This isn't the advice you want (but it is good!), because you probably really don't want to purchase, or find a location for, an A/V receiver. Last Fall I started looking for really, really good
soundbar, my budget was large (for a soundbar) because I wanted good sound and I figured anything I purchased would be less expensive than a good 5.1 or better, system (but the furniture in and layout of my family room is not suitable for a 5.1 system). What I've learned is, if you are really serious
a passive soundbar is miles and miles better sounding than an active, regular, soundbar, at any price. I'm headed toward one of GoldenEar's SuperCinema 3D Array passive soundbars (because I like their design and ribbon tweeters) but several other high-end companies also make passive soundbars. If you go the passive route, I'd go with the Golden Ear soundbar and never look back.
Right now I'm using a ten year-old Boston Acoustics TV2 soundbar that cost $299 (and was probably designed 15 years ago, not that doing two analog channels was complicated then, or now). It's analog, 2.1 with a wireless mid-woofer in a plastic box (can you really call it a sub if its speaker is 4" in diameter?!). On the back there is an input for power and one measly pair of RCA analog interconnects. The thing is, it provides the depth and realism one can only get from analog; I've not listened to any "real" digital sound bar that does faux surround where the sound extends more than an inch or two behind the television. Sure, there are a lot of things my cheap soundbar won't do, but it does at least lend some realism when watching most television programming with content that is not 60% or more gunfire and explosions. If an ambulance siren is a little left, and way behind the picture on the television, I do have to look out the front window to see if the sound is coming from my street, or my programming. You can really tell the difference when watching a show where people actually think about recording and playback quality, like "Mystery Road" from Australia, or a show of which I cannot remember the name, set in Iceland with subtitles.
This is the problem with almost any sound bar at any price if you are serious about good and realistic sound as opposed to bad sound coming from many directions:
it is nearly impossible for a manufacturer to put in a sound bar
a quality multi-channel DAC,
a good multi-channel surround processor,
three or five or some other prime number of not-crap amplifiers (so, not Class D),
and several great speakers,
all for less than a grand or two, and make a profit (and sell more than a few of them).
Oh, and room correction - we need that too!
All in one box?
And wait, it also comes with a subwoofer? All for $900??? Which sounds like a lot to pay for a soundbar, until you start thinking about it. (Well, the more expensive sound bars don't come with subwoofers, the $900 active sound bar usually requires a $900 sub to go with it, if a person requires a sub.)
Re-reading your original post:
Basically I have some money to burn and want the best standalone sound bar.
GoldenEar, Paradigm, Martin Logan (Slim), and Klipsch make passive soundbars, to name a few; if you have some funds and are really serious - and somehow have a place to put an A/V receiver (they're a lot larger than a TV box and ROKU box) - the passive 3.0 or 3.1 soundbar system is the only way to go. I read the passive SuperCinema 3D array (shown below) goes to 80 Hz; that sounds sufficient for what you have described. I love the performance ribbon tweeters give, and Sandy, the owner/designer, is a good and enthusiastic guy. He is doing something with the two speakers on each side that make for an extremely wide stage (considering it's a dang soundbar). Plus, every year
The Absolute Sound praises (and gives awards to) his floor-standing speakers and subwoofers; my theory is there was a heap of R&D put into this soundbar's speakers and crossovers that didn't have to get reflected in the price! And it's not that much more difficult to run three analog speaker pairs to the middle of your soundbar rather than one digital HDMI cable! (And the passive soundbar requires no power source.)
If you REALLY can't be bothered with the hassle of finding space for an A/V receiver, for me the ARC Room Correction offered by the active Martin Logan soundbar would tip the scales in its favor for me (and their reputation, hopefully that is still worth something). I've only heard room correction done a couple of times, but it is amazing the difference it makes if you have a crap room layout like I do.
Good luck, and report back when you make a decision!
