Soundbar Options 2023/2024

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networkn

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#311231 26-Dec-2023 12:10

Unfortunately, my soundbar has died and I am looking for a new one. It doesn't get a lot of use, around 100 hours a year maximum, so I don't want to spend moonbeams.

I would like something with good sound quality. I do music, games and tv/movies on it. I do want something reasonably compact.

I'd like HDMI, Bluetooth and Ideally but not essential for it to have Wifi, but I do want it compatible with Spotify.

Even better if it's on a great special over the holidays.

Ideally <$500

I'd happy if it's a previous generation etc. Doesn't HAVE to have subwoofer if it sounds ok without one.

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#3175575 26-Dec-2023 16:41

If you have a good music system, I recommend a streamer. It has real advantages:
1) the sound is better than any soundbar
2) The streamer can play multiple sources (in my case, for example, Spotify, TuneIn, Tidal, SoundCloud and my own music from a NAS or USB drive), Bluetooth and RCA-In (from TV). Ideally, it also has an HDMI ARC/eARC input or a small HDMi ARC/RCA converter.
3) More affordable.

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#3175577 26-Dec-2023 16:51

Tinkerisk:

If you have a good music system, I recommend a streamer. It has real advantages:
1) the sound is better than any soundbar
2) The streamer can play multiple sources (in my case, for example, Spotify, TuneIn, Tidal, SoundCloud and my own music from a NAS or USB drive), Bluetooth and RCA-In (from TV). Ideally, it also has an HDMI ARC/eARC input or a small HDMi ARC/RCA converter.
3) More affordable.

It's basically to improve the sound compared to the built in TV speakers.

Would be nice if it played half decent music too.

ghce

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#3191580 7-Feb-2024 03:33

Why don't people just go full home theater? rather than sound bar.

I recently bought a Sony home theatre unit setup which I recall seeing for sale in the later 2010 era at a very high price, has amazing speakers ( not like the muteki crap) running 5.1 but sounds amazing.

Unfortunately the Receiver had limited connectivity ( no HDMI) so I scored the top end flagship Yamaha Avenger for peanuts and now have full 4K and Dolby Atmos with more HDMI sockets than you can poke a stick at and 11.2 and natively 9.2 ( 11.2 requires an external amp) but I only had 5.1 speakers so 250 RMS to each speaker and 200 watts from sub. Works fantastic, neighbors probably don't like it though.

So not content with it I purchased a 2nd set of the same superb speakers running 4 tower speakers and satellites for very reasonable money, people cant recognize the wheat from the chaff it seems with decent speakers, these seem to really fly under the radar.

So now I have 9.2 and just shy of 2KW RMS of neighbor frightening power with Dolby Atmos and it sounds sublime, am I a bad person?

I just don't see the reason for compromise with sound bars, sure its better than tv inbuilt speakers by a lot BUT do you really want the best or the sound bar compromise? ( albeit your neighbors probably still talk to you)

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#3191591 7-Feb-2024 07:58

ghce:

Why don't people just go full home theater? rather than sound bar.

OP wants to buy something compact, relatively inexpensive and easy to improve the sound on their TV. They don’t want the complexity, size or cost of a full home theatre.

I’ve got a home theatre in my living room and a soundbar in my family room for the same reason. They are a tool for a job.

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#3191593 7-Feb-2024 08:06

Tinkerisk:
If you have a good music system, I recommend a streamer. It has real advantages:
1) the sound is better than any soundbar
2) The streamer can play multiple sources (in my case, for example, Spotify, TuneIn, Tidal, SoundCloud and my own music from a NAS or USB drive), Bluetooth and RCA-In (from TV). Ideally, it also has an HDMI ARC/eARC input or a small HDMi ARC/RCA converter.
3) More affordable.

You’ve recommended a streaming endpoint. That’s all well and good but your €250 streamer has consumed almost OPs entire budget and they still need speakers and amplification. I’m not sure these are the droids he’s looking for.

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#3191596 7-Feb-2024 08:18

What sort of room is the TV in?

Sub $500 is a tricky price point, especially if you want to listen to music and have streaming capability for Spotify connect. If you are just using Bluetooth then you have a few more options but while they won’t be garbage tier they won’t sound great.

If you are happy to use Spotify via the TV and have the space a pair of small powered monitors might be the best bet for that sort of budget.

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#3191619 7-Feb-2024 09:02

I got one of these around a year ago and have been really happy with it. Its a little more than your budget: Samsung Q700C

I ended up getting surround speakers to go along with it eventually but they arent totally needed. Music sounds good thru it. I do keep the sub on a low setting though. 1000% better than the cheaper soundbar I had before. As good as my large floor standing Polk speakers/denon amp? Maybe not but it fits my room much better! Downside? It was a cat magnet from the moment it came out of the box.

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#3191696 7-Feb-2024 09:58

Handle9:
Tinkerisk:

If you have a good music system, I recommend a streamer. It has real advantages:
1) the sound is better than any soundbar
2) The streamer can play multiple sources (in my case, for example, Spotify, TuneIn, Tidal, SoundCloud and my own music from a NAS or USB drive), Bluetooth and RCA-In (from TV). Ideally, it also has an HDMI ARC/eARC input or a small HDMi ARC/RCA converter.
3) More affordable.

You’ve recommended a streaming endpoint. That’s all well and good but your €250 streamer has consumed almost OPs entire budget and they still need speakers and amplification. I’m not sure these are the droids he’s looking for.

1) It was an example.
2) Even if it wasn't an example, they're on special offer at Christmas, for which it's a bit too late now.
3) Even if it still wasn't an example, he can't get the thing in NZ, possibly via the UK, but that doesn't make it any cheaper.
4) I know of almost no household that doesn’t have an amplifier and speakers around and: I mentioned it in the first sentence of my reply.

5) Problem solving is a key competence of people that aims to eliminate recognised problems through intelligent action, through conscious thought processes.

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#3191722 7-Feb-2024 10:59

Tinkerisk:

1) It was an example.
2) Even if it wasn't an example, they're on special offer at Christmas, for which it's a bit too late now.
3) Even if it still wasn't an example, he can't get the thing in NZ, possibly via the UK, but that doesn't make it any cheaper.
4) I know of almost no household that doesn’t have an amplifier and speakers around and: I mentioned it in the first sentence of my reply.

5) Problem solving is a key competence of people that aims to eliminate recognised problems through intelligent action, through conscious thought processes.

The problem is you haven't addressed the issue at all.

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#3191725 7-Feb-2024 11:00

askelon:

I got one of these around a year ago and have been really happy with it. Its a little more than your budget: Samsung Q700C

I ended up getting surround speakers to go along with it eventually but they arent totally needed. Music sounds good thru it. I do keep the sub on a low setting though. 1000% better than the cheaper soundbar I had before. As good as my large floor standing Polk speakers/denon amp? Maybe not but it fits my room much better! Downside? It was a cat magnet from the moment it came out of the box.

Two reasons primarily that people buy soundbars.

Aesthetics including size, and improved sound quality

I do not have the space or the environment for a sound system.

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#3191866 7-Feb-2024 13:36

networkn:

askelon:

I got one of these around a year ago and have been really happy with it. Its a little more than your budget: Samsung Q700C

I ended up getting surround speakers to go along with it eventually but they arent totally needed. Music sounds good thru it. I do keep the sub on a low setting though. 1000% better than the cheaper soundbar I had before. As good as my large floor standing Polk speakers/denon amp? Maybe not but it fits my room much better! Downside? It was a cat magnet from the moment it came out of the box.

Two reasons primarily that people buy soundbars.

Aesthetics including size, and improved sound quality

I do not have the space or the environment for a sound system.

Plus if you buy "in the family (eg Samsung Tv and Soundbar) then you can have one remote for everything.

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#3191982 7-Feb-2024 16:20

So in the end I found a $1200 LG Soundbar going for $400 right after xmas that was a year old.

It's 9.1.3 and is absolutely much bigger than I thought/wanted, but it's plenty loud, is very decent for music, has WiFi and Bluetooth and loads of settings for all sorts of situations. It's better than what I had, but not home theatre quality and atmos is very average even in an high end product.

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#3192043 7-Feb-2024 17:44

networkn:

The problem is you haven't addressed the issue at all.

Alright, but this should be an inexpensive improvement suggestion in case you already have a music system next to your TV. Of course, if you are only fixated on the plastic box under the TV, the best suggestion is useless. In my case, the combination of streamer, amplifier and speakers replaces the soundbar, plays Spotify (and own music) and connects to the desktop or iPad via Bluetooth - just like a soundbar - with excellent sound (which no simple soundbar is capable of) and at half the price you mentioned.

Well, maybe I've expected too much thinking. 🤔

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#3192048 7-Feb-2024 17:58

Tinkerisk:
networkn:

The problem is you haven't addressed the issue at all.

Alright, but this should be an inexpensive improvement suggestion in case you already have a music system next to your TV. Of course, if you are only fixated on the plastic box under the TV, the best suggestion is useless. In my case, the combination of streamer, amplifier and speakers replaces the soundbar, plays Spotify (and own music) and connects to the desktop or iPad via Bluetooth - just like a soundbar - with excellent sound (which no simple soundbar is capable of) and at half the price you mentioned.

Well, maybe I've expected too much thinking. 🤔

It’s hard to see why audiophiles are considered pretentious

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#3192051 7-Feb-2024 18:04

I'm not an audiophile, but it doesn't have to be a fidget box for expensive money (normally 1.200 NZD!). 🤣

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