the sound from my sub £100 2.1 soundbar which obviously puts the TV speakers to shame.

Absolutely don’t start writing music then. Once you do, it’ll destroy the your perception of how sound bars simulate 5.1 channel audio. (Most consumer grade Atmos sound bars have a pair of speakers that point up from the center channel to reflect sound off your ceiling. I would be able to hear that “trick”, unfortunately.)

My “studio” is super simple and I only use 2.1 audio but with proper monitor speakers that have a mostly “flat” sound. While sound bars are great for limited space, I’ll never use one again. For music and most movies, 2.1 is all you need. Rear channels are nice and everything, but kinda pointless in a living room. (If people want a real theater experience at home, good luck buying a proper +30 channel system.)

When it comes time for you to invest in new headphones, buy some ATH-M50x’s. Once you hear what relatively flat sound is like, you’ll probably end up throwing every other speaker you own in the trash.