What about Soundbars

P

ParkerAudio

Full Audioholic
Looked through a lot of posts here on the forum, and can't find much debate about soundbars. Yeah, a lot of information about receiver versus receiver and what is better LCD or Plasma, but not much on this issue.
I have bought a Panny G10 54 inch, and am looking for a good sounding, well priced soundbar. Would go a little more if I would get quite a bit better sound. I don't really want a separate subwoofer by the way. Planning on mounting this to a Peerless wall mount that I have bought

Also, I do have extra receivers sitting around the house, would it be better to just go with a single center channel under the TV?

Would like to stay below $600, any suggestions pass them on. Thanks.
 
AVRat

AVRat

Audioholic Ninja
What's the usage for, C, L/C/R, full 5 channel? Generally, the 5 channel bars only work well in narrower, smaller rooms where the sound can bounce off the side walls. The problem with the L/C/R type is it doesn't provide a very big soundstage. But it is bigger than a single center.

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-SurroundBar-Speaker-System/dp/B000B6NFOG
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/satellite/polk-audio-surroundbar
http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/fronts-millenia-millenia20trio-model-2-20-1-62.paradigm ($1000)
http://www.definitivetech.com/Products/Series/MythosSoloSSASeries.aspx
 
P

ParkerAudio

Full Audioholic
thanks for the links. I realize this is the bastard son of the speaker community, but really, when you want better sound, and don't want a bunch of equipment these are the best solution.
Looking for a nice priced, bang for your buck kind of speaker, mostly for movies, occasionally for music. The room is 15x20, and one of the walls is too far away to bounce a sound wave off of. I hear this is an issue with the Yamaha units.
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
I think a Soundbar type speaker is an ideal solution for the bedroom TV or a small secondary room. I personally would not even consider one for a living room HT set up and especially not for a dedicated HT space.
 
D

DaleAV

Full Audioholic
I think a Soundbar type speaker is an ideal solution for the bedroom TV or a small secondary room. I personally would not even consider one for a living room HT set up and especially not for a dedicated HT space.
I highly recommend one for just that scenario. They are a superior solution to the tinny and tiny speakers in the 26-32" size displays.

I use a Vizio soundbar in my BR and it works very well for it's intended purpose.
A small studio apartment might be another application (dorm room, etc.)
I have to say even without the advantage of true surround, the audio quality is superior IMO to some of those small multi-speaker setups I've heard that are strung together with spaghetti wires.

Multi-channel audio and audio quality, are two different animals. Of course, they can be in the same system also. :)
 
P

ParkerAudio

Full Audioholic
This is going in a Den that gets some use. There are only so many home theater setups that I can have in my house, and pretty much that is one. The wife is good enough to let me go hog wild on that system, but I have to be more discrete about this one.
I haven't hung the G10 yet, but did have to plug it in and connect a bluray player. The speakers, are sub par, now maybe they wouldn't be for someone who doesn't normally listen to movies and sound through much better speakers, but they seem to rattle during certain scenes that contain a lot of bass.
Very annoying that these TV's don't have better speakers. How much would it have cost them, but I guess it helps keep the cost and size down.

At this point I have decided to spend a little more money, the problem is bigger than I thought. I am currently deciding between a Yamaha YSP 3000, and the def tech mythos, which is cheaper, and may sound a little better, but needs a separate receiver hidden somewhere, which might be a problem with the wife.
 
P

ParkerAudio

Full Audioholic
BTW, I have found out through Yamaha's website that the beams of sound can be manipulated so that walls on all four sides are not needed, contrary to a lot of information found on the internet. Maybe this is a recent change though to their soundbars.
 
B

blackzarg

Junior Audioholic
Sounds like marketing to me... although it may manipulate sound, how well it does it is to be determined...

Subs can say they go from 15hz+, but usable could be 28hz or higher.

What about a two channel setup? Your budget will allow you to get two nice towers for your setup, and they shouldn't take up much room.
 
M

mustang_steve

Senior Audioholic
Simple soundbars are ideal for people that don't want a HT system, but just want better sound than their TV's built-in speakers handle.

The better soundbars will offer a better experience (such as the active solutions from Yamaha), but should be kept in smaller rooms for the best results. They simply lack the air movement potential to be effective in larger rooms.
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
IME, attempts at surround sound that do not provide separate units for the back speakers sound funny (as in strange). If you are after good sound but not too concerned about surround, you might consider a good pair of active speakers/monitors such as the AudioEngine M5.
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/lifestyle-desktop-and-portable/audioengine-a5

This particular speaker doesn't come with a remote so it is important that you can use the remote for your TV, DVD, etc. to control the volume on the line you feed to the speakers.
I suspect there are better speakers at higher prices. But I haven't looked too far into that.
Hope this helps!
 
P

ParkerAudio

Full Audioholic
The audioengine speakers are nice, but I think my wife would object to anything that looks like the start of another system.
I just received the Yamaha YSP-3000, and have yet to try it out. I think it best fits what I need, since everything is wrapped up in one unit.
Now I have to decide whether or not to mount it under the tv on the arm, or just mount it to the wall under the TV, which is probably where it will be most of the time.
 
lsiberian

lsiberian

Audioholic Overlord
Just get the Yamaha thing and hook it up. Your wife isn't looking for home theater. Just make her happy and you will be.
 
Soundman

Soundman

Audioholic Field Marshall
Did I misunderstand or did you say your room is 15x20? I just don't believe a sound bar is ideal for that type of room. Quite honestly, I've never heard a soundbar that sounded that great. If money is tight, or legistically going with a multi-speaker setup is out of the question, can I recommend a bookshelf system? This would have a non-obtrusive look, with the right pair, and offer great sound quality. No, it wouldn't be surround sound, but good quality stereo sound can sound exellent, much better then the cheaper 5.1 systems on the market. Just a thought. :)
 
P

ParkerAudio

Full Audioholic
Here is what the deal is, I have one home theater set up already in the house, I have a home theater setup at the lake house, I cannot have anything that resembles a home theater setup in the Den, the wife has had it with anything that looks like a home theater setup. Needs to look like it came with the TV.

I will be interested to get this setup and see how it sounds in a 15x20 room, one thing is for sure though, it will sound a lot better than the little speakers that came on the G10.

If I could use the same $1000 for bookshelf speakers though, I might not get the spatial effect from them that I will get from the sound bar. One thing that has been proven here, sound bars still are the bastard child of the audiophile community. I understand this, but I am between a rock and a hard place. It is almost as hard as justifying the purchase of a Bose radio, or why one bought a Vizio TV. Well maybe not that difficult.
 
D

DaleAV

Full Audioholic
Here is what the deal is, I have one home theater set up already in the house, I have a home theater setup at the lake house, I cannot have anything that resembles a home theater setup in the Den, the wife has had it with anything that looks like a home theater setup. Needs to look like it came with the TV.

I will be interested to get this setup and see how it sounds in a 15x20 room, one thing is for sure though, it will sound a lot better than the little speakers that came on the G10.

If I could use the same $1000 for bookshelf speakers though, I might not get the spatial effect from them that I will get from the sound bar. One thing that has been proven here, sound bars still are the bastard child of the audiophile community. I understand this, but I am between a rock and a hard place. It is almost as hard as justifying the purchase of a Bose radio, or why one bought a Vizio TV. Well maybe not that difficult.
Certainly, decisions like that are personal ones. And 15x20 is a fair size room.
You can spend more on Soundbars (Yamaha, etc.) and get even better performance, but certainly unless you are strapped for space or running wires is a big PIA, once you get past soundbars and boxes (Zvox) running close to $500 it makes more sense to put together a small 5.1 system like a Klipsch, DefTech, etc.
Soundbars have been made the bastard child of some audiophiles, which is ironic and hypocritical, since most of them could not imagine having a cheaply made 5 speaker system in place of two quality stereo only speakers.
That's why it may always be a good idea to learn what others think, but not take some of it too seriously. :)
 
lsiberian

lsiberian

Audioholic Overlord
Certainly, decisions like that are personal ones. And 15x20 is a fair size room.
You can spend more on Soundbars (Yamaha, etc.) and get even better performance, but certainly unless you are strapped for space or running wires is a big PIA, once you get past soundbars and boxes (Zvox) running close to $500 it makes more sense to put together a small 5.1 system like a Klipsch, DefTech, etc.
Soundbars have been made the bastard child of some audiophiles, which is ironic and hypocritical, since most of them could not imagine having a cheaply made 5 speaker system in place of two quality stereo only speakers.
That's why it may always be a good idea to learn what others think, but not take some of it too seriously. :)
Come on guys read the thread. :rolleyes:

Soundbars are designed for closed rooms though.

http://www.techforless.com/cgi-bin/tech4less/HTS8100/37?mv_pc=cnet-pg&tts=20090822083459

Is a cheaper system but less beaming option than the Yamaha. Still why blow money on the lady when it's not necessary.

Ideally you'd get a cheap 2 channel stereo receiver and have a pair of sleek speakers to the sides, but you know if your wife will go for that. There is no point in jepordizing her wrath for suggesting it.
 
D

DaleAV

Full Audioholic
Come on guys read the thread. :rolleyes:

Soundbars are designed for closed rooms though.

http://www.techforless.com/cgi-bin/tech4less/HTS8100/37?mv_pc=cnet-pg&tts=20090822083459

Is a cheaper system but less beaming option than the Yamaha. Still why blow money on the lady when it's not necessary.

Ideally you'd get a cheap 2 channel stereo receiver and have a pair of sleek speakers to the sides, but you know if your wife will go for that. There is no point in jepordizing her wrath for suggesting it.
I was addressing the post directly prior to mine. If the poster has an issue with my reply I am sure
they will let me know.
Of all the posts I have read on this thread, yours is the only one I find confusing. :rolleyes:
 
M

mustang_steve

Senior Audioholic
I also find some amusement at the disdain for them. It's like the numerous B-company threads we have here. For some, it's worth the convenience/aesthetic factor, even if it's at the cost of performance.

To me, soundbars are much like the cube systems, except even less difficult to install. This makes them incredibly attractive to buyers that live in apartments, where cable runs can honestly be a ***** for lack of a better word as well as those that just can't be bothered with the details of speaker placement, connections, etc. Just plug it in, hook up a couple cables instead of a dozen or more, and boom...it works.

It's like any other hobby....some want different things than others....some just want a pleasing enveloping sound, while others of our group want the "perfect" experience.
 
N

NicolasKL

Full Audioholic
Did I misunderstand or did you say your room is 15x20? I just don't believe a sound bar is ideal for that type of room.
I don't think he's looking for an ideal setup, I think he's looking for a soundbar.

And from his posts it sounds like he's basically in the same situation I am, I've got a dedicated HT in the basement family room, Ascend/Hsu 5.1 in the computer room, 2 channel in the bedroom, and if I tried to put the beginnings of another system in my living room my old lady would light me on fire in my sleep.

So if I come on and ask about soundbars should I really have to spend half a dozen posts justifying myself to a dozen different people telling me to get some towers or some bookshelves?
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top