The Right Atmosphere

The other day, I wrote a post about soundbar technology which gives you a choice of either traditional stereo sound or newer Dolby Atmos. I mentioned that I was shopping for a soundbar to replace my current TV sound system where I have a receiver, a couple of speakers and a subwoofer. The receiver and speakers were purchased around the same time as "Dark Side of the Moon" was released, so the time had come. My initial thought was that I would spend a bit more and go with the newer Dolby Atmos sound.

Not so fast. while I had done a lot of online research, I learned a lot more when I visited a brick-and-mortar store. First, there are more choices for soundbars than I initially thought, even though I had done that online research. While I knew the difference between a stereo and Atmos soundbar when I walked into the store, I started to run across numbers like 2.0, 2.1, 5.1, 7.1, 7.1.2 and 9.1. Uh oh.

I was told that when it comes to audio, those numbers tell you some important information. The first one defines the number of main speakers. The second number is the number of subwoofers. If there is a third number, it means you have upward-facing speakers. Those speakers bounce off the ceiling to give you a more immersive experience as well as to help drain your bank account. In my case, I have a 2.1 system. That is a receiver, two speakers and a subwoofer.

I hate to get technical, but the second thing I learned is important, so bear with me. I was told that I need the right HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) input on my TV to experience Dolby Atmos. Televisions with an eARC (enhanced audio return channel) HDMI input offer the highest bandwidth and best Dolby Atmos listening experience. While Atmos will still work with just an ARC (without the "e") input, the best experience is with that eARC. If the TV does not have either one of those two types of HDMI inputs, I would be wasting money buying a Dolby Atmos soundbar. Or I would need to buy a new TV which is not gonna happen.

Since I have a fairly new Sony Bravia TV, I felt pretty good about having one of those needed inputs, but I figured I had better go home to make sure. Before I left, I was shown several good stereo soundbar options just in case my set did not have the needed HDMI input. Which leads me to the third thing that I learned. Before making an important technology purchase, it's a good idea to go to a brick-and-mortar store where you can ask questions from human beings who may know more than a website. There's nothing like having a two-way conversation with someone who can answer questions and demo different options.

When I got home, I took out my trusty flashlight and shined a light on the back of my TV. It turns out that my Sony Bravia does not have an eARC but does have an ARC input. So, I will now need to decide whether to spend more money on a less than perfect Dolby Atmos sound bar or save money and still buy a good stereo soundbar. But at least I'm now armed with all the information that I need in order to make an informed decision.

The moral of the story is that even though you've done your online research, there's nothing like going to a store. Especially when it comes to products that are more technical in nature. I certainly learned a lot from my store visit. That's why since I retired from radio, I've had the time to regularly go to brick-and-mortar Cellular, Cable and Electronics stores. I've done the research to save households from hundreds to even thousands of dollars with some savings ongoing. For a free look at your Television, Cellular and Internet bills, email hmwellsradio@gmail.com or visit lowertechbills.com because you may not have the time to do all the research, but I do.