Almost any sound bar (or sound base) will sound better than your TV speakers, so, yes, they are a good idea. As a custom home theater system designer, I think the sound is MORE important than the picture. Not every client agrees when I say that, so I play a movie scene, like the "Flight to the Ford" chapter from The Fellowship of the Ring, and we hear everything from fire flickering on torches to the pounding of horses' hooves to the swelling of an operatic soundtrack behind it all--and the I turn the sound off. The picture is still playing, but the air was just sucked out of the room BECAUSE ALL THE EMOTION IS GONE. I contend that sound--good sound--is two-thirds of the viewing experience.
When you audition sound, trust your ears. You're shopping for a toy, so make yourself happy. Ignore specs and stats, they mean nothing. The only thing that matters is the result. Find out what the vendor's return policy is. The bar will sound completely different in the acoustics of your room than it does in the store.
All TV makers make bars, but no TV brand has quality audio engineering experience, not even Sony. (In fact audio experts sneer at the Sony audio products sold in this country. The stuff sold in Japan is quite respectable.) Brands I suggest you check out are Zvox, as already mentioned, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, MartinLogan, Bowers & Wilkins, Sonos and Bose. The last two companies each have a soundbar that can be expanded into a true wireless 5.1 surround sound system, giving you an upgrade path if you ever want one.
Which you probably will. The typical person buys a new TV every 5 years. Prices keep dropping, new formats come out, and the damn thing breaks. Modern TVs are built like shit. Audio is the exact opposite. It's not at all unusual to own the same system for 10 years, 20 years or more! Audio is built to last and it retains it value, because audio pricing always goes up, never down. Think about that when you're deciding on a budget.
Finally, let me recommend 3 websites to look: musicdirect.com, crutchfield.com and audioadviser.com. These sites have no-bullshit product descriptions, product comparison charts, customer reviews written in most cases by people who know audio and a toll-free phone number so you can get advice from experts. Please go to stores to listen, and even to buy, but God help you if you take advice from anyone at Walmart, Target,K-Mart, Sears or Best Buy. The last 2 stores MAY help you a bit with a TV, but they know nothing about audio, and I worked in a Best Buy.
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[deleted]
8 years ago
great post thanks - the speakers on my TV sound like a tin can compared to the soundbar - I am pleased with it.
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