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Soundbar for TV worth it?

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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 23:07 - 14 Apr 2022    Post subject: Soundbar for TV worth it? Reply with quote

I just got a new tv its an LG 43 in and fine but the sound is not as good as my old Toshiba. Im thinking of getting a soundbar, are they worth it?

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The Shaggy D.A.
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PostPosted: 23:46 - 14 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

We picked up an as-new one of these second hand for £90 a couple of years ago:-

https://www.whathifi.com/sky/soundbox/review

If you have a Sky box I think it’s worth it - very happy with the quality and volume.
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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 23:59 - 14 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Shaggy D.A. wrote:
We picked up an as-new one of these second hand for £90 a couple of years ago:-

https://www.whathifi.com/sky/soundbox/review

If you have a Sky box I think it’s worth it - very happy with the quality and volume.


Apart from my hatred for Sky im also very tight Laughing
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 00:00 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

My projector system is hooked into my HiFi.
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xX-Alex-Xx
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PostPosted: 06:41 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends on the use case... if you only watch the 6 o'clock news... not much point if you watch movies etc, you don't know what you're missing until you move to 5.1 or higher. Just don't get a cheap soundbar cos it might make things worse than a good TVs built in speakers.

One with a subwoofer (even a small one) will usually give you a couple of octaves lower frequency than the average TV will provide.
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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 09:32 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

xX-Alex-Xx wrote:
Depends on the use case... if you only watch the 6 o'clock news... not much point if you watch movies etc, you don't know what you're missing until you move to 5.1 or higher. Just don't get a cheap soundbar cos it might make things worse than a good TVs built in speakers.

One with a subwoofer (even a small one) will usually give you a couple of octaves lower frequency than the average TV will provide.


I used to have a Yamaha 5.1 system, it was excellent but a lot of cableing and i ditched it as it was great for shaking the room but over the top for general viewing and the internal speakers on my Toshiba were very good. The Toshiba had a surround setting which gave a good sense of my depth but my new LG is a bit lacking in that respect. That's what im looking for really is just a bit of extra depth rather than the full on surround effect. I was thinking of this
https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lg-sk1-2.0-compact-sound-bar-10178396.html
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Easy-X
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PostPosted: 10:13 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sound generation is all about shifting volumes of air and the major downside to flat-screen TVs is they're too thin Smile Any exterior system should be an improvement, especially at the bass end. A soundbar's a good compromise if you don't want to go to the bother of a 5.1 or 7.1 system.
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to v or not to v
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PostPosted: 17:08 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

bought a new Sony tv about 6 years ago. the sound was greatly improved when i added a Yamaha sound bar.
paid about £100 for the bar. it was on offer at the time.
no sub whoofer,
but i think the bar has about 6 speakers on it.
i dont use it for casual watching, but it makes binge watching/movies a lot more enjoyable.
i would rather have one than not. it just sits under the tv, so not really taking up any more room.
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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 17:22 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

to v or not to v wrote:
bought a new Sony tv about 6 years ago. the sound was greatly improved when i added a Yamaha sound bar.
paid about £100 for the bar. it was on offer at the time.
no sub whoofer,
but i think the bar has about 6 speakers on it.
i dont use it for casual watching, but it makes binge watching/movies a lot more enjoyable.
i would rather have one than not. it just sits under the tv, so not really taking up any more room.


I think Yamaha pioneered that sort of virtual surround sound.

Ive gone and bought an LG with a sub woofer its a massive improvement and worth the £119

https://www.currys.co.uk/products/lg-sj2-2.1-wireless-sound-bar-10164205.html
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grr666
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PostPosted: 18:31 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have the matching one for my Samsung 65" 4k megabeast. Night and day. Wouldn't be without it. Video game
explosions sound mega!! Laughing
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to v or not to v
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PostPosted: 19:44 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

grr666 wrote:
Have the matching one for my Samsung 65" 4k megabeast. Night and day. Wouldn't be without it. Video game
explosions sound mega!! Laughing


how far away do you have to sit from a screen that big Shocked
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xX-Alex-Xx
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PostPosted: 21:09 - 15 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://i1.wp.com/www.techjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/tv-size-distance-chart.png?ssl=1
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 10:39 - 19 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

I currently have this TV (75" Phillips Ambilight - 75PUS7855/12):

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/75PUS7855_12/7800-series-4k-uhd-led-smart-tv-with-ambilight-3-sided

and this sound bar (Sharp Dolby Atmos Sound bar - HT-SBW800):

https://www.sharpconsumer.uk/audio/htsbw800/

I highly recommend both.
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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 11:15 - 19 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

xX-Alex-Xx wrote:
https://i1.wp.com/www.techjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/tv-size-distance-chart.png?ssl=1


Im not sure i understand the graph. Im about 7 or 8 ft from a 43inch uktraHD screen its certainly an improvement on the 32 inch seventeen year old toshiba i had before.
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grr666
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PostPosted: 12:49 - 19 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

to v or not to v wrote:

how far away do you have to sit from a screen that big Shocked

I'm about 8ft away from the screen. Bought some additional LED ambient lightpods to add to it to wash the wall in the
colours that are displayed on screen. Very happy with my home setup. Watched the new Spiderman blu ray the other night,
it's like having my own cinema.
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Zen Dog
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PostPosted: 18:58 - 19 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope some marketing bod somewhere got a massive bonus for persuading us all that crappy speakers on our TVs (even incredibly expensive ones) was totally fine, and we should pay for decent sound separately.
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Kawasaki Jimbo
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PostPosted: 19:25 - 19 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zen Dog wrote:
I hope some marketing bod somewhere got a massive bonus for persuading us all that crappy speakers on our TVs (even incredibly expensive ones) was totally fine, and we should pay for decent sound separately.

I think it’s partly due to modern TVs being so thin. I bought a Samsung soundbar of about the same price as the OP’s (sub-£100) and it was no improvement. Now I’ve got the TV connected to the Hi-FI amp, stereo speakers and sub-woofer which can be amazing, although I don’t always bother with the multiple switch-ons and just use the telly speakers. Interestingly the adverts often have better sound. Mad
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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 22:04 - 19 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zen Dog wrote:
I hope some marketing bod somewhere got a massive bonus for persuading us all that crappy speakers on our TVs (even incredibly expensive ones) was totally fine, and we should pay for decent sound separately.


I agree but what can one do. I have one of these and it sounds great but is bulky and incredibly complicated to set up. Back when i got it it was the dogs cahones.
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Zen Dog
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PostPosted: 14:10 - 28 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kawasaki Jimbo wrote:
I think it’s partly due to modern TVs being so thin.


This logic seems arse backwards to me. Making something better without making it worse in other ways is the engineering/design challenge. If you make it thinner (yey) by making it worse (crappier sound), you've just failed at that challenge really.

If the new Ford Focus came with polythene windows and doors, and you'd have to buy decent ones separately, but Ford said it was "due to it being 20% lighter", I don't think people would accept that as a valid excuse.
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Freddyfruitba...
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PostPosted: 16:52 - 28 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zen Dog wrote:
This logic seems arse backwards to me. Making something better without making it worse in other ways is the engineering/design challenge. If you make it thinner (yey) by making it worse (crappier sound), you've just failed at that challenge really.

Totally agree. I just think that most punters don't actually care about the sound quality, or notice it. It's really the only possible reason. All they seem to be bothered about is having the biggest fuck-off TV that they can, perched on the wall above the fireplace.

We have a 5.1 sound system here, but I'm the only one in the house who actually knows how to use it....
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Last edited by Freddyfruitbat on 21:48 - 28 Apr 2022; edited 1 time in total
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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 21:33 - 28 Apr 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Freddyfruitbat wrote:
that they can perched on the wall above the fireplace.


Yes, what's that all about, I cant understand why people want their tv up on the wall.
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Jayy
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PostPosted: 15:20 - 22 May 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you ever listened to a drum & bass track or house track on your phone as opposed to a sound system? You're missing about 2/3 of the song on your phone.

Same thing with a TV, they've all got shocking speakers. In my opinion, you should always have a sound bar / sound system.

The next problem is, getting the right equipment for the job. No point spending £50 on a shit soundbar off eBay.

Also no point in buying a soundbar that won't fill the room size.

I've got multi room Sonos systems for music and 7.1 Atmos systems for tvs / projectors. Each fits the room / setup as needed.
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Rob W
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PostPosted: 15:39 - 22 May 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ribenapigeon wrote:
Freddyfruitbat wrote:
that they can perched on the wall above the fireplace.


Yes, what's that all about, I cant understand why people want their tv up on the wall.


I've got a 75" Samsung wall mounted, literally above our (fake) fireplace because it absolutely dominated the unit it was sat on, Laughing.

I use a little Samsung soundbar and separate sub, god knows what model, as the TV sound is absolute dog shite. I ordered it with the TV as I'm fully aware how bad the sound is from them now.
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Ribenapigeon
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PostPosted: 09:26 - 23 May 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rob W wrote:


I've got a 75" Samsung wall mounted, literally above our (fake) fireplace because it absolutely dominated the unit it was sat on, Laughing.

I use a little Samsung soundbar and separate sub, god knows what model, as the TV sound is absolute dog shite. I ordered it with the TV as I'm fully aware how bad the sound is from them now.


That must be like sitting in the front row at the cinema having to look up at the screen. I think the tv needs to be at the same eye level as when slumped on the couch.
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 12:16 - 23 May 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nope. Depending on sofa ... ours recline so it's great. And if watching from the far end of the room whilst eating, it's visible over the top of the sofa.

Works very well for us like that.
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