School me on sound bars

[Acesn8's]

I bought a 55" lcd last year and the speakers chupar el tiempo grande and my hearings shot too.

So I have been looking at sound bars online and really just want to enhance the tv's sound/volume can't really afford
a home theater system though the Bose solo is interesting but expensive (400.00).

My budget is about 250-275 what y'all think ?

 

[txinvestigator]

Heck, you can find complete surround systems with 5.1 surround and including the tuner/amp, speakers and subwoofer for less than $250.

I have seen the sound bars.............don't get it. ??

 

[Ericstac]

Many manufacturers are making them now. Polk, Artisan, Energy, Sony, JVC.. list goes on. Really it is more of finding your budget and then go listen to them in that budget and decide off what your ears tell you. All the above make good units.

they are a piece of cake to install.

 

[txinvestigator]

Many manufacturers are making them now. Polk, Artisan, Energy, Sony, JVC.. list goes on. Really it is more of finding your budget and then go listen to them in that budget and decide off what your ears tell you. All the above make good units.

they are a piece of cake to install.

What is the use of them? Do they replace a dedicated sound system?

 

[Ericstac]

What is the use of them? Do they replace a dedicated sound system?

we install them in open ceiling family rooms when the homeowner wants more audio out of their TV.

Also we will occasionally do them in Master bedrooms as well.

They do not replace a traditional surround sound system at all but it is the next best step and some do a fantastic job.. but if the room allows for it going the full system route is the best way.

 

[txinvestigator]

we install them in open ceiling family rooms when the homeowner wants more audio out of their TV.

Also we will occasionally do them in Master bedrooms as well.

They do not replace a traditional surround sound system at all but it is the next best step and some do a fantastic job.. but if the room allows for it going the full system route is the best way.

Yeah, in my downstairs family room we cannot get wires to the back wall without ripping out sheetrock or floors (no carpet). So if I did not want to run a 3.1 system like I do now, a sound bar could take its place?

 

[Ericstac]

Yeah, in my downstairs family room we cannot get wires to the back wall without ripping out sheetrock or floors (no carpet). So if I did not want to run a 3.1 system like I do now, a sound bar could take its place?

perfect example.

most sound bars come with a wireless sub as well for lower frequencies.

 

[txinvestigator]

perfect example.

most sound bars come with a wireless sub as well for lower frequencies.

Thank you.

 

[Bone]

The "virtual surround" technology is getting a lot better. Yeah, it won't be as good as speakers actually behind your head. But it's pretty good.

 

[Acesn8's]

I've seen where they claim a one wire connection but I have also read if you have a cable box it is different what's the skinny on that?

 

[TXARGUY]

My sound bar is a Samsung that connects to the TV via a fibre optic cable then to the sub (we call it the butt kicker) wirelessly.

Our living room is open with a high vaulted ceiling. That sound bar fills the room with so much sound it is amazing.

I'll never forget the first night after we had it installed. We're watching a movie just in awe at how that little bar was able to throw sound all around us. It wasn't long before we started worrying about the possibility that it might be disturbing the neighbors. I had to walk outside to see how it sounded and was further amazed at how little sound was getting outside (I had to strain to hear it right beside the house).

Sound technology had come such a long way in the time since we had bought our last TV that it is still amazing to me.

 

[Bone]

I've seen where they claim a one wire connection but I have also read if you have a cable box it is different what's the skinny on that?

Well, an HDMI cable can carry both video and audio. So if you have HDMI all the way around, it's one cable per input (cable box > HDMI to soundbar, blu-ray/DVD > HDMI to soundbar).

If not, you might have a video and an audio cable per input.

 

[alexVT]

I just got a Samsung sound bar with wireless sub from Costco This past weekend for around 250 (on sale I think) and it sounds pretty good. It's connected to my TV via lyrical cable, and sounds good with tv and xbox, plus I can stream music via bluetooth.

 

[Leper]

Be sure your tv and the soundbar have the same type of connections. I bought a Samsung bar for a Samsung tv and ended up having to use a mini jack cable. Crap sound. Make sure the tv output matches the speaker input.

 

[Acesn8's]

Be sure your tv and the soundbar have the same type of connections. I bought a Samsung bar for a Samsung tv and ended up having to use a mini jack cable. Crap sound. Make sure the tv output matches the speaker input.

My tv has both types hdmi and rca, does it make a difference in audio quality on which type you use ?

 

[Bone]

Yes! HDMI is going to be digital sound, RCA is analog. Like night and day.

 

[txinvestigator]

Rca and hdmi can both carry digital signals.

 

[Shuutr]

What brand of TV? I have a Panasonic tv and a Panasonic soundbar. With the right HDMI connection (ARC) you can control the soundbar with the tv volume button (one fewer remote).

 

[Shuutr]

And I think the soundbar and subwoofer were like $150

 

[Acesn8's]

What brand of TV? I have a Panasonic tv and a Panasonic soundbar. With the right HDMI connection (ARC) you can control the soundbar with the tv volume button (one fewer remote).

That's good to know , I've been looking online and the only one I've seen that can do that is the Zvox555.