Audio Video News

Soundbars About More Than TV Sound, Study Finds

SV Staff  |  Jul 27, 2015

More than half (55 percent) of the people who own a soundbar use it for listening to music, podcasts, and other audio-related content in addition to watching TV, according to a new survey from The NPD Group.

The trend is most pronounced among millennials, who collectively spend more than $300 million yearly on soundbars. Nearly two-thirds of 18-34 year olds use a soundbar to listen to music/audio content, according to NPD, and spend about 22 percent of their time doing so, compared with the total population which uses soundbars for radio, music, or podcasts 15 percent of the time.

With more and more soundbars equipped for wireless streaming, 36 percent of soundbar owners report connecting at least one portable device to their soundbar. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) connect their smartphone, while 16 percent connect to a tablet or notebook and, 12 percent to an iPod.

See NPD industry analyst Ben Arnold’s blog for more insights on the generational appeal of soundbars.

COMMENTS
drewdlz's picture
Submitted by drewdlz on July 27, 2015 - 11:27am

They make a ton of sense if you are in a tiny apartment with no room for a receiver and separate speakers, which is how a lot of millennials are having to live. But there's no excuse to settle for a soundbar if you have the space for separates. I don't buy the whole they look better argument. There are so many affordable great looking speakers on the market. In my opinion nothing looks sillier than a 36" wide little soundbar mounted under a 65" TV.

canman4pm's picture
Submitted by canman4pm on August 1, 2015 - 4:10am

I don't totally agree. I have an Onkyo LS-T10 soundbase that we bought for the living room of our old house. My wife is a light sleeper and the Onkyo offered both better sound than the 42" LCD that sits atop it, as well as a mode that boosted dialogue and cut the bass, that was great for late night viewing after she went to bed. The surround system was in the basement with the plasma. We used it to play music from the audio channels our cable system provides. Plus we can plug in and connect various other devices via Bluetooth, USB and/or a 3.5mm plug. At the new house, the plasma and surround system are in the living room, the LCD and soundbase live in our bedroom. It's less used there for music, but every once and a while...

In the meantime, the basement is getting finished and will, in the next 2-3 years, have a dedicated theatre room with projector, Atmos and all the goodies.

My wife misses having the Onkyo in the living room, as it required no extra effort on her part to use: it turned on with the TV, and the volume went up and down with both the TV and the cable box remotes.

I'm looking at a getting an inexpensive, decent "all-purpose" (music and a/v) soundbase/bar with an Apple TV for my mother, so she can stream her entire music collection from her iMac in the basement, to her living room upstairs. Because that will suit her quite nicely.

Neither my wife, nor my mother give a hoot about surround sound. Neither are audiophiles.

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