What William says is true.
Simply put, there is no replacement for direct placement. No soundbar can offer true 360 degree 3 dimensional imaging.
However, that dosent mean that we; the those of us that cant run dedicated drivers, cant enjoy home theatre.
I have a 15 old Yamaha Digital Sound Projector, the YSP 1000, and to this day Im tickled by its performance. Mind you there is no rear fill, and no height effect, but the soundstage is very wide and incredibly lifelike. Sometimes I find myself turning my head at panning cues in the soundtrack, only to remind myself that this is not real! Its only a movie Jon. Lol
My point being, that soundbars can be very entertaining.
That being said, I think the forthcoming Bar 54 from Kplisch will be interesting to say the least.
It will be manufactured by a reputable audio company with a history steeped in quality. It will come in a handsome cabinet, offer 2 height channels, 2 seperate rear channels (also possibly with 2 upward firing drivers) and a wireless (although I believe theres a dedicated sub pre out on the soundbar itself) 12 inch subwoofer. Ive also heard that theyre thinking about doing a .2 configuration (at an additional cost) which would offer 2 12 inch subwoofers.
The Bar 54 should come to market later this year with a price point of around 1,500 USD.