Why every soundbar I owned sounded flat, and how a cheap stereo system fixed it

I’ve owned a few soundbars over the years, most with a subwoofer, and they always felt like the right choice. They look clean, save space, and sound decent enough at first. But after going through three different setups, I realized I didn’t actually like how they sounded. No matter the brand, they all felt a little thin and, at times, lifeless. I tried swapping in better subs to fix it, but it never really got me where I wanted.