{"id":2174,"date":"2019-12-06T20:50:17","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T20:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gamerevolution.engagingreview.com\/reviews\/?p=2174"},"modified":"2019-12-06T20:50:17","modified_gmt":"2019-12-06T20:50:17","slug":"the-4-best-tv-speakers-for-gaming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/the-4-best-tv-speakers-for-gaming\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4 Best TV Speakers for Gaming"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Edifier S350DB 2.1<\/h2>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-S350DB-Bookshelf-Subwoofer-Bluetooth\/dp\/B077Y6PHKQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><div class=\"amazon-card\"><div class=\"product-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-S350DB-Bookshelf-Subwoofer-Bluetooth\/dp\/B077Y6PHKQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img title='' alt='' src='https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41fsXfS0f0L.jpg' \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-details\"><h3 class=\"product-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-S350DB-Bookshelf-Subwoofer-Bluetooth\/dp\/B077Y6PHKQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Hard to Go Wrong<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"product-summary\">After making a splash in the industry, Edifier has developed a rabid fan loyalty for the quality and affordability of their speakers<\/div><\/div><div class='product-award'><div>Best Value<\/div><\/div><p class=\"find-in-btn-wrap\"><a class=\"find-in-btn btn-amazon product-amazon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-S350DB-Bookshelf-Subwoofer-Bluetooth\/dp\/B077Y6PHKQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Find on Amazon<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/a>\n<p>Old-time industry leaders, move over, because it&#8217;s Edifier&#8217;s time in the sun. Over the past few years, the company&#8217;s most popular units have been inching their way into &#8220;Best Speakers&#8221; lists left and right. Whether we&#8217;re talking about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-R1280T-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers\/dp\/B016P9HJIA\/ref=sxin_0_ac_d_pm?ac_md=3-0-VW5kZXIgJDEwMA%3D%3D-ac_d_pm&amp;keywords=Edifier+R1280T&amp;pd_rd_i=B016P9HJIA&amp;pd_rd_r=5572734c-f7ff-47b4-8bcf-2697558167e6&amp;pd_rd_w=K7wVj&amp;pd_rd_wg=Jcv5D&amp;pf_rd_p=02e79b16-eab7-4369-852f-d04a58a4d9b5&amp;pf_rd_r=V985RDGZF37PFW6MVF98&amp;psc=1&amp;qid=1574718887&amp;s=electronics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">budget-tier bookshelf speakers<\/a> or high-end behemoths, Edifier knows how to make punchy, booming speakers. The best part is that their prices beat out their competitors almost every time.<\/p>\n<p>So, on to this particular model. The S350DB 2.1. includes two full-sized bookshelf speakers and an 8&#8243; subwoofer capable of shaking the room.\u00a0 Thanks to their titanium dome tweeters, they sparkle in the highs. The mids are crisp and clear, which is essential to in-game dialogue. You can also expect some modest, albeit respectable, rumble in the lows. It can get pretty darn loud, too. Whether you&#8217;re in a small bedroom or a sizable living room, this setup should be up to the task. And as for its connectivity options, it&#8217;s fairly versatile. It&#8217;ll accept input via Bluetooth, RCA, optical, coaxial or AUX.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Exceedingly handsome design<\/li>\n<li>2-year warranty in Canada and the USA<\/li>\n<li>Wireless remote control<\/li>\n<li>Utilizes Bluetooth 4.1 aptX codec<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wired sub must be situated near main speakers<\/li>\n<li>Grill-less design makes them vulnerable<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Edifier R1280T<\/h2>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-R1280T-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers\/dp\/B016P9HJIA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><div class=\"amazon-card\"><div class=\"product-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-R1280T-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers\/dp\/B016P9HJIA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img title='' alt='' src='https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41JdMdErl7L.jpg' \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-details\"><h3 class=\"product-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-R1280T-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers\/dp\/B016P9HJIA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Edifier Strikes Again<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"product-summary\">If your price-point has a low ceiling, worry not. The R1280T provides decent sound at a steal, so you can redirect the money you save towards games and console upgrades<\/div><\/div><div class='product-award'><div>Best Budget Setup<\/div><\/div><p class=\"find-in-btn-wrap\"><a class=\"find-in-btn btn-amazon product-amazon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Edifier-R1280T-Powered-Bookshelf-Speakers\/dp\/B016P9HJIA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Find on Amazon<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/a>\n<p>Let&#8217;s say it right off the bat: No, these speakers aren&#8217;t going to blow you away. But if you&#8217;re keen on keeping costs under $100, you&#8217;d be wise to look to Edifier&#8217;s pair of near-field, powered bookshelf speakers. At 42 watts peak RMS, they&#8217;re a bit dinky, but if you&#8217;re only using them for gaming, that should be satisfactory, at the very least. They&#8217;re powerful enough to provide crisp articulation throughout the frequency spectrum. However, without a subwoofer, the low end leaves something wanting, especially when it comes to explosions or ambient rumble in the environment.<\/p>\n<p>Their near-field designation means that they&#8217;ll sound best when you&#8217;re\u00a0 situated near the woofers. Speakers like this are engineered to reproduce audio as it was initially intended from just a small distance. While this type of unit is most popular amongst studio engineers, producers, and musicians, it&#8217;s also ideal for everyday gamers who just happen to be situated in a small room, so if that&#8217;s you, you&#8217;re in luck.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, we can&#8217;t help but comment on the appearance of the R1280T. It&#8217;s slick. Yeah, its MDF-wood build isn&#8217;t of the highest caliber, nor is the wood effect vinyl finish the most classy, but, truthfully, it looks really good, without a trace of pretension or tackiness. So, for less than $100, you&#8217;re looking at a pair of stylish, powered bookshelf speakers great for those gaming in crammed quarters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Protective front panels can be removed<\/li>\n<li>Large tone and volume dials<\/li>\n<li>Under warranty for first two years<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Low end distorts at mid-to-high volume<\/li>\n<li>Remote control doesn&#8217;t power unit on<\/li>\n<li>Inadequate for large rooms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Sound BlasterX Katana<\/h2>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/BlasterX-Multi-Channel-Surround-Entertainment-Soundbar\/dp\/B01M5G07KF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><div class=\"amazon-card\"><div class=\"product-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/BlasterX-Multi-Channel-Surround-Entertainment-Soundbar\/dp\/B01M5G07KF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img title='' alt='' src='https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/31EaMiaYdbL.jpg' \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-details\"><h3 class=\"product-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/BlasterX-Multi-Channel-Surround-Entertainment-Soundbar\/dp\/B01M5G07KF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sophisticated Simplicity <\/a><\/h3><div class=\"product-summary\">Like the weapon of its namesake, the Sound BlasterX Katana is a blend of understated elegance and potency<\/div><\/div><div class='product-award'><div>Best Soundbar Setup<\/div><\/div><p class=\"find-in-btn-wrap\"><a class=\"find-in-btn btn-amazon product-amazon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/BlasterX-Multi-Channel-Surround-Entertainment-Soundbar\/dp\/B01M5G07KF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Find on Amazon<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/a>\n<p>Touting a sleek, minimalist aesthetic, the Sound BlasterX Katana is designed for gamers through and through. It consists of a subwoofer and soundbar duo that put out a combined 75 watts peak RMS. The soundbar itself contains four drivers: two up-firing midbass woofers and two high-excursion tweeters. In conjunction with the 5.25&#8243; subwoofer, the whole audible spectrum is covered evenly. What stands out, though, is the Katana&#8217;s volume. This one certainly won&#8217;t fall short in the realm of max output, which is good, because you won&#8217;t have to strain its capabilities, nor worry about distortion unless you really crank it.<\/p>\n<p>While it&#8217;s true that the Katana was initially designed for PC gamers, it will work just as well for a TV setup as it will for your computer monitor. The only catch is that there&#8217;s no HDMI input, but if you can connect via optical, it won&#8217;t be a problem.<\/p>\n<p>One of its most inconsequential but highly popular features is its programmable RGB lighting.\u00a0 The Katana touts 49 LED lights dotting the perimeter of the soundbar&#8217;s base. With the proprietary Aurora Reactive lighting system and the accompanying software, you can choose from a near-infinite amount of colors to create a customized lighting ambience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Great for those who are pressed for space<\/li>\n<li>Bluetooth connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Chic brushed-aluminum finish<\/li>\n<li>Integrates with Dolby Digital 5.1 Decoder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lack of HDMI input is an issue for some<\/li>\n<li>Subwoofer is quite powerful<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Polk Audio Monitor Series 5.1<\/h2>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Polk-Audio-AVR-S750H-Bookshelf-Subwoofer\/dp\/B07WJVXQ3Z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><div class=\"amazon-card\"><div class=\"product-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Polk-Audio-AVR-S750H-Bookshelf-Subwoofer\/dp\/B07WJVXQ3Z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img title='' alt='' src='https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41kM2z2DehL.jpg' \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"product-details\"><h3 class=\"product-title\"><\/h3><div class=\"product-summary\"><\/div><\/div><div class='product-award'><div>Best Immersive Experience<\/div><\/div><p class=\"find-in-btn-wrap\"><a class=\"find-in-btn btn-amazon product-amazon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Polk-Audio-AVR-S750H-Bookshelf-Subwoofer\/dp\/B07WJVXQ3Z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Find on Amazon<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/a>\n<p>If you want to elevate your gaming experience to the highest possible degree, we recommend the Polk Audio Monitor Series 5.1 bundle. This remarkable audio system contains the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 Denon AVR-S750H 7.2 channel receiver<\/li>\n<li>1 CS1 Series II center channel speaker<\/li>\n<li>The ultra-popular powered PSW10 subwoofer<\/li>\n<li>1 pair of Monitor 70 Series II towers<\/li>\n<li>1 pair of Monitor 40 Series II bookshelf speakers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That is to say, this is a gargantuan system with enough muscle to do, well, just about anything. It&#8217;ll not just elevate your gaming experience, but it&#8217;ll turn your living room into a home theater haven. Movies, music, and games will never be the same once you&#8217;ve experienced this setup. Sure it&#8217;s costly, but if you&#8217;re willing to dish out the money, you&#8217;ll be greatly rewarded. Its dynamic range is tremendous: from one moment to the next, it can leap from tight, controlled whispers to explosive, booming roars, all with minimal distortion. If you&#8217;re playing a lot of world-based games with rich environments and detailed ambiences, this will help tease them out to their fullest potential, especially considering that this setup can provide you with surround sound.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Precise and ultra-responsive<\/li>\n<li>Highly detailed mids<\/li>\n<li>Setup is less complicated than you&#8217;d imagine<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Subwoofer may distort at high volume<\/li>\n<li>Take a few weeks to fully break in<\/li>\n<li>Very expensive<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<p><b>What are the difference between TV speakers and PC speakers?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Well, to some degree, a speaker is a speaker is a speaker. Many &#8220;PC speakers&#8221; are compatible with TVs, and vice versa. However, often, a speaker system designed for the TV is engineered with a full home theater setup in mind. This can consist of a minimal 2.1 setup (2 standard units and a subwoofer), a more dynamic 5.1 system, or a 7.1 surround system. The larger systems aim to create a three-dimensional sound stage to make you feel like you&#8217;re really there. With PC speakers, you&#8217;re typically not aiming for that same level of theatricality, because games aren&#8217;t as theatrical in their sound design as movies or music.<\/p>\n<p><b>How much will a good speaker setup enhance my gaming experience?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>It depends on the type of gaming you&#8217;ll be doing. Contrary to the advice we gave in our write-up on <a href=\"\/reviews\/the-4-best-subwoofers-for-gaming\/\">the best subwoofers<\/a> for gaming, a full-range speaker system <em>will<\/em> improve your gaming experience to some degree regardless of the game. They&#8217;ll help you gain a competitive edge in shoot-&#8217;em-ups, and they&#8217;ll give world-based games a three-dimensional realism that&#8217;ll only heighten your degree of immersion.<\/p>\n<p><b>What kind of setup should I go for?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Again, it depends on your gaming style. If you&#8217;re hoping to feel like you&#8217;re really there, on the inside of the world you&#8217;re exploring, then you should go for a more robust system, preferably one with surround sound. ThePolk Audio Monitor Series 5.1 is a great option for this. If your needs are more minimal, and you simply want an upgrade over your TVs built-in speakers, then that&#8217;s a different story. In that case, even something like the inexpensive Edifier R1280T would work well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Edifier S350DB 2.1 Old-time industry leaders, move over, because it&#8217;s Edifier&#8217;s time in the sun. Over the past few years, the company&#8217;s most popular units have been inching their way into &#8220;Best Speakers&#8221; lists left and right. Whether we&#8217;re talking about budget-tier bookshelf speakers or high-end behemoths, Edifier knows how to make punchy, booming speakers. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":2181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2174"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2174"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2213,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2174\/revisions\/2213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamerevolution.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}