The TCL S65K S Series 5.1 Channel Soundbar is a multi-unit system consisting of a single bar, a wireless subwoofer, and two additional wireless rear satellite speakers. This means that instead of just creating the impression of an airplane flying overhead, you’ll have real sound coming at you from behind. It doesn’t take long listening to a surround mix before you notice the difference. Dolby Atmos handles the height channels, HDMI eARC connects the entire system with a single cable from the TV, and Bluetooth lets you easily pair a phone when you’d rather listen to music.
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A 5.1 soundbar system with wireless rears and a subwoofer
What makes a real 5.1 system different from something merely calling itself a soundbar with virtual surround is the two rear speakers you get with every 5.1 setup. While processing can certainly make the soundstage appear wider and send audio out closer to the walls and corners of a room, there’s no substitute for having an actual speaker physically placed at the rear of a listening space, meaning behind your head. The difference in quality is obvious as soon as you hear both setups, and it takes some time to adjust if you go back to a virtual version afterward.
The rear speakers need to be plugged into outlets, which limits where they can be placed. Since no cables cross the floor from the front to the back of the room, though, the rear speakers can go anywhere there is an available outlet without anybody tripping over a wire.
The Dolby Atmos function also places sounds in the vertical space above you in addition to creating sounds in the surround channels. Rain and aircraft, which were previously processed to arrive at the same level as all other sounds, now arrive from above and add a new layer to the spatial audio experience. It works without any ceiling-mounted speakers involved.
A true center channel handles dialogue and is usually the biggest improvement over a TV’s built-in speakers. When dialogue is split between left and right on a 2.1 bar, it tends to spread out across the room. With a central speaker, dialogue stays anchored around the person speaking on screen.
HDMI eARC connects the entire system with one cable and moves volume control to your TV remote, so you don’t have to keep a second remote on the coffee table. Preset equalization options for movies, music, and games eliminate the need for manual adjustments every time you switch from a film to a playlist. Setup takes about twenty minutes once you decide where to place the rear speakers. Since the subwoofer and satellites connect to the soundbar automatically, you don’t need to walk through any menus. After that, everything turns on at the same time as the television. The most involved part of the process is running power to the back of the room and deciding how far apart you want to place the two rear speakers.