Awesome video. Lots of detailed information and clarity on what all the various sound bar features and descriptions mean and info on if a subwoofer is needed or not. Thank you for such clear, concise info!
Thanks Chris! - I'm considering a soundbar for my RV that has a 40" cheap smart TV (the 'house" speakers are pathetic). Still loving your channel after all these years! - Thanks!
I bought the A7000 with the more powerful sub and the side speakers. Absolutely immersive cinematic experience for a medium-sized movie room. Can't wait for the new 360 speakers.
I have a Vizio M series 5.1 soundbar. Pretty great honestly for $300. Of course you can get better soundbars with up firing speakers for Dolby Atmos and stuff but you'd have to pay 3 times as much to see noticable improvement. I would like to see more budget reviews is what I'm trying to say lol
Hi! I don't know anything about your qualifications and really only have a somewhat basic knowledge of audio/video but I do know enough to tell you that you make great content! Your production qualities are great and the writing and delivery of informative and accurate content are excellent as well. For example, even a local high-end audio store recommended that I use optical over HDMI Arc. I knew the guy was wrong and ignored him but obviously not everyone does know stuff like that. Not looking for a soundbar since I have a basic 5.1 home theater installation (with a pretty crappy sub) but I've learned some things by watching your content! I'll keep checking your videos when I'm thinking about improving my living room! Those laser projection TVs seem amazing! Thanks and Happy New Year!
I know this is a really weird thing to some but I try to buy a soundbar from the same company's as my tv . I found that it works better. Plus with that any problems one phone call can take care of the soundbar and tv. So also time.
I find your advice to be extremely useful and motivating. Any chance you can talk about sound proofing your home theater? Is it necessary? I’m am starting my home theater from scratch in a basement and just finished framing.
You can program most tv remotes to also control sound bar volume when using optical, but if your tv has eARC/ARC, there’s no reason not to use it unless the sound bar doesn’t offer additional HDMI ports and you need them all for your devices.
Just picked up yas109from Yamaha. It has Alexa, wifi but no Dolby Atmos. Also arc not earc. Tried connecting to TCL 65s546 with earc. Could not output sound thru HDMI. Talked to TCL support more or less indicated need soundbar with earc. Is that correct? Sony web site notes both SB and tv must have earc. Thank you if you have time.
I purchased a Samsung Q900A 2wks ago on their sale (cashback thing) and it is absolutely amazing. It replaced my, still great sound but no Dolby Atmos, Philips HTL9100/12...I will miss it but I can highly recommend the Q900A (it ended up costing me only £350 / $473)
Would like to see a video in the future for recommended HDMI switch that would work with the soundbar. Goal is to have nvidia shield primary and if one of 3 other devices is turned on (switch, Xbox, PS) it auto switches to that. I'm guessing you'd plug the soundbar into Arc and the switch into that, but would it need some feature or something to work? I just don't want to buy stuff to find out it doesn't work like I think it will. My current TV doesn't support HDMI CEC (nor is it 4K, but is LED), which is really annoying with the shield and sometimes will get out of sync (shield on, TV off or vice versus)... Looking to get new TV, soundbar, and HDMI switch (right now I have 2 inputs and manually swap the gaming system) with TV speakers for sound.
Great Video Chris! thank you! wondering for a Set up with new Epson LS12000 projector (with ARC HDMI output), would that be an easier set up to connect with Sonos ARC 5.1 sound system and Apple TV? Thank you so much!
Hi Chris, Am planning to upgrade my AVR from 5.1 to 5.1.4 majority my contents on a streaming and as u know almost all movies Audio format 5.1. How can i benefit from the heights effect?? I looked at an AVR from sony claiming 360 reality audio effect is that will do? Is only Sony could do that?
I have a second centre channel speaker wired in series with the original. Do you know of a simple solution..switch? to by pass the second speaker as required?
My TV only has a headphones out audio port. I was thinking of just connecting aux to aux using that port. I could convert it to optical but ADC's cost more than DAC's.
They sent me the nakamichi almost 2 years ago and I didn’t like it at all. I talked to their engineers multiple times to make sure it wasn’t defective and they assured me it wasn’t.
@@ChrisMajestic chris plase dont ignore this comment - 2 things - 1) i saw so many reviews about not purchasing soundbar and instead 2.1 system, i want to stick to my opinion and want to get cheap soundbar. polk audio signa solo soundbar according to reviews it is best selling cheap one, it perfectly fits my desk and i dont expect surrounded sound or 3d sound from soundbar, all i need is to have good bass, create immersive gaming environment in my small room and most importantly to outperform my tv built speakers. so is it good choice?? 2) also i decided to buy Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor Speakers . im not audiophile i just need decent bass good atmosphere in my small room without sound distortion, all i need it for is just listening the all kind of musics, so is it good choice? . my budget is max 150$
How would having a vaulted ceiling come in to play??? If speakers are designed to throw up and bounce off ceiling, Im sure they’re thinking 8’-10’, not 22’-24’.
Mu Samsung smart monitor M8 has 1 micro hdmi port and 2 typeC ports. What is the best output can I get from it? I prefer Dolby. Having a hard time deciding a soundbar.
Thanksfor the video! Definitely deserves a sub! I got a question. Is it a good idea to use a bar as a center speaker in a 7.1 system? TVs nowadays are so low that they don't fit a real center speaker underneath. And bars are just very slim.
What if a soundbar is for behind a pc? LG had a 3.1.2 model and the .2 did not work at all. Sitting too close I guess. Also usb would be great. Perhaps a mic in it. Have a 1U with PA speakers now but kind of bulky but I do not want to go back too much in sound.
Just buy whatever samsung soundbar is $200-450 with a sub and highest rated on RTINGS. Might get fractionally better sound with a Vizio for the money but id rather have the better build quality. Definitely wait for black friday. Id lean towards no surround speakers or atmos, if ur gonna go that route just buy the top samsung or LG atmos soundbar is (likely $1k plus) or go full av system
Hey buddy, I have a question. I have Sony X90j 65” hooked up to a Bose sound Bar 700 complete setup with earc port. Problem is when I switch on tv, Bose turns on automatically because of arc. Now if I want to use the TV speakers , the sound bar is paused and later switches off, which in turn switch off the tv. At times, I want to use TV sound, with sound bar switched off. BTW tried several settings on tv and sound bar. No joy. Thanks
If at the moment I can't get a full sound system but would like better sound (BenQ tk700sti) can I get a sound bar, I was thinking the Samsung hw q65t would this work or is it a horrible idea and I should just wait
Hi, just wondering is you had any recommendations for a passive soundbar? There is not a ton of information on them and I just prefer the clean look of the bar compared to Lcr speaker setup. I would be driving it with the Marantz 1711. Thanks!
I am looking for a very inexpensive soundbar that can loer TV background music, or raise the voice audio. Sonos Arc will do it, but I do not want to spend much. My TV settings cannot lower the background enough. Its in a smaller room. Any thoughts?
You mentioned about connecting to bluetooth ...so you mean regardless if your soundbar is bose or jbl or high end sound bar it will sounds like to your listening to a radio?
If I am going to install Atmos setup, ie ceiling and in wall speakers. I want to purchase a good quality center speaker, Is having a soundbar a viable solution ? and if it has atmos capability, is having atmos on top of the "real atmos configuration" going to add anything or even lessen the experience?
My advice to someone buying a soundbar is skip all the cheap ones it doesn't matter if it comes with a sub or not the mids and treble will sound awful. It's mid range or high end only if you want quality sound! and if you don't have much to spend get a decent one (former high end) that's a few years old secondhand. I've had a few cheap ones and mid range/ high end.. the sonos arc, samsung q800/900's are all great. For movies it's not that far off my 5.1.4 atmos AV amp. Music will always be better on floorstanding speakers though but is acceptable on a good soundbar
Question for you and anyone in the chat who sees this. I had a Bose Soundbar 500 connected to my TV (Sceptre UHD 65') via HDMI ARC and it would lose communication with the TV quite frequently. I tried different CEC settings within the TV and Bose App and nothing seemed to work. This would make my soundbar "lock up" and unusable for everything (TV and music). To remedy this, I had to unplug the sound bar, wait 30sec, replug, press the music button on the controller to confirm sound, then press tv to listen to TV. When I switched to optical it works without flaws. Now I have Bose 900 connected to the same tv via optical. The true space tech does a great job widening the sound, but I know I'm not getting the best audio possible out of it right now. Would you happen to know a fix or workaround so I can use the HDMI ARC with he soundbar? Im also looking to upgrade my TV to one with eARC, but am hesitant about the aforementioned issue above.
Brands like Bose and Beats are massively overhyped. You're paying more for the hype, the brand and the marketing than you are for the audio. They're not terrible but they're not great either and they're definitely over-priced. You'll get MUCH more bang for your buck looking at less 'on trend' brands. It takes a little research but is definitely worth it. :)
Onkyo AV Receiver is 7.1 but about 10 yrs old. ... It doesn't use a soundbar, but has two banana jacks for two speaker wires- to hook up to what they call a Center channel... From what I can tell, it looks like a sound bar, but it's not digital.
I wish I didn't buy my current LG soundbar which has an 'energy save' mode which switches off the bar automatically after around 1.5 hours of play. It is annoying especially when watching a long film.
I have a 3.1 channel LG SLMY soundbar and it has been a pain to own. It sounds great but the subwoofer hardly even ever works it's been like that ever since I bought it. The subwoofer suddenly works sometimes but I can just get the volume up to 15 then it disconnects again , anyone else has this problem?
Chris, this video has a lot of audio issues when changing scenes. Like when you start a sentence the first part of your first word is cut off. It happens like every 10 to 20 seconds
I knew nothing about soundbars before this, and now I feel comfortable shopping for one. Nice work!
Super helpful video! I’m shopping for one right now and I feel a lot more confidant looking now
Clearest explanation I’ve ever heard. Thx
Very informative for an old clueless guy, thank you! 😀
Awesome video. Lots of detailed information and clarity on what all the various sound bar features and descriptions mean and info on if a subwoofer is needed or not. Thank you for such clear, concise info!
This channel is underrated
Thanks for doing this video. Quick and simple explanation. I may have to try the ARC method.
Best sound bar video!!! Bar none!!!
Sorry I couldn’t resist!
Thanks Chris! - I'm considering a soundbar for my RV that has a 40" cheap smart TV (the 'house" speakers are pathetic).
Still loving your channel after all these years! - Thanks!
You did a great job on this video. Thanks for taking the time to explain sound bars and what you get for your money. Many thanks.
Wow! Lots of great information that I was never aware of. I'm now in the market and I'm so glad I came across your video. Well done.
I bought the A7000 with the more powerful sub and the side speakers. Absolutely immersive cinematic experience for a medium-sized movie room. Can't wait for the new 360 speakers.
BEST INFORMATIVE CONTENT MAN THANKS
So professional so articulate so informative
I have a Vizio M series 5.1 soundbar. Pretty great honestly for $300. Of course you can get better soundbars with up firing speakers for Dolby Atmos and stuff but you'd have to pay 3 times as much to see noticable improvement. I would like to see more budget reviews is what I'm trying to say lol
An excellent no nonsense common sense practical guide. Thanks
You explain everything so well. Thank you.
I love your videos you’re amazing guy and you explain everything so well and you helped me make my own theatre thanks a lot
Amazing video. Thank You. It makes me to forego the 100dollar range soundbar and get a sonos soundbar to pair with my existing sonos move
Finally something useful. Bless you
Hi! I don't know anything about your qualifications and really only have a somewhat basic knowledge of audio/video but I do know enough to tell you that you make great content! Your production qualities are great and the writing and delivery of informative and accurate content are excellent as well. For example, even a local high-end audio store recommended that I use optical over HDMI Arc. I knew the guy was wrong and ignored him but obviously not everyone does know stuff like that. Not looking for a soundbar since I have a basic 5.1 home theater installation (with a pretty crappy sub) but I've learned some things by watching your content! I'll keep checking your videos when I'm thinking about improving my living room! Those laser projection TVs seem amazing!
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Nice job explaining everything
I usually plug my external devices like a 4k Blu-ray player into HDMI 1or2 on the tv
What do you think
Great videos
Need a suggestion for my basement
75-85 in TV under 3K
Will have apple and a PS5 hooked up to it
Sound bar under 1K
Hi Chris thank you for explaining the connection options as a silver surfer you explained it in such a way that even I could understand😊
I know this is a really weird thing to some but I try to buy a soundbar from the same company's as my tv . I found that it works better. Plus with that any problems one phone call can take care of the soundbar and tv. So also time.
Great video. Glad I found your channel. Subscribed! 👍🏽
Nice 👍 You did an EXCELLENT job explaining the features of a sound bar.
Could have used this recommendation two years ago.
Did u buy something u regret?
@@camejko not until now
You my friend are a lifesaver. Very good information and now I have clarity on what I need to buy... Thanks Chris, you've have a new sub.
I like your stuff. Subbed. And thanks!!!
Btw would appreciate a video on integrating wireless mics into home theater
Great video! Thanks for all your helpful advice and info 👌🏻
I've had the same polk audio sound bar since 2011. Lol its finally starting to have more issues so its time to see about getting a new one.
help to pair a Panasonic sc-all30 Soundbar with htb688 wireless subwoofer. appreciate your work
Thanks!
I ordered Sennheiser Ambeo sounbar and will use it with SVS sub I have.
I find your advice to be extremely useful and motivating. Any chance you can talk about sound proofing your home theater? Is it necessary? I’m am starting my home theater from scratch in a basement and just finished framing.
This video was very helpful. Thx !!!
I have that same T-shirt! Bought it here in Okinawa, Japan
You can program most tv remotes to also control sound bar volume when using optical, but if your tv has eARC/ARC, there’s no reason not to use it unless the sound bar doesn’t offer additional HDMI ports and you need them all for your devices.
Awesome information
Thanks for the info! Saved me some money 💯 ✊🏾
this was extremely helpful!
Great info as always, soundbars have improved tremendously in recent years
Just picked up yas109from Yamaha. It has Alexa, wifi but no Dolby Atmos. Also arc not earc. Tried connecting to TCL 65s546 with earc. Could not output sound thru HDMI. Talked to TCL support more or less indicated need soundbar with earc. Is that correct? Sony web site notes both SB and tv must have earc. Thank you if you have time.
I purchased a Samsung Q900A 2wks ago on their sale (cashback thing) and it is absolutely amazing. It replaced my, still great sound but no Dolby Atmos, Philips HTL9100/12...I will miss it but I can highly recommend the Q900A (it ended up costing me only £350 / $473)
I can't wait to have mine. It's traveling on a snail 🐌. It's expected to be here in a months time.
We went Q950T. Love it. Nice video!
thanks you're the best happy new years
Would like to see a video in the future for recommended HDMI switch that would work with the soundbar. Goal is to have nvidia shield primary and if one of 3 other devices is turned on (switch, Xbox, PS) it auto switches to that. I'm guessing you'd plug the soundbar into Arc and the switch into that, but would it need some feature or something to work? I just don't want to buy stuff to find out it doesn't work like I think it will. My current TV doesn't support HDMI CEC (nor is it 4K, but is LED), which is really annoying with the shield and sometimes will get out of sync (shield on, TV off or vice versus)... Looking to get new TV, soundbar, and HDMI switch (right now I have 2 inputs and manually swap the gaming system) with TV speakers for sound.
Can I get 100% of visuals on my XR55X9OJ and Sound Quality from my Bose Soundbar 900 Dolby Atmos and my PS5?
Great Video Chris! thank you! wondering for a Set up with new Epson LS12000 projector (with ARC HDMI output), would that be an easier set up to connect with Sonos ARC 5.1 sound system and Apple TV? Thank you so much!
Hi Chris,
Am planning to upgrade my AVR from 5.1 to 5.1.4 majority my contents on a streaming and as u know almost all movies Audio format 5.1.
How can i benefit from the heights effect??
I looked at an AVR from sony claiming 360 reality audio effect is that will do?
Is only Sony could do that?
I have a second centre channel speaker wired in series with the original. Do you know of a simple solution..switch? to by pass the second speaker as required?
My TV only has a headphones out audio port. I was thinking of just connecting aux to aux using that port. I could convert it to optical but ADC's cost more than DAC's.
The Nakamichi Soundwafe 9.2.4 is a formidable Dolby Atmos set for the price. I have yet to hear their equal at their price point.
They sent me the nakamichi almost 2 years ago and I didn’t like it at all. I talked to their engineers multiple times to make sure it wasn’t defective and they assured me it wasn’t.
@@ChrisMajestic chris plase dont ignore this comment - 2 things - 1) i saw so many reviews about not purchasing soundbar and instead 2.1 system, i want to stick to my opinion and want to get cheap soundbar. polk audio signa solo soundbar according to reviews it is best selling cheap one, it perfectly fits my desk and i dont expect surrounded sound or 3d sound from soundbar, all i need is to have good bass, create immersive gaming environment in my small room and most importantly to outperform my tv built speakers. so is it good choice??
2) also i decided to buy Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor Speakers . im not audiophile i just need decent bass good atmosphere in my small room without sound distortion, all i need it for is just listening the all kind of musics, so is it good choice? . my budget is max 150$
How would having a vaulted ceiling come in to play??? If speakers are designed to throw up and bounce off ceiling, Im sure they’re thinking 8’-10’, not 22’-24’.
Baller category had me laughing 😂
Would love to see an update on this that covers eARC, 4K 120hz pass through, upwards firing speakers, maybe a top 5 list.
Short answer, 'Don't!'. Unless you're really stuck for cash and/or space, get some decently amplified speakers instead. The difference is immense! :)
Mu Samsung smart monitor M8 has 1 micro hdmi port and 2 typeC ports. What is the best output can I get from it? I prefer Dolby.
Having a hard time deciding a soundbar.
Thanksfor the video! Definitely deserves a sub!
I got a question. Is it a good idea to use a bar as a center speaker in a 7.1 system? TVs nowadays are so low that they don't fit a real center speaker underneath. And bars are just very slim.
Im about to buy a Bose smart soundbar with dolby. Price is 500. What do u think about that soundbar? Any good?
What if a soundbar is for behind a pc?
LG had a 3.1.2 model and the .2 did not work at all. Sitting too close I guess. Also usb would be great. Perhaps a mic in it.
Have a 1U with PA speakers now but kind of bulky but I do not want to go back too much in sound.
Just buy whatever samsung soundbar is $200-450 with a sub and highest rated on RTINGS. Might get fractionally better sound with a Vizio for the money but id rather have the better build quality. Definitely wait for black friday. Id lean towards no surround speakers or atmos, if ur gonna go that route just buy the top samsung or LG atmos soundbar is (likely $1k plus) or go full av system
Instead of doing a Sound Bar I want to use a pair of computer speakers! But I cant get any sound out of my Siki TV's RCA Audio outputs?
Hi Cris I have my Rx 2020 Yamaha
How do I get into my menu to show it on my TV screen?
Hey buddy,
I have a question. I have Sony X90j 65” hooked up to a Bose sound Bar 700 complete setup with earc port. Problem is when I switch on tv, Bose turns on automatically because of arc. Now if I want to use the TV speakers , the sound bar is paused and later switches off, which in turn switch off the tv. At times, I want to use TV sound, with sound bar switched off. BTW tried several settings on tv and sound bar. No joy. Thanks
If at the moment I can't get a full sound system but would like better sound (BenQ tk700sti) can I get a sound bar, I was thinking the Samsung hw q65t would this work or is it a horrible idea and I should just wait
Is 4k pass thru important When buying a sound bar?
Hi, just wondering is you had any recommendations for a passive soundbar? There is not a ton of information on them and I just prefer the clean look of the bar compared to Lcr speaker setup. I would be driving it with the Marantz 1711.
Thanks!
I am looking for a very inexpensive soundbar that can loer TV background music, or raise the voice audio. Sonos Arc will do it, but I do not want to spend much. My TV settings cannot lower the background enough. Its in a smaller room. Any thoughts?
You mentioned about connecting to bluetooth ...so you mean regardless if your soundbar is bose or jbl or high end sound bar it will sounds like to your listening to a radio?
😂😂 I said I don’t recommend it
I need a soundbar for a How Woo projector, something cheap what would you suggest
Hello Chris! my UHD51a projector is stuck in the reboot loop. Any idea how to fix this?
Such a workhorse but 22 hundred tho ouch!😅No way josé!!!!
Keep it up with the good work bro...
Thanks Chris.
Can I use my current subwoofer with a sound bar or do I have to use the one that comes with it?
Great video! If I were to send you a list of soundbars I want to choose from, would you be able to help me choose?
If I am going to install Atmos setup, ie ceiling and in wall speakers.
I want to purchase a good quality center speaker, Is having a soundbar a viable solution ? and if it has atmos capability, is having atmos on top of the "real atmos configuration" going to add anything or even lessen the experience?
Will you be picking up Sony ht-a9?
Thank you
My advice to someone buying a soundbar is skip all the cheap ones it doesn't matter if it comes with a sub or not the mids and treble will sound awful. It's mid range or high end only if you want quality sound! and if you don't have much to spend get a decent one (former high end) that's a few years old secondhand. I've had a few cheap ones and mid range/ high end.. the sonos arc, samsung q800/900's are all great. For movies it's not that far off my 5.1.4 atmos AV amp. Music will always be better on floorstanding speakers though but is acceptable on a good soundbar
Why all the negative comments on sound bars? Not everybody has big budgets!
yoo so i have those same 8in speakers behind you, i want to use them in my home theater, would they plug into pre outs?
Yes
Went and got 4 different sound bars and for me JBL 9.1 was the one I kept.
Question for you and anyone in the chat who sees this. I had a Bose Soundbar 500 connected to my TV (Sceptre UHD 65') via HDMI ARC and it would lose communication with the TV quite frequently. I tried different CEC settings within the TV and Bose App and nothing seemed to work. This would make my soundbar "lock up" and unusable for everything (TV and music). To remedy this, I had to unplug the sound bar, wait 30sec, replug, press the music button on the controller to confirm sound, then press tv to listen to TV. When I switched to optical it works without flaws.
Now I have Bose 900 connected to the same tv via optical. The true space tech does a great job widening the sound, but I know I'm not getting the best audio possible out of it right now. Would you happen to know a fix or workaround so I can use the HDMI ARC with he soundbar? Im also looking to upgrade my TV to one with eARC, but am hesitant about the aforementioned issue above.
Brands like Bose and Beats are massively overhyped. You're paying more for the hype, the brand and the marketing than you are for the audio. They're not terrible but they're not great either and they're definitely over-priced. You'll get MUCH more bang for your buck looking at less 'on trend' brands. It takes a little research but is definitely worth it. :)
How would you run a cable with a projector unless you fed it through the ceiling
My samsung smart monitor M8 has only Micro Hdmi and type c, can it support Dolby digital?
Onkyo AV Receiver is 7.1 but about 10 yrs old. ... It doesn't use a soundbar, but has two banana jacks for two speaker wires- to hook up to what they call a Center channel... From what I can tell, it looks like a sound bar, but it's not digital.
Question…Can I use two wireless subs with the Sony A7000
Does the wattage of soundbar matters considering room size?
thanks
Please review the Nakamichi system. Thank you
He did already 2 years ago and didn't like it
What u think of the sony ht-a9 with the sw5 subwoofer?
I wish I didn't buy my current LG soundbar which has an 'energy save' mode which switches off the bar automatically after around 1.5 hours of play. It is annoying especially when watching a long film.
buy the a7000 with the new upfiring rs5s surrounds, it's gonna rock everyone's socks off
I have a 3.1 channel LG SLMY soundbar and it has been a pain to own. It sounds great but the subwoofer hardly even ever works it's been like that ever since I bought it. The subwoofer suddenly works sometimes but I can just get the volume up to 15 then it disconnects again , anyone else has this problem?
i still have to paint the apartment.... but here i am planning a home theater.
Algo thankful comment
New Hisense PX1-Pro UST projector! Looks really good. You should pick one up and make a comparison video with the L9G and LSP9T!
Chris, this video has a lot of audio issues when changing scenes. Like when you start a sentence the first part of your first word is cut off. It happens like every 10 to 20 seconds
I’m not seeing this issue on my end. What device are you using ?
@@ChrisMajestic I watched on my phone. Never had issues before. Watched a few more vids after yours and no issue on those.
@@ChrisMajestic it has no cutout for me. It was clean and clear on my phone