Soundbar advice.................

[190]

This won't be for the OP or perhaps even anyone but it does work.

Every time I buy a flat screen TV I take the back off, disconnect the internal speakers, extend the wires out to the exterior of the TV and connect them to a pair of small bookshelf HiFi Speakers which I already have several pairs of. I have nothing but the TV to switch on, one remote control and I get a big improvement in sound quality for basically nothing. The wiring mods are reversible.

 

[del320]

I always believed conventional wisdom was that taking the back off a television would result in you going up in a blue flash...

 

[bob6600]

Sonos Playbar is the one

After testing different models in Currys and Costco, the Playbar gave the best sound. It was over my budget but my man maths kicked in and I bought it. Ne regrets, the sound is brilliant! I would love the sub too and nearly pulled the trigger around Black Friday but managed to resist...for now anyway

 

[John]

Someone I used to work with swore by Yamaha sound bars (the ones with directional speakers).

I did hear it and it did sound great but then I've nothing to compare it too.

I'm happy with my 2.1 setup as it sounds perfect to me, and I'm not sure I would get the value from a soundbar, but I would go for one with multiple speakers which you setup as the Yamaha was very convincing (and I don't want my lounge to look like Richer Sounds).

 

[John]

I always believed conventional wisdom was that taking the back off a television would result in you going up in a blue flash...

Only on the old Cathode Ray Tube sets which were lethal where the gun was.

 

[190]

I always believed conventional wisdom was that taking the back off a television would result in you going up in a blue flash..

Regardless of how big or expensive a modern TV is you would be surprised how little there is inside, just a few small circuit boards and nothing unsafe but in any case I don't do it when they are switched on.

 

[ToeKnee]

I know it's too late now (in Mexico so only on wifi occasionally) but my sound bar is from sky, made by a well known French HiFi specialist and sounds fantastic too.

 

[whitenemesis]

Soundbars are a compact, convenient improvement over the standard sound offering of modern TVs but IMHO are no match for a true 5.1 surround sound system.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Soundbars are a compact, convenient improvement over the standard sound offering of modern TVs but IMHO are no match for a true 5.1 surround sound system.

Agree but don't believe that sound bars are intended as a real alternative and are certainly far more convenient.

I first purchased a high-end (for then) surround sound system in the late 80s - the first sub-woofer we had (IIRC a Yamaha) was about 3'x2'x1' - massive - wires up the wall into the ceiling for the rear speakers, massive wires (I used monster cable for my first setup) to the front speakers etc have been through a few since then.

SS is nice for the right movies but I've never missed it..

These days most of the stuff I watch does not really need surround sound I find them more of a faff (all the wires and equipment) than anything else and abandoned them about 10 years ago (probably when sound bars became available).

 

[Mancstar]

After testing different models in Currys and Costco, the Playbar gave the best sound. It was over my budget but my man maths kicked in and I bought it. Ne regrets, the sound is brilliant! I would love the sub too and nearly pulled the trigger around Black Friday but managed to resist...for now anyway

Really interested in adding the sub to the set up although I don't think ill ever use it to its full potential. The wireless mesh system they use is excellent.

Don't use the bar for the TV though, have a TV stand with a built in soundbar, it looks discreet and blends in well.

 

[Neiltodd]

Someone I used to work with swore by Yamaha sound bars (the ones with directional speakers).

I did hear it and it did sound great but then I've nothing to compare it too.

I'm happy with my 2.1 setup as it sounds perfect to me, and I'm not sure I would get the value from a soundbar, but I would go for one with multiple speakers which you setup as the Yamaha was very convincing (and I don't want my lounge to look like Richer Sounds).

I found Yamaha pretty good too

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Thanks.

Have purchased a Sonos beam

How do you like it?

Will be buying a soundbar or base shortly and cannot decide whether a Beam or Play will work best for me.

I'm not very likely to play much music on it but was watching Baby Driver on my laptop with headphones on recently and was blown away with the sound quality so would be ace to replicate that in my TV room.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Agree but don't believe that sound bars are intended as a real alternative and are certainly far more convenient.

I first purchased a high-end (for then) surround sound system in the late 80s - the first sub-woofer we had (IIRC a Yamaha) was about 3'x2'x1' - massive - wires up the wall into the ceiling for the rear speakers, massive wires (I used monster cable for my first setup) to the front speakers etc have been through a few since then.

SS is nice for the right movies but I've never missed it..

These days most of the stuff I watch does not really need surround sound I find them more of a faff (all the wires and equipment) than anything else and abandoned them about 10 years ago (probably when sound bars became available).

We did away with our full surround sound system a few years ago too. Mrs D wasn’t keen on speakers all over the place. After some research we went for a Denon soundbase and the sound is fantastic, and probably just as good 99.999% of the time.

I dare say that when turned up to 9 or 10 tenths then a full surround system is better, but we never do. We’re watching Jurassic Park as I type and it’s doing a great job. We have a few of them now.

 

[219]

The most impressive soundbar system I ever heard was the Bose 1 SR , but then it was something like £1400 when I saw it on demo in Currys a few years ago .

CineMate® 1 SR home cinema speaker system - Bose® Product Support

Not wishing to spend that much , and being unimpressed with cheaper offerings in the shops , I kept my eye on the used market for something reputable and at a good price .

I finally spotted a JBL SB400 system for sale locally on Gumtree , went round to audition it and gladly paid the sellers asking price of £100 . Not quite as good as the Bose but actually very close .

Cinema SB400 | Bluetooth Soundbar Speaker with Wireless Subwoofer

JBL Cinema SB400 review | What Hi-Fi?

What the review above does not mention is that the bar has a learning function , so that it will power on and off along with the TV , and learns the volume commands from the TV remote , so no need to use the separate remote . Although the bar does have three HDMI inputs , I don't use them and just feed the bar from the optical output on my TV ( I switched off my Samsung TV's internal speakers in one of the menus ) , thus the soundbar just reproduces whichever source is selected on the TV , while I don't get on screen graphics , this doesn't bother me . The review mentions lip-sync issues , but the TV menu has an option for adjusting the delay of the audio out , something that was not covered in the review . The wireless subwoofer was easy to set up , with variable level and crossover controls on the back , and the soundbar has a 'quasi surround' mode which can make sound appear to come from around the room - it is a matter of personal preference .

While the SB400 is no longer current , JBL do still offer home cinema products , such as the BAR 5.1 which is on sale direct from them for £499 . I expect my comments above will apply to this unit too .

JBL Bar 5.1 | 5.1-Channel 4K Ultra HD Soundbar with True Wireless Surround Speakers

If you don't want the wireless rear speakers , there's a 3.1 version too , at £399

JBL Bar 3.1 | 3.1-Channel 4K Ultra HD Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer


If the SB400 I have is anything to go by , it will be excellent .


Besides the JBL system , which is just for watching TV , I recently acquired a KEF PSW200 subwoofer from a KEF 5.1 system ; got for nothing because of a power supply fault letting hum through , suspect faulty caps . When I get a chance to look at it , I'll see if I can fix it , then might use it as a low level extension to my Quad Electrostatic ESL63s , which are very nice but sometimes lack the very lowest frequencies - marrying dynamic subs to electrostatics though is never going to be easy .

 

[bob6600]

I would love the sub too and nearly pulled the trigger around Black Friday but managed to resist...for now anyway

Well couldn't resist when it went on offer a couple of weeks ago. Difference is night and day!

 

[DSM10000]

Update:

I have just aqcuired the Sonos Sub woofer to add to the Beam. Arrived about an hour ago, took 5 minutes from removing it from the well thought out pakaging to having it setup with the Beam, registered with Sonos, updates checked for and calibration run.

Whilst the Beam is excellent and I am sure most people would be happy with it the addition of the Sub brings out so much more from music / TV.

The Sub itself is beautifully made with a very solid construction (it weighs 16Kg) and is very powerful I currently have it set to -1 (scale is -3,, -2, -1, 0 +1, +2,+3). and have it placed behind a Sofa approximately 3 metres from the Beam but the sound is not at all directional and becomes much more enveloping.

For those interested many places currently have it on offer for £100 off retail @ £599 I have also spotted it at £565 with one seller EBay.

Amazon also have an offer of paying for it over 5 months interest free @£119.80 / month and Richer Sounds have it at the £100 off retail and with a 6 year warranty

 

[Mancstar]

Richer Sounds have it at the £100 off retail and with a 6 year warranty

I would go with Richer Sounds over all others everyday, especially since Julian Richer (owner) handed control of the company to his staff and boxed them of with a grand for each years service, much salutes to him!
P.s. I'm well jealous of your new addition! I may add a standard Sonus 1 to my set up, needed for another room.
Ive heard Ikea speakers are Sonus inside!? If so may just get down Ikea!

 

[DSM10000]

I would go with Richer Sounds over all others everyday, especially since Julian Richer (owner) handed control of the company to his staff and boxed them of with a grand for each years service, much salutes to him!
P.s. I'm well jealous of your new addition! I may add a standard Sonus 1 to my set up, needed for another room.
Ive heard Ikea speakers are Sonus inside!? If so may just get down Ikea!

I bought it from Richer Sounds I like their ethos in all aspects of business.

Intersting re Ikea speakes, I recall hearing something similar and will be adding another pair of wireles speakers to this t some point plus I would like to add a pair of the built in speakers to the kitchen ceiling at some point, when we had the rebuild I had cables and conduit laid in the ceiling void.