Spec a soundbar / 5.1 solution.

[Linken]

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!

 

[Linken]

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]

Well bugger - someone must have bought that refurb in the last 10 minutes. Went to add it to cart and its out of stock

 

[Linken]

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?

 

[Linken]

I'm not even sure at low it will be enough? Based on the fact at night I can hear her turn off her bathroom light (one of those stringy pull down ones). So I imagine it won't take a lot for sound to travel through the floor.

 

[Linken]

Is there room for expansion with those? I think I'm going to pick a soundbar where it can link with rear speakers and then buy a subwoofer at a later date when I have a house that is more suited for it (probably will move next year or so).