Fortunately my partner is very supportive of my hobby, even if it's an eyesore 🙂
The reason I started the thread though was simply because there is so much cut throat mainstream competition in this area that I felt it has become an option worth looking at? The bang for the buck becomes interesting?
I've been through my puritanical phase of hifi and now I'm happy to entertain other ideas.
Sorry, never heard decent soundbar. They all sound congested. Not much better than those awfull speakers inside the flat tv.
The only improvement is additional subwoofer, but even those are often not adequate.
Friend was complaining about his tv sound, i offered help. He has tiny soundbar with wireless subwoofer. Lets not mention name.
I offered to give him decent Yamaha receiver and some speakers. He refused, because soundbar was gift from girlfriend, he did not want to ger rid of it. So i opened the ~4" slim aluminium enclosure, to reveal, besides the electronics, even tinier smaller plastic enclosures for what looked like 2" fullranges. One for each channel, one center.
I disconnected the wires to the speakers, and installed new wires leading out of soundbar. Then i gave him highly efficient 6" faitalpro with selenium horn tweeter bookshelvs. Now he has sub turned up, to keep up with bookshelvs. Way better sound, balanced, dynamic, huge improvement. Yet he can still use remote and soundbar is still there.
Long story short, soundbars suck.
I believe you adason.
I'm wondering if the higher end options will be different though? Samsung are starting to offer much more expensive solutions? Sonos also have a good reputation?
Again, I'm no soundbar aficianado, just curious about the tech.
I believe the recent surge towards Spatial Audio remastering and ATMOS should be the leading indicator as to where Hifi is headed for both the compact portable and installation based systems. I’ve been in audio professionally as an engineer and as a hobbyist for nearly 35 years so I’ve experienced A LOT of systems and sounds. Recently we were invited to an ATMOS/Spacial audio mix/mastering suite and I can comfortably state that stereo is dead…..slaughtered actually by what discrete object audio is capable of. No quad gimmicks, no weird scaled processing with delay and reverb…..just jaw dropping soundstage and headroom.
If you’re looking for a change from room intrusive stereo hifi or wasting valuable ( and increasingly scarce) living space on a dedicated listening room, I strongly suggest you consider an Atmos install. A compact center and left and right combined with surrounds and 4 in ceiling Atmos speakers along with a pair of small but capable subs just wins out on all fronts when you combine the room coverage and efficiency of multiple sources with modest power.
If you’re looking for a change from room intrusive stereo hifi or wasting valuable ( and increasingly scarce) living space on a dedicated listening room, I strongly suggest you consider an Atmos install. A compact center and left and right combined with surrounds and 4 in ceiling Atmos speakers along with a pair of small but capable subs just wins out on all fronts when you combine the room coverage and efficiency of multiple sources with modest power.
I've never considered an atmos install but maybe I should go check one out, just for the sake of curiousity?
Too bad music sounds shite over such setups.
Upfront opinion for a moderator? 😉🤣
Just trying to keep an open mind and give other options a shot? What's the worst that could happen?
No moderator here. Yes an open mind is all you need of course but let's be fair: have you ever heard a soundbar or multichannel setup that sounds equal or better than an old fashioned good quality stereo setup for music (as opposed to films)?
To me soundbars are the worst that can happen to audio 🙂 Some play music over their TV without a soundbar which is an equally horrendous scenario and I quickly leave then.
To me soundbars are the worst that can happen to audio 🙂 Some play music over their TV without a soundbar which is an equally horrendous scenario and I quickly leave then.
Last edited:
High fidelity sound reproduction for music and video has always been a niche luxury market. It is expensive, it takes up a lot of floor space, and most people just don't care enough to make the commitment. Dolby Atmos will not change this, and if anything, a full Atmos installation will be even more of a niche luxury than high end stereo. In-wall and in-ceiling speakers require a significant remodel of the room, with in-wall routing of cables, drywall work, paint, and the intrusion of construction.
For an audio professional, who gets paid for working on today's content, stereo may be dead. For a lover of music and film, there is 70 years of content in the stereo library. Since 90% of the music produced in any given year is complete rubbish, it will take a long time to produce an Atmos library of music that is worth listening to.
For all the folks who don't care deeply about sound quality, a sound bar is an efficient way to go. A $300 sound bar is going to be much better than the TV speakers.
j.
For an audio professional, who gets paid for working on today's content, stereo may be dead. For a lover of music and film, there is 70 years of content in the stereo library. Since 90% of the music produced in any given year is complete rubbish, it will take a long time to produce an Atmos library of music that is worth listening to.
For all the folks who don't care deeply about sound quality, a sound bar is an efficient way to go. A $300 sound bar is going to be much better than the TV speakers.
j.
Even more pessimistic than I am 😀
The 90% rubbish is right. The time consuming trick is to filter out that 10%.
Maybe the thread title should be "Are soundbars the future for TV sound?" as I can not imagine stereo aficionados to buy a soundbar for music playback. Unless forced at gun point by their spouses of course.
The 90% rubbish is right. The time consuming trick is to filter out that 10%.
Maybe the thread title should be "Are soundbars the future for TV sound?" as I can not imagine stereo aficionados to buy a soundbar for music playback. Unless forced at gun point by their spouses of course.
Last edited:
Well I have a lot of faith in fellow men, it is that there are also women around. Just teasing, ladies. Without you we would not enjoy the miracles of Soundbars, Symfonisk and Sonos.
Last edited:
Soundbars answer the question: "How do I get decent sound out of a skinny LCD TV that has little speakers facing the wall?"
So for many people a soundbar is the present and the future.
For people that appreciate good audio? No.
"It sounds better than the TV" is not s valid endorsement for us. Yet technology marches on.
So for many people a soundbar is the present and the future.
For people that appreciate good audio? No.
"It sounds better than the TV" is not s valid endorsement for us. Yet technology marches on.
No kidding! I had to design my recent speaker project to match the living room furniture in size and finish. They came out looking and and sounding great... but I had constraints.
The one we have sounds night and day better. The Roku TV basically has laptop speakers in it. 😱
jeff