Soundbar recommendations?

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frankv

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#2250850 4-Jun-2019 09:03

Dunnersfella:

I know I can trust a magazine that talks about HDMI cables that deliver strong, yet natural colour. Because, you know, some zeros and ones are more natural than other zeros and ones...

More rounded zeros, sharper ones. lol

frankv

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#2253836 7-Jun-2019 13:38

Just thought I'd feedback (pun intended) on the soundbar purchase.

In the end, I bought the LG SL8Y, as much because I got a better discount from Noel Leemings on that than the others, which all met my specs.

Turns out that the Bluetooth is only for streaming music *to* the soundbar, not from the soundbar to headphones. :( Fortunately, I had a BT transmitter which I hooked up to the optical out from the TV, which works well. The soundbar is hooked up via HDMI-ARC, and setting it up was fairly straightforward.

Another surprise was that the soundbar comes with Google Home installed, and in fact you must install Google Home on your phone before you can connect it to the Net. I'm not keen on bringing Google into my home, and being *forced* to install it to use soundbar features doesn't improve that situation.

Happily, the TV volume control keys do control the soundbar volume. But it seems that the TV defaults to using its internal speakers each time it is turned on. :(

Sound is noticeably better, but you'd expect that after spending about $1K. I haven't tried anything with Atmos, but I (and the cat and dog) was really surprised at the intensity of crashes in the F1 program on Netflix.

Although the soundbar comes with a wall-mount bracket, in my situation it's useless... my TV is on a cantilevered swing-arm thing, and the soundbar wall-mount is designed with the expectation that the TV screen would be flush with the wall. So at the moment it's sitting awkwardly on a cabinet below the TV.

I started off with the subwoofer behind me, but I could clearly hear low tones coming from it when people were speaking on the TV, and it was very distracting. I've now put it alongside the soundbar, and it's fine.

Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase.

Thanks to those on here who provided advice and clarification.

DjShadow

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#2253839 7-Jun-2019 13:43

frankv:

Just thought I'd feedback (pun intended) on the soundbar purchase.

In the end, I bought the LG SL8Y, as much because I got a better discount from Noel Leemings on that than the others, which all met my specs.

Turns out that the Bluetooth is only for streaming music *to* the soundbar, not from the soundbar to headphones. :( Fortunately, I had a BT transmitter which I hooked up to the optical out from the TV, which works well. The soundbar is hooked up via HDMI-ARC, and setting it up was fairly straightforward.

Another surprise was that the soundbar comes with Google Home installed, and in fact you must install Google Home on your phone before you can connect it to the Net. I'm not keen on bringing Google into my home, and being *forced* to install it to use soundbar features doesn't improve that situation.

Happily, the TV volume control keys do control the soundbar volume. But it seems that the TV defaults to using its internal speakers each time it is turned on. :(

Sound is noticeably better, but you'd expect that after spending about $1K. I haven't tried anything with Atmos, but I (and the cat and dog) was really surprised at the intensity of crashes in the F1 program on Netflix.

Although the soundbar comes with a wall-mount bracket, in my situation it's useless... my TV is on a cantilevered swing-arm thing, and the soundbar wall-mount is designed with the expectation that the TV screen would be flush with the wall. So at the moment it's sitting awkwardly on a cabinet below the TV.

I started off with the subwoofer behind me, but I could clearly hear low tones coming from it when people were speaking on the TV, and it was very distracting. I've now put it alongside the soundbar, and it's fine.

Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase.

Thanks to those on here who provided advice and clarification.

Did you get the rear wireless speakers also? (or planning to?)

frankv

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#2253851 7-Jun-2019 14:03

No, just the bar and sub.

Rear speakers add quite a bit to the price, and push the price beyond my budget. And I think rear speakers can be tricky to set up properly... all in all, it wasn't worth it to me, doing relatively little surround-sound movie watching. I might revisit that in a couple of years. But for safety, I'd buy a package including the rear speakers, and some kind of automatic balancing (microphone or phone app), rather than add rear speakers to this soundbar.

CrashAndBurn

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#2638728 20-Jan-2021 13:05

Am thinking of replacing my old Bose Solo with a new soundbar with a bass module. Any recommendations where you can actually feel Atmos at work? Around 1K?

tdgeek

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#2640545 23-Jan-2021 09:53

Im looking at a soundbar, up to 1k. My main issue is that I have an old but awesome Panasonic Plasma TV. Also have a Panasonic Freeview Bluray Recorder, Sky, and Apple TV4.

I assume I can only connect a soundbar to the TV via optical, and continue to have the devices connected by HDMI to the TV? I do have a 3 way HDMI switch so could I connect the devices to that, and the switcher to the Soundbar HDMI In, then Soundbar HDMI Out to one of the TV's standard HDMI In ports?

A main concern, given the age of the TV is lip syncing issues.

A colleague recommended Sony https://store.sony.co.nz/soundbar/HTG700.html#start=1

Also saw https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/audio/home-audio/sound-bars/sony-htx8500-ht-x8500-2-1-ch-dolby-atmos-soundbar-with-built-in-subwoofer/prod180463.html

Which MF reviewed favourably

If I had a brand new top line TV Id just read reviews and buy at the top of whatever budget I allowed, but right now, I'd like a nice Soundbar that can work with my older but great TV

Cheers

CrashAndBurn

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#2640547 23-Jan-2021 09:55

tdgeek:

Im looking at a soundbar, up to 1k. My main issue is that I have an old but awesome Panasonic Plasma TV. Also have a Panasonic Freeview Bluray Recorder, Sky, and Apple TV4.

I assume I can only connect a soundbar to the TV via optical, and continue to have the devices connected by HDMI to the TV? I do have a 3 way HDMI switch so could I connect the devices to that, and the switcher to the Soundbar HDMI In, then Soundbar HDMI Out to one of the TV's standard HDMI In ports?

A main concern, given the age of the TV is lip syncing issues.

A colleague recommended Sony https://store.sony.co.nz/soundbar/HTG700.html#start=1

Also saw https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/audio/home-audio/sound-bars/sony-htx8500-ht-x8500-2-1-ch-dolby-atmos-soundbar-with-built-in-subwoofer/prod180463.html

Which MF reviewed favourably

If I had a brand new top line TV Id just read reviews and buy at the top of whatever budget I allowed, but right now, I'd like a nice Soundbar that can work with my older but great TV

Cheers

I am looking at the exact same option HTG700. Hopefully, someone can share their first-hand experience.

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Stu1

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#2640548 23-Jan-2021 10:08

CrashAndBurn:
tdgeek:

Im looking at a soundbar, up to 1k. My main issue is that I have an old but awesome Panasonic Plasma TV. Also have a Panasonic Freeview Bluray Recorder, Sky, and Apple TV4.

I assume I can only connect a soundbar to the TV via optical, and continue to have the devices connected by HDMI to the TV? I do have a 3 way HDMI switch so could I connect the devices to that, and the switcher to the Soundbar HDMI In, then Soundbar HDMI Out to one of the TV's standard HDMI In ports?

A main concern, given the age of the TV is lip syncing issues.

A colleague recommended Sony https://store.sony.co.nz/soundbar/HTG700.html#start=1

Also saw https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/audio/home-audio/sound-bars/sony-htx8500-ht-x8500-2-1-ch-dolby-atmos-soundbar-with-built-in-subwoofer/prod180463.html

Which MF reviewed favourably

If I had a brand new top line TV Id just read reviews and buy at the top of whatever budget I allowed, but right now, I'd like a nice Soundbar that can work with my older but great TV

Cheers

I am looking at the exact same option HTG700. Hopefully, someone can share their first-hand experience.

Optic is a pain as can’t control sound on some TVs without using the sound bar remote. You can use a universal remote though

Dunnersfella

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#2640621 23-Jan-2021 13:53

Optical is fine - it has been fine for years...

Coaxial is also fine.

If anything, while ARC or eARC solutions can be amazing, often they are problematic and its performance is stunted via a firmware update to a product that's connected via HDMI somewhere in your chain..

Handle9

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#2640687 23-Jan-2021 19:44

tdgeek:

Im looking at a soundbar, up to 1k. My main issue is that I have an old but awesome Panasonic Plasma TV. Also have a Panasonic Freeview Bluray Recorder, Sky, and Apple TV4.

I assume I can only connect a soundbar to the TV via optical, and continue to have the devices connected by HDMI to the TV? I do have a 3 way HDMI switch so could I connect the devices to that, and the switcher to the Soundbar HDMI In, then Soundbar HDMI Out to one of the TV's standard HDMI In ports?

A main concern, given the age of the TV is lip syncing issues.

A colleague recommended Sony https://store.sony.co.nz/soundbar/HTG700.html#start=1

Also saw https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/shop/audio/home-audio/sound-bars/sony-htx8500-ht-x8500-2-1-ch-dolby-atmos-soundbar-with-built-in-subwoofer/prod180463.html

Which MF reviewed favourably

If I had a brand new top line TV Id just read reviews and buy at the top of whatever budget I allowed, but right now, I'd like a nice Soundbar that can work with my older but great TV

Cheers

If you just want 2.0/2.1 then connecting direct to the TV is fine. If you want 5.1 you’ll need to connect direct to the bar - the TV will down sample to 2.0.

If you don’t want Spotify/Alexa/Google home then I’d be looking at something like the JBL 3.1 Bar. It’s got 3 HDMI inputs and I quite liked it when I bought my Yamaha sound bar 18 months ago. From memory it’s not expandable with wireless rears.

tdgeek

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#2640840 24-Jan-2021 09:23

Handle9:

If you just want 2.0/2.1 then connecting direct to the TV is fine. If you want 5.1 you’ll need to connect direct to the bar - the TV will down sample to 2.0.

If you don’t want Spotify/Alexa/Google home then I’d be looking at something like the JBL 3.1 Bar. It’s got 3 HDMI inputs and I quite liked it when I bought my Yamaha sound bar 18 months ago. From memory it’s not expandable with wireless rears.

Thank you, appreciate that. It does look good, the 3 HDMI inputs suits me ideally. Extreme newbie question, what's the need for the HDMI ARC between the TV and the SB? I don't play TV on the TV, all watching is via Sky, ATV4 or the Panasonic BluRay Freeview Recorder. Not needed? My TV doesn't have ARC. Same query with the Optical which the TV does have.

All the SB's Ive looked at have a list of audio types they support such as Dolby, DTX, Atmos etc. I can't find anywhere what this one supports although Dolby was mentioned in the manual. Does this matter? All I want is nice sound from my three external sources, Sky, ATV4 and the Panny FV recorder.

tdgeek

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#2640866 24-Jan-2021 12:04

Done a bit more reading. It seems that the optimal method is devices connecting to the SB directly, but almost all only have one HDMI port, apart from the one Handle kindly suggested. I have a 3 :1 HDMI switch. If I got a 1 HDMI IN SB, can I use the HDMI switch and connect SB HDMI Out to TV with a regular HDMI cable? Seems so as in this scenario audio is just one way, so the audio and video will go down this standard HDMI path? As I have no devices attached to the TV, that means ARC is irrelevant and not needed/used? (TV doesn't have ARC anyway)

From what I gather, ARC cannot use uncompressed audio or DTS/Atmos, and it will compress it. Or is that irrelevant if Sky, Freeview Terrestrial and Apple TV4 use compressed anyway?

Sorry if any queries appear dumb. Just want to be as optimal as I can, and avoid incompatibilities/issues

Handle9

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#2641219 24-Jan-2021 21:33

Most people connect their sources to the TV and use optical/ARC as then they can control inputs with their TV. Convenience is more important to them than a small amount of quality loss. I have an Apple TV 4k and Fire Stick 4k and just use optical as it's totally reliable.

Uncompressed audio is only an issue with Blu-ray in your setup. The rest use compressed audio. It's more of an issue if you want surround speakers if your TV won't pass through 5.1, which likely your old plasma won't.

In your scenario I'd plug everything into the TV and avoid the switch. They are always a pain.

At the end of the day it's a soundbar- they provide good enough audio in a convenient size rather than hi-fi.

Handle9

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#2641221 24-Jan-2021 21:38

tdgeek:
Handle9:

If you just want 2.0/2.1 then connecting direct to the TV is fine. If you want 5.1 you’ll need to connect direct to the bar - the TV will down sample to 2.0.

If you don’t want Spotify/Alexa/Google home then I’d be looking at something like the JBL 3.1 Bar. It’s got 3 HDMI inputs and I quite liked it when I bought my Yamaha sound bar 18 months ago. From memory it’s not expandable with wireless rears.

Thank you, appreciate that. It does look good, the 3 HDMI inputs suits me ideally. Extreme newbie question, what's the need for the HDMI ARC between the TV and the SB? I don't play TV on the TV, all watching is via Sky, ATV4 or the Panasonic BluRay Freeview Recorder. Not needed? My TV doesn't have ARC. Same query with the Optical which the TV does have.

All the SB's Ive looked at have a list of audio types they support such as Dolby, DTX, Atmos etc. I can't find anywhere what this one supports although Dolby was mentioned in the manual. Does this matter? All I want is nice sound from my three external sources, Sky, ATV4 and the Panny FV recorder.

If you are plugging your sources into the soundbar you don't need ARC or optical. If you are plugging into the TV you need ARC or optical to send the audio.

JBL does Dolby so that covers the ATV and Freeview/Sky. Blu-ray's may be in DTS but it won't matter much.

tdgeek

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#2641313 25-Jan-2021 07:26

Handle9:

At the end of the day it's a soundbar- they provide good enough audio in a convenient size rather than hi-fi.

Thanks again for the information. I agree, no point over thinking it, a SB is a nice option, sound will be better, and I'm not an audiophile.

Thanks

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