Sound bars what's wrong with them?

[jpaul]

Do soundbars connected via HDMI(1.4/ARC) from TV's still work when a SCART socket input on the tv is selected for the a/v ?

[in this case the tv will have analog sound coming in and maybe tv's are typically unable to recode the audio digitally for hdmi/arc output.
We have an older 2011 Panasonic e30b tv and sometime use older SCART input(dvd player) and if the soundbar would not work in this case it would be less useful]

 

[danielanthony]

I got a Bose Solo 10 and a Bose Solo 15 both from the factory outlet store.

Although they're not the traditional flat sound bar shape (designed to have the TV sat on top of them) the extra depth makes them better speakers. I use one with my iMac via an amp and the sound is x100 better.

 

[NirK]

Thinness should have no bearing on the SQ, it's purely down to the budget allocated for the built in speakers. Sonny should know this having owned a 42pz85. the PZ80/85s had some of the most god awful speakers i've ever heard in a TV and they are not thin Tvs in any sense. Well, compared to CRTs they are but yeah.

It does because there is no space for speakers to create the lower sounds, so speakers in a thinner TV will not have any bass and will sound thin, also compacted into the small TV case they will not be ideal.

Instead of a soundbar I would recommend a stereo amplifier, DAC and 2 speakers, but some soundbars are decent like the Dali Kubik etc.

 

[Bassmansam]

I am mounting my sound bar above my tv as my tv unit doesn't have a big enough shelf to put it in. It will be about 4ft 8 high. Hope it sounds okay from there! Anyone done this with theirs?

 

[james.miller]

It does because there is no space for speakers to create the lower sounds, so speakers in a thinner TV will not have any bass and will sound thin, also compacted into the small TV case they will not be ideal.

It's not like the speakers would have to do anything below 30hz. They could quiet easily build in a sufficient chamber for a small of couple of small shallow mount long throw drivers but they dont, because cost. It wouldnt add much at all to the depth of a 40"+ screen to build in the chambers to accommodate such drivers but yes, easier and cheaper to bolt a bar to the bottom of the screen, or the sides as the sony linked to above, or just not bother at all lol

 

[Maundie]

I got the Bose Solo system from the shop in Meadowhall over a year ago, your TV sits on top of it and it sounds fantastic, it is actually deep so not a 'soundbar' per se but really is good enough and much better than the speakers on my TV.

 

[FrankJH]

They work but they are not Hi Fi per say. The whole reason for their existence is because TV has gotten so thin there isn't enough room to put in good speakers so manufacturers saw an opportunity to make money from selling it to you separately.

.

Actually they have existed for a lot longer than that - but TV sound in general (ie the quality of the speakers) have been so **** for so long, ie ever, that the manufacturers wanted to give a cheaper option for those people who didnt want a seperate amp / speaker system - there was a clear gap in the market.

Obviously the thinner tv's have gotten (relately recently) have increased soundbar sales dramatically, but as you said just dont expect high quality imagery or sound quality from most of them as they are more a lifestyle choice

Even from a quick google Polk released a soundbar 11 years ago (and Im pretty certain they were not the first to do so), in general TV's were not thin enough then to affect speakers

 

[a1ex2001]

Do soundbars connected via HDMI(1.4/ARC) from TV's still work when a SCART socket input on the tv is selected for the a/v ?

[in this case the tv will have analog sound coming in and maybe tv's are typically unable to recode the audio digitally for hdmi/arc output.
We have an older 2011 Panasonic e30b tv and sometime use older SCART input(dvd player) and if the soundbar would not work in this case it would be less useful]

but a new DVD player for about £20 and ditch the scart interface!