Advice on purchasing a soundbar

Is your set wall mounted?

If it is, from an aesthetic point of view get one that is the same width and mount it below. If it has a separate sub-woofer you'll need to find somewhere to put it.

Our second set is only a 32" Panasonic Viera, so I've a matching Panasonic sound bar.
I just chose the one which was the same make as the TV.

The sound's good enough, well anything is better than the tiny speakers that are in flat screen TVs. Mine has a "surround" and a "clear speech" button on the remote. "But unfortunately the latter doesn't work on most American TV dramas."

There's plus and minus buttons for the sub-woofer and the same for the volume.

Mine isn't wall mounted so it presented a problem.

The TV originally sat on a nice piece of rounded edged mahogany I made for it, on top of four plastic cups on top of a TV stand. So I could put the sound bar in front of it.
The sub woofer has to sit facing upwards on the bottom shelf of the stand as the other shelf holds a Virgin Tivo box, a Humax HDR and a CD/DVD player. (No room for my VHS recorder I've got a lot of "film noir" tapes. I may get round to getting a different stand, but this is only a small room and there's enough in it already). So the configuration isn't ideal, but it's good enough for me. I guess I could stand the sub-woofer the right way up beside the TV, but that would look untidy and would be in danger from one of my wife's vacuum cleaners. (I keep my tenor sax on its stand in the corner behind the TV where it's in no danger from the vac).




I can pump the TV sound through my tuner amp and big hi-fi speakers, it's all connected up, but I don't.

I think it's all a bit subjective, what sounds "good" to one person might sound different to others.

We've a bigger TV in a bigger room, it has no sound bar, but my wife is happy with it. I'm not, she often has it on too loud!

As far as sub-woofers go.

This one that belongs to my Yamaha Tyros 5 leccy piano, (why must they call them "work stations?") has an unbelievable depth of bass. It sits on a felt covered polystyrene box I made to stop it rattling the floorboards even at low volume if I turn it up. The bass control is on the front. I suppose I could connect it to the TV, but I've never tried. You might be able to find a similar one for a TV, if that's what you want.

 

You appear to have the same problem as would I, if we needed a sound bar for the TV in the lounge. Ours would be worse as this TV is bigger than the old one for which the stand was originally purchased. We didn't want a bigger stand so we're making do with this one.
I don't consider myself an expert on soundbars, just able to find a solution to problems I face.

In your situation, I'd be looking to raise the TV a bit to be able to get the sound bar in front and under it so it is less noticeable. Yours has a similar stand to this one. It's more secure than it looks as there's a big "block" of plastic attached to the legs at the back.





If you buy one with a sub-woofer check the dimensions beforehand to see if it will sit on the shelf in your unit.

I did replace the plastic cups with something more substantial.




I had to wedge some bolts in two of the screw holes in the back as the bar would not stand in this position unsupported. The bar can also be moved for "occasional" dusting.

I've been told "this is important."




Someone may have a better solution other than, "the use of stuff I found in the shed."
Or there may be some purpose made kit you can buy.

As I see it, sound bars are really designed mostly for wall mounted TVs.
I'd be looking at a sound bar made by the same manufacturer of the TV. Maybe that would fit in front of the TV and not obscure the screen.

But then although I can play mp3s through the sound bar via a stick in the side of the TV. I prefer to use my vintage hi-fi, a Leak tuner/amp and big Goodman's speakers.

 

It depends on what youre after from the sound bar. If its to improve on the speakers in the TV then any reasonable sound bar will do the job. Thin TVs and no large cabinets have led to compromises in the sound quality from TV speakers.

With our TV in the house we bought the matching Samsung sound bar which gives us a decent sound, due in no small part to the subwoofer. Pic of the TV and woofer (right of the TV as you look at it). Note that the subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room as we don't detect the direction of low frequency.



If you are with sky, their soundbox is well worth considering. This gives the impression of surround sound from one box.

Then theres the option of full surround sound if you are looking for the cinema type experience. This would need a surround sound processor (our DVD player has this capability in the out building) and 3 / 5 speakers, depending on the setup.... plus the good old sub woofer

 

Digressing a bit, but still on soundbars, I've just had to change the battery on my soundbar's remote. ("No amount of hard pressing of the buttons made the slightest bit of difference.")

I blame the BBC, I'm constantly having to press the mute button many times in sports commentaries and some documentaries, as the commentator, or presenter, just won't shut up!

 

I got my companion a Bose soundbar and she’s happy with it. Normally Bose is quite soft in the top end but this is not a bad attempt from them.
I never bothered with their sub and the low end is fine on the soundbar.

 

I’d get along to Richer Sounds WOO, that way you can try before you buy. I bought a Harman/Kardon soundbar a couple of years ago. It has a wireless subwoofer that can be located anywhere in the room, it just needs to be near a wall socket for 240v supply. Of course, not all soundbars come with a subwoofer, but a subwoofer will (imo) add depth to the sound, especially good with action movies, if they’re your thing. In your shoes, I’d be looking for something slimline that won’t protrude into the bottom of the tv screen, plenty of choice though. If I had one criticism of mine, it would be that I can’t adjust the treble. I don’t know if they’re all the same, but worth bearing in mind, and something I’d be wanting to know.

 

The speakers in my Panasonic Viera TV point downwards..
The Panasonic soundbar for my TV, if I put it in front of my TV the way it is supposed to be positioned on a TV table. would mean they point upwards.

Neither I considered ideal.

That's why I raised the TV and turned the soundbar on its side, so the speakers face forwards.