# Need advice selecting a soundbar.



## MarkJohnson (Oct 2, 2010)

My aunt just bought a new Vizio 47" HDTV from Costco or Wal-Mart. I forget which, but these are the two main stores she buys from.

Anyway, she's unhappy with the sound and I wanted to buy her a soundbar for her as she lives in a small apt. and doesn't have much room in her small apt.

She has no one living beneath her, so she might be OK with a sub, but not necessary. It just needs to be better than built-in LCD speakers.

It would be great if the soundbar can be controlled through the TV volume, so they don't have yet another remote.

I'm on a budget and don't want to go over a $100, but I could go to maybe $300.

Thanks for any adive you can offer.
-=Mark=-


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2010)

You probably won't get too many replies about sound bars here as they are the SATAN of sound. JK
Just hit up cnet for reviews on good ones.

I just replied to suggest making sure the speakers were not set to the on-wall setting. Weak sound is a issue with a lot of flat screens, but just in case, check the settings, try messing with all the settings to see if it can be improved on.


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## gibroni (Sep 25, 2010)

ZBox seems to get good reviews.


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## DeBo (Feb 14, 2010)

You might want to check out a Vizio soundbar. I was surprised how well it sounded and you can she can buy it at Target.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

If you are set on a "bar" the Yamaha 4000 is supposed to be one of the better ones. I however heard the Bose CineMate GS a while back and found it does a very nice job at creating a surroundish type sound.


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## JCD (Apr 20, 2006)

Does the tv have an "audio out"? If not, you'd probably need to get a receiver of some sort.. and I'm not sure, but are sound bars powered? Unless they are, you'd need a receiver to power them.

However, if the TV does have an audio out, you might look at some computer speakers. Some of them don't sound half bad, they're usually small and always powered. I don't know what's good in that area, but that's what I'd consider looking at.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Yamaha offer some of the best Sound bars and have inputs (Digital SPDIF) for 5.1 as they have decoders built in and an output for the sub if you want to use one which is advisable, they also do not require an AV amp to work...but you still cannot beat a proper set up of 5.1 speakers but for the WAF conscious they can be a good option.


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## mjcmt (Aug 30, 2010)

One of the best soundbars is the Polk Audio Surroundbar. The reason it is the best is that it uses Polks patented SDA technology that they developed for their SDA audiophile speakers in the '80's. It used a sophisticated x-over and a special cable connecting the L&R speakers together. This is easy to do in a soundbar as the LCR speakers are in one cabinet. The entry Surroundbar is available online for the $300 range.

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/surroundbar/


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Yamaha does the same as the Polk just differently they call it intellibeam...intellibeam..SDA..Potato Potatoe


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## mjcmt (Aug 30, 2010)

I'm partial to Polk because Matt Polk conceived this technology in the '80 and took the audiophile community by storm. This was Polk's hay-day of design. Yamaha may be similar but it isn't the same. Probably more like apples and oranges unless Polk licenses it to Yamaha.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

The original SDA had nothing to do with "Surround Sound", but, was fun to play with. IF you placed those big SRSs just right and turned the processor on/off they seemed to disappear, which was really cool back then. Carver was in a hayday back then aswell, I seen the SRSs powered by the Silver 7ts (drool). 

As for this conversation, I am just saying that there are many technologies that create the sense of surround sound, what will sound best to you AND in your room AND in the location your place the speaker will vary. Try to find a shop that will let you try out different systems and experiment, that IS what the hobby is all about.


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## mjcmt (Aug 30, 2010)

Andre said:


> The original SDA had nothing to do with "Surround Sound"


True, but the same SDA 'Stereo Dimensional Array' (a patented Polk Audio design exclusive by Matthew Polk) is used on the rear surround channels of their Surroundbar. It places 2 drivers side by side at ear width and uses information from the other channel to complete the psycho-accoustic information and provide a humungous soundstage. It was used on the original SDA speakers and is also used on the surround drivers within their Surroundbar.


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