Spec a soundbar / 5.1 solution.

Linken

Linken

Linken

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I am a complete newbie when it comes to this sort of stuff, having used the TV speakers for a good 6-7 years on my LG TV, I've never really experienced any 2.1/5.1 setups and I'm looking to dip my toe into the home cinema market.

I'm definitely not an audiophile - just trying to have a better audio experience without breaking the bank too much and I'm finding it increasingly harder to hear dialogue in films and TV shows nowdays (getting old?!)

I have a rented property with a 2 year old toddler running about so wires on the 5.1 setup may be an issue so I was leaning towards the soundbar option. I have 3 Google Home Minis across the flat which I use currently for multiroom audio, so I'm already invested into the Google Assistant ecosystem so being Google Assistant compatible would be good but at the same time as it's entry level I don't want to pay an extra £200-300 for the privilege if there's not much extra added benefit.

I quite like the idea of having room to expand the system as I won't be able to afford it all at once but can add new speakers etc perhaps later on in the year.

Main thing I would use it for is TV/Films and connected to the Xbox One, in a relatively small-medium sized living room about 4m x 4m.

I am leaning towards a Yamaha YAS-207 for my first system as it seems pretty good for <£250 - although as I understand it there is basically no room for expansion here.

I don't mind paying up to £400-500 for something better.. if it's worth it to do so.

Any thoughts or ideas appreciated!
 
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A real 5.1 Soundbar (would need be using HDMI not Bluetooth as its faked upmixed) will cost you a good bit of dosh.

I had a look recently as my current set up is stuck on older DD/DTS not DD+ etc but decided against it.
 
For Google command integration, have a look at the Denon HEOS sound bar. You can also add wireless speakers for rear surround later on.
 
Peter Tyson have the YAS-207 refurb too for £179. Do you think the sound improvement from YAS-207 to YSP-2700 is worth the extra?
 
Linken said:
Peter Tyson have the YAS-207 refurb too for £179. Do you think the sound improvement from YAS-207 to YSP-2700 is worth the extra?
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Yes if you have the extra cash the 2700 is well worth the extra.

I have had mine 3 years and I’m still impressed how it creates such a wide sound stage and sounds fantastic. You do need to remember you cannot hide the sub away with the 2700 it needs to be facing the seating position at the front of the room. I came from a full dedicated surround setup with Denon amp and Q acoustics speakers and have no desire to go back.
 
Well bugger - someone must have bought that refurb in the last 10 minutes. Went to add it to cart and its out of stock :(
 
NZXT30 said:
This will blow away any sound bar, cracking deal imo: https://exceptional-av.co.uk/home-c...itor-audio-mass-gen2-speaker-package-5-1.html
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Cant say it looks that impressive tbh can get better for similar money. You also have to have an amp and speakers and wire which is kind of why people like soundbars. The 2700 sounds superb and delivers a far better surround experience than you expect from a sound bar. It is actually called a sound projector as it uses 16 speakers to direct the audio.
 
MOOGLEYS said:
Cant say it looks that impressive tbh can get better for similar money. You also have to have an amp and speakers and wire which is kind of why people like soundbars. The 2700 sounds superb and delivers a far better surround experience than you expect from a sound bar. It is actually called a sound projector as it uses 16 speakers to direct the audio.
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How can you compare a proper 5.1 setup from monitor audio and onkyo with a 8" proper subwoofer to that gimicky yamaha sound bar. 16 speakers? They are forward facing tiny 2W tincans, there is absolutely nothing special about them. Sound projector? Thats just marketing buzztalk.

Its like comparing a console to a gaming rig.
 
Ordinarily, I'd side with the AV package. But on this occasion I can see @MOOGLEYS point.

The Onkyo/Monitor Audio package appears to be good value. The speakers alone are £599 and the amp is around £350, so the combined deal price is a decent saving. However, compared to the old MA MASS speakers, these new ones just look very plain Jane, and dare I say, even old-fashioned. They might sound great, as most Monitor Audio speakers do. But it looks like the bean counters have had a heavy hand here because the design just doesn't look like a £600 set of speakers.

The Onkyo amp is similarly low-rent. Spring clip terminals for speaker connections; really? On a £200 entry-level amp, sure, but not at £350. And why is the lower-spec TX-SR494 more expensive than the better built TX-NR575? How does that make sense? In reality, the Onky0 494 looks more like a £250 amp. That's perhaps where some of the savings are actually from.


It's easy to dismiss the Yamaha with its multi-array driver system if you haven't heard it, but that's how their sound steering system works; and it works very well. There are additional woofers in the speaker bar, so it's not just the tweeters. It will never be as pinpoint accurate as real speakers in the surround positions, but that's a given and it's something people are happy to accept as a compromise if it means not having wires trailing around.

The sub isn't as powerful as the Monitor Audio, but Yamaha does provide a proper subwoofer out connection so it is entirely possible to mate the soundbar with a far larger and more potent sub from any major speaker manufacturer. The YSP2700 with a BK XXLS400 would be astonishing.
 
Soundbars are a upgrade over TV sound,.my c9 kg is awful but parents q acoustic qtv2 is actually pretty good and for the £150 price a no brainer. It is lacking on low end with the built-in sub but I'm comparing it against £500+ subs.

They lack connectivity but I'd your TV has enough hdmi inputs you route it through that or worst case scenario use a hdmi switch to add extra inputs on a single TV input so that should be enough.
 
NZXT30 said:
How can you compare a proper 5.1 setup from monitor audio and onkyo with a 8" proper subwoofer to that gimicky yamaha sound bar. 16 speakers? They are forward facing tiny 2W tincans, there is absolutely nothing special about them. Sound projector? Thats just marketing buzztalk.

Its like comparing a console to a gaming rig.
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I presume you have not heard a 2700 yourself as your comment suggests. It’s not marketing talk at all and works very well it’s not a fake surround like most. But each to their own I suppose. I came for a high end Denon Amp, Q-Acoustics speakers and BK sub and tbh was expecting to be disappointed but 3 years later I’m still surprised how good the 2700 sounds. It’s not as good as a dedicated setup but it’s damn close and much less hassle.
 
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Psycho Sonny said:
i have one of these for the bedroom and tbh when you crank it up it rivals my proper 5.1 system which cost over 10 times the price downstairs.

it will never have proper surround but the sound you do get is very good
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Did you not buy your downstairs system for the princely combined sum of ~£900 in 2016 if memory serves? If so your maths are a little out.
 
Mines about £20,000 so compared to parents q acoustics qtv2 it's another league. I can crank up to any level and it sounds great, no matter the amps provide clean powrr. I'd be happy if flat panel TVs had that qtv sound quality or for having that qtv2 upstairs for the bedroom system.
 
Thanks for the opinions guys. I have thought today of another potential issue in that I live in a maisonette with someone directly below me and we also have a neighbour thats connected by the wall in our living room where the TV is.

That and where I live the average age seems to be about 55 - I'm feeling that a subwoofer is a bad idea? I may have to try and find just the best standalone soundbar I can find without a sub?
 
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