sound bars

Sony announces $200 PS3-friendly sound bar

Along with all the big E3 news from Sony, the company also announced a new, PS3-friendly sound bar home theater system, the CECH-ZVS1. Despite being described as "for the PlayStation 3," nothing in the announcement suggests that it's different from any other sound bar, except for some PS3-like styling. Here's a quick rundown of the CECH-ZVS1's key features.

Key features of the Sony CECH-ZVS1:

Built-in subwoofer One optical digital audio input, one analog audio input Dolby Digital and DTS decoding Sony's "S-Force PRO Front Surround Sound" virtual surround processing $200 list price; … Read more

Samsung HW-C450 sound bar: Superthin, but sounds big

Sound bars aren't as thin as the slimmest HDTVs yet, but the Samsung HW-C450 ($300 street price) is getting close. It is less than 2 inches thick, which seems almost impossibly thin, considering the fact that it houses six drivers and built-in amplification. Even more impressive is that Samsung manages to get some great sound quality out of those cramped quarters (plus a wireless subwoofer), with better-than-average sonic detail on movies.

Music, on the other hand, sounds a little disappointing, and JVC's somewhat heftier TH-BA1 is a better pick if you plan on listening to more than TV … Read more

Don't buy a sound bar, unless. . .

There's no shortage of new sound bars to review, and I still believe they're a great solution for some home theater buyers. They simplify setup chores, and eliminate the hassles associated with placing five or more speakers and running wires to all the speakers. Some self-powered sound bars offer a range of inputs, including HDMI connectivity, so there's no need to buy a receiver.

The best ones get close to the room-filling sound of a bona-fide 5.1 system. The latest Yamaha Sound Projectors like the YSP-4100 and YSP-5100 do a better job at creating a passable facsimile of a surround experience than most, but those two models are priced around $2,000! And those substantial MSRPs don't include the price of a subwoofer. So figure another 300 or more dollars for a sub.

For that kind of investment you can buy a significantly better-sounding 5.1 channel component-based system. If sound quality takes priority over ease of setup and installation, check out Aperion's Intimus 5B Fusion SD satellite/subwoofer system ($1,559) mated with an Onkyo TX-SR507 receiver ($399).

It'll trounce the YSP sound bars on every count, with dramatically better, more-enveloping surround sound, greater dynamic impact--plus, the Aperion/Onkyo system will sound better with music. That last one is a common failing; few sound bars cut it with two-channel music. So if you intend to play CDs in your home theater, steer clear of sound bars.… Read more

Sony's new sound bars get the 3D treatment

We've been longtime fans of Sony's HT-CT100 sound bar home theater system, as it's the only system of its kind we're aware of that offers extensive HDMI connectivity for a bargain-level price. Sony's now announced two successor products, the HT-CT150 and HT-CT350, updating the HDMI connectivity to handle 3D video signals. Here are the details we could glean from the press release.

Key features of the Sony HT-CT150:

3.1-channel sound bar home theater system 340 watts of total system power 32 inches long Three HDMI inputs, all 3D-compatible HDMI pass-through in standby mode Two … Read more

KEF's HTF8003 sound bar sounds sweet, but it's pricey

Sound bar speakers generally only appeal to a small portion of home audio buyers. If you've got a large budget, minimalist ethos, appreciate sound quality--but not enough to insist on a pair of standalone speakers--a sound bar speaker fits your niche.

The KEF HTF8003 doesn't offer anything radically different from the competing models available, with a long tubelike design and glossy black finish. Its sound quality with movies was among the best we've heard on sound bars (although it doesn't do any virtual surround effects), but music fans will want something more substantial.

As usual with … Read more

Yamaha updates its high-end soundbars

Most sound bars feature a budget-level price and budget-level sound, but Yamaha is one of the few companies still dedicated to the idea that high quality sound can come from a single speaker enclosure. For 2010, the company has rolled out two new high-end Digital Sound Projectors, the YSP-4100 ($1,900 list price) and YSP-5100 ($2,200 list price). Both models are what we refer to as "sound bar home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems", which means they're self-powered and don't require a separate AV receiver. The two models break down as follows:

Key features of the Yamaha YSP-4100: … Read more

TigerDirect.com has the Vizio VSB210WS Sound Bar for $189.97, after $110.02 Instant savings.

Save $110.02 on the Vizio VSB210WS Sound Bar from TigerDirect.com >> Regular price is $299.99 >> Sale price is $189.97 >> Savings $110.02 (36.67%) >> Click here for deal

JVC's affordable sound bar sports a wireless sub, easy controls

For absolute home theater simplicity, it's hard to beat a sound bar home theater in a box (HTIB) system. One long speaker, no AV receiver required, and no pesky wires running all over your living room. The JVC TH-BA1 does the standard configuration one better by including a wireless subwoofer, so the only cables you'll need are behind your TV cabinet.

Aside from the wireless subwoofer, the TH-BA1 includes a standard assortment of features, but it stands out from the pack with its better-than-expected sound quality and ease of use. The lack of HDMI connectivity is the major … Read more

LG's unannounced, awesome Blu-ray sound bar

LAS VEGAS--We covered all of LG's major product announcements on Wednesday, but when we swung by the booth yesterday the LLB915 Blu-ray sound bar caught our eye. We're not quite sure why LG didn't mention it at the press conference, but the feature set is impressive. Here's what the product card said.

Key features of the LG LLB915:

Sound bar with built-in Blu-ray player 2 HDMI inputs, 1 output 430 watts of power Wireless subwoofer Built-in Wi-Fi LG's NetCast suite of streaming media services, including Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, YouTube, Pandora, Picasa, and AccuWeather DLNA-compliant No … Read more