Are sound bars worth it?


My cable provider [Videotron in Quebec City] does not offer a cable base/box with analogue outputs. So, I am at a loss how to get the audio signal from my TV to my preamp, for real sound while watching TV.

My question is whether any sound bars are worth the expense and effort in providing better audio than the TV itself [a SONY.... but they are all terrible].

Any opinions?
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Showing 1 response by zimmerma

Thank you for these responses.

Maxwave: I have the Helix base, which has no analogue outputs. You are correct about Illico's RCA outputs... but Videotr5on is phasing out that format, so Helix is the future for Videotron.... Thus no analogue outputs.

To the other responses: I am puzzled that today's TVs do not have RCA audio outputs, just inputs, which I do not see the point of. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

I have yet to try an adapter cable that takes the TV's headphone output to the preamp's RCA input.... However, as cd318 notes, "The tricky part was finding the necessary setting you have to change on the TV menu to enable audio out."
He offers to try to find the settings for me... I would be grateful.

But, about those sound bars... No one has as yet offered an opinion about their efficacy.