We’ve all been there. You’re watching an action-packed movie scene and you can barely hear the dialogue over the explosions, or worse, the tinny speakers on your flat-screen TV make everything sound like it’s coming from inside a cereal box. Modern TVs might have stunning picture quality but their built-in audio is almost universally disappointing because manufacturers prioritize slim designs over decent speakers.
A soundbar transforms this experience completely and makes dialogue crystal clear and adding depth that pulls you into whatever you’re watching. Sure, there are premium models costing $2,000 or more but you don’t need to drain your wallet for a solid upgrade: Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar has dropped to just $89 on Amazon, down from its regular $119 price. This is an all-time low that makes upgrading your audio setup a no-brainer.
The Fire TV Soundbar answers the key questions in a straightforward fashion: It has two speakers in a compact 24-inch form that sits comfortably under the majority of televisions and does not try to engulf your media center. It stands a svelte 2.5 inches tall so it will not get in the way of your TV display or remote control sensor, a scenario many larger units precipitate. Those two speakers give you deeper sound throughout the range, which means you’ll get to hear real bass note rumble instead of mid-range confusion. Dialogue comes out clearer as vocal sounds are separated from background sounds.
Avoid the Luxury Price Tag
What makes this soundbar stand out in its class is that it comes with DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio processing. These are not marketing terms. DTS Virtual:X generates a three-dimensional sound stage that mimics surround sound but doesn’t need separate speakers placed around your room. It reads the audio signal and applies psychoacoustic properties to make you believe you are hearing sound above and to the side of you, not just from the front. It makes explosions in action films seem more immersive and wildlife documentaries seem more real. Dolby Audio does something extra by retaining more information in the soundtrack, so you don’t lose faint sound effects like footsteps or rustling leaves in the background.
Setup couldn’t be easier which is a good thing if you’re not computer-oriented or simply don’t want to spend an afternoon wading through instruction manuals. The bundle comes complete with an HDMI cable that plugs directly in to your TV’s HDMI eARC or ARC plug. The “ARC” refers to the Audio Return Channel which has your TV transmitting audio back to the soundbar via the same cable. This gets rid of sync issues when dialogue isn’t properly aligned to lip movement, a defect that afflicts some wireless audio systems. Once you plug it in, the audio signals directly through the soundbar and since it’s Fire TV Ready, you can control both your TV and soundbar volume from a single remote.
The Bluetooth connection makes it possible to extend the application of soundbar beyond TV viewing: You can connect your phone or tablet wirelessly to play music or books over the soundbar speaker. With room filling sound, you have a good solution for background dinner party music or individual listening. The range of connection generally varies around 30 fee, and you have flexibility to have the device handy but are not bound by cables.
This soundbar supports both smart TVs and non-smart TVs hooked up to streaming devices so it’ll work for almost any existing setup.
