I'd suspect if Apple do one it will have side and up firing speakers too. Otherwise it won't support ATMOS.

lxsw20:

 

I'd suspect if Apple do one it will have side and up firing speakers too. Otherwise it won't support ATMOS.

 

If they do a soundbar then yes, you're right.

I was thinking of something with the same design as the original Homepod. That would be able to be placed on stands or a table outside of my entertainment cabinet.

alasta:

 

For me the biggest problem with soundbars is getting a decent one that I can put into the built-in cabinetry in my home. Most of the better performing ones have drivers on the ends facing 90 degrees, so they can't be placed in an enclosed cabinet.

 

The new Beam Gen 2 might suit you well. It does have two end speakers firing sideways/forward at 45 degrees (like Playbase) but it's compact and you may have enough room between the ends of the Beam and the sides of your enclosure for it to work. Gen 2 now supports Atmos (faux-Atmos some will insist) if you have the appropriate gear to feed it - and it has received really good reviews recently.

We have a HT setup (Denon Atmos amp, 5.2.1 with some big and fairly expensive speakers) which is going to shift to a 'cinema room" when the reno is finished. In it's place in the living room we now have a Sonos Arc with 2 One SLs as surrounds, and a sub. It's a lot tidier and cleaner, and the speech is better although the surround is marginally less good. it's really very good and certainly gets the spousal thumbs up. The "sound bars are rubbish" argument is obsolete - they do need a reasonable budget to get to the level of an HT setup, but they are impressive these days.

b

Appreciate the replies everyone!

My budget would be around the $500. Currently have nothing - just tv speakers, so looking for something a bit better.

I did look at Sonos but that appears to be a bit pricier than this Bose soundbar, both lacking a sub.

Would something like Sony/Samsung etc soundbar with sub be better at this price range?

Thanks

EviLClouD:

 

Appreciate the replies everyone!

 

My budget would be around the $500. Currently have nothing - just tv speakers, so looking for something a bit better.

 

I did look at Sonos but that appears to be a bit pricier than this Bose soundbar, both lacking a sub.

 

Would something like Sony/Samsung etc soundbar with sub be better at this price range?

 

Thanks

 

@EvilClouD Did you end up getting a soundbar? I have a Sonos Beam currently for sale here on GZ that is within your budget.

eracode:

 

EviLClouD:

 

Appreciate the replies everyone!

 

My budget would be around the $500. Currently have nothing - just tv speakers, so looking for something a bit better.

 

I did look at Sonos but that appears to be a bit pricier than this Bose soundbar, both lacking a sub.

 

Would something like Sony/Samsung etc soundbar with sub be better at this price range?

 

Thanks

 

 

@EvilClouD Did you end up getting a soundbar? I have a Sonos Beam currently for sale here on GZ that is within your budget.

 

sxz:

 

Anything but JBL.  

 

Why?

DaveDog:

 

sxz:

 

Anything but JBL.  

 

 

Why?

 

Yeah, I’d still be interested in hearing your reasoning, @sxz - looking for recommended models for my sister, so keen on knowing if there’s any validity behind this sweeping claim. 

I've had the JBL 5.1 wireless for about 2 years

(https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/p/jbl-bar-5.1ch-4k-soundbar-with-wireless-surround-speakers/N182656.html?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAiA7dKMBhBCEiwAO_crFNflwvPotOoY6WA8DlpepoOu2Hu0uBfoK_P-SZovp44agc5By3Mr3hoCT1kQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) 

It's been replaced 3 times.  It works OK now, but originally I would power it on, and no sound would come through unless you cycled through AV channels then back to what you wanted to watch.  Randomly, it would decide not to turn at all unless it was turned off and left off for 5m first.  very frustrating if you wanted to watch a movie.

Works OK now, but sometimes when I turn on the TV the soundbar goes REAL loud.  Other times the soundbar AND the TV come on at the same time, etc.

Also, the sound just doesn't sound that great.  My old 5.1ch Sony DVD player (paid about $250) was better.

Just does NOT feel like a $1k experience.  

I've had bad experience with JBL headphones too, so I just prefer to stay away now.

I have no idea how my Arc does what it does, it's seriously impressive. Easy to install and set up. Add two surrounds and a sub instantly in the app. Use TruePlay on iOS to tune for your room, and be continuously amazed. It's just released DTS support via a software update too. I'd like to add a 2nd sub but otherwise it's superb.

I should add I recently got a mount so it sits under my wall mounted TV - not a wall mount for the Arc, but a mount that puts it directly attached to and under my TV so that when my TV moves around the Arc moves with it.  It's so much better now than when it was lower and on the table.  It would have been getting a bit of reflection down there, and it's supposed to be head hight anyway.

gehenna:

 

I have no idea how my Arc does what it does, it's seriously impressive. Easy to install and set up. Add two surrounds and a sub instantly in the app. Use TruePlay on iOS to tune for your room, and be continuously amazed. It's just released DTS support via a software update too. I'd like to add a 2nd sub but otherwise it's superb.

 

I’m a big fan of Peter Pee who has put out many great YouTube videos on Sonos gear - and in particular on the Arc.

This video linked below was done in May and obviously doesn’t cover the DTS support that was added by the latest app update released today  - but still very good IMO. A couple of videos he put out on Arc last year are still relevant and worth watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icKD2LRfzK4

I've seen a bunch of his stuff, he's very good.

gehenna:

 

I've seen a bunch of his stuff, he's very good.

 

For other Arc owners who may not have seen it, here’s a Peter Pee video on testing Atmos setup on Arc using Dolby Digital Theatre trailers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgpWwT1xYy8