|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
71.120.140.103
So my friend asked me about a surround system for his family room w/60" tv. After a discussion about his budget (small, around $300-400), he agreed that a soundbar would be okay. Not being extremely knowledgeable about them, I suggested a ZVOX 570 (I think), which is priced at $350 I believe, and has decent reviews. Then I read somewhere about using computer or small powered speakers, as an option. Some people were very enthusiastic about the sound being much better than soundbars. What would be the concensus here, if indeed there is one. Any opinions? Oh, I also supplied him with a powered sub, should he need it. His room is approx. 15x20 ft. Thanx. Dave
Everyone thinks I'm strange except my friends deep inside the earth
Follow Ups:
Thanks to everyone for your ideas & suggestions. It seems Scott & his wife (my aforementioned friends) don't particularly care about the surround sound part as much as they don't care to have wires & such. They have a toddler, actually 2 toddies, and just want simplicity & better sound, so it looks like the Zvox has been chosen. Thank you again to all who contributed to my question. Dave
Everyone thinks I'm strange except my friends deep inside the earth
Nothing fancy. If they want surround sound or something to impress people, then no, but if they just want a simple, one box solution that will put out great room-filling sound far, far beyond what TV speakers do, then this is the answer.
For a 40" TV. Any suggestions on which sound bar would look best. The room is average size and I would like something that "disappears" into the TV set up. and doesn't stand out Thanks Norm
They have some very nice center channel speakers for reasonable money.
http://www.goldenear.com/products/supercenters
AND
http://www.goldenear.com/products/supercinema3d
-RW-
I have to vote for speakers for installation flexibility and potential for good separation that soundbars cannot do physically because the speakers are most often just three feet apart or even less.
I have a higher end ($600 retail I got used for $100) soundbar w/wireless sub with all kinds of inputs and adjustments, even a latency adjustment but I know how much nicer even a used amp and speakers would sound.
E
T
not an ideal set-up but fine for our small room.
Can only imagine the larger the model and better the set-up the more satisfying it would be.
Stupid easy to use too!
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
In your friend's price range I can highly recommend a ZVOX soundbar. It will be a huge step up from the TV speakers and not be a clutter of cables. However, it won't be a true 'surround sound' system BUT I would be willing to bet that it will sound better than a $300 - $400 surround system.ZVOX doesn't force you to apply tons of DSP for that fake, 'phasey', and often annoying sounding surround sound effect you get from many mass market consumer soundbars typically found at BestBuy. They never sound quite right and they mostly annoy. But applying just a touch of DSP and bass boost on the ZVOX via the provided remote can produce very good overall sound and decent bass relative to the TVs built-in speakers.
While it is possible that PC speakers might sound better if he chooses a high quality setup with a subwoofer, I wouldn't count on it being better. And then you have that clutter of cables to deal with.
P.S. Those AudioEngine powered speakers are no match for the ZVOX for use with a flatscreen TV. I have AudioEngine powered speakers and they're not large enough to fill the room or produce reasonable bass. They are designed for near field listening. Our ZVOX soundbar is much better in this application with the TV.
Good luck to your friend!
Edits: 07/10/15 07/10/15
The ZVOX s are quite good designed by Wilson Burhoe I believe, an old New England sound designer. A friend with Pipe Dreams as a main system finds them more than acceptable.
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: