Contents
- What is a soundbar?
- Which devices can I connect to my soundbar?
- Can I upgrade my soundbar with additional speakers/subwoofers?
- How do I connect the subwoofer to the soundbar?
- How do I connect my EFFEKT speakers to the soundbar?
- Can a soundbar be combined with a home theater or active speaker system?
- Is it possible to use a soundbar as a center speaker?
- Where can I find support for the HDMI connection between soundbar and TV?
What is a soundbar?
A soundbar is a horizontally oriented, elongated speaker system with multiple drivers and an integrated amplifier, which makes it an active speaker. Soundbars were developed as a space-saving alternative to conventional speaker systems with separate amplifiers and offer the possibility to be connected directly to the TV without additional devices. To enable this, modern soundbars combine speakers and AV receivers in one. They include digital-to-analog converters as well as DSPs (digital sound processors) that convert the digital signal and reproduce it via the drivers built into the soundbar. You can connect your soundbar directly to your TV via the HDMI ARC of your TV or using an optical fiber cable. Teufel soundbars come in various versions. standalone, in combination with a subwoofer (2.1), or also as a surround system (4.1 or 5.1).
In terms of sound, our current soundbars can certainly compete with home theater systems. The drivers are managed separately, so virtual surround sound can be generated, which sounds very similar to what is produced by “real” home theater systems.
Recommended reading:
- How can a soundbar create virtual surround sound?
- Soundbar or 5.1 system: When does each show its strengths?
- Soundbase or soundbar – what are the differences?
- More blog posts on the topic of soundbars
Which devices can I connect to my soundbar?
All soundbar variants have a built-in amplifier and are therefore ready to use immediately.
Our soundbars offer the following connection options:
- Digital input: whether optical or coaxial; these serve to connect players, TV receivers, or TV devices.
- AUX input: a CD player or similar can be connected to the soundbar using a standard RCA cable.
- Sub Out – The CINEBAR PRO, the CINEBAR ULTIMA, and the CINEBAR LUX have a Sub Out connection. More information can be found here and here.
- HDMI: universal interface for audio and sound signals
- Bluetooth: allows wireless transmission of audio signals from your smartphone or tablet.
- USB: The CINEBAR ULTIMA and the CINEBAR ONE have a USB sound card function. On other soundbars, you can only use the USB port for updates.
What you can connect to your soundbar and how can also be found in the user manual.
Can I upgrade my soundbar with additional speakers/subwoofers?
You can upgrade the current Teufel soundbars with a subwoofer and/or additional rear speakers.
In the following table, you will find our recommended combinations. Other combinations are not recommended by us for technical and acoustic reasons.
| Soundbar | Connection type | can be expanded with these speakers/subwoofers |
|---|---|---|
|
|
wireless |
|
|
|
wireless |
|
|
wireless
|
|
|
|
wireless
Note: The CINEBAR ULTIMA already plays so deep that a subwoofer only brings minimal improvements. |
||
| wireless |
|
|
| wireless or wired possible. |
|
|
| wireless |
|
|
| wireless or wired possible. |
|
|
| wireless |
|
How do I connect a subwoofer to the soundbar?
Wired
The following soundbars have a subwoofer output:
For wired connection, use a mono RCA connection between the subwoofer output on the soundbar and the subwoofer.
Wireless
Use the table above or here as a guide if you want to know which soundbar works best with which subwoofer.
To connect a wireless subwoofer, use the soundbar's menu and press a button on the back of the subwoofer. For soundbars without a corresponding wireless module, our Subwoofer Wireless Set can be used for the wireless connection.
How do I connect EFFEKT speakers to my soundbar?
The technology for this wireless connection is not Bluetooth. To establish connection, you need to select the corresponding menu item on your soundbar (e.g., WIRELESS on the CINEBAR PRO) and then press the pairing button on the back of the EFFEKT speakers. More information can also be found here in your user manual.
Can a soundbar be combined with a home theater or active speaker system?
We advise against it. An active speaker system and a soundbar are both self-contained systems. If you connect both systems to your TV device, all devices will (ideally) play the same thing simultaneously.
Is it possible to use a soundbar as a center speaker?
We advise against it. As detailed in this article, a soundbar is an independent speaker system that combines multiple speakers in one enclosure and is designed for stereo or surround sound playback. A center speaker, on the other hand, is specifically designed to reproduce dialogue and central sound information precisely and clearly in a multichannel system. Soundbars are often wider and can therefore have difficulty focusing the sound precisely, which can affect the soundstage.
For optimal results, it is therefore recommended to use a dedicated center speaker that is specifically designed for the task.
Where can I find support for the HDMI connection between soundbar and TV?
The following links will help you with the connection via HDMI:
- Setup guide HDMI: Connect soundbar/soundbase to the TV via HDMI
- Blog > I want help with HDMI cabling.