With England preparing to face Norway in a crucial World Cup knockout match on Saturday night, millions of fans will be watching from home. However, many could be undermining their viewing experience with a poorly configured home audio system.
Nick Bunce, a TV and audio expert at AO.com, has issued an urgent warning to supporters, highlighting five frequent mistakes people make when setting up their soundbars for live sports.
1. Connecting your soundbar via Bluetooth instead of HDMI
While wireless connections offer convenience, Bunce strongly advises against using Bluetooth for live sports. 'Bluetooth is great for quickly playing music from your phone, but for films, TV shows and live sport, HDMI is the better choice,' he explained. 'It delivers higher-quality audio, keeps picture and sound perfectly in sync, and unlocks the full capabilities of your soundbar. It's one of the easiest upgrades you can make to improve your home entertainment setup.'
2. Leaving your soundbar on the default sound mode
Many users are unaware that their soundbars include dedicated settings for different content. 'Soundbars now include dedicated settings, such as cinema, sport or night mode, but lots of people don't know they even exist,' Bunce said. 'Your soundbar is designed to adapt to what you're watching, so it's worth making use of the different modes available. For example, cinema mode creates a richer, more immersive sound for the all important football commentary, making it feel like the real football stadium experience.'
3. Positioning your soundbar at the wrong height
Placement is critical for optimal audio. 'Where a soundbar sits is just as important as how it's connected,' Bunce noted. 'It should feel as though the sound is coming directly from the TV - not above it or below it. Positioning your soundbar immediately beneath the screen helps create a much more natural listening experience, making dialogue, music and sound effects feel properly connected to what's happening on your screen.'
4. Forgetting to use dialogue enhancement settings
Struggling to hear commentary is a common complaint, but many soundbars have built-in solutions. 'One of the biggest complaints people have when watching TV is struggling to hear dialogue, but many don't realise their soundbar already includes features designed to solve that problem,' Bunce said. 'Voice enhancement settings help lift speech above background music and sound effects, making everything from your favourite sports game to documentaries much easier to follow without constantly adjusting the volume.'
5. Hiding your soundbar inside a TV cabinet
A tidy setup can compromise audio quality. 'People naturally want to keep their TV setup neat and tidy, so believe it or not, some place their soundbars inside a cabinet - but this is a big mistake,' Bunce warned. 'Soundbars are designed to project sound directly into your room. If the speakers are hidden away, you're effectively blocking the audio before it even reaches you. Position your soundbar out in the open, ideally sitting flush with the front edge of your TV stand, and you'll hear a noticeable improvement in clarity and depth.'
