First Sound Bar

[Space2013]

I setup a small TV in my home office. The room is only 10x10 and the TV just fits between two doors, so there is no room on either side for speakers. I’ve never had a sound bar, my living room and basement are both 5.1 channel systems with bookshelf speakers. What would folks recommend? I’m not a fan of most sound bars I’ve heard in stores which sound very top and bottom heavy. I’ve heard the Sonos Beam recommended a lot.

 

[TLS Guy]

I setup a small TV in my home office. The room is only 10x10 and the TV just fits between two doors, so there is no room on either side for speakers. I’ve never had a sound bar, my living room and basement are both 5.1 channel systems with bookshelf speakers. What would folks recommend? I’m not a fan of most sound bars I’ve heard in stores which sound very top and bottom heavy. I’ve heard the Sonos Beam recommended a lot.

Your impressions are precisely correct. What space do you have below the TV?

 

[Wardog555]

The recommendation is always speakers.
If you hate soundbars as much as I do. You'll find a way to have 2 bookshelves.

 

[Itbeezmyway]

Exactly how much room do you have? Can you upload a photo as you say the tv barely fits between the 2 doors? Also, what is your budget?

 

[Space2013]

Budget is around $800. The TV sits on stand that I picked up locally that also just fits between the doors. And I mean just fits, maybe half an inch on either side. I’d prefer not to wall mount the TV but I could probably get a little riser so some very small bookshelf speakers could sit under/in front of it. Space is really a premium in this room so I’d want the amplifier/reciever to also be relatively small.

I’d love to get two bookshelf speakers in there instead of a sound bar, but I don’t know what would be compact enough and still sound good.

 

[Space2013]

One option is I could mount two speakers on the wall above the TV as long as they are relatively small, but I don’t know how I’d angle them down to the listening position.

 

[lovinthehd]

One option is I could mount two speakers on the wall above the TV as long as they are relatively small, but I don’t know how I’d angle them down to the listening position.

There are ways of accomplishing this....some speaker mounts can do a few degrees, how much do you need?

 

[Bobby Bass]

I setup a small TV in my home office. The room is only 10x10 and the TV just fits between two doors, so there is no room on either side for speakers. I’ve never had a sound bar, my living room and basement are both 5.1 channel systems with bookshelf speakers. What would folks recommend? I’m not a fan of most sound bars I’ve heard in stores which sound very top and bottom heavy. I’ve heard the Sonos Beam recommended a lot.

I had the same experience in the past with soundbars. Most recently Had a top rated Samsung that came with the Samsung TV that was fine for TV but I hated the sound for streaming music. After trying Bose etc. Got the Beam 2 in the family room for TV and it sounds better than any soundbar I’ve heard. Got the mini sub to pair with it and it sounds good for music. Not better than good bookshelves but works for my needs. Find you sacrifice a bit of sound quality for convenience. Now have one in the bedroom. Mounts on the wall below the TV with a bracket Sonos sells. Just 2 cords (both included)- one HDMI for eARC to the TV and the other for power into an outlet. Got a Move for the bath that hangs on a hook they sell. Guess I’m hooked on Sonos (bad pun intended). Their app is great for streaming and control of the units. Suggest trying. They have a 45 day trial period. You can return if it doesn’t meet your listening needs. Good customer service. They have periodic online discounts too. Got the first Beam for $399 - $100 off the regular price. Good luck!

 

[Space2013]

There are ways of accomplishing this....some speaker mounts can do a few degrees, how much do you need?

I’m not sure. If I mount the speakers above the TV they would be just above it. The TV is at eye height so the speakers maybe a two feet above that?

 

[Space2013]

I had the same experience in the past with soundbars. Most recently Had a top rated Samsung that came with the Samsung TV that was fine for TV but I hated the sound for streaming music. After trying Bose etc. Got the Beam 2 in the family room for TV and it sounds better than any soundbar I’ve heard. Got the mini sub to pair with it and it sounds good for music. Not better than good bookshelves but works for my needs. Find you sacrifice a bit of sound quality for convenience. Now have one in the bedroom. Mounts on the wall below the TV with a bracket Sonos sells. Just 2 cords (both included)- one HDMI for eARC to the TV and the other for power into an outlet. Got a Move for the bath that hangs on a hook they sell. Guess I’m hooked on Sonos (bad pun intended). Their app is great for streaming and control of the units. Suggest trying. They have a 45 day trial period. You can return if it doesn’t meet your listening needs. Good customer service. They have periodic online discounts too. Got the first Beam for $399 - $100 off the regular price. Good luck!

Thanks! I have one Sonos product and, while not as good as my bookshelf speakers, it is decent. I’ll mostly use the whatever I get (sound bar or bookshelf speakers) for movies and games, but I want it to be decent for music. I have other speakers with my computer for critical music listening.

I have heard the Sonos and Polk sound bars are decent.

 

[Bobby Bass]

Thanks! I have one Sonos product and, while not as good as my bookshelf speakers, it is decent. I’ll mostly use the whatever I get (sound bar or bookshelf speakers) for movies and games, but I want it to be decent for music. I have other speakers with my computer for critical music listening.

I have heard the Sonos and Polk sound bars are decent.

Haven’t heard a Polk sounbar but have a pair of Polk outdoor 2 ways and the R700 towers are excellent and as an aside are finally back in stock for $899 each and Polk has a 10% deal for first time buyers online. 60 day return policy too and they pay the shipping both ways. May be worth testing a soundbar.

 

[Space2013]

Thanks! If I were to get two bookshelf speakers they’d have to be fairly short so I don’t have to raise the TV too much. Any recommendations on a speaker that isn’t too tall? Maybe one that is oriented sideways?

Or I could do SVS elevations speakers above the TV pointed down.

 

[lovinthehd]

I’m not sure. If I mount the speakers above the TV they would be just above it. The TV is at eye height so the speakers maybe a two feet above that?

So what sort of angle towards your listening position would that be? Something like these mounts can handle some downward tilting. Some other types can do more....but those other mounts often require particular mounts existing in the speakers or your willingness to drill into the speaker to accommodate....

 

[Space2013]

Looking at it I’d say about a 10 degree angle. The other options is out the TV on a small riser and get very short bookshelf speakers (or speakers that lay sideways).