Soundbars vs. Speakers: Which is Better?

Рет қаралды 64,957

Күн бұрын

There have never been better options for loudspeakers then today for setting up a home theater. But, people often wonder how a soundbar can compare to a discrete box speaker system. The soundbar category has evolved over the last decade making it a viable alternative to box speakers for even serious audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts. Entry level soundbars with amplifiers and DSP built in will greatly improve the sound compared to the internal TV speakers and are often a more budget friendly alternative to a discrete 5.1 speaker system. The passive soundbar allows the end user to buy a long vertical enclosure (customized to the size of the display) packed with very high quality components typically reserved for box speaker products. This also allows you to use the internal amplification of your AV receiver or separate power amp instead of the often limited power amps squeezed into a small enclosure also housing the speaker drivers. In this video, we explore the soundbar category and how it can compare to box speaker equivalents.
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#soundbar #loudspeakers #hometheater

Пікірлер: 155

@thudeets 3 жыл бұрын

Soundbars are a "lifestyle" solution, not an audiophile solution.

@crazybill42 3 жыл бұрын

I've had $3-4k in full surround syst, got tired of speakers everywhere always a pain hiding wires and I don't feel I miss a thing with my nakamichi 9.2.

@redrock425 3 жыл бұрын

This is good to hear. When I eventually update my TV I won't have room for a full speaker setup so a soundbar will work. Currently using Celestion 15 speakers and Pioneer amp from the 70's!

@chrisulmer3925 3 жыл бұрын

Well done! It's hard to be into something like audio for so long and to have spent huge amounts of time, energy and money to develop opinions on what works and what doesn't work and then to turn all of that personal history on its head. I bought a nice soundbar/sub for the bedroom and for the first time ever I managed to get my wife to buy into the whole audio thing. After it dawned on her that she can now hear details that truly make a difference to her listening pleasure, she's begun to come downstairs into the living room so see what she can hear on "that ridiculous money pit" of a system I've been constructing for the last 30 years. Now we watch a movie or a show or two almost every night in full hifi splendor after cooking and dining to our favorite tunes. Who the hell knew it would be a soundbar that would make my wife catch the bug?!?! Never underestimate this category of speaker system. There is a place for it and it is a glorious one. (First world problems. Amirite?!)

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

Great point and yet a good video topic for me to explore. thanks.

@khobia2 3 жыл бұрын

Chris Ulmer Awesome dude. Yeah the wives. Sigh.

@chrisulmer3925 3 жыл бұрын

@Farm Tech I hear what you're saying. My first problem is that there aren't any good HiFi shops around to listen to this stuff before buying. I got lucky because it worked in the bedroom. That's my second problem. As much as I hate to admit it, the room makes a difference. My cheap $200 Samsung soundbar sounds amazing in the bedroom but the Mark Levinson amps and B&W speakers that were incredible in the last house sound like hell in the living room of this house. You just can't make this stuff up.

@mzmz9355 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Gene for beggining of covering the topic of soundbars. I know they do exist, however would like to dig deeper to technology that they use /different approaches that maximaze the sound goal given the form/volume limitations.

@digitaldjrichieg 3 жыл бұрын

Gene, I couldn't agree more with you! I felt exactly the way you did about soundbars originally and I built a Home Theater with all speakers, then at the CES show in 2017, I experienced the Creative Labs Soundbar for the first time and it really opened my eyes (and ears!) to the fact that soundbars have gotten a lot better. I now have a Nakamichi Shockwafe Ultra 9.2 SSE soundbar and I love it!!! It has provided the best solution for my summer home and it was the easiest Home Theater setup I've ever done. The two 10" subwoofers really give it that extra kick I was looking for. You may want to do a review of the Nakamichi soundbar because in my opinion, it's one of the better ones!

@rand9994 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid Gene, the boys on r/hometheater will hate it. We moved into a house last year with a medium size U shaped living room. My wife has hated towers and stands in our living room our entire marriage so I told her I would buy an LCR sound bar and try it out. I looked at Klipsch, Def Tech , Atlantic Technology, and a whole bunch of others then came across the BIC FH56BAR. For $250??? Can't be good. Hardly anything about it anywhere as far as reviews, and it's been around for years. But on a whim I bought one thinking it would be temporary and OMG, this thing pumps sound like crazy. Voices are crystal clear, and with the speakers on the end the soundstage feels like it's about 8 or 9 feet wide (we're about 12 feet from it). I'm running it as only front and center and I'm telling you there is sorcery going on. It blends perfectly with my SVS sub too. Does it sound better than a dedicated front and center set up? No, but it doesn't sound worse either, especially in this room, even for music. I wouldn't recommend for a large room, but less than 400 sq ft and it's amazing.

@adamyelle4901 3 жыл бұрын

I picked up a used Leon passive soundbar recently, circa 2006 or so. That's my front three under the TV, then I have a sub and surround speakers. Along with using the DSP in the receiver it's honestly pretty impressive. A surprising benefit to this setup is that when watching 2 channel sources like KZfaq, the sound still appears to be coming from the TV, rather than so spread out and unnatural like it would be with a theater setup (unless you were to use something like prologic.) Here's the funny part though, my motivation wasn't to declutter the living room, instead this freed me up to add my dedicated 2 channel setup in the room without looking like a crazy amount of speakers going on. In the end it looks like a really clean 5.1 setup. Looking at the front wall you see three speakers, the floor standers and a long center channel, but that center I actually the sound bar that contains LCR. I can't get enough of this setup and would recommend it to anyone.

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

Leon makes really nice soundbars!

@Paulkatz123 3 жыл бұрын

Old school here.. but we put up old 2nd hand active studio monitors. Easy and brilliant

@greggcheap6208 3 жыл бұрын

To pay those suggested prices on sound bars when you can have seperates is crazy unless you live in a jail cell.

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

Or a master bedroom system that you still want great sound in but don't have a stud wall where the TV is going.

@greggcheap6208 3 жыл бұрын

@@Audioholics Please explain the lack of a stud wall ?

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

@@greggcheap6208 a drywalled exterior wall.

@waynebradley2 3 жыл бұрын

@@Audioholics Gene... that isn't the description of a stud wall. You're a genius at audio....not so much as a carpenter.😃😃

@jamesmchugo9422 3 жыл бұрын

Good to know. Thanks. 👍

@britainF1 3 жыл бұрын

What I’m wondering is whether or not soundbars are superior to a set of affordable in-walls up front, such as 3 Elac Debut in-walls. Sal, I’d love to hear your perspective on that one. Also high WAF, maybe even higher, more channel separation, etc.

@welderfixer 3 жыл бұрын

@Audioholics Gene, thanks for another super video and your opinion on products. The price of a good soundbar system is so close to an entry level 5.1(that you spec'd out) I think space and time is the biggest factor in the decision. When the exception of "WAF". Now, If someone is on a now far too common Covid-19 unemployment budget, connect the TV output to a stereo and enjoy far better sound. It's what most of us did 30+ years ago. If one can afford $150 - buy a Klipsch THX Pro Media computer 2.1 system and connect that. I tried it with mine and it was really good. However, the volume control is tricky.

@iscbts70 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent comparison! I have the GoldenEar SuperCinema 3D Array XL, along with a pair of SuperSat 3 Satellite Speakers for surrounds and one of their Force Field 5 subs thrown in, and it sounds amazing. It doesn't quite compete with separates, but it's pretty close. It sounds like... I didn't have to compromise. Even 2 channel music sounds great!

@DjJimbrowski 3 жыл бұрын

I have a SuperCinema XL too and can confirm that its not that much of a compromise!

@drgallup 3 жыл бұрын

EVEN BOSE! LOL, literally I did laugh out loud.

@JDG1971 3 жыл бұрын

If you buy a good soundbar, but also a good soundbar, yes, the certainties sound very good. But for me in my home theater, I prefer a good surround amplifier and high-end speakers. But there are indeed very good sound bars for sale now... Everyone has their own taste. Thank you for this video. As always nice and good ... Peace and love and of course High-end Home Theater and High-End Stereo. Greetings from the Netherlands Limburg Maastricht. ✌😘👌👍😉 And as always ... keep listening👂

@kingcrimson234 2 жыл бұрын

Soundbars have their place, but if you really want a no-compromise, theater-like experience, you have to do a real discrete speaker system, with quality speakers and a quality sub. No way around it, and there never will be a way around it.

@TheFandangovideoguy 3 жыл бұрын

Hey there...I need to downsize my speakers...sad but ok...How is the MartinLogan Motion SLM X3 speaker bar? Better than a Paradigm Millenia20 trio I used to have? any opinions? I would use a subwoofer of course....thanks

@richarddavidsson6877 3 жыл бұрын

what about the Sennheiser AMBEO 3D Home Audio Sound Bar?

@billwiley7216 3 жыл бұрын

Not much question is speakers are the best actual option for sound but in just about all cases a decent quality soundbar far exceeds the factory tv speakers where for whatever reasons separate speakers are not deemed to be an option. Adding even a smaller 10"sub if possible will do wonders to helping the overall sound quality of most soundbars as well.

@NES088 3 жыл бұрын

Which klipsch center channel speaker gives better sound quality, the RP-404c with quad 4" drivers? Or the RP-600c with dual 6.5" drivers? It would be paired with RP-600m L&R which have single 6.5" drivers.

@tananuraj 3 жыл бұрын

Is there a good soundbar arround 300-400$ which sounds good without subwoofer ? Having good bass ? I just like a minimalist look.

@analogguy5548 4 ай бұрын

I have a complete Sonos system, Arc, Gen 3 Subwoofer, and two One SL’s. I also Amazon Echo speakers in every room of the house, including a stereo pair + subwoofer. I also have a separate audiophile two channel system. Each system has its place. I give the Sonos system 9.5 out of 10 - fantastic system. Nobody gets 10 out of 10 🤠

@DCUPtoejuice 7 ай бұрын

I am pretty much settled on an AMBEO MAX for a second room install. I have a question for you. How much priority should I place on placing the Ambeo Max off the wall versus wall mounting to improve sound quality. In my 7.4.1 system I keep them off the wall, but I don't see advice on this regarding sound bars of reasonable quality like the max.

@oscar542241 3 жыл бұрын

Okay fun question, what if you price matched both soundbar and traditional speakers, which would be the best?

@mikedinno8413 3 жыл бұрын

What about mid bass though? Where would the crossover have to be set to the subwoofer? It's almost like the argument bookshelf vs towers only sound bars fall underneath bookshelves. Can they handle the cross being set at 80 and like I said where's the mid bass? Maybe sound bars are on the same level as little satellites like the NHT SuperZero? That would be pushing it, IMO.

@TassieLorenzo 3 жыл бұрын

Where does soundbar end and centre speaker begin? :) Some of these passive soundbars seem more like really wide centre speakers!

@DF-et4gs 3 жыл бұрын

When we wanted to make the living room more "family friendly" I moved the HT equipment to a dedicated space and installed a SB w/ sub in the living room. Really impressed, and the room gained in our main living space is fantastic. Sound bars definitely have their place.

@Paranimal86 3 жыл бұрын

yes they do... in the garbage can!🤣

@lockergr 3 жыл бұрын

What sound bar did you pick?

@DF-et4gs 3 жыл бұрын

@@lockergr I just went with a cheap-o Vizio 5.1. Honestly not bad considering the price point.

@ducamuk 3 жыл бұрын

I’ll be second. Thanks for the video, Gene. 👍

@rovd4433 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Very nice review. While soundbar surround sound system has really evolved, their main competitor being the traditional surround sound system has likewise evolved too. It all comes down to individual preference. For some who aren't sure, If you're lucky to be nearer to a technology store, try asking them if you could visit to listen to what a hi end soundbar surround sound system or a hi end traditional surround sound system sound like. Soundbar surround system is a smarter awesome sound quality option for non-audiophiles and people who just need a non hassle basic hifi system. However, if you're really into music, gaming or movie and you're too obsessed with tremendously impactful bass during movie scenes then soundbar surround sound system is truly not for you. They're extremely inferior when compared with a traditional surround sound system to be honest. Your best option is to go for a traditional surround sound system which produces terrific sound quality and upgrade options are unlimited.

@Zoranurai13 3 жыл бұрын

It’s all about that dsp. If only avr’s could dsp optimization as some soundbars can. I mean they can make 3” drivers produce freaking bass. Or the sennheiser bar that can outperform systems with a sub

@salehkambijo1849 3 жыл бұрын

budget av receiver vs budget soundbar dolby atmos what wuold u choose?

@SwirlingDragonMist 3 жыл бұрын

I've been using a polk magnifi max soundbar I got for my mom for Christmas. It does many things well, but the lower mids are lacking. I think it's just the physics of it being only 2" tall. It just needs more cone area, magnets etc. Interestingly it sounds best when the voice and bass are cranked to max, perhaps a phenomenon of the acoustics, but it seems to restore the vibrancy in the midrange that is otherwise a little bland. Anyway these sound bars are getting so big cause they have to, and It's kind of ridiculous that someone would find a vertical black box visually offensive, but not a horizontal one. It makes me feel like it's conditioning, or maybe something like cats being afraid of cucumbers. a vertical black object is like some kinda evolutionary fear of little black goblins. Perhaps related to bears.

@aleemkhalid1222 7 ай бұрын

I believe that gap is pretty much narrow when the room size is under 400 sqf & screen size under 100 inch. Anything above than av system is a clear winner.

@jaekamacho1416 3 жыл бұрын

while i do love and really enjoy my atmos set up, my vizio soundbar with a dedicated sub pre out was the perfect choice for the master bedroom. i added a spare klipsch subwoofer i had laying around and it sounds awesome for a soundbar set up.

@capnsnaxx 3 жыл бұрын

I didn't know the Vizio sound bar had a pre out for a sub. Which model do you have?

@jaekamacho1416 3 жыл бұрын

@@capnsnaxx its a small 2.0 soundbar, there's nothing special about about it no atmos hdmi and whatnot, it has a optical audio in so that's what i use.the main reason i bought it was because it was under $50 amazon refurb and it has a sub out. i think its called vizio 2.0 or something. its small, no more than 25 inches long so it was perfect for our bedroom and having a dedicated sub output is always a plus and surprising for a simple soundbar.

@capnsnaxx 3 жыл бұрын

@@jaekamacho1416 yeah that sounds like the perfect situation to have it for. I have something like that in my bedroom. It's LG sound bar that came with a sub. I was able to add the rear surrounds separate at a later date. It actually sounds pretty good too. In wouldn't use it for a large space though.

@DCUPtoejuice 7 ай бұрын

I have three dynaudio centers lined up as a soundbar with an AVR, so really it's just a blurring of the two categories.

@Ibhenriksen 3 жыл бұрын

Very very few soundbars have crisp highs, something that is important so that they don't sound too soft.

@thomassiegers3007 3 жыл бұрын

Best sounding atmos soundbar?

@Jyang-zv3ww 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! What do you think about the Dolby atmos Yamaha ysp-5600. Have you demoed that soundbar yet? It’s A bigger soundbar compared to the current ones. Thinking about buying one soon. Thanks!

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

Haven't heard the latest from Yamaha but their older YSP soundbars are really good for TV and movie applications for sure.

@carbonoxx 3 жыл бұрын

please review an sonos arc vs svs prime or elac bookshelves...........

@Clint3571 3 жыл бұрын

I would like to know where the crossover point is for price. I know that a $200 sound bar cannot be matched with a receiver and 5.1, but if you go up to $1,000 I would like to know how they compare.

@ourlittlecakery9177 3 жыл бұрын

Makes a lot of sense Gene. Yes it all depends on a person’s preference and situation. This video will help a lot of people make the right decision 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

@jjguillen65 3 жыл бұрын

I started with a soundbar Samsung Hw N950 7.1.4 because I didn't wanted cables laying around and because I rent an apartment. But now I want a full a/v and full speaker system.

@bigcrackrock 3 жыл бұрын

I was thinking while watching that this will probably happen to a lot of people that get soundbars. I got a stereo setup for my TV towards the end of the CRT era and I was kicking myself then for missing out on a big part of the experience for so long, back when most stock speakers weren't half as bad as they are now.

@jonmason1955 3 жыл бұрын

Gene, you're looking healthier each video! Good, simple and quick info 👍! Soundbars aren't for everyone. It depends on the size of your space. My vintage Advents prove amazing sans a soundbar. Amazing for only two large floor speakers. I tried a soundbar, hated it. That's when I rearranged my speaker placement and found the exact acoustic! You're 100% correct about TV sound. The emphasis is on the picture resolution and the sound concern is non existant!

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

thanks my friend. Been hitting the gym more to turn the COVID-19 fat into muscle ;)

@PrezidentHughes 2 жыл бұрын

I plan on getting a stereo receiver as a soundbar replacement. 99% of soundbars under $400 are only stereo anyway, but with less proficient drivers, aren't two-way, and can't stereo-image properly because of the fixed nature of the left and rights channels therefore they have to employ psychoacoustics which most TV's already have built-in anyway. So that's why I'm opting for a stereo receiver. Plus, I don't have the need for the many HDMI inputs, optical and coaxial inputs, and phono outputs of an av receiver. And a lot of lower tier av receivers have various HDMI problems anyway or you have to wait on "promised" functionality, so why bother, especially seeing as I'm not setting up a 3/5/7.1 surround system.

@dawinestrella191 3 жыл бұрын

So. Cables is a big WAF thing. Some videos of cable management would help.

@Clint3571 3 жыл бұрын

It is a pain, but you can easily hide them under the edges of the carpet, and you may just have to go to drilling holes in your house to really make them invisible. I spent a lot of time putting my receiver in another room and adding an outlet directly behind the TV and fishing speaker wires through the ceiling and walls, but in the end there were zero visible wires.

@StopWars420 2 жыл бұрын

What happened to the men in America. Pathetic.

@guinnster1 3 жыл бұрын

Good to see your neurons firing efficiently again. Is there going to be a more in depth video on this topic though?

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

sure if the views are good I will hit it harder. We just got done with our soundbar rating protocol and will be doing a video on that too. Share this video, get the views up!

@lockergr 3 жыл бұрын

@@Audioholics I'd like to know the best ones out there. I looked in-depth at this last year because I wanted to get a sound bar for my master bedroom. I never saw or read a review on most of those that you showed. I was looking up the highest end soundbar that I could get. 🤔🤷

@TylerStout 3 жыл бұрын

Biggest issue is that yes if you throw enough money at a problem you can overcome the laws of physics but at the same time taking that same money you would always get better sound. Sure there's a magic spot where you can't really get anything cheap enough new to counter the soundbar price but there's always the option to go used since AVRs and speakers don't go bad quick.

@rodlee2788 3 жыл бұрын

Fine if you have a decent size living room but what about a 10 x 15 living room apt?

@Ineedtotakeabreak 3 жыл бұрын

Sound bar for you 🙂

@karthickg2050 3 жыл бұрын

Hello to all the team of Audioholics. All the videos which I watched on your channel are awesome. I am Karthick from India. It would be great if you give me a guidance to purchase a good desktop speakers alternate to Bose companion 50. If the price range is similar to Bose Companion 50 is good else even a little more is also considerable if the output is great sound for KZfaq videos and amazon prime video, Netflix. How about Klipsch R 51 PM or Klipsch Soundbar as desktop speakers? Thank

@Audiodreamer192-24 3 жыл бұрын

Sound bars have come a long way but they will never be full range so for high res music there is no possible way a sound bar can compete in that regard.

@chrisd6736 3 жыл бұрын

Ha I literally had to make this decision today. Good timing!

@paulgyro 3 жыл бұрын

Dude me too! Klipsch Cinema 600 in the living room for wife acceptance factor.

@chrisd6736 3 жыл бұрын

Paul Widner- nice I ended up going with the Fives. Hopefully they are good. Wife originally wanted sound bar for main family room. I was like let’s see what else is out there.

@paulgyro 3 жыл бұрын

@@chrisd6736 I was considering those too but the cost was a little too high but I'd love to try them out.

@lockergr 3 жыл бұрын

@@chrisd6736 What are the _Fives_ - I'm new to all this.

@jackryder6732 3 жыл бұрын

What did you pick

@Untilitpases 2 жыл бұрын

The classic: "Don't tell me what to buy, tell me what you own" 😉

@johnalenwork53 3 жыл бұрын

5.1!

@joemarz2264 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah you can have good sound from a soundbar, but at 3-4 times the price of a similar quality 2 channel system. But for my mom's TV is OK though.

@nX3lemZ 3 жыл бұрын

WAF is the ultimate determinant factor. The USA market seems to pride itself in dedicated home theatre/cinema rooms. In South Africa we build with concrete primarily and let me tell you retrofitting to run wires would be very costly and in most cases inhibitive to the whole endeavor. Come to Soundbars. Traditionally the typical South African home housed an HTIB will ALL speakers placed at the front (yikes), including the surround speakers. With the introduction of soundbars, the setups are easier and much better on the eye. My wife HATES wires and we previously had an HTIB from Samsung with surround wires running underneath our carpet and surrounds sitting on top of the couch. She appreciated the immersive sound but HATED the wires so much she was willing to forgo the superior surround sound. That small HTIB packed up after a power surge, it was 4 years old. I bought a Samsung HW-Q90R. I might say, she loves it more than me...almost. Conclusion: It really depends on your setup and that most important factor WAF. Great topic, Great video!

@jackryder6732 3 жыл бұрын

You bet you are right

@5690467489056750 2 жыл бұрын

To me it still feels like go for a soundbar if you don't have space.

@pravinranchhod6446 3 жыл бұрын

Hands down no sound bar can ever touch a full speaker system why don't you do a test

@alienbeingYT 3 жыл бұрын

Speakers all the way!

@jamieslater8991 3 жыл бұрын

All depends on your room size. There's no point having a full 7.1 surround speaker package in a small living room. Not everyone has a large house. I live in a flat in the UK & I'm using a soundbar & rear speakers & Subwoofer. That sounds excellent for my needs. Now, if you live in a large room, then go for those full speaker packages. Simple really.

@MrDante10no 3 жыл бұрын

WAF is the most important factor. If it is low, you are out of luck buddy. 🙂

@bradthurkle7217 3 жыл бұрын

Sound bars are brilliant. I have 2 klitch sounds bars. They rock.

@dominus519 3 жыл бұрын

Maybe i'm oldschool but i like the look of a good speaker way better than a soundbar even if the quality was equal...

@user-gz6tx6yp3v 3 жыл бұрын

Why are people not considering wall hanging speakers like soundframe or discreet wall install? Sound bars just don't cut it.

@eliglbe 3 жыл бұрын

It REALLY depends on the quality of speakers you buy...

@mikes361 3 жыл бұрын

Good video but the t-shirts are getting a little tight might want to step it up to the 2X 💪

@avgeek8810 3 жыл бұрын

Of course speakers is always better, I would only choose a soundbar if I don’t had space or budget.

@PrezidentHughes 2 жыл бұрын

Wife Acceptance Factor? 🤣🤣 I'm sure she will be enjoying the sound quality as well.

@crazybill42 3 жыл бұрын

Nakamichi 9.2 rocks

@DjJimbrowski 3 жыл бұрын

I almost didn't watch this video because I anticipated you would say sound bars are terrible. I think that sound bars can be an excellent solution for some rooms. I have a room that is extremely difficult to place speakers in. I went with a GoldenEar SuperCinema 3D XL with SuperSat 50's for surrounds and an SVS SB16U and it sounds awesome!

@sirdan357 3 жыл бұрын

I don't get the point of a passive soundbar at all. The whole benefit of a soundbar to me is having an all-in-one unit that you can just plop down in front of your TV and be done with it without having to run wires to an AV receiver.

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

Passive soundbars often have better quality drivers and the amps in your receiver are usually better than internal active soundbar amps. Passive soundbar allows you to still have a mostly discrete theater system with an AVR at heart of it.

@DCUPtoejuice 7 ай бұрын

let's go with discrete speakers all connected together into a giant bar.

@Ailurophile900 3 жыл бұрын

man i came judgmental and left educated, I loved this

@jaredhylton6591 3 жыл бұрын

Soundbars are like any other area in audio. First they have inherent characteristics and problems that must be overcome. These are different than a true surround sound system, but both have them. Second, there is a huge variety of designs and quality levels. Which means there is absolute junk, and some truly audiophile grade items, and of course everything in between. This is again true of soundbars and conventional systems. Third there are many different solutions to the issues that the footprint of these create. Some solutions range from ignoring (or worse yet making things worse trying to solve them) to ingenious that make you wonder how did they do that. This is again true of both soundbars and conventional systems. Fourth, and this is where we get some separation. While every system has compromises and issues that must be overcome, I think it is apparent that a soundbar form factor lean towards WAF and must overcome those compromises from a performance perspective. Conventional systems usually have less performance compromises, but have more WAF issues. Fifth, simply, the soundbar is still a newer system and companies haven't spent as many years engineering them, but in the last 5 years or so it is plain to see that some serious improvements have been hitting. This is really long, so I will wait and go over specifics in a later post.

@jaredhylton6591 3 жыл бұрын

So with less performance compromises and many more years of development, on average you should be able to get better performance per dollar from conventional surround sound systems. This is pretty close to an absolute fact at this point. However, what about when we add WAF to the equation? Well then soundbars can be the best overall option, and great news, you can still have audiophile grade sound, you just have to be even more careful to do so. I present for review the best soundbar that I have ever experienced. It was a custom built unit that was about 5 feet wide, 8 inches deep and about 9 inches tall. At the far left it had the tweeter, then mid/bass woofer then port from a Paradigm Studio 20 v4. The right mimicked this and the center had a Paradigm Studio 490 v5 driver allotment, but it was sealed. The entire unit was made by a furniture maker out of beautiful, solid Walnut. Each "speaker had its own chamber. It was a passive LCR soundbar like Gene mentioned here. I bought it for $1,200, but never could find a home for it, so I eventually gave it to my good friend as a wedding present. It is the centerpiece of their living room with Paradigm surrounds, sub, and an Onkyo receiver. The entire cost of the system was $2k and it is absolutely audiophile grade. I could beat it sonically for the same money with a conventional system, but not by much and his wife would be very sad, because the current soundbar is gorgeous and keeps the floor space clear in the front of the room.

@jaredhylton6591 3 жыл бұрын

Next up, a Paradigm Millenia 20 trio. This served as my mains and center for about a year. Like the unit from my previous post it is a passive LCR, but unlike it, it had a more typical soundbar footprint. When new it was $1,200, but can now be purchased for around $400 used. The way we had our living room set up at the time there were no options for conventional front speakers, so this was my compromise. I paired it with a pair of Paradigm 90p speakers that doubled as surrounds and subs (amazing speakers by the way) that I picked up for $300. With a receiver the total came to just under $1k. While the sound fell a little short of my friend's, I simply had no room for that monster as there is only about a 4 foot wide and 6 inch tall space available for me to use. Once again, with careful shopping I could have beaten it with a conventional system at the same price, but it was very competitive, and conventional simply wasn't an option.

@jaredhylton6591 3 жыл бұрын

So then my wife decided that the receiver sitting on top of her very nice country style crate filled with candles was less than stellar and asked if I could do anything to eliminate that. My first thought was to drill a small hole in the floor in the front and back of the room to run all the wires and place the receiver in the rear of the room. There had to be a better way, right? So I started researching fully powered soundbars about this time last year. I was skeptical, but I did have a conventional sound system that I loved in the "entertainment room" so I decided to go all in (on WAF in the living room) and get one. I wanted to spend no more than $500 and figured I was looking at quite a downgrade. I am quite a fan of the DTS Play-Fi wifi audio ecosystem so I focused on their options. After reading a lot of reviews I decided to try Martin Logan's Vision X and snagged one brand new open box excellent at Best Buy for $450 (retail was over $1,500). I added a wireless rear speaker soundbar kit and wireless sub kit to allow the aforementioned 90p speakers as surrounds and subs. To my shock the system sounded even better than the passive LCR based system. I really don't think that I could beat this system sonically for the $800 I had in it, it was truly amazing. It was awesome from a WAF factor too. However, the rear wireless kit was a bit quirky to use and I finally ditched the 90p surrounds and subs and replaced the sub with a Martin Logan Dynamo 1000w. It paired wirelessly to the Soundbar out of the box and at $300 used on eBay was a fine choice. My wife hadn't minded the 90p much, but this did improve the WAF even more, but losing surrounds and going to a single sub hurt the sound, but usability shot up and sound was still great even as a 3.1.

@jaredhylton6591 3 жыл бұрын

So after all of these posts I say that soundbars can be part of an audiophile grade system, and at certain budgets and with the right deals can sometimes even be the best option sonically. Typically a conventional system can beat a soundbar at similar budgets sonically, but again not always. I still prefer conventional systems and no longer use a soundbar myself (we recently switched the living room around allowing me to go with a full Paradigm 5.2), but I view them as a very viable option with careful choosing for the right circumstances. They can even be audiophile, and while movies are usually their strong point, some can even make beautiful music!

@jaredhylton6591 3 жыл бұрын

Admittedly, many soundbars are absolute junk, and many more are just not that good. However, anyone that immediately dismisses all of them with blanket statements clearly lacks all the information, or has an agenda.

@lexiewilkinson9703 3 жыл бұрын

i bought the bose 700 soundbar kit with 2 subs for another room and seriously it sound crazy good idk how they put such sound in a bar and small drivers.... soundbar are a good option for a guest room or bedroom, or a small living room condo appt etc,,

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

The newer Bose soundbars are shockingly good. Kudos.

@vaclavvysoky7421 3 жыл бұрын

@@Audioholics I also have the Bose 700 soundbar, 700 bass module and the 700 surround speakers. And it really sounds incredible when setup wel.

@isaacsykes3 3 жыл бұрын

You forgot about GoldenEar...

@capnsnaxx 3 жыл бұрын

I was about to say this.

@Tearial311 3 жыл бұрын

I have a Klipsch soundbar in my living room with a sub. It sounds really nice. Home Theater is in the basement

@stephenrobotham1510 3 жыл бұрын

Holy crap, am I first?

@xanderguldie 3 жыл бұрын

"Wife acceptance factor lol! My wife knew what she was getting into. Sho no small shitty speakers for me.

@WDFH 3 жыл бұрын

Ive always wanted a Bose system. Is there anything on the market that can compare to Bose for half the price or even less?

@ianwhittenton3723 3 жыл бұрын

You trolling?

@mahumike7531 3 жыл бұрын

im no expert by far but always had too good an ear. seems to me most pros love to hate Bose. Im re-doing my system so my stuffs old now but i always had AMAZING luck with BIC speakers. And theyre practically free.

@MrDante10no 3 жыл бұрын

If you can find Harman/Kardon HKTS 60 or 65. Add one more HKTS 220/230 SUB diagonaly placed. In my small apartment it sounds freakin amazing. Better than IMAX theater I been to. 🙂👍

@andreasmoller9798 3 жыл бұрын

You can get way better sound than bose for the same money, bose is the brand that cant compete with the rest of the market

@Bradimus1 3 жыл бұрын

Soundbars are last resort.

@Audioholics 3 жыл бұрын

Yes but they can still be a good last resort.

@lordw9609 3 жыл бұрын

Depends on someone's situation, could be the only resort, could be best resort. Bedroom in my previous apt had no floor space for speakers, not allowed to wall mount, but I was able to place a bar on top of the tv stand and wireless sub tucked in a corner. Now in a house so the bar/sub is moving into the garage (where I'll crank it more than I ever did in the bedroom), bedroom getting my old 5.1 Onkyo theater in a box, living room now has Denon/Klipsch 5.2.4.

@Bradimus1 3 жыл бұрын

To be honest, I always had an electronics nerd soft spot for the Yamaha sound projector. Though I never heard one in person.

@CanuckFluter 2 жыл бұрын

I will never buy soundbars.

@gregrichard9192 3 жыл бұрын

Can't see how a sound bar could be better than a dedicated home theater system. If someone choose a sound bar because of limited space all well and good, but that doesn't mean they'll get quality sound. IMO if space is an issue get a 3.1 Two bookshelves for left and right and a center channel and one sub. No sound bar could beat that

@MobileDecay Жыл бұрын

I'm no audiophile but Soundbars are terrible. Especially if you want to listen to music. Speakers can do everything a soundbar can do and even for less. I bought a soundbar for over $100. and it sounded horrible. I spent $60. on some speakers and $20. for an amp and it sounded way better. I have never heard a soundbar that was good for music. I know people who have way more expensive soundbars than I had and if you play music out of them it sounds like a wind tunnel.

@andreasmoller9798 3 жыл бұрын

Speakers wins easily for me, their is no soundbar that can compete with a floorstander or bookshelf when you listen to music

@jamieslater8991 3 жыл бұрын

It all depends on your room size & living arrangements. You can't stick a full 7.1 speaker package in a small living room. Not everyone lives in a big house or big living room. 👍

@andreasmoller9798 3 жыл бұрын

Jamie Slater thats why bookshelf exist works great in smaller to medium rooms, i don’t live in a house, i live in an apartment, my room is 25m2 i use a pair of floorstanders, and i love It, if i had a smaller space i would buy bookshelfs

@jamieslater8991 3 жыл бұрын

@@andreasmoller9798. I've already got myself an excellent 2 channel hifi separate system. Don't need anymore little bookshelf speakers in my flat. So I purchased a soundbar & rear speakers & subwoofer to go with my 55inch C9 OLED. That my friend is perfect for my living situations. Like I said, my room is only 15ft by 10ft. Don't need more wires floating about. Plus I obviously don't play music through my soundbar. Only movies & gaming. Got my hifi for my tunes. But I do understand where you're coming from, speakers are usually the first choice. 👍

@andreasmoller9798 3 жыл бұрын

Jamie Slater i know some people have 2 seperate systems for movies and music, but i can’t do that, as i don’t have room for It or money, so i but my hole budget on my only main system

@jamieslater8991 3 жыл бұрын

@@andreasmoller9798. Yeah! I do understand what you mean my friend! If you have a tight budget, go for a setup like yours. 👍 Which is a fantastic idea. I already had my hifi separates way before I purchased my TV & soundbar. If you're happy, that's all what matters. Because I definitely am. I think you're aswel. Yeah? 👍 Enjoy your weekend my friend! ✌

@neilkaye081 3 жыл бұрын

Not even a question it’s speakers

@jamieslater8991 3 жыл бұрын

It all depends on your room size & living arrangements. Not everyone lives in a house or big house with plenty of living room space. So a full speaker package won't go. Obviously you'd go for a speaker package if you live in a decent size room. But most don't. 🤷‍♂️

@amith0tube 2 жыл бұрын

Wife acceptance factor bwahaha lol

@channelofstuff6662 Жыл бұрын

soundbars are garbage for the price of the best sound bar you can buy a better reciever, even jbl bluetooth speakers sound better than a sound bar.

@ulamss5 3 жыл бұрын

a lot of USA-centric opinions here... in many countries, soundbars from big brands like Samsung/LG/JBL are the only way to get reasonable 5.1+ without spending over 2k.

@ikchime9768 2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha! Wife acceptance factor

@SSJBen 3 жыл бұрын

UNFORTUNATELY, people are buying soundbars with 50 drivers in them because they want to say "look I have Atmos". Yes, people are buying soundbars with upfiring drivers. If you look at the soundbar market, that's where the market is heading towards.