Passive means the sound bar does not have a built-in power amp, and thus requires a receiver or amplifier to work. They do, however, have better speakers — and better speakers mean better sound. So, no extra receiver to plug in to (or buy), plus less wires with an all-inclusive device.

Do sound bars have built-in amplifiers?

A sound bar is an all-in-one speaker system that delivers high-quality TV sound without requiring the space, complexity, and expense of a home theater receiver and surround sound speaker setup. Nearly all sound bars youll run across are self-powered or “active” – that is, they have their own built-in amplifiers.

Do you need a power amp for passive speakers?

Passive speakers dont have their own power supply, so theres no power cable attached to them. Instead, youll find a couple of jack sockets or wire connectors on the back of each speaker that youll need to plug into an amplifier (or home theater receiver).

How do you hook up a passive sound bar?

You can connect the soundbar to a receiver by an optical cable. Connect one end to the digital optical out port on the receiver, and to the optical in port on the soundbar. The receiver will, of course, need a digital optical out port.

Does a sound bar have to be the same brand as the TV?

No, a soundbar needs not be the same brand as the TV. However, whether or not soundbars should be the same brand as the TV depends on their compatibility. Simply, this means that so long as they can connect, its all settled.