https://www.rtings.com/ They do more these days, but TVs are what they started with and, in my opinion, their specialty. I say this because they have a section for "Soundbars" and "Speakers"...
They do more these days, but TVs are what they started with and, in my opinion, their specialty. I say this because they have a section for "Soundbars" and "Speakers" (among others). The "speakers" section only includes Bluetooth / Portable type speakers. Any actual audio enthusiast will tell you to avoid Soundbars and Bluetooth speakers. I guess that's what sells these days.
Former audio engineer here, as the quality of inbuilt speakers have considerably worsened as TV have become ever more thin in profile I think soundbars have actually proven their worth as modestly...
Former audio engineer here, as the quality of inbuilt speakers have considerably worsened as TV have become ever more thin in profile I think soundbars have actually proven their worth as modestly priced and compact upgrades to the basic sets. Worthwhile to a serious audiophile? Most likely not, but they are still a massive improvement over the tiny things routinely pointed at the wall / floor and I wouldn't write them off entirely. I'd make a similar enough argument for Bluetooth speakers, they have their own portability niche - an important part of modern listening habits - and sound miles better than your phone.
Yeah, this is spot on. I have a Vizio soundbar with a subwoofer and two satellite speakers that I got for $200 a few years ago. Sounds infinitely better than the built in speakers on my LG C1, and...
Yeah, this is spot on. I have a Vizio soundbar with a subwoofer and two satellite speakers that I got for $200 a few years ago. Sounds infinitely better than the built in speakers on my LG C1, and is a really easy solution to hook up to bluetooth for party music. A full "surround sound" set up would have been triple to five times the price.
We also have a small off-brand battery powered bluetooth speaker we bring to the lake for relaxing on the deck and it's much better than playing music from our phones.
And soundbar tech has improved enormously to the point that some of them can even deliver convincing surround sound. They really are great for the majority of use cases.
And soundbar tech has improved enormously to the point that some of them can even deliver convincing surround sound. They really are great for the majority of use cases.
They're ultimately limited by physics. Soundwaves from a surround set will always be more err.. surround-y than a soundbar can emulate. They've become a lot better for sure and they're a good...
They're ultimately limited by physics. Soundwaves from a surround set will always be more err.. surround-y than a soundbar can emulate.
They've become a lot better for sure and they're a good choice for people with limited space or limited requirements.
Rtings's best sound bar is $1500. - https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/samsung/hw-q990d I would much rather have a Home Theater in a Box (HTIB). I could get a full 5.1 Klipsch setup for $1100...
I can't think of many use cases that would demand the highest-end soundbar over a full speaker setup. It would require high quality audio and function but also be very limited by space. The high...
I can't think of many use cases that would demand the highest-end soundbar over a full speaker setup. It would require high quality audio and function but also be very limited by space. The high end soundbar market just isn't very representative of what most people are really looking for.
The chief market for soundbars is people that want good sound without breaking the bank or taking up too much space. Most people don't want to spend more than a couple of hundred dollars at most on decent audio for their TV situations, and they want something as close to plug and play as possible. Soundbars are simple, easy, and cost-effective for most people's desired price ranges and accepted level of sound quality.
There's also wire management to deal with. The soundbar's satellites are wireless (except for power), while the Klipsch is going to require running wires all the way to the satellites, which...
There's also wire management to deal with. The soundbar's satellites are wireless (except for power), while the Klipsch is going to require running wires all the way to the satellites, which ranges from just being hideously messy to requiring running wiring through the walls to hide it properly. Most people can't/are unwilling to do so themselves, adds complexity and cost.
Sure but for people that want convincing surround sound and also want something simple, easy, and cheaper than a full speaker setup, and have space limitations, soundbars are excellent options...
Sure but for people that want convincing surround sound and also want something simple, easy, and cheaper than a full speaker setup, and have space limitations, soundbars are excellent options that shouldn't be considered subpar audio solutions anymore. You can get quality sound solutions with soundbars for less than a full speaker setup (barring some discounts or deals that can be found in audio spaces).
In terms of quality, a decent soundbar is much closer to a full speaker solution than it is tinny TV speakers.
Oh for sure. If the choice was between TV Speakers or a soundbar I'd recommend a soundbar 10 out of 10 times. They're mature tech at this point and it shows. Even so, I'd tell someone to spring...
Oh for sure. If the choice was between TV Speakers or a soundbar I'd recommend a soundbar 10 out of 10 times. They're mature tech at this point and it shows.
Even so, I'd tell someone to spring for a second hand surround set over a new soundbar anytime of day unless space was at a premium
https://www.rtings.com/
They do more these days, but TVs are what they started with and, in my opinion, their specialty. I say this because they have a section for "Soundbars" and "Speakers" (among others). The "speakers" section only includes Bluetooth / Portable type speakers. Any actual audio enthusiast will tell you to avoid Soundbars and Bluetooth speakers. I guess that's what sells these days.
Former audio engineer here, as the quality of inbuilt speakers have considerably worsened as TV have become ever more thin in profile I think soundbars have actually proven their worth as modestly priced and compact upgrades to the basic sets. Worthwhile to a serious audiophile? Most likely not, but they are still a massive improvement over the tiny things routinely pointed at the wall / floor and I wouldn't write them off entirely. I'd make a similar enough argument for Bluetooth speakers, they have their own portability niche - an important part of modern listening habits - and sound miles better than your phone.
Yeah, this is spot on. I have a Vizio soundbar with a subwoofer and two satellite speakers that I got for $200 a few years ago. Sounds infinitely better than the built in speakers on my LG C1, and is a really easy solution to hook up to bluetooth for party music. A full "surround sound" set up would have been triple to five times the price.
We also have a small off-brand battery powered bluetooth speaker we bring to the lake for relaxing on the deck and it's much better than playing music from our phones.
And soundbar tech has improved enormously to the point that some of them can even deliver convincing surround sound. They really are great for the majority of use cases.
They're ultimately limited by physics. Soundwaves from a surround set will always be more err.. surround-y than a soundbar can emulate.
They've become a lot better for sure and they're a good choice for people with limited space or limited requirements.
Rtings's best sound bar is $1500. - https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/samsung/hw-q990d
I would much rather have a Home Theater in a Box (HTIB).
I could get a full 5.1 Klipsch setup for $1100 - https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-Reference-Theater-Brushed-Polymer/dp/B084WQHM8S
Paired with the Wirecutter's top pick receiver (they have a cheaper pick as well) for <$600. - https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-receiver/
That would blow the soundbar away. I'm sure other price points have similar HTIB that would also perform better. Only reason to go soundbar is space.
I can't think of many use cases that would demand the highest-end soundbar over a full speaker setup. It would require high quality audio and function but also be very limited by space. The high end soundbar market just isn't very representative of what most people are really looking for.
The chief market for soundbars is people that want good sound without breaking the bank or taking up too much space. Most people don't want to spend more than a couple of hundred dollars at most on decent audio for their TV situations, and they want something as close to plug and play as possible. Soundbars are simple, easy, and cost-effective for most people's desired price ranges and accepted level of sound quality.
There's also wire management to deal with. The soundbar's satellites are wireless (except for power), while the Klipsch is going to require running wires all the way to the satellites, which ranges from just being hideously messy to requiring running wiring through the walls to hide it properly. Most people can't/are unwilling to do so themselves, adds complexity and cost.
Sure but for people that want convincing surround sound and also want something simple, easy, and cheaper than a full speaker setup, and have space limitations, soundbars are excellent options that shouldn't be considered subpar audio solutions anymore. You can get quality sound solutions with soundbars for less than a full speaker setup (barring some discounts or deals that can be found in audio spaces).
In terms of quality, a decent soundbar is much closer to a full speaker solution than it is tinny TV speakers.
Oh for sure. If the choice was between TV Speakers or a soundbar I'd recommend a soundbar 10 out of 10 times. They're mature tech at this point and it shows.
Even so, I'd tell someone to spring for a second hand surround set over a new soundbar anytime of day unless space was at a premium