# surround sound question



## hockeyjm (Dec 1, 2013)

So I am looking to create a 5.1 home theater system and I was wondering if you could use a 2.1 channel sub-woofer and sound bar then add 4 bookshelf speakers in order to create a 5.1 surround sound system. I was looking at using a vizio S3821w-C0 38-inch 2.1 home theater sound bar with wireless sub-woofer then use a 7.1 channel Sony STR-DG720 for the receiver.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Theoretically it will work, but it ultimately depends on whether or not the Sony receiver can accommodate whatever connections the soundbar requires. 

Regards,
Wayne


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Almost, but "no."
That sony AVR does not have dedicated multi-channel RCA pre-outs. Without the pre-outs, I can't think of any other way to get a dedicated center channel signal to the sound bar.


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## gazoink (Apr 17, 2013)

Ah, soundbars. The great audio compromise of the 2010s. 

Unless you pay up for one of the fancy ones like the Def Techs or the Golden Ear (both have good soundbars that actually get it right), they mostly are just that: a compromise that favors the visual appearance over sound quality, and is chosen to simply beat the speakers built into the TV, which ain't all that hard to do.


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