbar: Three speakers, left/right, and center 

5-channel: All speakers above that we mentioned are included in 5-channel soundbars and are still considered the standard for home theater setups. Left/Right/Center/Two rear speakers. 

7-channel: Seven speakers is the same as a 5-channel setup, but with a bit of a bonus as the surround and rear channel information is split so that you get seven instead of five. It is quickly becoming the new go-to when it comes to creating home theaters. 

Dolby Atmos Surround soundbars: These are in their own level when it comes to a home theater. What makes it different from the other 5 and 7-channel soundbars is that you have upward firing speakers located in the soundbar that reflects sound above that creates a three-dimensional soundstage. Soundbars like these work best in rooms that have flat ceilings that are up to 11-feet high. 

The numbers when it comes to channels are simpler than most may think and are easy to decipher. A 5.1 surround sound means that it has 5 speakers and 1 subwoofer. A 7.1.4 channel soundbar would have 7 speakers in the soundbar, 1 external subwoofer, and 4 extra speakers that can go around your television. 

The more channels the better, essentially!  

How do I connect a soundbar to my TV?

Connecting a soundbar to your TV is easier than ever, as most of them are installed using HDMI ARC. You simply plug it into an open HDMI port on your TV (and plug it into a socket as well for power, of course) and that’s it! You can control it using your regular TV remote and don’t need to fuss or deal with any other components or wires. It’s as easy as it comes. 

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi allow you to stream audio directly from your soundbar or from your phone/tablet without any issues. Many soundbars today come with built-in Bluetooth and the Wi-Fi enabled soundbars allow you to connect to your home network to seamlessly connect to Spotify, Pandora, etc. other audio apps you might use. 

USB inputs might be used for firmware updates, and most soundbars will download their own software updates automatically without the need for doing anything at all yourself. These are most likely not needed or necessary. Any good wireless soundbar will easily work as a stereo without a hitch once its connected to any devices with music that you’d like. 

Do I need separate speakers and a subwoofer?

Not unless you purchase a soundbar that doesn’t have a built-in subwoofer, or if you’re looking to fully customize your home theater set-up with multiple speakers and stands. Some newer soundbars come with their own external speakers to bring you closer to a better home theater system sound and feel. If the soundbar is multi-room capable, then you’re able to add wireless rear speakers or more. A subwoofer is generally shipped with your soundbar/included as is, and if not, they typically will have an incorporated subwoofer port so that you can add your own. 

What are the common prices for soundbars?

Prices for quality soundbars can be generally put into these categories: 

• $100 or Under 

You can find quality soundbars in this price range, surprisingly easier than you would think! If you’re looking to find something that will simply enhance your TV and its audio and aren’t ready or wanting to jump into the deep end with surround sound audio, they’re a great option for budgeting or just wanting to step up your television watching. This price range is also great for smaller rooms and TV’s that aren’t the main/primary viewed ones. 

• $100 to $300-400 

For non-surround sound soundbars, they generally fall into this range. Samsung, Sony, Polk, Vizio, Bose, etc. are all in this range and offer a great upgrade to your TV. In this price range, you should purchase and look for a soundbar that has a wireless subwoofer included. Some models are alright without them, but you are losing the deeper bass features that can really escalate a soundbar from good to great. 

• $400 to $1,000 

High-quality surround sound soundbars tend to start around this price range, especially ones that have included real satellite speakers and subwoofer capabilities without a compromise. A high-end system that can be expanded later such as a Sonos would fall under this category for being alright to purchase without satellite speakers. 

• Over $1,000 

If you’re looking for a top of the line, customized true home theater experience – this is the price range you’ll find it in. You can easily build out a true home theater room. Speakers, amps, and receivers can be included in this and any soundbars will fit into this budget.