How do Soundbars fill a room with sound?

[rjharle]

With such tiny speakers, I was wondering how soundbars fill a room with sound. I know the sub is taking care of the low end, but what technology are they using to project the sound from the sub up. I can think of three ways they might be doing it, but I'm not sure if they have come up with something else.

1. Sonic Holography ?
2, Bose Sound ?
3. Psycho Acoustics ?

Can soundbars do sound placement?

Why don't those little speakers sound like a transistor radio?

 

[lovinthehd]

Some have satellites as well as subs for location elsewhere to help with the surround/room filling thing, some use arrays of speakers aimed to bounce in different ways, some use software surround tech....sometimes a soundbar can sound pretty decent, but depends what you're used to. I couldn't use a sound bar myself.....nor need to but was interested by your post compared to your others

 

[rjharle]

Some have satellites as well as subs for location elsewhere to help with the surround/room filling thing, some use arrays of speakers aimed to bounce in different ways, some use software surround tech....sometimes a soundbar can sound pretty decent, but depends what you're used to. I couldn't use a sound bar myself.....nor need to but was interested by your post compared to your others

I was hoping all my posts would've interested you and others

I was questioning the technology used to make those three inch speakers sound so big. The sub takes care of the bass, but mid and highs sound larger than they should. Also, they have a room filling effect. I couldn't listen to a sound bar either but, my wife has a Samsung with only four (two three inch speakers on each side of the bar that is about twenty inches long. Yet the bar sounds much larger than it should?

 

[TLS Guy]

I was hoping all my posts would've interested you and others

I was questioning the technology used to make those three inch speakers sound so big. The sub takes care of the bass, but mid and highs sound larger than they should. Also, they have a room filling effect. I couldn't listen to a sound bar either but, my wife has a Samsung with only four (two three inch speakers on each side of the bar that is about twenty inches long. Yet the bar sounds much larger than it should?

Maybe you have an active imagination. I have many at friends house, and they don't sound larger than they should, but small and dreadful. They are an improvement over the rear facing TV speakers, but that is not saying much.

 

[rjharle]

Maybe you have an active imagination. I have many at friends house, and they don't sound larger than they should, but small and dreadful. They are an improvement over the rear facing TV speakers, but that is not saying much.

I don't think my imagination came into play here. I didn't mention anything about sound quality. Possibly you imagined my post being more than it was. I was only asking what was the technology to make 3" speakers sound bigger than they should. I remember little speakers sounding little until Bose loaded the 901 with a bunch of 4" speakers.

 

[lovinthehd]

I was hoping all my posts would've interested you and others

I was questioning the technology used to make those three inch speakers sound so big. The sub takes care of the bass, but mid and highs sound larger than they should. Also, they have a room filling effect. I couldn't listen to a sound bar either but, my wife has a Samsung with only four (two three inch speakers on each side of the bar that is about twenty inches long. Yet the bar sounds much larger than it should?

How big a room is it in?

 

[j_garcia]

Some friends have a Sonos soundbar in their living room. It does not sound like a home theater, but it does fill the room and definitely sounds better than TV speakers. I need my system to sound good with music, so I have a different expectation. For them, they have a small room and don't listen to a lot of music, maybe 20% music/ 80% Shows/Sports/Movies. I am probably 50/50 music vs. movies and have a very different idea of what sound I am after. So I would say there is a "category" of consumers who are not so interested in all out music systems. That audience is likely the former Bose category of person, where getting a decent level of sound is important but not necessarily detailed, accurate sound. I don't know how big that market is, but there seem to be a lot of soundbars out there, so there must be one.

Me personally, I don't see using one, because the ones I consider to sound adequate, I could buy a whole system for the price and that system would sound better. Those seem to be fewer these days as I don't think there is a big market for super expensive soundbars now.

 

[rjharle]

How big a room is it in?

10 x 14 with everything mounted on the long wall.

 

[TLS Guy]

I don't think my imagination came into play here. I didn't mention anything about sound quality. Possibly you imagined my post being more than it was. I was only asking what was the technology to make 3" speakers sound bigger than they should. I remember little speakers sounding little until Bose loaded the 901 with a bunch of 4" speakers.

Here is a fairly typical 3" speaker. Each one will handle 20 watts so two 40 watts and three 60 watts. So if you have two a side that is 80 watts and 120 watts respectively. F3 is 99Hz. Now if the impedance is right with two per side and the bars are not that long, you will have 90 db. sensitivity. You can still make a lot of noise with that!

 

[rjharle]

Here is a fairly typical 3" speaker. Each one will handle 20 watts so two 40 watts and three 60 watts. So if you have two a side that is 80 watts and 120 watts respectively. F3 is 99Hz. Now if the impedance is right with two per side and the bars are not that long, you will have 90 db. sensitivity. You can still make a lot of noise with that!

Thank you - Knowing you is just like going to collage, I guess I was remembering only one little speaker in a transistor radio. Glad to hear there isn't any audio trickery going on.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I think at BEST, they might use some phase manipulation to make it seem like sounds are outside the speaker. But I’ve never encountered a soundbar that filled the room.

 

[lovinthehd]

How big a room is it in?

I have limited experience with soundbars but have two local friends both with I think are similar soundbars with a sub.....the smaller room sounds better....doesn't do the
filling thing as well in the larger room.....

 

[SithZedi]

I have one of the older versions of the Martin Logan Vision soundbar in our medium size basement TV.
Can't comment on the technology but it's the best soundbar I have heard to date. Not so good with just stereo source, but as a replacement for TV speakers, it's very impressive. It's also very chunky.
For overkill, I have a Sub hooked into it.

MartinLogan Motion® Vision X

Powered sound bar with DTS Play-Fi®

www.crutchfield.com

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I have one of the older versions of the Martin Logan Vision soundbar in our medium size basement TV.
Can't comment on the technology but it's the best soundbar I have heard to date. Not so good with just stereo source, but as a replacement for TV speakers, it's very impressive. It's also very chunky.
For overkill, I have a Sub hooked into it.

MartinLogan Motion® Vision X

Powered sound bar with DTS Play-Fi®

www.crutchfield.com

Overkill? That’s just due diligence!!!

 

[SithZedi]

Overkill? That’s just due diligence!!!

Trying to cover all bases! Bad pun.......

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Trying to cover all bases! Bad pun.......

Roger that!

 

[jakkedtide]

I have samsung/Harmon kardin soundbar in my living room and it sounds really good. I am impressed for a soundbar. It does fill the room. The bass is nice. It did cost about $1000 for a soundbar, probably one of the most expensive soundbar out there but really nice. It doesn't do a dent though to my basement 7.2.4 system but looks nice and the wife isn't complain about the speakers lol. The basement set up is a different story lol

 

[rjharle]

I think at BEST, they might use some phase manipulation to make it seem like sounds are outside the speaker. But I’ve never encountered a soundbar that filled the room.

Ah, Ha! So there is trickery going on

 

[rjharle]

I have samsung/Harmon kardin soundbar in my living room and it sounds really good. I am impressed for a soundbar. It does fill the room. The bass is nice. It did cost about $1000 for a soundbar, probably one of the most expensive soundbar out there but really nice. It doesn't do a dent though to my basement 7.2.4 system but looks nice and the wife isn't complain about the speakers lol. The basement set up is a different story lol

Way to go .... Keep Mommy happy

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Ah, Ha! So there is trickery going on

Lol. Maybe? I don’t actually know that. I was just throwing it at the wall.