Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

**aholbert32** · 08-20-2012, 04:11 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Funny you just posted that.

I just downgraded from a Onkyo 5.1 surround system to the LG soundbar you posted. I moved in with my fiance so I have alot less room than I had before. The LG is pretty good. The bass is strong enough if you are in a medium sized room. I'd even argue that its decent for a big room. I bought two. One for my office and one for the living room and the one in the living room sounds good. Decent bass and good mid and high range.

I bought a Sony soundbar before the LG one and returned it because the mid range was horrible. It was especially bad on sports video games where the crowd sounded like it was in a tunnel. If you dont get the LG, I would go with the Sammy if you want to stay in the 200-300 price range.

23 · 08-20-2012, 04:41 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Yeah I dont want to spend too much, just want to know how good is the simulated surround on these things?

I wouldn't mind going with the LG system, especially since its not on the high end of what I want to spend.

Does yours hook up via optical cable or hdmi?

**GAMEC0CK2002** · 08-20-2012, 07:22 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Originally posted by 23

Yeah I dont want to spend too much, just want to know how good is the simulated surround on these things?

I wouldn't mind going with the LG system, especially since its not on the high end of what I want to spend.

Does yours hook up via optical cable or hdmi?

I'd go with the Sammy. It's the sweet spot in terms of price and number of inputs. You only get optical on the LG.

I am curious as to how good those wireless subs are.

**techhokies** · 08-20-2012, 09:17 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Only have experience with the LG one out of all of these but I think that's a really good sound bar for the price. My friend has no complaints with it and I think it goes perfectly in his medium size living room in a townhouse with raised ceilings. His favorite feature is the wireless subwoofer because his wife wanted no wires.

**Chaos81** · 08-20-2012, 09:25 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Not sure if it's the same model you linked, but one of my friends has a Samsung sound bar and he loves it. I've been thinking about getting one myself for awhile now, just haven't pulled the trigger.

**aholbert32** · 08-20-2012, 09:42 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Originally posted by 23

Yeah I dont want to spend too much, just want to know how good is the simulated surround on these things?

I wouldn't mind going with the LG system, especially since its not on the high end of what I want to spend.

Does yours hook up via optical cable or hdmi?

Optical. No HDMI.

23 · 08-20-2012, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by aholbert32

Optical. No HDMI.

Pulled the trigger on the LG

Hard to pass up for that price..had a gift certificate I've been holding for months and amazon prime so it cost me nothing

Just got the TV the TV stand and now this...the recliner is last and the major game room stuff is complete

I was reading up on a bunch of stuff about gdmi vs optical which I like and HDMI gives more of a loss less audio transfer but I wasn't exactly looking for a Bose system. I love as stated above that the sub is wireless...can't wait to play 2k with this stuff..oh and sleeping dogs

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**GAMEC0CK2002** · 08-21-2012, 01:49 AM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Originally posted by 23

Pulled the trigger on the LG

Hard to pass up for that price..had a gift certificate I've been holding for months and amazon prime so it cost me nothing

Just got the TV the TV stand and now this...the recliner is last and the major game room stuff is complete

I was reading up on a bunch of stuff about hdmi vs optical which I like and HDMI gives more of a loss less audio transfer but I wasn't exactly looking for a Bose system. I love as stated above that the sub is wireless...can't wait to play 2k with this stuff..oh and sleeping dogs

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

Friends don't let friends overpay for Bose systems. Just a FYI. :wink:

IMO, lossless is infinitely better than lossy audio tracks but you won't notice the difference on a sound bar.

Don't forget you'll probably need 2 optical cables. 1 for your blu ray player and 1 more if you want the sound bar to handle audio from your satellite/cable box/OTA.

**ExtremeGamer** · 08-21-2012, 06:26 AM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

After having a big 5.1 sound system for years, I downgraded to a soundbar a few months ago. With kids and everything else, it just became more difficult to crank it up, plus hated wires everywhere.

I went with the Yamaha YAS 101.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YAS-101...a+soundbar+7.1

I love it, does simulated 7.1, while it's obvious there's not rear speakers nor dos it sound like it does, it definitely gives a very full sound in my room. And there's times it sounds like the sound is coming around me.

My biggest love for the soundbar is the fact that the subwoofer is built in to it. It's small but packs a ton of bass, can rattle my room a bit if I want it to. Overall, VERY pleased with it. Watched many movies on it and don't miss a true surround sound system at all.

**mgoblue** · 08-21-2012, 03:06 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Originally posted by ExtremeGamer

After having a big 5.1 sound system for years, I downgraded to a soundbar a few months ago. With kids and everything else, it just became more difficult to crank it up, plus hated wires everywhere.

I went with the Yamaha YAS 101.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YAS-101...a+soundbar+7.1

I love it, does simulated 7.1, while it's obvious there's not rear speakers nor dos it sound like it does, it definitely gives a very full sound in my room. And there's times it sounds like the sound is coming around me.

My biggest love for the soundbar is the fact that the subwoofer is built in to it. It's small but packs a ton of bass, can rattle my room a bit if I want it to. Overall, VERY pleased with it. Watched many movies on it and don't miss a true surround sound system at all.

I may have to look into a sound bar after reading both you and Aaron giving them decent reviews....

Moving into a house, and don't want to have to deal with surround sound wires...

Do you plug all your electronics into the soundbar, or do you still have a receiver that goes into it? Trying to figure out how I'd get xbox, ps3, cable box running through everything....

I suppose I could just have everything go through my tv and use the TV's optical out...I'm not 100% sure that it passes through the highest quality or not though, i'd have to look.

**ExtremeGamer** · 08-21-2012, 03:38 PM

I use my tv's optical out. Seems to work the best. The soundbar displays Dolby Digital for all 3 (Tv when applicable, 360, and Blu-Ray).

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**mgoblue** · 08-21-2012, 03:50 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Originally posted by ExtremeGamer

I use my tv's optical out. Seems to work the best. The soundbar displays Dolby Digital for all 3 (Tv when applicable, 360, and Blu-Ray).

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Perfect. This would just cut out on the number of wires I have. I'm glad someone asked about this! While I like my 5.1 setup it's just a pain to get all the wires everywhere.

Sounds like a decent soundbar will be fine with me, since I'm not a crazy audiophile, just someone who wants better than tv speakers sound.

**aukevin** · 08-21-2012, 04:45 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

I have this Vizio set:
http://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-VHT510-5.../dp/B003NF5IVU

Works good. It has a wireless sub and two rear satellites that plug into it.

I have this optical audio switcher. This thing is great, plus it has a remote which is key:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o05_s00_i00

**mgoblue** · 08-27-2012, 12:41 PM

Re: Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

Originally posted by ExtremeGamer

I use my tv's optical out. Seems to work the best. The soundbar displays Dolby Digital for all 3 (Tv when applicable, 360, and Blu-Ray).

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Does the Yamaha sound good in a decent sized room? We're moving into a house and I have a decent sized living room (especially compared to the condo we're in now).

I have the go ahead to buy a soundbar (I have 250ish in Best Buy gift cards). The heavy desire is "No wires across room", so I'm very intrigued by the Yamaha still. Most others have the wireless subwoofer, which could prove to be a slight pain.

I'm not a nut about sound, but want to make sure that it can do ok in a slightly bigger room (most reviews say it's awesome for an apartment or whatnot)...

Just don't want to end up disappointed in the sound. I figure your situation's similar to mine, you're happy with the sound in a normal-ish living room of a house?

Sound Bars: Which ones work the best?

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