What Do You Look For In A Soundbar

-



A soundbar has become attractive for those with a smaller home and a desire for neatness.
However it's also a compromise, because most modern homes are not built to look like a prison cell with square walls and hard reflective surfaces all round.

It's hard to come to a compromise, but with a limited budget and a need for neatness, a full surround system with all the cables to be laid and connected can be very hard to do.

For a real Atmos experience, you'll need speakers on top or at least, bounce off your ceiling.
And reflections are tricky at best, since you need to have walls on the sides and a flat ceiling for maximum effectivity. 
Then there's the auto -EQ or calibration, which is absent from most budget systems.

So if the budget is limited, eg for under 1k, I'll suggest looking at the major brands, such as HK, JBL, Yamaha etc and audition for yourself to see what's out there.
Don't just look at the paper specs. Furthermore, be realistic about what kind of surround envelop we can create.
The modern TV has wafer thin speakers with poor bass and the ability to reproduce dialogue is limited.

However, features like Airplay, or the number of inputs and system integration into an entire home system like Bose, Sonus, Yamaha Soundcast might be important for some.

Every year there are new models, so it's important to filter out the specs / features, then listen to see if it suits your needs.
These days, there are showrooms, so it's not too hard to listen and decide if the sound suits your needs.

With a limited budget, IMO, I'll want good dialogue first, then good bass and surround effects will be after I get these two.

If you're willing to pay more, then music reproduction becomes important, and the added features like auto-EQ plus detachable surround speakers and the ability to do Atmos can be nice.

Other features include the number and types of inputs, especially if you have a lot of devices. 






Try to get one with HDMI 2.0 as a minimum, and the ability to decode both DTS and DD as well as eARC. But again, sound comes first, and I will bring along some movie tracks to test the system.

For example the opening scene of Transformers I, when Optimus speaks in his baritone voice is a good litmus test of voice reproduction.

As for bass, the scene when the base is destroyed has some good bass too.

The same movie has a moment in the final battle when a young lady screams whilst a missile flies over her. There's some serious bass there. 

____________________________________________________________
 I have no financial interest or other interests in any of the items / events I write about.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KEF LS 50 Meta review and comparison with the LS50

-
Image
The original KEF LS50 was one of those landmark speakers, a pocket rocket which performed at a much higher level than what it’s price tag might indicate. The original LS50 has been widely reviewed, and is well regarded by audiophiles everywhere.  However it does have some bite in the treble and lacks some deep bass, and works better for music which does not go too deep or with a sub to reinforce the bass. But what it does have is fabulous imaging, which allows you to how off great soundstaging, depth, and definition. If you are into details, you’ll love them. The coaxial design is also wonderful for those who sit a bit off axis. The construction is a marvel in itself and with a modern design, a beautiful gloss finish and a quality build. No wonder it’s loved by music lovers the world over. Now recently KEF has introduced the new KEF Meta. This is an updated version of the original and whilst it can look deceivingly the same, there are significant differences. First a link to the offici
Read more

Dynaudio Heritage Special Speaker Review

-
Image
Dynaudio is a company that has been in the speaker business for more than forty years and prides itself on making most of its components in house, especially the drivers and most of the cabinetry. Through the years they have developed many beloved components for their top end products and have also distilled them down to the masses whenever they launch a special edition. So they have adopted a similar format and take some of their finest drivers, an Esotar 3 tweeter and a woofer derived from the Evidence range and placed them into a more traditional walnut veneer speaker for us to sample.  Thus the Heritage Special (HS) was born. The catch ? Well there are two.. firstly it’s by no means cheap, even though it uses choice components. Second there are only 2500 pairs so if you’re waiting to get one, don’t ! And that’s the sum of my review if you may. If you’re a Dynaudio afficiando, just plonk down the deposit that had planned for the annual summer holiday and get this instead. Now reader
Read more

Setting Up A Mesh Network In Your Home - tips and links

-
Image
If you buy an older place, you need to check if the fibre cable is still working, and you also need to brush up on certain terms: FTP   (first termination point) ONT  (Optical Network Terminal -  also called the modem) connects to the First Termination Point (TP) https://support.myrepublic.com.sg/hc/en-us/articles/115003469974-Basic-ONT-Modem-Information-and-Troubleshooting OpenNet is the local company assigned to install the FTP, now they are called Netlink Trust. Intially they have gotten a bad rep simply because they were overwhelmed. Everyone was going into fibre a few years bad.  You need to call them to do the FTP setup. But first, find out if your home has already been reached by optical fibre. Then check if the line still works. Eg, if your builder has cut the line, then you might be in trouble. Now those chaps will charge you $160 for apartments or $288 for landed properties. You need to give them 2 weeks notice and select from a menu of dates. Then they will su
Read more