soundbar vs wired speakers

[Brett Hartwig]

For those with surround sound in their rooms, what is the deal with these soundbars and wireless subwoofers I am seeing in the stores? Any experiences with them? I currently use Cerwin Vega speakers- 2 front, 2 rear, a center and a subwoofer. All with normal speaker wire running to them. Now that we have a new 60" LED TV, my wife wants something where we wouldn't have to have speaker wire tucked under the baseboard all around the room. I'm not sure if one of these new systems would sound as good as my old system though. I mean, with my CV speakers, the wall shake, sounds awesome. Would a soundbar and wireless subwoofer sound the same?

 

[Brett Hartwig]

been doing some reading on soundbars since my post. Pretty sure nothing is going to compare to my CV's I have now. Sounds like the SB's are just glorified stereo speakers. I'm staying with what I got, wifey will have to deal with it. I'm keeping the Cerwin Vega's!!:banana:

 

[Andy Chase]

My dad had some raelly nice Cerwin Vega's that my sister and I blew out from having them cranked up too loud. Someone broke in to his house and stole a bunch of odd things (frozen pizzas, a jar of pennies but left the jar, laundry basket took) and they took the blown speakers. He got brand new replacement ones from the insurance company and I inherited them since he never listened to them. Very nice speakers!!

 

[swshawaii]

Sound bars are "solution" pieces for that reason. No speaker wires and Left/Center/Right

channels coming from a single enclosure equates to poor imaging, sound staging, and depth.

I've NEVER heard a wireless or integrated speaker that compares in terms of sound quality.

In other words, live with the "unsightly" wires and bulky speakers, you'll be happier in the long run. :supercool:

 

[EddieS'04]

Not digital but I have 4 speakers in 4 corners. From my tv analog to my eaqaulizer and reciever. my speakers are 12" woofer with bass reflex. 5" midrange. 2" highs and 1 1/2" super tweett.



I love the sound. Not sure if a theater sound would be much better. What I did with wires was ran them into the attic. Then down the wall to the speakers.

 

[Doctor CAD]

Soundbars work well in a square room with little on the walls, they need to be able to reflect the "rear" sound so that it appears to be behind you.

They are never going to compare to a good set of CV's, but its always a trade-off. A high end Polk or Klipsh soundbar will sound much better than the tinny whine coming from your wife!!!!



Happy wife, happy life.

 

[Bill V]

I doubt you'll ever get as good of sound from a one-location soundbar as you can get from having dedicated and properly-positioned speakers. But the original post seems to be asking two different questions--one is about the soundbars, and another is about wireless. And wireless speakers can definitely be worthwhile, and of quality near that of wired. The wired ones may be slightly more robust, less likely to have connectivity and sound quality issues. But especially if running wire is impractical/impossible, wireless can be a godsend.

 

[swshawaii]

Are they "wireless" speakers if they require AC power and a cord? :banghead:

 

[Bill V]

Are they "wireless" speakers if they require AC power and a cord?

Yeah, I've always struggled with that definition too. Often, it's just as difficult to add an electrical outlet to a location where you want a speaker, as it is to run speaker wire.

 

[Brett Hartwig]

Turned out good. Got the 60" tv hooked up and now today the speakers are done. The two front speakers only have a couple feet of speaker wire each since they are next to the tv. Then I drilled a small hole in the floor about the size of a pencil eraser, ran the speaker wire for the two rear speakers down through the floor and across the basement ceiling, and back up behind the receiver. Perfect! No wires and sounds awesome