Remote/Headphone Jack/Sound Bar Experiment
Don't know if anyone else has tried this, but.... I found out you can plug a sound bar into the headphone jack on the remote (RC-EL3) and the sound bar will still work. I know it sounds funny doing...
Forum Discussion
If you have a remote with an earphone jack, be aware that whenever something is plugged into that jack it turns on the remote's internal earphone amplifier, which uses energy from the batteries and can significantly reduce battery life, whether or not the Roku is streaming anything. Be sure you unplug your earphones when they are not actively being used.
As an alternate means of remote listening, you can install the Roku app (not TheRokuChannel app) on a phone or tablet. In addition to being able to providing remote control for your Roku, it also includes a remote listening function. You can listen via your phone/tablet's built in speaker or via earphones or speaker connected to the device, without adding extra drain to your Roku remote.
