Are sound bars overrated? Even with subwoofer?

Aren't re talking about sound bars that are attached to the bottom of PC monitors?

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I bought a soundbar speaker with wireless subwoofer placed underneath the sofa for my office/gaming room. It does the job well by adding more clarity and bass. Perfect for gaming and movie watching. But for music it's meh.

not at all. only absolute autists will buy into the 5.1/7.1 setup meme. 2.1 setup's like a soundbar and BT sw are a perfectly good compromise and greatly improve on the shit built in speakers on 99.999% of TVs out there.

This, also remember where you are, 80% of the people on this board still live with their parents, don't have a job, and are pretty autistic. They really don't know what they want.

Sound bars are only better if its not a cheap one. If you have a nice tv a $100 sound bar will maybe be a slight improvement if it came with a sub.
It still doesnt compare to a 5.1 with good speakers, receiver, and a powered sub. Never tried 7.1 but it might be worth it in very large rooms.

So you happily buy shit with the money you make?
I agree, don't waste your time with more than a 2.1 system unless you have a dedicated theater room.
But for fuck sake, don't waste money on soundbars. absolute garbage.

No, were talking about the "7.1" sound bars that are sold to retards

I really love my soundbar. it projects the sounds so much better. I always hated movies where people whisper because I couldnt hear shit, but thats hardly an issue now. Star Trek fucks it up though. that space station humming makes it make some weird static.

>I really love my soundbar. it projects the sounds so much better
>Star Trek fucks it up though. that space station humming makes it make some weird static.

Probably because shoving a bunch of 2.5inch drivers into a thin plastic housing. And a "subwoofer" with a 6.5inch driver and a 50w amp to power it, that couldn't even fart below 45hz.
Is maybe, just maybe a joke product..

wtf i hate my soundbar now

>that 25 year old boomer who buys soundbars because they fit with his rented flat interior aesthetic

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Better than TV speakers and more convenient than setting up a multiple speaker surround. As long as you aren't expecting amazing theatre surround they can be an effective upgrade.

The first step is always the hardest.
I'm glad you're making the effort to recover, you have my full support user

Get a bose home entertainment system. Spend money once even if it's more than you intended

This is good advice except for the bose part.

>bose
You can get more bang for your buck elsewhere

I’m so glad I wasn’t born a plebeian

>Bose
Why lie to people like that?

Get a focal or dyaudio then you snob

um, so they're convenient
the downside is the woofer size is too small, and they're underpowered, and for the same cost you could set up a really good 2.0 system

but most people can't deal with the hassle since it takes some tech knowledge

agreed
too much electronic pre and post processing with bose items

>most people can't deal with the hassle since it takes some tech knowledge.
There is no excuse, when you can just search youtube for "how to set up ___" and have all the answers.

It's easier than putting together an Ikea shelf.
A cheap system e.g. A pair of bookshelf speakers + 5 channel receiver will get you started. Then add a sub later. And, if you want surround sound, buy some towers or more bookshelves and a center, then your all set.

People tend to go wrong when they try to get everything at once for their first proper sound system. They get confused, feel they've spent to much and get annoyed with the effort involved with setting up a bunch of components.

These threads reminds me why I hate everyone one of you fucking retards with your oh-so-better """alternatives""".

"NOOOOO, sound bards are stupid, sure they cost $300 and actually sound really good for the price and have a nice bass, but they suck because look at my $2000 home theater."

"NOOO, those actually okay $50 PC speakers sucks, buy those $200 Klipsch speakers instead."

"NOOO, forget those $20 Philips headphones, buy these $300 ones instead."

YOU FUCKING DUMB PIECES OF SHIT, DO YOU EVEN FUCKING UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF A PRICE POINT?

IN *EVERY* fucking thread you must present your dumb fucking alternatives that cost 3, 4, or FIVE times as much. IN EVERY FUCKING THREAD. EVERY SINGLE ONE.

There's one lesson to be learned about ANYTHING audio on the Internet: EVERYONE IS A DUMB PIECE OF SHIT AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS YES.

YES, every SINGLE product out there is good. EVERY single one of them. You will be FAR better served with THIS advice than anything else anyone says because every time, EVERY FUCKING TIME THEY WILL SAY EVERY FUCKING THING SUCKS BECAUSE THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE THAT'S ONLY ONE FUCKING THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE EXPENSIVE.

What speakers do you have user?

I had shitty cheap chinese ones from this "Satellite" brand, then I bought Logitech, which a nigger stole, and now some Taiwanese "Genius" one, and every one of them is fucking fine.

They are a nice solution along with Atmos. No need to perfectly positioning of speakers and all the hassle of instalation. Put it in front of you, sit back and enjoy.

Sounds like you've never owned a nice sound system. My $2500 5.1 system sounds a hell of a lot better than my $200 sound bar with sub. Not everyone needs that kind of set up and I'm sure yours works just fine for you but just know they are not the same. Also a $400 sound bar will be better than a $100 sound bar if you're buying from a reputable supplier.

Fair enough. The problem I have with soundbars, is that everyone buys them, even when they're a really poor value proposition for the price point.
And it's killing quality audio brands.

They're either going out of business, or companies that use to scoff at the idea of an all in one 'bar of sound', are now making their own while downsizing their other other offerings.
pretty frustrating for budget audiophiles like myself.

I know they are not the same, the problem is when someone says "hey guys I need some decent speakers on the $50 range" and everyone suggests something that costs $200 instead.

How do they work? Some kind of audio beam forming to get surround sound, or is it just some slightly less shit speakers than the ones in the TV stuck in a plastic bar?

both
shitty tiny drivers in a plastic enclosure and a lot of dsp bending to make it sound acceptable, and while you're at it why not add some horrible phase-y crosstalk cancellation to create some fake out of phase 'surround' feel at a tiny sweet spot (and give all the other listeners around the sweet spot a nice headache)

$50 range is woefully unrealistic for anything even remotely good though. While most people consider $200 the absolute bare minimum

And that's why these threads get nowhere: someone asks for the best options inside a given price range and everyone insists on recommending something outside it.

No, they're trying to save the person from themselves, by saying "hey bruv, just save another couple of weeks and get this product here".
Sure it costs a bit more, but it's 20x better, you'll enjoy it alot more and you won't be second guessing your purchase.

Un-ironically, this is the best sounding sound system I've heard.
>inb4 'how much are you getting paid'
none lol. I just genuinely think it sounds good

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This

Soundbars are easier than 2.1 setup

if you don't have walls or a rug to hide the cables, they're cleaner

a true 5.1 or 7.1 setup with a receiver will 100% sound better, assuming you don't buy the most dogshit speakers on the planet (or most dogshit receiver)

that being said, anyone who says a soundbar sounds like TV speakers is full of shit, TV speakers on modern TVs are garbage, LCD thinness war along with price war has made sound the last priority, it's basically assumed you'll buy some form of external speaker(s).

Except someone might not have to save a couple of weeks, but a couple of months. Or they just might not want to spend too much.
>le poorfag maymay
And that's why every advice on audio is garbage all the time.

There's always some advice to be had on buying a cheap car, a cheap TV, a cheap phone, but for some fucking reason a $50 speaker is literally indistinguishable from $3 extreme budget Chinese ones. Fucking mind blowing, isn't it?

here
>easier than 2.1 setup
meant easier than 5.1/7.1 setup

if you can score one on a good deal and your room layout is not conducive to a 5.1 setup, like many dorms, it's a worthwhile upgrade

if you have the space to properly put 5.1/7.1 speakers in though, go through the effort

>I have to wait longer than I want
This is why you'll stay poor, no will power. But if you don't actually care about audio and tech then buy whatever the fuck you want.

you must be deaf.

>4k ultra hd soundbar
hahaha

>5.1
>4 seperate speakers
Whaaa

theres 2 speakers in the long one i guess

>buy a 5.1 audio system
>it's actually a 3.1

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>1.½

If this isn't all just one person trolling, please stop being spergs. haha.

Soundbars are mostly used for the convenience and aesthetics rather than actually being good

They sell you a super thin TV with absolutely trash audio because of it, then sell you the actual speakers seperately

It is though. it's literally one speaker and half a "subwoofer" I'd argue is hardly a midwoofer

And don't give me 'hurr durr it's multiple channel tho hurr"

How the hell do you look at that and assume it is one speaker

they're ok for an easy plug and play, but you could improve on this design by going to goodwill, getting some 8 dollar onkyo, a pair of beak up 5" corwins from the same goodwill or ebay for 40, and then hook it up to the rca/3.5 out on your tv. if you need stands, buy 2 ikea edge tables and slap em on there. sounds better than anything a sb can produce.

2

1 and whatever the fuck that piddly little black cube thing is supposed to be

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>ideally close to a reflective wall
Only do this if you have a cheap sub with small drivers, a sub with a large driver will benefit from being moved away from walls.

literally the best subwoofer i've heard. i have 2x1000w subs in my car and this compares.

Ah yes, I see it now. I hadn't noticed the speaklets separating from the mothership. how novel

3.1 of even 3.0 is the bare minimum, the center channel makes all the difference in the world. Even my local OTA channels have dedicated voice on center channel.

For people that want more clarity it's way better than any soundbar.

For 5.1 you need to pay attention to the room and speaker type but it's super worth it.

pre-processing is pretty much the reason to buy bose. Accurate reproduction is pretty useless if there are restrictions in how you can setup your audio equipment.

no highs, no lows, must be bose
bose is marketing, nothing else

>using computer speakers for TV
lmao

>ctrl+f
>elgiant soundbar
>0 results
ITT: Homosex

example would be their portable loudspeaker systems. If you're going to use them for talk, the processing will allow the voice to push through all that noise

>they make a decent PA
>that means they make decent speakers and soundbars
top lel

>the same exact processing is used in all speakers

considering thst your soundbar is actually less than ideal for how speakers should be positioned, you probably need that sound processing more than you would for a more traditional setup with discrete speakers

Bose is garbage and their soundbar products offer no appreciable performance advantage in processing over brands like Klipsch, Polk, or others. Most of their soundbar reviews complain about HDMI ARC handshaking issues, optical audio drops, etc., and then the fact that they sound like shit because Bose uses paper cones, and the entire thing is a joke, a marketing scheme designed to milk rubes.

For the most part, yes.
However, despite what the wanks on this board will tell you, there are sound bars out there that are pretty decent alternative if a proper surround system isn't an option. However, you're going to be paying more.
A separate subwoofer is a must.

>buying soundbars
>buying 2.1 systems
>buying a speaker with no integrated advanced processor that detects and melds to the room it's in

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who are you and how do you know me?

I unironically bought a soundbar because I moved out and wanted "muh minimalism" interior to fulfill my self-void of being recognized as a sophisticated individual.

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My old YSP 800 from like 10+ years ago had an external mic that you placed at your listening position so it could auto calibrate.

cool but too bad it couldn't also detect if you placed objects in front of it or if you moved it around the room without having to set up the recalibration equipment again

It's a 20 lb soundbar, not a toy. You set it up then leave it alone.
Point is, it's not new technology.

Do you live in a hotel? like holy fuck, it's so bland and lacks personality. Such a neutral living space. I suggest adding some books and big titty anime figures to add flabor.

this, don't listen to audiophile snake oil

I think it's fine if the price is right. The 1 bar 5.1 serious 3 seem like a maymay though. You need one that comes with the two rear speakers. I have an LG sj5 with the rear speakers. It was worth it for 130 total.

Is your laptop made from Osmium? Dat desk dag

Soundbars are just pure idiocracy.
>hurr I dont know how speakers work, let's buy a "soundbar"
They just make me depressed about humanity.
Case in point:
>"4K Ultra HD Soundbar"
>$700

There's no way in hell that those 1" drivers crammed in a long plastic tube sound better than proper speakers for the same price.
But I guess if you dumb it down enough and call it some meme name retards are going to buy it.

[x] easier to setup
[x] looks better than having bulky speakers everywhere
[x] sounds better than even needed for watching TV and the occasional movie
[x] doesnt take up space

get fucked, you boomer speaker loving faggot