Going from an Onkyo 5.1 system to a soundbar - would I regret it?

TheVoice · 11 Jul 2015 at 12:28

I'm moving out of a house and into a flat in a month or so, and I'm considering changing my Onkyo HTS-3305 5.1 system for a a decent soundbar instead. Partly because I worry the bass from the sub is going to upset neighbours, and partly because it's a massive hassle to disconnect, pack up, move, set-up again only to have to pack it all away again when I likely move again in 12 months time.

Question is, will I regret it? I haven't been able to have the rear speakers in a particularly ideal location at my current place due to the room layout, so I'm probably not getting the full effect from them but I do wonder if it's still something I'd miss if I had no rear sound at all. I don't know if I'll be able to have them in decent locations in my new place either.

Anyone done a similar thing?

wellibob · 11 Jul 2015 at 12:51

Imho a "decent" soundbar /soundbase system are generally great but you'll totally lose the proper surround (only real rear/side speakers can achieve) and bass will be limited although in some cases with sound bars decent. If v possible always keep the 5.1 system for movies and the like.

mattoxx · 11 Jul 2015 at 19:26

Surroung sound is not everything, but you have got pretty decent 5.1 speakers, so it is going to be very hard to match that quality with soundbar...even if lack of surround is not a problem. I would regret it big time.

SkeeterUK · 11 Jul 2015 at 20:44

Do soundbars not allow for expansion to rears like?

lucid · 11 Jul 2015 at 20:58

Personally I would simply reconfigure the existing Onkyo sound system to replicate the layout of a soundbar and ejoy all the advantages of a proper AV system (bigger range of inputs, better decoding, superior audio performance) while saving the money that would have otherwise been wasted on new gear.

Any half-decent 5.1 system can be configured to run in 3.1 mode as above. The amp will take care of the appropriate audio processing. You can control the bass level both through the Onkyo's Bass/Treble controls and also via the set-up menus to permanently reduce the level if you wish. Wiring up the speakers as above means the speaker cables would be grouped together. You'd also have the advantages of a dedicated centre speaker and the Night Mode feature for any sources using DD.

TALON1973 · 12 Jul 2015 at 17:29

or the other option is go a nice set of headphones/ head amp

TheVoice · 12 Jul 2015 at 22:45

TALON1973 said:
or the other option is go a nice set of headphones/ head amp

Maybe for a bit of music late at night but I could never sit there comfortably for hours watching TV with headphones on.

Cheers lucid, hadn't really thought of doing it that way. Will see what sort of space I have to work with once I'm in the new place, a soundbar just appealed for the ease of connecting it up and packing away again. The Onkyo is a real pig to package up.