My father is wanting a TV sound bar as he uses his tablet for YouTube to listen to music and is able to play it on his TV as he has a SMART TV and would like better sound.

 

I have looked and there is soooo many to be purchased so I would like some feedback on decent soundbars please.

what's your budget.?? I'm currently in the process of buying one for my brothers birthday. Nothing fancy, just a basic Speaker Base (goes under the telly). But it can decode DD so it will work well with his SKY box. Around £180 from a few dealers

 

This is the model

It would be nice to receive one as a present and they certainly offer better sound than a TV - but spending just that bit more on a 'proper' 5.1 system would pay dividends in the long run.

Amanda will no doubt already have a decent setup but ask your dad to try a few before taking the plunge sonix.

It would be nice to receive one as a present and they certainly offer better sound than a TV - but spending just that bit more on a 'proper' 5.1 system would pay dividends in the long run.

Amanda will no doubt already have a decent setup but ask your dad to try a few before taking the plunge sonix.

The problem my brother has is space and the lack of funds his sister has to buy him a better birthday pressie I'd like to get him one with DD/DTS decoding. HDMI ARC etc, but apart from cost (around £300 for something decent) I think he would struggle with the complexity of the device. It would be fine at first and I could help him set it up, but one drunken night he would press the wrong button and either never notice :( or he would end up in a right mess trying to correct his mistake :(:(

Yamaha ysp1400. Very impressed with mine

What make is the TV?

 

If it's Samsung (not sure about others) it may be worth making sure it supports AnyNet to simplyfy use as you can set it to work as a slave to the tv.

He is looking to spend no more than £200.

 

The TV he has is a new Samsung SMART TV, does that help?

 

As for 5.1, I mentioned it but he doesn't want the wires.. I don't blame him really I remember running 5.1 on my PC in my younger teen days and it were a nightmare :/

A friend just picked up a HW-F450 for about that cost and really rates it, although judging by his taste in music I wouldn't trust his ears

 

Amazon see to have if for close on £200 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-HW-F450-EN-Subwoofer-SoundShare/dp/B00BMKEW3S

 

The advantage with staying samsung is you just need one remove as the tv will control it via anynet.

A friend just picked up a HW-F450 for about that cost and really rates it, although judging by his taste in music I wouldn't trust his ears

 

Amazon see to have if for close on £200 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-HW-F450-EN-Subwoofer-SoundShare/dp/B00BMKEW3S

 

The advantage with staying samsung is you just need one remove as the tv will control it via anynet.

 

 

I tell a lie! It isnt a Samsung TV it is LG!

 

Do you think the item you provided in the link will still work? It looks good!

I think it's a standard called HDMI CEC but not 100%.

 

http://hdmicec.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/how-to-find-out-if-your-device-is-hdmi.html

He is looking to spend no more than £200.

 

 

 

As for 5.1, I mentioned it but he doesn't want the wires.. I don't blame him really I remember running 5.1 on my PC in my younger teen days and it were a nightmare :/

Then I think the Denon I linked to is worth a look. I'm off to demo one for my brother tomorrow or Tuesday Oh and I downloaded the manual and it claims it can decode 5.1. This obviously wont have the same affect as a discrete speaker system, but for a one box solution at a good price, it might be decent.

HDMI-CEC "should" mean that basic functions of other kit will work, provided it's connected by HDMI. So control of your DVD or media player or sattelite box through the TV remote "should" be possible.

 

J.

I got a Roth Sub Zero II - UK company for a change. Very impressed with it, seriously improves the sound from my samsung TV

 

 

http://www.johnlewis.com/roth-sub-zero-ii-bluetooth-sound-bar/p969141?kpid=232310741&s_kenid=36baae14-fa05-b549-9256-0000290a97a0&s_kwcid=128x53249&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=232310741

 

oh only £95 at http://www.richersounds.com/product/soundbars/roth/sub-zero-ii/roth-sub-zero-ii

Just got my mitts on a new Samsung soundbar to match the TV - linky

 

Works great (linked to the TV with Digital Optical cable) and the sound is amazing compared to the TV speakers. 290 watts and seems capable across virtually all the spectrum (slightly bassy imho out of the box but reduced the Sub volume and it seems ok now)