Home Theater / Soundbar Recommendations

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barlowc

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Hi guys. I recently moved into a new home and am rethinking my setup. Maybe you can provide some recommendations?

My traditional stereo receiver/amplifier and Bose Acoutimass 6 Series II speaker setup seems more complicated and messy than what I'd like. I'd prefer a relatively simple and self-contained setup that will...

a) Provide an enhanced listening experience to my 55" flat-screen TV.

b) Allow me to stream music from my phone/tablet.

c) Fit my 14' x 18' living room well and carry to the adjacent kitchen, etc.

Bose has never disappointed me and I was looking at their CineMate 10 which I can get at Costco for $400, and their Solo 15 which I can get on Amazon for $400.
 
Is the TV wall mounted? If so, you probably want a shallow depth soundbar that doesn't stick out past the TV depth, for aesthetic reasons.

Polk makes some good ones that are also shallow depth. Comes with a decent size subwoofer, too (as far as soundbar systems go).

http://amzn.com/B00GFXTDAE

We used to have an older version of this wall-mounted in our bedroom, under a 55" TV. It worked quite well.
 
The TV will be wall-mounted, but I'll have an entertainment stand/credenza/shelf below it that will accommodate something deeper like the Bose Solo.
 
I decided I needed a soundbar last year because I just coudn't hear voices anymore without turning the volume up too loud. Did a lot of research before deciding on a ZVOX Soundbase. Got a ZVOX SoundBase VT420 on sale as an Open Box special from Amazon. Normally $300, I got it for $125. It's AWESOME! It has a 5.25" built-in sub-woofer, two tweeters and three mid-range speakers.

The ZVOX has a feature called 'dialogue enhancement' that uses hearing-aid technology to reproduce voices accurately. It basically boosts the mid-range frequency without raising the overall volume. It works great. When I listen to music I turn off the dialogue enhancement and set it for surround sound, which is surprisingly good. It also has an output levelling setting to tone down loud commercials.

All of ZVOX's R&D goes into their soundbases because that's all they make. They don't make TV's, stereo systems, washing machines, refrigerators... and soundbars on the side. They're close if not better than high end soundbars for a fraction of the price. These things are well-built out of MDF cabinetry wood, not plastic, which helps with the resonance.

If you're an audiophile, it's obviously not going to be as good as an amplifier with quad speakers and a subwoofer, but it's as close to audiophile sound as you're likely to get from a single unit. This thing took me five minutes to set up, and it also responds to the TV and DVD player remotes.
 
Originally Posted By: barlowc
but CNET's review of the Pioneer SP-SB03 is very favorable, as is Digital Trends' review of the same.

There is only so much you can do with 4" woofers, regardless of how good the enclosure is. If you like some punch in your movies, you're probably better off with one of the systems that features a dedicated subwoofer. The larger, the better.

Honestly, if you're going to have a credenza sitting below the TV, taking up space anyway, then you might as well get a proper HT receiver with 2 quality bookshelf speakers and a decent sub sitting somewhere in the corner. It'll beat any of these soundbars when it comes to audio quality and volume. The soundbars may be OK for TV watching, but they suck big time when it comes to music, IMO.
 
I've been pleased with this Vizio unit we got last year for our family room. This one is older and may be outdated compared to some of the others recommended above but it also was a CNET top choice for 2013. The sound is quite good.


Vizio S4251 5.1 channel with 42 inch soundbar, wireless subwoofer and two wired satellite speakers for the rear or wherever. The system is just under $200 @ Amazon.

http://www.vizio.com/s4251wb4.html
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
There is only so much you can do with 4" woofers, regardless of how good the enclosure is. If you like some punch in your movies, you're probably better off with one of the systems that features a dedicated subwoofer. The larger, the better.

You may be right. Tom's Guide's Best Sounds 2015 review rated the Yamaha YAS-203 as it's best overall soundbar. It has a separate wireless sub. The CNET review is also very favorable.

Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
I've been pleased with this Vizio unit... Vizio S4251 5.1 channel with 42 inch soundbar, wireless subwoofer and two wired satellite speakers

That was Tom's Guide's best surround soundbar.

The good news is that with everything you guys have pointed me to, there seems to be a lot of very good options for less than $300.
 
I'm a fan of the ZVOX units but I think it comes down to what you're emphasis and preferences are...if Bruce Willis and Schwarzenegger appear on your screen often, and audiophile SQ is what you're striving for, then you'd probably be better off with a unit containing a separate subwoofer with a bar or multiple speakers.

The beauty of the ZVOX to me is it greatly improves dialog and bottom end while also improving sound quality in a self-contained unit. My admitted bias is that many of the sound bar/sub units sound like boom and sizzle [censored] to me ( some with placement issues ) where the ZVOX is more of a unified whole..albeit w/out the ultimate SQ or punch of the more expensive units, but still very good. Like you said, there are many options...and several good ones under $300.
 
Whatever you decide on, if you can wait until the first week or two in January when people return unwanted Christmas presents you can get a great deal on an Open Box Special at Amazon.
 
I've found that I don't like the sound of voices from drivers smaller than about 6 inches in diameter.

I understand that today, people will sacrifice all sorts of sound quality to get a compact and tidy system. And settle for something "good enough".

There is a reason Honda and Toyota are so popular. They make good cars. Common drivers are not enthusiasts, yet they flock to quality equipment. Do the same with your audio equipment. Purchase something of high quality, with enough audio HP to satisfy your needs.
 
I have one of the older top of the line (back then) ZVOX units. It has 5 drivers in front and two bottom firing subs. This was prior to blue tooth being offered. The 50" Panasonic Plasma (heavy) sits right on top of it. This "soundbar" is built like a tank.

With DirecTV the HD channels are lacking in volume but this makes all the difference in the world with the voice enhancement feature. Want to watch a DVD? Turn off all the enhancement features and just crank this thing up, it fills the room. I hardly ever use my 5.1 surround system anymore. It does get better as it breaks in just like any speaker.

I've no doubt the new units are even better than this one.
 
OP Update: I pulled the trigger and ordered a ZVOX SOUNDBASE.570. $300, no tax, and free shipping ordered direct from ZVOX. They offer a 60-day money-back guarantee. "Try the system in your home — with your movies and music. If you don't love it, return it." Once I receive it, get it hooked up, and have used it a bit I'll post back.
 
I did, and I like it! It's a quality product and fits my setup perfectly.



As expected, the sound is not what you would get from a full home theater system. It doesn't have that same spacious all-around-you kind of sound and doesn't have the bass that you would get from speakers with larger drivers and/or a separate sub.

However, it still sounds great. It connected to my TV with a single optical cable. I turned the TV's speakers off and went through the very simple remote programming procedure. Now when I turn on/off the TV, the soundbase turns on/off with it. And the volume and mute controls on my TV remote control the soundbase. It's a simple integrated setup that doesn't require multiple remotes.

What I'm amazed at is the clarity and depth of the sound. For example, I watched Top Gun and could hear the jet engines so clearly behind the music. It was just a matter of what I focused my hearing on. Similarly, when watching Monday Night Football last night, I could hear the play calls behind the announcers.

Bluetooth streaming of music from my phone works great too. I had a small party the other night and got a lot of compliments on the setup and the sound that it produced.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Looks great. Does it give you an option of connecting an external sub, if you wanted to (in the future)?

Yep... there's an external sub connection. That was one of the things that appealed to me about this ZVOX unit. I can add bass if I need/want it.
 
I was checking those ZVOX units out, they check all the boxes for me. Unfortunately my TV has feet and the ZVOXs are too tall to fit underneath.
 
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