Need to know
- TVs and soundbars don't need to be from the same brand to work with each other.
- You can access a few exclusive features by using products from the same brand.
- A few manufacturers offer bundle discounts if you buy their soundbars and TVs at the same time.
TV picture quality may have improved over the years, but the built-in speakers still leave a lot to be desired. Even the best sounding models still can't match a good soundbar. You'll hear improvements in depth (bass), vocal clarity, warmth and a sense of room-filling expansiveness in all but the worst performing soundbars in our test.
A handful of TV manufacturers also make soundbars – think LG, Samsung and Sony, for example. The advertising suggests that you need to buy both products from the same brand to get the best experience. This isn't true. You don't need to match your soundbar brand to the TV. However, these manufactures do offer a few special features if you keep things in the family.
On this page:
- Does your soundbar brand need to match the TV?
- Should I buy the same brand soundbar as my TV?
- Misleading information about pairing soundbars
- Buying brand bundles to save money
Does your soundbar brand need to match the TV?
No. If the TV can connect to your soundbar then you're going to hear sound, simple as that. Almost all soundbars can connect via a physical cable – e.g. HDMI, optical (aka TOSLINK) or RCA (red and white cables).
You can also connect via Bluetooth, regardless of the brands. However, Wi-Fi connectivity does require pairing.
You'll probably need to change some sound settings in your TV, so it sends audio to the soundbar instead of the built-in speakers. This varies between brands but it's usually called sound out, audio out or something similar.
For example, to find the setting in an LG TV, go to All settings > Sound > Sound Out > Use Wired Speaker and select the connection that the soundbar is plugged into. If you're not sure what each one means, just rotate through them until you hear audio coming out of the soundbar.
Should I buy the same brand soundbar as my TV?
LG, Samsung and Sony offer a couple of extra features if you pair their TVs and soundbars.
Special surround sound
All three brands unlock a special sound setting when paired up. Each follow the same basic idea – instead of only sending audio to the soundbar or TV speakers, these pairings combine the soundbar and TV into a larger speaker array.
LG, Samsung and Sony offer a couple of extra features if you pair their TVs and soundbars. All three brands unlock a special sound setting when paired up
It's a little tricky to explain but it's best to think of it in terms of the total number of speakers. Let's say your soundbar has 10 speakers and the TV has two. If you turn the TV speakers and soundbar on at the same time, they would simply play the same audio signal (such as the sound from a movie) at the same time. The 10 speakers in the soundbar and two in the TV operate independently of one another in this case.
But the special settings that you can only access by pairing supported soundbars and TVs within the same brand essentially integrate the TV speakers into the soundbar. The 10 soundbar speakers and two TV speakers work together to play audio from a total of 12 speakers.
How are they different? Humans hear sounds across a range of frequencies, which are commonly referred to as bass, mid-range and highs (or treble) in home entertainment products. When the soundbar and TV are working as a cohesive unit, certain frequencies are sent out via TV speakers while the rest go to the soundbar (and subwoofer if you have one).
This aims to deliver a more expansive, spacious, immersive sound that feels like it's filling the room, closer to what you'd expect from a home cinema. Whether it actually works is still debated because, like most things audio, good sound quality is a subjective question.
Brand names and links to compatible TVs and soundbars are:
Acoustic Centre Sync operates a little differently to the other two. The TV is used to enhance and amplify dialogue alone (aka the centre channel).
Wire free connectivity
Soundbars and TVs with Bluetooth support can connect to one another, even if the brands don't match. Wi-Fi is a different story.
But why bother with Wi-Fi when you can just use Bluetooth? Bandwidth, that's why.
Bluetooth doesn't have anywhere near as much data capacity as Wi-Fi. It often reduces audio quality as a result and is typically limited to stereo audio (left and right speakers).
This means a surround sound capable soundbar will default to stereo if you use a Bluetooth connection. You won't be able to use all the features you paid for.
Brands need to match if you want to connect an LG or Samsung soundbar to your TV over Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi, meanwhile, has plenty of bandwidth. LG claims that its products support up to 10 surround sound channels (7.1.2) via Wi-Fi connection. This also clears any cable clutter from your loungeroom.
Brands need to match if you want to connect an LG or Samsung soundbar to your TV over Wi-Fi. Links to the list of supported devices are above. Sony doesn't offer this feature.
Improved ease of use
Though soundbars aren't too tricky to get your head around, manufacturers mostly make sure that their products play nice with one another. For example, they can often detect that you've plugged in one of their soundbars to streamline setup, which includes the TV.
You may also be able to access the soundbar settings on your TV screen. This is much easier than using an app or the tiny monitors built into some soundbars.
Soundbar style
Manufacturers usually follow a fairly consistent design across their home entertainment products. For many, the TV is a central feature of the loungeroom so you may want to buy the same brand soundbar to aesthetically match.
What about pairing other brands?
Hisense, Kogan and TCL also make soundbars and TVs. Pairing Hisense products supposedly gives you the option to navigate soundbar settings via a TV menu. We weren't able to confirm this. Kogan and TCL don't appear to offer any unique features.
The Sony soundbar is designed to obscure the legs on a matching TV for a cleaner look.
Misleading information about pairing soundbars
TV and soundbar manufacturers would have you believe that you need to pair their products to control both with the same remote. This is misleading, because all they've done is re-badge a widely available feature that works across all brands.
Consumer Electronics Control – or CEC for short – is a widely available feature that lets you control supported devices with one remote. It also automatically turns on/off connected devices when prompted – e.g. if you switch on your TV then flick over to the PS5 input, CEC will turn on your PS5 as well.
TV and soundbar manufacturers would have you believe that you need to pair their products to control both with the same remote. This is misleading.
All the major manufacturers have adopted CEC, and included it with pretty well all TVs, soundbars, receivers, games consoles etc released in the last few years. However, LG, Samsung and Sony advertise it under a different name. These are:
- LG: Simplink
- Samsung: Anynet+
- Sony: BRAVIA Sync/Bravia Link or CONTROL for HDMI
This implies that these functions only work if the TV and soundbar brands are like for like, but that's not true. They're just CEC rebranded, which means a Simplink enabled LG TV will activate the CEC functions in an Anynet+ supported Samsung soundbar.
Buying brand bundles to save money
It's not uncommon for manufacturers to bundle their TVs and soundbars to sell at a discount. This can be an easy and affordable way to set up a new system from scratch.
Though these are available at retailers, manufacturers often sell these bundles from their own websites as well. It's worth signing up to mailing lists or periodically checking their websites for these bundles, especially during common sales periods like Black Friday, Boxing Day and End of Financial Year.
Just bear in mind that while these products are from the same brand, they may not offer the pairing advantages outlined above (enhanced audio, Wi-Fi connectivity etc). Double check the specifications before buying if you want these features as well.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
