Top Picks Soundbars and Home Theater in a Box

Soundbars: Passive LCR A passive LCR soundbar accepts the left, center, and right channel signals from an A/V receiver, with the intent of replacing the separate front three speakers of a typical theater system with a convenient, single-cabinet speaker positioned directly below or sometimes above the display. Sometimes they contain technology to artificially widen the soundstage to create an illusion of spaciousness or surround sound. Soundbars usually benefit from or require an additional subwoofer to reproduce low frequencies.
	Goldenear SuperCinema 3D Array System: $2,000 We reviewed the 3-channel SuperCinema 3D Array ($999) with a matching powered subwoofer and a pair of surround satellites to fill out a $2,000 system. A true breakthrough product, it uses an advanced design to cancel crosstalk between the left and right channel to vastly improve imaging over conventional soundbars and provide an unusually spacious soundfield that borders on providing virtual surround channels even without satellites. Reviewer Darryl Wilkinson called it “a stunningly ear-catching accomplishment that redefines the very notion of what an LCR soundbar can achieve.” (December 2012, see HomeTheater.com for review.)
	Quad L-ite: $2,350 This LCR soundbar with matching remote-controlled sub and a pair of small satellite speakers to be used for wired surround channels comes from respected speaker-maker Quad. It delivered the goods in spades, said reviewer Mark Fleischmann, who noted that these “are great products no matter where you move the goalposts,” but “by the minimal standards of soundbar products, they are champions. Even judged by the same standards as any other speaker type, they deliver the audio fundamentals with panache.” (August 2010, Read Full Review)
	Phase Technology Teatro PC-3.0 System: $2,400 For our review, we mated the Teatro PC-3.0 ($1,200) with matching Phase Technology satellite speakers for surround duties and an 8-inch subwoofer for a full system price of $2,400. Reviewer Mark Fleischmann was impressed, noting the soundbar’s spacious imaging and vocal clarity. “It impressed me that the Teatro can produce a front soundstage as refined, intelligible, and just plain great-sounding as any other bar out there, and it even competes effectively with high-quality conventional speaker packages in that respect,” he said, adding “this is one bar a guy could like walking into.” (May 2009 Read Full Review)
Soundbars: Passive Multichannel A passive multichannel soundbar accepts signals from all five of an A/V receiver’s main channels, and includes drivers and/or technology to create “virtual” surround sound. Most soundbars benefit from an additional subwoofer to reproduce low frequencies.
	Definitive Technology Mythos SSA-50: $1,099 Eight of the 12 drivers in this soundbar directly reproduce the five channels of a typical surround system, with the rest dedicated to cancelling aural crosstalk to enhance the soundstage and spatial effects. Reviewing it with the 8-inch ProSub 800 subwoofer, Darryl Wilkinson noted that “this is by far the best-sounding single-cabinet system I’ve heard to date, not only when it comes to watching action-packed Hollywood multichannel blockbusters, but also with more intimate two-channel music.” Since our review in 2008, DefTech has also introduced a slimmer version, the Mythos XTR-SSA5 ($999). (August 2008, Read Full Review)
	Atlantic Technology FS-7.0 Soundbar/SB-800 Subwoofer: $1,100 The first 7-channel soundbar mated with an 8-inch subwoofer, both elements of this system were recently upgraded to the FS-7.1 ($950) and SB-900 ($350) and are scheduled for review; check back at HomeTheater.com. With the original system, reviewer Mark Fleischmann noted that “When you take into account the system’s surround and music performance, its simplicity and ability to automatically adapt to any AVR from two to seven channels, and its reasonable price, the FS-7.0 is an outstanding value in a soundbar speaker.” (Feb 2010, Read Full Review)
Soundbars: Active LCR/LR An active LCR soundbar is an all-in-one, single-cabinet speaker that includes signal processing, amplification, and drivers for the left, right, and center channels of a home theater system. A variation is the active LR system, wherein the dedicated center channel drivers are omitted. Sometimes these systems contain technology to artificially widen the soundstage to create an illusion of spaciousness or surround sound, though it’s generally understood that the end goal with such a system is to simply provide a more robust two-channel stereo alternative to a TV’s built-in speakers. Soundbars usually benefit from or require an additional subwoofer to reproduce low frequencies, and a sub is often included active soundbar systems.
	ZVOX 580: $500 This all-in-one platform-like speaker system is sold online at zvox.com, and can support a stand-mounted television of up to 70-inches or be placed in a shelf below the TV. Thanks to its larger cabinet size (for a subwoofer) and the inclusion of two woofer drivers it provides rich, full sound without the need for a separate powered subwoofer, and reviewer Lawrence Ullman liked its sonics, easy operation, and ZVOX’s 30-day audition policy, though “Once you hear a 580 and discover how easy it is to use, I seriously doubt you'll ever want to part with it.” (HomeTheater.com, Feb 2012, Read Full Review)
	Atlantic Technology PB-235 H-PAS Powerbar: $899 Atlantic Technology just introduced its first powered left/right 2-channel soundbar and included its patented H-PAS cabinet design that delivers substantially lower bass out of a small cabinet/small woofer speaker system. Although the cabinet is slightly larger than most soundbars, it provides unusually full sound on music without the need for a separate subwoofer. (January 2013, Read Full Review)
Soundbars: Active Multichannel An active multichannel soundbar is an all-in-one solution that contains its own processing and includes drivers and/or technology to create “virtual” surround sound. Most soundbars benefit from an additional subwoofer to reproduce low frequencies.
	Sonos Playbar: $699 The Sonos wireless music system has won accolades since it hit the scene in 2005. With Playbar, the company tackles the tinny sound coming from your TV. Put this slender bar with its nine powered drivers and Dolby Digital processing beneath your TV screen and prepare to be amazed. Setup is easy and you get a huge bonus: the bar doubles as a wireless audio system that streams music from your home network—Pandora, your iTunes library, you name it. If you want deep, pulsating bass you can add the companion Sonos SUB ($699, also a Top Pick). Wanna take the system to its surround sound pinnacle? Put a pair of Play:3 powered speakers ($299 each) in the back of the room and you’ll have an impressive yet seriously simple surround setup. (HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Polk SurroundBar 9000 IHT: $800 The IHT stands for Instant Home Theater, which is what this system delivers in spades. It’s easy to see why reviewer Darryl Wilkinson was impressed when you consider that the soundbar alone has eight speakers, each of which is powered by it’s own 45-watt amplifier. Add to that the 150-watt wireless subwoofer and you have a seriously simple setup that delivers an “exceptionally wide, dynamic soundstage.” Said Wilkinson: “When you add in the overwhelming simplicity…it makes the SB9000 a fantastic bargain for the person who wants his TV watching to be easy on the brain—but awesome for the ears.” (May 2013, Read Full Review)
	MartinLogan Motion Vision: $1,500 Few, if any, soundbars can match the sonic finesse of MartinLogan’s Motion Vision, whose sound is largely defined by its trio of Folded Motion tweeters, which excel at conveying nuances in timbre and delivering what reviewer Mark Fleischmann described as “outstandingly clear and communicative sound.” What’s more, dispersion is “world class,” which means you get revealing sound with a warm and gentle midrange no matter where you sit. And the bass? Surprisingly big for a slender 40-inch-wide cabinet—even without the optional wireless subwoofer. (April 2013, Read Full Review)
	Definitive Technology SoloCinema XTR: $1,999 Soundbars promise to deliver a full home theater experience with less complication and confusion—and usually at a much lower price—than a traditional system. Problem is, but many fail. Miserably. The svelte SoloCinema with it’s sidekick wireless subwoofer not only rises to the challenge but excels at extending the soundfield to the sides and even behind your head. As reviewer Darryl Wilkinson put it, “I have yet to experience another soundbar that’s capable of creating such a wonderfully enveloping and thoroughly convincing soundfield for movies.” (February/March 2013, Read Full Review)
Worthy of Consideration Though not Top Picks, these models are worthy of consideration. See our full review for details.
	Polk Audio IHT 6000: $500 Soundbar pioneer Polk offers a range of passive and powered multichannel models, and the IHT 6000 provides a modest semblance of surround sound along with an ultra-thin soundbar with a 1.5-inch depth that mates well with today’s thin-screen LED TVs. A compact, wireless powered subwoofer is included and makes set-up easy. Read Full Review)


Home Theater in a Box (HTIB) Home Theater in a Box systems (HTIBs) are complete home theater systems that are pre-packaged to simplify purchase and eliminate the need to independently research electronics and speakers. At the low-end, these are affordable solutions that include a console with a Blu-ray disc player and all the required amplification to drive five or seven main speakers and a powered subwoofer. You’ll also find boxed systems that include a traditional A/V receiver packaged with a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system.
Worthy of Consideration Though not Top Picks, these models are worthy of consideration. See our full review for details.
	Onkyo HTS-9400THX: $999 Perhaps the only THX-certified home theater box system we’ve seen, the HTS-9400 THX is a full 7.1-channel system that includes a well-featured Onkyo A/V receiver and 7-matched, wired speakers plus a powered subwoofer. It fell a little short sonically on what reviewer Kim Wilson felt was weakness in the speaker package; for it’s original $1,099 price you might do better matching a budget AVR with another manufacturer’s speaker package if you know what to buy. But it was still “highly competent,” and for some purchasers looking for a simple, turnkey purchase, it still provided a level of performance than can’t be had with most HTIBs. Read Full Review)
	Denon DHT-1513BA: $600 For this system, Denon mated its bare bones, entry-level AVR-1513 A/V receiver with a 5.1-channel compact speaker package from sister company Boston Acoustics. Despite a bit of thinness in the upper bass region typical of small subwoofer satellite systems, and a lack of clean power endemic to budget AVRs, reviewer Mark Fleischmann found it to be “a very good value” that was “easy to use and suitable for low to moderate volumes in a smallish room…Denon has done a fine job of mating receiver and speakers in this pragmatically designed starter system. It provides basic performance and basic features at a basic price.” Read Full Review)

Comments

Advice

Submitted by UltraHDwallpapers on May 18, 2013 - 6:24am.

If you want to put wonderfull Ultra HD wallpapers on your Samsung Smart Hub Streaming Platform to personalize it to the maximum, check this out : HD wallpapers

Cheers