A sound bar has several speakers and the electronics to power them in one thin enclosure that you connect to your TV—no need for a receiver. Some have a separate subwoofer, usually wireless, and a few have rear speakers to create a full surround-sound system.

Does receiver affect picture quality?

AV Receivers do effect video quality. They can improve lower quality signals through video processing like up-scaling. But, they can also degrade quality by adding unnecessary video processing to signals that dont need it.

Do I need a soundbar with a smart TV?

While if youre not really fond of watching movies and you dont feel like you need a TV Soundbar, how about when listening to music? Most smart TVs are already capable of streaming music and doing other activities, so better sound quality is always a good idea.