sound bar

[mhic]

Hi all.
I'm fed up with the lousy sound quality I get from my tv (LG42LN570S), half the time speech is so garbled I can't be sure what language people are speaking. I'm thinking of buying a sound bar hoping it will improve things, I've searched the web to see what I need re connections etc and found one on Amazon that might suit a Yamaha YAS-93. Has anyone any experience of it and was it easy to set up.
Mhic.

[Enrique]

Hi mhic,
Unit has good reviews.......

Some light reading...........the manual............

http://static.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/104180.pdf

[TorreDelAguila]

It's probably an improvement on the LCD tv's own tiny speakers, but don't expect too much from it (in my opinion).
The bar sports only two 2.5" speakers, with a frequency coverage down to only 150Hz - so not much in the way of bass - and no dedicated tweeters.
Would be better with the (presumably optional ) sub-woofer unit listed, but not included according to the pdf above.

Virtually all LCD screens now have thin surrounds, and speakers are built into the lower edge, facing downwards. 2x1" not uncommon, worse than your average transistor radio!

Sound bars are stylistically attractive and compact, but mainly of awful acoustic design.

Better is simply to connect your tv audio out (or headphone socket) to a hifi/audio system. If you have a CD-playing unit, this will almost certainly have an 'Aux' input, which will do the job.

Broadcast, IPTV and DVD sound is usually of very high quality, but ruined by the 'token' speakers fitted to most flat-screen tv's/monitors.

Logitech do a range of PC sound systems (two desktop speakers + sub-woofer), and these will handle LCD tv sound, at a price which can be much less than a sound bar. Avoid the cheapest offerings.

[costakid]

If you decide to go the sound bar route buy a descent quality one. I would not advise Logitech or one of the budget ones.

[El Cid]

I tend to agree with TorreDelAguilla, that there are better alternatives to a sound bar if all you want is a general improvement in sound quality. First option is a 2.1 PC speaker system. You can get a decent one for well under €100, and contrary to what Costakid says, there are some decent Logitec speakers, just avoid the cheap ones, also check that your TV has a suitable audio outlet for the system you buy. Most rely on a headphone socket, but not all TVs have one - hard to believe, but I have a friend who bought one with an LG TV and then found there was no socket.

Next up is some form of separate amplifier with speakers included, especially if you already have a suitable system.

Best of all will be a full 5.1 surround sound system with an AV receiver to control all the inputs. That is especially useful if you have a number of devices attached to your TV.

I have a sound bar, a Samsung J450 https://www.amazon.co.uk/SAMSUNG-HW-J45 ... ds=hw+j450

It's attached to a TV in the bedroom. The reason I didn't take the simple PC speaker option is because it is wall mounted and it would be tricky to include the separate speakers. Quality is fine, a huge improvement and the woofer is wireless so no extra cable. It also has Bluetooth input, which is handy for music from an iPad or iPhone.

The main TV uses a Pioneer AVR with 6 speakers pumping out 900 watts - that is mainly for DVD/Blu-ray disks which all support 5.1 surround sound now. Sound quality is amazing even on normal TV stereo.

Like most things, it's "horses for courses", but one thing is sure, a modern flat screen TV does need some help in the audio department.

Sid

[costakid]

SID says, there are some decent Logitec speakers, just avoid the cheap ones

I said avoid the budget ones and Logitec are definitely budget. Surely your not suggesting there BOSE quality.

[Devils Advocate]

Bose, nah I was happy and really enjoying running the TV/projector through 2 x nap 250's and a pair of Isobariks. The enjoyment lasted a month until the Mrs declared it was them or me. Some women have no taste

[El Cid]

SID says, there are some decent Logitec speakers, just avoid the cheap ones

I said avoid the budget ones and Logitec are definitely budget. Surely your not suggesting there BOSE quality.

No one mentioned Bose. If you are looking for a simple solution using a 2.1 solution, Logitech are as good as any of the others and they do make relatively expensive ones. Here is one review.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac ... 965/review


Sid

[TorreDelAguila]

Also possibility, for similar a modest price, is using a mini audio system (two speakers, plus combined amp/CD/radio etc). With a good few of these, you get almost-decent speakers, plus the advantage of being able to play CDs (or music files via USB stick) or FM radio.

Almost anything is an improvement on the twitterlers in the bottom of that expensive 4k screen!

[Wicksey]

Having looked at soundbars I decided to buy a set of speakers that connect via the USB on the TV. My hearing isn't very good due to tinnitus and I have found the speakers an improvement (and they are Logitech).

[TorreDelAguila]

It's interesting how good sound influences the way people enjoy television. Back in the 1970s, while testing and developing Betamax, Sony conducted an experiment with people sat in front of identical 27" Trinitron tv's. The pictures they were watching were identical, but the viewers were asked to rate picture quality.

There was an overwhelming high rating for a number of the television sets. Those which scored the highest marks - for the same picture quality, remember - actually had the highest quality of sound being reproduced - the only difference!

For that reason, Sony (a) devoted themselves to high-quality, front-facing tv loudspeakers, and (b) for Betamax, incorporated high-quality audio into their recorders (flying-head fm, for the technical). The demise of Betamax was a shame, brought about more by marketing pressure than technical or cost considerations.

[mhic]

Thanks for all the suggestions I have a pair of good speakers I have not been able to set up, job for the grandson next week me thinks.
Mhic.