Sound Bar (Single Speaker Surround Sound) Buyer's Guide

posted on November 02, 2009 in , Audio and Video, Audio Systems, Speakers, Receivers, Home Theater Systems :: 0 comments

Polk SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater

While immersive surround sound systems may seem like a must-have when you’re watching a movie, the realities of integrating five speakers plus a subwoofer are obvious when the lights come up—ugly wires and speakers that clog up a room. If you have the money, you can run those wires through walls and hide speakers in ceilings. But if that's not in your budget, what's the solution?

One way to balance your movie-watching needs and your interior décor aesthetics is to invest in a sound bar. Sound bars are aptly named—they are oblong enclosures, designed to fit snugly in the space between a table top and the bottom of your flat-screen TV, that replace all five surround sound speakers.

Inside the sound bar are a series of speaker drivers and digital sound processing electronics combined with an amplifier to produce surround sound. The speakers inside the bar create slight delays in the sound output to provide a "virtual" surround sound effect that mimics the experience of a full surround sound system.

Sound bars include jacks to connect your DVD player, video-game system and cable/satellite box. Some of the more expensive models even include a built-in DVD player. And, since most sound bars have built-in amplifiers, there's no need for a separate receiver or amp.

Our Picks

Entry Level to Mid-range Sound Bars: less than $700

Better sounding than your HDTV speakers, entry level sound bars in this range offer basic virtual surround sound and limited digital connectivity options. Most don't offer a lot of bass, so look for one with a subwoofer. Mid-range sound bars include expanded connectivity, including HDMI, and integrated DVD players and subwoofers. But we're not big fans of the models currently available. The Yamaha YHT-S400 won't be out until early 2010.

Sony HT-CT100 Sound Bar with Subwoofer ($230)
Measuring a mere 2.75-inches high, you'll hardly notice the HT-CT100 sound bar when it's off. When it's on, it delivers a powerful virtual surround experience from three speakers plus a wired sub. The sub also serves as the receiver with three HDMI inputs, coax, composite and optical audio in.
Buy Now at Amazon.com

ZVOX Z-Base 525 ($400)
Instead of a bar, ZVOX produces thin sound boxes, which you can place under your HDTV. This entry-level ZVOX packs five speakers, amplifiers, powered subwoofer and its virtual surround sound system inside a 24-inch wide, 12.5-inch deep and 3.5-inch high enclosure. Its remote, unfortunately, is very limited. The company offers a 30-day audition; if you don't like it, they'll cover the return shipping costs.
Buy Now at Amazon.com

Yamaha YHT-S400 ($600)
To solve the problem of connecting all your gear to your sound bar, Yamaha has created a two-piece unit. First, there’s a traditional slim sound bar – just two inches high – with sliding spreading feet to fit over any HDTV tabletop stand. The second piece is a full A/V receiver with three HDMI inputs and a unique built-in subwoofer. But you'll have to wait for it: the S400 won't be available until early 2010.

High-end Sound Bars: $700 plus

Most high-end sound bars are made by highly-respected speaker makers, resulting in systems that provide a full surround sound experience that rivals systems using separate speakers. They also provide more customization options that allow you to tailor the sound to the specific dimensions and audio characteristics of your listening space.

Samsung HT-BD8200 ($800)
If you have an HDTV 50-inches or larger, you'll naturally want not only surround sound but a Blu-ray player as well. Samsung deliver both in this sound bar, plus a wireless subwoofer, so no additional cable needed to get deeper bass. As an added bonus, this soundbar includes internet connectivity to Netflix for streaming movies and Pandora for free music via the included Wi-Fi dongle. Two possible drawbacks: you don't get full or even three channel surround sound, just faux surround from left and right speakers, and it's nearly eight inches tall to accommodate the vertically-mounted Blu-ray player.
Buy Now at Amazon.com

Polk SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater ($899)
Using its sophisticated "stereo dimension array" (SDA) technology and eight speaker drivers, this Polk system re-creates realistic 360-degree surround sound and deep bass without a separate subwoofer. This simulated surround sound system is actually two pieces – a single, sleek 44.5-inch long sound bar and a separate, compact electronics console housing a DVD/CD player, the SDA signal-processing amplifier, an AM/FM radio and a host of digital, analog, USB and video inputs.
Buy Now at Amazon.com

Yamaha Sound Projector YSP-3050 ($1,200)
This 31.5-inch wide Sound Projector has 21 small speakers, each with its own amplifier, and "beams" sounds to reflect off your room's walls to create a startlingly realistic five-speaker-plus-bass surround sound experience. An on-screen display lets you define your room dimensions and your listening position to optimize the "beams" of reflected sound. You also get two HDMI inputs, a built-in FM radio and special jacks to connect an optional XM satellite radio tuner/antenna pack or an iPod dock.
Buy Now at Amazon.com