# eARC vs ARC: what the difference means for your soundbar, and which port to use

Source: https://specwiseguide.com/earc-vs-arc/
Updated: 2026-11-13 · By SMART SC Editorial Team

**Short answer:** **eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) is the faster version of ARC, the HDMI link that sends a TV's sound to a soundbar or receiver.** ARC carries about **1 Mbps**: stereo, or compressed 5.1 in Dolby Digital or DTS. eARC carries about **37 Mbps**: uncompressed **5.1 and 7.1**, and lossless formats such as **Dolby TrueHD with Atmos** and **DTS:X** from a Blu-ray player or console plugged into the TV. For streaming apps on the TV itself, Atmos comes as Dolby Digital Plus, which many ARC setups also pass. **Every current TV we list has eARC**; plug the soundbar into that port.

## Key takeaways

- **ARC ≈ 1 Mbps**: stereo PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS. **eARC ≈ 37 Mbps**: adds uncompressed 7.1, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, Atmos and DTS:X.
- Both ends must have eARC to get eARC; otherwise the link falls back to ARC.
- Use the TV's labelled eARC input (HDMI 2 on LG's C5 and G5, HDMI 3 on the B5 and most Hisense sets).
- Streaming Atmos (Dolby Digital Plus) often works over ARC; lossless Blu-ray Atmos needs eARC.

ARC (Audio Return Channel) lets a single HDMI cable carry sound *back* from the TV to a soundbar or AV receiver, so everything you watch on the TV, from its apps, antenna or other inputs, plays through the speakers. eARC is the same idea with much more room.

## ARC vs eARC at a glance

(Diagram: ARC and eARC bandwidth to the same scale (about 1 and 37 Mbps, TCL's figures) and what each carries.)

| | ARC | eARC |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | About 1 Mbps | Up to about 37 Mbps |
| Stereo (PCM) | Yes | Yes |
| Compressed 5.1 (Dolby Digital, DTS) | Yes | Yes |
| Dolby Digital Plus (streaming, incl. Atmos) | Often, depends on the TV | Yes |
| Uncompressed 5.1 / 7.1 PCM | No | Yes, up to 192 kHz / 24-bit |
| Lossless: Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio | No | Yes |
| Dolby Atmos from Blu-ray (TrueHD) / DTS:X | No | Yes |

The eARC column is what HDMI's licensing body lists for eARC; the bandwidth figures are TCL's. ARC's limit isn't a fault: it was designed for the compressed 5.1 of broadcast TV.

## What it means for Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos isn't a separate stream; it rides inside two carriers, according to Dolby:

- **Dolby Digital Plus**, the codec streaming services and broadcasters use. It's compressed and small enough that **many TVs pass it over plain ARC**, Atmos included. Whether yours does depends on the TV and soundbar, which is why "Atmos over ARC" works on some setups and not others.
- **Dolby TrueHD**, the lossless codec on Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray discs. It's far too big for ARC. If a disc player or console is plugged into the TV and the sound goes on to the soundbar, **you need eARC on both** to keep TrueHD Atmos; over ARC the TV sends a compressed fallback.

DTS:X and DTS-HD Master Audio work the same way: lossless, so eARC only.

## Which HDMI port is eARC on each TV

Every current TV line in our catalogue has eARC on one HDMI input. Where the spec sheet names the port, it's below:

| TV line | Type | eARC input | HDMI inputs | 4K 120 Hz+ inputs | Sizes we list | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense U6 (U65QF) 2025 | Mini LED | HDMI 1 | 4 | 2 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Hisense U7 (U75QG) 2025 | Mini LED | HDMI 3 | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″, 100″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Hisense U8 (U8QG) 2025 | Mini LED | HDMI 3 | 3 | 3 of 3 | 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″, 100″ | Amazon ↗ |
| LG B5 2025 | OLED | HDMI 3 | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 83″ | Amazon ↗ |
| LG C5 2025 | OLED | HDMI 2 | 4 | 4 of 4 | 42″, 48″, 55″, 65″, 77″, 83″ | Amazon ↗ |
| LG G5 2025 | OLED | HDMI 2 | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 77″, 83″, 97″ | Amazon ↗ |
| LG QNED85A 2025 | Mini LED | HDMI 3 | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 75″, 86″, 100″ | Amazon ↗ |
| LG LQ630B 2023 | LED | HDMI 2 | 2 | 0 of 2 | 32″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Samsung QN90H 2026 | Mini LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 4 of 4 | 65″, 75″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Samsung S90H 2026 | OLED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 77″, 83″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Samsung Q8F 2025 | LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 4 of 4 | 32″, 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Samsung QN90F 2025 | Mini LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Samsung S90F 2025 | OLED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 77″, 83″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Samsung S95F 2025 | OLED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 4 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 77″, 83″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Samsung The Frame (LS03F) 2025 | LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 1 of 4 | 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Sony BRAVIA 9 II 2026 | RGB LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 2 of 4 | 65″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Sony BRAVIA 5 2025 | Mini LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 2 of 4 | 55″, 65″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Sony BRAVIA 8 II 2025 | QD-OLED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 2 of 4 | 55″, 65″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Sony BRAVIA 3 2024 | LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 0 of 4 | 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″ | Amazon ↗ |
| Sony BRAVIA 7 2024 | Mini LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 2 of 4 | 65″ | Amazon ↗ |
| TCL QM6K 2025 | Mini LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 2 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″, 98″ | Amazon ↗ |
| TCL QM7K 2025 | Mini LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 2 of 4 | 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″, 98″ | Amazon ↗ |
| TCL QM8K 2025 | Mini LED | Yes, port not stated | 4 | 2 of 4 | 65″, 85″, 98″ | Amazon ↗ |

On TVs with only some fast inputs, the eARC port can be one of the 4K 120 Hz ones, which matters if you also game. On the **Hisense U8**, the eARC input is HDMI 3 of three, so the soundbar uses one of the fast inputs. Sony's BRAVIA lines take 4K 120 Hz on HDMI 3 and 4 only; check the back panel for which one carries eARC before choosing where the console goes. If you run out of fast inputs, connect the console to the TV and let the TV pass the sound to the soundbar, not the other way round; see [HDMI 2.1 TVs](/hdmi-2-1-tvs/).

## Setting it up

1. **Connect the soundbar's HDMI ARC/eARC port to the TV's eARC port** with one HDMI cable. HDMI.org says a Premium High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet works for eARC; an Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable is the one that supports every HDMI 2.1 feature.
2. **Turn on HDMI-CEC** on the TV, under its brand name: Anynet+ (Samsung), SIMPLINK (LG), BRAVIA Sync (Sony), T-Link (TCL), CEC (Hisense). It lets the TV remote control the soundbar's volume.
3. **Turn on eARC** in the TV's sound settings. Some TVs leave it off by default or call it "eARC mode: Auto".
4. **Set digital audio output to "Auto", "Passthrough" or "Bitstream"**, not "PCM", so the TV sends Dolby and DTS formats to the soundbar instead of decoding them to stereo.
5. **Check the soundbar's display or app** while playing an Atmos title: it should say Dolby Atmos or Dolby TrueHD.

If the sound drops out or the bar won't switch on with the TV, power everything off, unplug the TV and soundbar for a minute and reconnect. Firmware updates on both often fix eARC handshake problems.

## What about optical?

An optical (TOSLINK) cable carries about what ARC does, stereo or compressed 5.1, but no Dolby Digital Plus or Atmos and no CEC control. It's a fallback for older soundbars without HDMI, not a substitute for eARC.

## Do you need eARC?

- **TV speakers to a basic 2.1 bar:** ARC is plenty. LG's S40T, for example, is ARC only ([soundbars for LG TVs](/soundbar-for-lg-tv/)).
- **Streaming with an Atmos soundbar:** eARC is safer, and since every current TV we list has it, buy a bar with eARC too.
- **Blu-ray, UHD Blu-ray or a console with lossless audio through the TV:** eARC on both ends.

For the soundbar itself, start with the width: [what size soundbar for your TV](/soundbar-size-for-tv/), then the brand-matched features in [soundbars for Samsung TVs](/soundbar-for-samsung-tv/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between ARC and eARC?

Bandwidth and formats. ARC carries about 1 Mbps, enough for stereo or compressed 5.1 (Dolby Digital, DTS). eARC carries about 37 Mbps, enough for uncompressed 5.1 and 7.1 and lossless Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

### Do I need eARC for Dolby Atmos?

Not always. Streaming services deliver Atmos inside Dolby Digital Plus, which many TVs pass over plain ARC. Lossless Atmos from a Blu-ray (Dolby TrueHD) needs eARC on both the TV and the soundbar.

### Can I plug an eARC soundbar into an ARC TV?

Yes. eARC is backward compatible: the two devices fall back to ARC, so you get compressed surround (Dolby Digital, DTS, sometimes Dolby Digital Plus) but not lossless formats.

### Which HDMI port is eARC on my TV?

It's labelled ARC or eARC on the back of the TV. From the spec sheets: HDMI 2 on the LG C5 and G5, HDMI 3 on the LG B5, QNED85A and Hisense U8 and U7, HDMI 1 on the Hisense U6. Samsung, Sony and TCL sheets list eARC without naming the port.

### Do I need a special HDMI cable for eARC?

HDMI.org says a Premium High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet works for eARC, and an Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable is needed for all HDMI 2.1 features. An Ultra High Speed cable covers both sound and 4K 120 Hz video.

### Is optical as good as ARC?

Optical (TOSLINK) carries roughly what ARC does, stereo or compressed 5.1, but no Dolby Digital Plus or Atmos and no HDMI-CEC control from the TV remote. Use HDMI ARC or eARC when you can.

## Sources

- [Hisense U65QF specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/55U65QF_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Hisense U75QG specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/55U75QG_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Hisense U8QG specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/55U8QG_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [LG Electronics USA, OLED B5 spec sheet (55/65, 05/2025)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/OLED65B5_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [LG Electronics USA, OLED evo C5 spec sheet (02/2025)](https://images.salsify.com/image/upload/s--1wRfLD3h--/s2fp28jm20rwng16loto.pdf)
- [LG Electronics USA, OLED evo G5 spec sheet (02/2025)](https://images.salsify.com/image/upload/s--TmexmtYN--/gpn5ncne505um4qcctyq.pdf)
- [LG Electronics USA, QNED85A spec sheet (03/2025)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/65QNED85AUA_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [LG Electronics USA, 32LQ630B spec sheet (03/2023)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/32LQ630B_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Samsung QN90H specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/QN65QN90H_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Samsung S90H specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/QN55S90H_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Samsung Q8F specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/QN55Q8F_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Samsung QN90F specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/QN65QN90F_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Samsung S90F specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/QN42S90F_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Samsung S95F specification sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/QN65S95F_Specification-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Samsung The Frame (LS03F) specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/QN55LS03F_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Sony BRAVIA 9 II specifications sheet (K-65XR90M2)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/K65XR90M2_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Sony BRAVIA 5 specifications sheet (K-65XR50, K-55XR50)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/K65XR50_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Sony BRAVIA 8 II specifications sheet (K-65XR80M2, K-55XR80M2)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/K65XR80M2_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Sony BRAVIA 3 specifications sheet (K-65S30, K-55S30)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/K65S30_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [Sony BRAVIA 7 specifications sheet (K-65XR70)](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/K65XR70_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [TCL QM6K specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/50QM6K_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [TCL QM7K specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/65QM7K_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [TCL QM8K specifications sheet](https://static.pcrichard.com/docs/65QM8K_Specifications-Sheet_01.pdf)
- [HDMI Licensing Administrator, Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC): formats, channels, 192 kHz/24-bit](https://www.hdmi.org/spec21sub/enhancedaudioreturnchannel)
- [HDMI Licensing Administrator, How to get the best sound from a TV (2021): eARC vs ARC, cables](https://www.hdmi.org/blog/detail/129)
- [TCL Support, Differences between ARC and eARC HDMI ports (about 1 Mbps vs up to 37 Mbps)](https://support.tcl.com/differences-between-arc-and-earc-hdmi-ports)
- [Dolby Laboratories, Dolby Atmos for sound bar applications (2018): Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD](https://professional.dolby.com/siteassets/tv/home/dolby-atmos/dolby-atmos-for-sound-bar-applications.pdf)