Soundbar purchase... any advice?

[AR_Six]

I'm probably a bit late with this as I missed the boxing day madness, but I want to pick up a soundbar for my TV as I'm sick of using the TV speakers. Watching a blu-ray yesterday and the levels just killed all the dialogue. Lame sauce.

I'm looking at the three the have at memory express. The room my TV is in is very small - it's basically an oversized nook attached to my kitchen. So it's not like I'm trying to fill 14" ceilings. However, a wired setup would be a pain and I don't want to spend that much. My TV is a Panasonic G20 plasma which does have ARC. I'm mostly using it for TV (optik) and blu ray. I have a harmony remote that I run everything through.

1. Sony Wireless Sound Bar http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX39556
This has dolby trueHD and DTS HD. It also has more wattage, I'm not sure how much I care. One of the convenient things is that it has 3 HDMI inputs and an ARC out for the TV, which means I could run my Xbox, Bluray and cable box all through the sound receiver and have some open HDMI ports on the TV if I get something else to hook up to it later (like a media pc or a PS3 or sometimes I use my laptop's hdmi out). I guess my question is, will this be noticeably better than the below models, and do the True HD and DTS HD make a big difference? If so I can justify the price difference. I'm not that interested in just paying extra because it has "Sony" written on it - though I can get it for less than this so the price difference isn't THAT big an issue.

2. Samsung HW-E450 http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX38295
This is cheaper at MSRP and discount, and doesn't have the receiver. It has less wattage, and doesn't have the HD audio stuff that the sony one has. It has one HDMI in and one out, but it does have ARC, so presumably I'd just run all my peripherals through my TV.

3. LG NB3520A http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX38276
Similar to the Samsung above and got similar reviews, apparently with a slightly "bigger" sound and takes up a bit more space. Has no HDMI inputs, only optical. I do not know if that is a deal-breaker, or if it really makes much difference. Reviews didn't seem to be too fussed above it as a deficiency.

Any help or pointers appreciated! I'm not an audio expert by any means.

[Hack&Lube]

FlameOn has the Samsung, I have the LG. The Samsung was much more expensive at the time but I see both are $200 right now.

The LG has slightly higher wattage and somewhat bigger sound in terms of volume but in a small room I never max it out anyway. I think the Samsung has more more features (3 levels of 3D virtual sound versus 1 setting in the LG). I wish I had gotten the Samsung. Samsung sounds a bit richer to me as well but maybe that's because you always want what you don't have.

The LG remote does pair with my TV though (which laughably is a Samsung TV) which the Samsung remote does not offer that feature.

For a small room, I would ignore the Sony offering at that price.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Thanks for the thread, I was looking at one on boxing day but wasn't sure about any of them so passed. Would rather be informed before I make a purchase instead of saving 30 bucks

[Hack&Lube]

What you also should concern yourself with is how you are going to hook up your devices. I chose the LG because it was cheaper at the time and also because my TV has an optical out. Therefore, I hooked up all my devices to my TV via HDMI (since TVs normally have 2-4 HDMI inputs by default) and then simply output it all out via the TV's optical out to the soundbar so I don't need to hook up a bajillion things to the soundbar separately and have to switch both inputs on the TV AND the soundbar to get picture and sound. I just switch input on the TV and the sound goes out through optical to the soundbar regardless.

The other optical on the LG comes in handy (instead of another HDMI) because I can have a device like my media PC connected to the TV via HDMI but I can also have the optical out from the PC connected to the second optical on the soundbar. That way, I can play music from my media PC to the soundbar while having the TV off, otherwise if it was via HDMI, I would have to leave the TV on or be constantly be plugging the HDMI from the TV into the soundbar.

[Machiavelli]

I have an LG soundbar. I'm not sure if it's the exact model you mentioned (away from home for the holidays so can't check), but from what I can see it probably is.

Anyway, I love it. It's hooked up to my TV and also by Bluetooth to my computer so I can play music through BT or through my connected media player.

The sound is amazing, more than enough for my condo. I've used it in a large party room as well. Bass is excellent and the wireless subwoofer can sit pretty much anywhere. It's a very clean set-up and way less cluttered and complicated than a typical wired arrangement (which can get really expensive because even with a home-theatre-in-a-box setup, you still need a receiver.)

[Kipper is King]

Make sure you have the right shape of room, with a wall directly opposite the TV speakers for the sound to reflect off. I have mine in a L shaped room in the corner (only place the TV can go) and it makes my soundbar pretty much useless.

[AR_Six]

I should have added 2 things.

1. I can get the sony for 275.
2. I have a harmony remote so I don't think the remote is an issue.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by AR_Six

I should have added 2 things.

1. I can get the sony for 275.
2. I have a harmony remote so I don't think the remote is an issue.

FlameOn had some trouble with his Harmony and the Samsung, maybe he can give you some input if he sees this thread. Soundbars tend to have very unique options on their remotes that a lot of universal remotes cannot access sometimes (bass settings, virtual 3D settings, different modes, etc.)

[Hack&Lube]

Remember that soundbars are all 2.1 sound systems.

That renders the DTS HD/DolbyTruHD/Dolby Digital+/Dolby Digital/DTS pretty much useless in my opinion.

The 8 channels from Dolby True HD will get mixed down to 2 channels and a sub in every situation and it will still sound like crap compared to a proper 7.1 system.

[PsYcNeT]

I have the wired version of the Sony soundbar hooked up to my bedroom TV, and honestly, the bar's high-end fidelity is a bit tinny, the mids are perfect and the subwoofer rivals my Klipsch 12" that is hooked into my home theatre.

Seriously impressive sub for a soundbar setup.

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Remember that soundbars are all 2.1 sound systems.

That renders the DTS HD/DolbyTruHD/Dolby Digital+/Dolby Digital/DTS pretty much useless in my opinion.

The 8 channels from Dolby True HD will get mixed down to 2 channels and a sub in every situation and it will still sound like crap compared to a 7.1 system.

Unless you are sitting the perfect location in a generally square room. I've run a few 5.1 sound tests "left front, right front" etc. and if I'm sitting juuuust right in the middle of my bed with my head at the right height (I found wall mounting it vs below the TV was better for this) it give a really eerie "true" 5 channel mimicry.

[Vulcan]

Just a couple of points, not all TVs send a digital signal via optical to your soundbar or AV receiver, at least not from all sources. I have an LG TV that does but my new Panasonic doesn't. If you have ARC, I would go with HDMI connections for sure. I know on my Sony TV with ARC when I turn on say my Blu Ray (also with ARC), my AV (also with ARC) receiver automatically goes to that input on my AV receiver, so it's convenient.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I have the wired version of the Sony soundbar hooked up to my bedroom TV, and honestly, the bar's high-end fidelity is a bit tinny, the mids are perfect and the subwoofer rivals my Klipsch 12" that is hooked into my home theatre.

Seriously impressive sub for a soundbar setup.



Unless you are sitting the perfect location in a generally square room. I've run a few 5.1 sound tests "left front, right front" etc. and if I'm sitting juuuust right in the middle of my bed with my head at the right height (I found wall mounting it vs below the TV was better for this) it give a really eerie "true" 5 channel mimicry.

The "left front, right front" always work but the "left rear, right rear" always still sound like it's coming from the front for me

[GreatWhiteEbola]

I have Samsung, it is primarily used with my PC. It has served it's purpose well. The sound is great in a small room.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

The "left front, right front" always work but the "left rear, right rear" always still sound like it's coming from the front for me

Yeah when the rears actually work it's like "whaaaaaat?" and pretty trippy.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Just a couple of points, not all TVs send a digital signal via optical to your soundbar or AV receiver, at least not from all sources. I have an LG TV that does but my new Panasonic doesn't. If you have ARC, I would go with HDMI connections for sure. I know on my Sony TV with ARC when I turn on say my Blu Ray (also with ARC), my AV (also with ARC) receiver automatically goes to that input on my AV receiver, so it's convenient.

Can you clarify this? Digital is the only thing optical SP/DIF can output. It's probably just a TV audio output setting you are missing.

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

If you have ARC, I would go with HDMI connections for sure. I know on my Sony TV with ARC when I turn on say my Blu Ray (also with ARC), my AV (also with ARC) receiver automatically goes to that input on my AV receiver, so it's convenient.

I do - my blu-ray is currently plugged in to my tv's ARC channel. My understanding is that if I got the samsung and plugged the soundbar into my TV's ARC hdmi slot, plug in two other peripherals (i.e. bluray and cable box) in the non-arc HDMI's, and plug the third peripheral (i.e. Xbox) into the HDMI input on the soundbar, everything will run smoothly as you suggest. However, as I say this is not my forte so I could be totally out to lunch.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Can you clarify this? Digital is the only thing optical SP/DIF can output. It's probably just a TV audio output setting you are missing.

I'm assuming he meant it's not a proper 5.1/7.1 signal. Low-end TVs (and some mid-range) take an HDMI 5.1/7.1 input but downscale audio to 2.0 through the optical out.

It's pretty lame if you have a full receiver or some other scenario where the audio feed has to go in through the TV first.

[calumniate]

Just a quick question - do these units have equalizer control, or are you limited to presets? Is the bass fully adjustable? (I don't know too much about these things) Thanks.

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Just a quick question - do these units have equalizer control, or are you limited to presets? Is the bass fully adjustable? (I don't know too much about these things) Thanks.

Mostly presets, I gather from what I've seen researching this purchase. However some (i.e. the sony posted above) have other features; i.e. if you have a Bravia TV you can make equalizer adjustments on the TV. I have a Panny so that's neither here nor there for me.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Just a quick question - do these units have equalizer control, or are you limited to presets? Is the bass fully adjustable? (I don't know too much about these things) Thanks.

Typically they have all the features of a mid-range receiver. Usually about 5-15 ambient presets, 5.1 "Stereo", adjustable levels for all "channels". Likely the only things missing are GUI setups for speaker distances (for obvious reasons), extensive frequency/equalizer per channel beyond treble/bass/mid sliders (though some of the more expensive soundbars do have at least an 8-band for each channel), and LFE manipulation.