A problem I’ve faced many times is finding the right soundbar to pair with my TV, but the solution I used helped me immensely, and it will save you hours of research.
After you read this post, you should have an idea of how big your soundbar should be, and how you can accurately measure the width of your screen.
A TV is measured diagonally, so when you pick up a 55 inch display, the actual width of the TV won’t be 55 inches, and the goal is to have your soundbar speaker width match or come close to the width of the TV.
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How Big Should My Soundbar Be For My TV?
The speaker on your soundbar should closely match the width of your TV screen, not only is this more aesthetically pleasing, but it serves a functional purpose.
You can have a soundbar that is a little smaller or a little larger than your TV screen’s width, so it doesn’t have to be perfectly accurate; a few centimeters larger or shorter should be fine.
For a more seamless integration, having a soundbar that is slightly shorter may be better as it’s able to slot easier underneath the television.
Having the soundbar being the same width as the TV helps the audio come from all sides of the TV, this generates a more immersive experience if you’re looking to build a home theater.
Remember, soundbars are meant to simulate what an actual surround-sound setup would sound like, so getting this right the first time will help immensely.
Effects Of Having The Right Soundbar Size
The effects of having a decently matched soundbar is amazing, it brings life to whatever movie, TV show or content you’re watching.
If you’re watching a movie, and most of the action is happening on the left side of the screen, with a small soundbar, it won’t feel this way.
But, if the soundbars size matches your TV size, the surround-sound experience is enhanced, and you’ll be able to easily identify where the sound is coming from.
Another example would be if a plane was flying on the right side of the screen to the left, with a poorly matched soundar, you might not be able to identify the sound moving from right to left.
However, a large enough soundbar will be able to produce this effect easily as the sound is coming from both corners of the TV screen.
How To Find My TV Screens Width?
There are two methods you can use to find the width of a TV screen, the first is to use Pythagoras’ theorem to find the hypotenuse or width of the display.
This method is ideal if you just ordered the TV and don’t have physical access to it, but if you already have access to the TV, you can just simply use a measuring tape to measure the width.
Or the easiest way yet which will save a ton of time is to use a screen width calculator online where all you have to do is enter the diagonal length of the display.
Ideal Soundbar Sizes According To TV Size
If you’re looking for a quick answer, follow the table down below, it has the ideal soundbar sizes for specific TV sizes(diagonal).
Keep in mind, very few manufacturers have soundbars which are 60 inches or larger, so if you have a 75 inch TV, you may find it difficult to find the right soundbar for you.
| Screen Size(In) | Screen Width(In) | Ideal Soundbar Size(In) |
|---|---|---|
| 42″ | 36.6″ | 30-40″ |
| 50″ | 44″ | 40-50″ |
| 55″ | 48″ | 40-50″ |
| 65″ | 57″ | 50-60″ |
| 75″ | 65″ | 60″ |
For 42 Inch TV: The screen width is approximately 36.6 inches which means the ideal soundbar should be between 30-40 inches.
For 50 Inch TV: The screen width is 44 inches which means the ideal soundbar should be between 40-50 inches. Most soundbars fall between these dimensions, so they’re pretty easy to find.
For 55 Inch TV: The screen width is 48 inches which means the ideal soundbar should be between 40-50 inches.
For 65 Inch TV: The screen width is 57 inches which means the ideal soundbar should be between 50-60 inches. Not many soundbars are 50 inches or bigger, but they’re still possible to find.
For 75 Inch TV: The screen width is 65 inches which means the ideal soundbar should be 60 inches, however they’re quite rare to come across.
Also Read: Best Soundbar For 65 Inch TV
Also Read: Best Soundbar For 50 Inch TV
Also Read: Best Soundbar For 55 Inch TV
What If I Can’t Find A Soundbar With The Right Width?
This is the case with many large televisions, there’s simply not many soundbars that are larger than 60 inches, but this doesn’t mean there’s no solution.
If you have the budget, it’s completely possible to connect two soundbars together to recreate an immersive surround-sound experience that’ll better match your large screen size.
There’s a few ways you can connect two soundbars together, the first way is to use an optical cable, this is the easiest way, and it’ll work with most soundbars with an optical port.
The second way to connect two soundbars together is to use a HDMI cable, this is slightly harder to pull off, but it will work if your soundbars have HDMI ports.
And the final way you can connect two soundbars together is by using a HDMI connection, this is the hardest way to do it, but it’s the best method to use as it allows more flexibility.
Conclusion – Does Size Matter?
In conclusion, the soundbar size absolutely matters, and its width should come within a few inches of your TV screen’s width.
My advice would be to test different soundbars if possible to find which one produces the best surround-sound experience. Always do your due diligence so you don’t waste any money.
Just don’t get caught up in trying to find the perfect soundbar that matches your TV screen’s width perfectly, you can do perfectly fine with a slightly smaller or larger soundbar.
My recommendation would be a 2.1 channel soundbar that is slightly smaller than the width of your TV. These soundbars include a subwoofer for deep immersion, and they sound amazing in most configurations.
