Virtual surround sound
The projector supports
the virtual surround function.
The purpose of this feature is that due to special sound settings and the reflection of sound beams from the walls of the room, the listener hears more channels than are actually available in the projector (see "Audio Format"). For example, a 3.1 system with virtual surround sound can produce sound similar to 5.1 surround sound. This allows you to achieve the effect of "immersion" in sound without increasing the number of channels and the cost of the projector. On the other hand, the reliability of such sound is usually noticeably worse than that of real surround sound, and the overall quality is highly dependent on the characteristics of a particular room.
Note that the virtual surround function is specified for 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.1 format systems. In more advanced multi-channel systems, there are a priori additional channels for reproducing surround sound.
Rated power
The total power rating of the sound projector speakers (including subwoofer, if present).
This parameter is often used to estimate the overall sound volume of the device, but this is not entirely true. The fact is that the actual sound volume is determined mainly by the power of the main speakers of the sound projector, and the total power is the sum of this power and the power of the subwoofer. Therefore, models with the same power rating can vary markedly in actual volume: for example, a 150-watt soundbar with a 50-watt subwoofer will be louder than a 100-watt projector with a subwoofer of the same power, although in both cases the rated power will be equal to 200 watts.
Summing up, we can say that it is possible to evaluate the volume by rated power only if the sound projector is not equipped with a subwoofer — in such models, the rated power is equal to the power of the main speakers. In other cases, it is worth focus on the power of the soundbar and the power of the subwoofer directly stated in the characteristics (see below for both).
Soundbar speaker power
The nominal power of the speakers installed directly in the soundbar, excluding the subwoofer (in models with a built-in subwoofer, respectively, only the power of the main speakers is taken into account).
This indicator directly determines the overall volume of the sound projector; It is worth choosing according to this parameter taking into account the specifics of the room in which the projector is planned to be installed: the larger the room and the greater the distance to the viewer, the higher the power should be, otherwise the soundbar will not be able to effectively sound the scene. Detailed recommendations on the optimal power for different situations can be found in special sources.
Impedance
Impedance is the projector's resistance to alternating current, or more precisely, to the analog audio signal input from an external power amplifier. Actually, this parameter is of practical importance precisely if the device is planned to be used with an external amplifier. Ideally, the projector's impedance should match the impedance for which the amplifier is designed - otherwise, the volume may either decrease (if the impedance is too high), or distortion, overload, and even damage to the acoustics (if the impedance is too low) may occur.
Higher impedance is also thought to reduce the likelihood of interference. However, modern speakers (including sound projectors) have standard impedance values of 4, 6 or 8 ohms - the difference is not so great that the differences in sound quality are noticeable.
Subwoofer power
The rated power of the subwoofer included in the design or delivery of the sound projector.
The higher the power, the louder the sub can sound, the richer the bass it can provide. On the other hand, an increase in power inevitably promises an increase in the size and cost of the speaker. Therefore, an overly powerful subwoofer is just as undesirable as one that is too weak. Detailed recommendations for selecting power for the size and acoustic characteristics of a particular room can be found in special sources.
Note that the external subwoofer in soundbars should be approximately twice as powerful as the soundbar in order to prevent sound sags at maximum volume. So, if the total output power of the speaker system is 300 watts, then 100 of them should come from the soundbar alone, and 200 should go directly to the subwoofer.
HDMI input
The number of
HDMI inputs in the design of the sound projector.
HDMI is the most popular modern interface for working with HD content, it allows you to transmit high-definition video simultaneously with multi-channel audio over a single cable. Having multiple inputs allows you to keep multiple signal sources connected to the projector at the same time and select the source from the remote without fiddling with reconnecting wires.
HDMI output
The number of
HDMI outputs in the design of the sound projector.
HDMI is the most popular modern interface for working with HD content, it allows you to transmit high-definition video simultaneously with multi-channel audio over a single cable. If you have multiple outputs, you can connect multiple signal receivers to the projector at the same time and switch between them from the remote control without touching the wires.
Number of speakers
The total number of speakers installed in the sound projector housing (external subwoofer is not taken into account in this calculation).
Given the same audio format (see above), more speakers typically provide greater fidelity and more precise localization of individual sound sources. This is especially true for models with virtual surround sound.
Power consumption
The total power consumption of the entire system, both the sound projector itself and the external subwoofer (if present). Usually this indicator is indicated by the average power consumption at maximum volume. Note that on individual signal jumps, the actual power consumption may exceed the claimed one; in some cases (for example, when connected through a voltage stabilizer), this must be taken into account.
