Why are TV soundbars so expensive?!

HillStreetBlues

@Grumpy_chap
You need to remove the bracket at end of link. MSE thinks it's part of the addy.

RumRat

If everything failed at "do I need it", we would have hardly anything. There are no pockets in shrouds......😉😁

Grumpy_chap

HillStreetBlues said:

@Grumpy_chap
You need to remove the bracket at end of link. MSE thinks it's part of the addy.

Thanks - resolved

DullGreyGuy

FarmerHorse said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Yes, I would be comparing with the built in speakers of the TV which, quite possibly, are less good in a modern LED screen TV than we once had with the CRT where there was more space to fit speakers that gave more depth plus the speakers on the latest flat TVs are in the back so providing the purest sound to the wall  

It won't be horror films in our house as that's the time to hide behind a furby

As you may have guessed, I've never had a soundbar.  Maybe I should try one?

Living up to your name I see 😊

Modern tv sound isn’t necessarily awful. The Sony Bravia range uses the screen to act as a sound transponder along with the built-in speakers and is quite effective. It sounds pretty good and most tv programmes are more than fine. For those that work better with higher quality sound - drama, sport, music mainly - the optical feed from tv to streamer and then out through a half-decent stereo is more than good enough and better than any sound bar I’ve owned. Multi-channel audio has never really appealed so the choice has generally been sound bar or hifi to improve on standard tv sound. 

Not sure how a fixed single screen can act as an amplifier for multiple speakers at the same time, similarly how it would cause a deterioration of the imagine if different parts of the screen are supposed to be vibrating differently to amplify different speakers. No sound engineer here, just thinking of it logically. 

Each to their own, I think there is a risk of having a multi-channel that you use it too much and so you become overly accustomed to the surround sound with everything so its not as special when watching a movie etc. It inevitably depends on what sort of TV/Movies you like to watch, its likely to add a lot less to romcoms than action or sci-fi 

RumRat

DullGreyGuy said:

FarmerHorse said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Yes, I would be comparing with the built in speakers of the TV which, quite possibly, are less good in a modern LED screen TV than we once had with the CRT where there was more space to fit speakers that gave more depth plus the speakers on the latest flat TVs are in the back so providing the purest sound to the wall  

It won't be horror films in our house as that's the time to hide behind a furby

As you may have guessed, I've never had a soundbar.  Maybe I should try one?

Living up to your name I see 😊

Modern tv sound isn’t necessarily awful. The Sony Bravia range uses the screen to act as a sound transponder along with the built-in speakers and is quite effective. It sounds pretty good and most tv programmes are more than fine. For those that work better with higher quality sound - drama, sport, music mainly - the optical feed from tv to streamer and then out through a half-decent stereo is more than good enough and better than any sound bar I’ve owned. Multi-channel audio has never really appealed so the choice has generally been sound bar or hifi to improve on standard tv sound. 

Not sure how a fixed single screen can act as an amplifier for multiple speakers at the same time, similarly how it would cause a deterioration of the imagine if different parts of the screen are supposed to be vibrating differently to amplify different speakers. No sound engineer here, just thinking of it logically. 

Each to their own, I think there is a risk of having a multi-channel that you use it too much and so you become overly accustomed to the surround sound with everything so its not as special when watching a movie etc. It inevitably depends on what sort of TV/Movies you like to watch, its likely to add a lot less to romcoms than action or sci-fi 

Sony TV's have excellent sound using Acoustic Surface Audio+.... EXPLAINED: Sound technology in Sony TVs

DullGreyGuy

RumRat said:

DullGreyGuy said:

FarmerHorse said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Yes, I would be comparing with the built in speakers of the TV which, quite possibly, are less good in a modern LED screen TV than we once had with the CRT where there was more space to fit speakers that gave more depth plus the speakers on the latest flat TVs are in the back so providing the purest sound to the wall  

It won't be horror films in our house as that's the time to hide behind a furby

As you may have guessed, I've never had a soundbar.  Maybe I should try one?

Living up to your name I see 😊

Modern tv sound isn’t necessarily awful. The Sony Bravia range uses the screen to act as a sound transponder along with the built-in speakers and is quite effective. It sounds pretty good and most tv programmes are more than fine. For those that work better with higher quality sound - drama, sport, music mainly - the optical feed from tv to streamer and then out through a half-decent stereo is more than good enough and better than any sound bar I’ve owned. Multi-channel audio has never really appealed so the choice has generally been sound bar or hifi to improve on standard tv sound. 

Not sure how a fixed single screen can act as an amplifier for multiple speakers at the same time, similarly how it would cause a deterioration of the imagine if different parts of the screen are supposed to be vibrating differently to amplify different speakers. No sound engineer here, just thinking of it logically. 

Each to their own, I think there is a risk of having a multi-channel that you use it too much and so you become overly accustomed to the surround sound with everything so its not as special when watching a movie etc. It inevitably depends on what sort of TV/Movies you like to watch, its likely to add a lot less to romcoms than action or sci-fi 

Sony TV's have excellent sound using Acoustic Surface Audio+.... EXPLAINED: Sound technology in Sony TVs

In honesty, that reads more like snake oil than the original post... it talks about the TV visibly vibrating and moving with the sound, not what I'd consider ideal for perfect picture

RumRat

DullGreyGuy said:

RumRat said:

DullGreyGuy said:

FarmerHorse said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Yes, I would be comparing with the built in speakers of the TV which, quite possibly, are less good in a modern LED screen TV than we once had with the CRT where there was more space to fit speakers that gave more depth plus the speakers on the latest flat TVs are in the back so providing the purest sound to the wall  

It won't be horror films in our house as that's the time to hide behind a furby

As you may have guessed, I've never had a soundbar.  Maybe I should try one?

Living up to your name I see 😊

Modern tv sound isn’t necessarily awful. The Sony Bravia range uses the screen to act as a sound transponder along with the built-in speakers and is quite effective. It sounds pretty good and most tv programmes are more than fine. For those that work better with higher quality sound - drama, sport, music mainly - the optical feed from tv to streamer and then out through a half-decent stereo is more than good enough and better than any sound bar I’ve owned. Multi-channel audio has never really appealed so the choice has generally been sound bar or hifi to improve on standard tv sound. 

Not sure how a fixed single screen can act as an amplifier for multiple speakers at the same time, similarly how it would cause a deterioration of the imagine if different parts of the screen are supposed to be vibrating differently to amplify different speakers. No sound engineer here, just thinking of it logically. 

Each to their own, I think there is a risk of having a multi-channel that you use it too much and so you become overly accustomed to the surround sound with everything so its not as special when watching a movie etc. It inevitably depends on what sort of TV/Movies you like to watch, its likely to add a lot less to romcoms than action or sci-fi 

Sony TV's have excellent sound using Acoustic Surface Audio+.... EXPLAINED: Sound technology in Sony TVs

In honesty, that reads more like snake oil than the original post... it talks about the TV visibly vibrating and moving with the sound, not what I'd consider ideal for perfect picture

It doesn't say that the screen vibrates. It says it has actuators that vibrate behind the screen and that the frame 'invisibly' vibrates.
Snake oil is a term used to describe deceptive marketing, health care fraud, or a scam. As the system clearly works as described, it falls outside of this. Maybe, Over one's head, would be a better phrase.😁😉

FarmerHorse

All I can say is that Sony's system works and works very well. There is no flicker or vibration on the picture - I’m a bit picky about picture quality and have spent time getting it just so. HD and UHD pictures are superb on good quality broadcasts, and sounds have no discernible effect on the picture either by volume or frequency.

Edit to add mine's an AG8, so that’ll be Acoustic Surface tech. It works. Next time you’re in a John Lewis etc have a look. Really though is it feasible that Sony would make a huge song & dance about the quality of their OLED Bravia TVs then introduce something that makes them blurred? PQ is superb, SQ more than good for most broadcasts. 

ButterCheese

Some people are happy with cheap and chearful (a standard TV with no external speakers).  Some want o pay a little bit to have a little better sound, like a £89 soundbar.  Some will not entertain watching TV without a 5 grand AV receiver and 5 grand speakers.  Same with cars, bicycles, and pretty much any other consumer product.

We had our main TV hooked up to an AV receiver, 2 good floor standing speakers and a subwoofer.  The sound was really good (for budget equipment).  For reasons I won't go into, we took all that away and now watch the TV with no external gumph.  It's just passable, but that's it.  My wife says she doesn't notice any difference!  Which is the whole point of this thread - some people don't notice improvements or don't care, or are just not "into" hifi or tech so almost ignore it to make a point.

Grey_Critic

Spend as much as you like but if the programme/film/show is crap then it will not make any difference - It is a fact that they spend millions making them and special effects yet let a junior loose in the editing suite when it come to the sound.