[eieio]

I'm considering getting the Sony HT-CT100 soundbar for my bedroom TV, the Panasonic TC-L32X1. It's a $250 soundbar paired with a $350 Panasonic 32" LCD TV.


I typically only listen/watch CNN on the bedroom tv as i'm washing up so i poke my head out of the bathroom if there's a story that i'd like to see/hear more of, but other than that, often times, the bedroom TV is more or less used as a "radio" of sorts.


Nonetheless, the tinny sound of the Panasonic TC-L32X1 has caused me to want to think about a set of speakers, even for this limited bedroom use.


Please kindly note that the TC-L32X1, for audio output, ONLY has an OPTICAL OUTPUT. As such, whatever speakers would need a D/A converter inside the speakers, or else, I'd need to get a receiver with an optical audio input in order to first decode the optical audio signal.


May I ask what your knowledgeable opinions are of the Sony HT-CT100 Soundbar? It does have 3 HDMI inputs but it does NOT contain ANY tweeters at all. It uses only 1 5/8" x 2 7/8" drivers for use in the soundbar itself, plus a completely separate subwoofer to be sat on the floor.


Thanks in advance.

 

[ickysmits]

Have a look at the Vizio soundbar. It has a few tweets and 3" drivers and it just plugs into the optical (or analog) out on your TV. There's no "subwoofer" on the floor you have to attach the output cable to as the connections are in the bar...but for 250 bucks you can get the bar with a wireless "sub" that I suppose bumps the sound a bit.

http://www.vizio.com/vsb200.html
http://www.vizio.com/vsb210ws.html


It gets good comments for the type of application you're asking about, check it out - it looks like it's inexpensive, simple, and easy on space.


If you feel like spending money something like the B&W Zeppelin would work too...

 

[eieio]

the Vizio sound bar got very mixed reviews on Amazon, with lots of complaints re: its remote (poorly made, finicky) and one poster wrote of compatibility issues with his Panasonic LCD - though it's not the same model or line as my Panasonic LCD, it sounds like it might be an issue.


i'm concerned that the Vizio is far more finicky and issue-prone than the Sony Soundbar, despite it being at half of Sony's price.

 

[ickysmits]

Perhaps, I'm not sure, it was just an idea. Though, I don't see how an optical connection between it and the TV would muck with compatibility...

 

[NicolasKL]



Quote:
Originally Posted by eieio /forum/post/18107395


the Vizio sound bar got very mixed reviews on Amazon, with lots of complaints re: its remote (poorly made, finicky) and one poster wrote of compatibility issues with his Panasonic LCD - though it's not the same model or line as my Panasonic LCD, it sounds like it might be an issue.


i'm concerned that the Vizio is far more finicky and issue-prone than the Sony Soundbar, despite it being at half of Sony's price.

I doubt the Vizio is really much more finicky/issue prone. As far as the remote, the best way to hook up the Vizio is to use your televisions volume control to control the output to the Vizio. Then you never need to touch the Vizios remote. Not all TVs have variable level audio output though I guess.


From what I've seen about the "compatibility" issues they're generated by people trying to send 5.1 sound to the soundbar, which should be easy enough to fix either on your sources or on your TVs output.


I've been really happy with my Vizio. Wireless sub is great for placement, and the sound is good for what it is, definitely beats the hell out of TV speakers.

 

[Scottyb09]

I've never been a huge soundbar fan but did purchase my parents the current Polk soundbar (which comes with a wireless 6" or 8" "subwoofer"). I must say that for their basic purposes (making their system sound better than the crap speakers in their plasma), this system most certainly delivers. If I were to install a flat screen in our bedroom, I'd certainly consider a sound bar vs. installing a whole system simply for the sake of simplicity.

 

[Oliman]

I was looking at this for a bedroom system, and in my opinion the best reason to get this sound bar is as cheap way to hook up 3 hdmi sources to your LCD through 1 cable. That was a huge selling point for me.


Plus it's going to blow away a set of TV speakers. To me this was just bonus as I didn't want to run a ton of cables through the wall to future proof connectivity issues.


Also of note, the IR receiver for the remote is on the speaker not on the sub as I originally assumed when looking at the system.


- I have not heard this sound bar in person, so take my advice with that in mind.

 

[NicolasKL]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Scottyb09 /forum/post/18118174


I've never been a huge soundbar fan but did purchase my parents the current Polk soundbar (which comes with a wireless 6" or 8" "subwoofer"). I must say that for their basic purposes (making their system sound better than the crap speakers in their plasma), this system most certainly delivers. If I were to install a flat screen in our bedroom, I'd certainly consider a sound bar vs. installing a whole system simply for the sake of simplicity.

I don't know if there's really any such thing as a huge soundbar fan

But as a new soundbar owner they definitely have their place. The sound from essentially any TV is absolutely abysmal. Both my 61" Samsung DLP and 55" Vizio LCD had absolutely horrid resonance in the TV cabinets at volumes higher than a whisper, and, obviously, no bass whatsoever. A decent soundbar eliminates both those problems, looks great hung on the wall, and is pretty cheap.


Won't ever be a replacement for a real 5.1 system of course, but if you're elderly, technophobic, extraordinarily decor conscious, have a real 5.1/7.1 system in the basement, etc, a soundbar with some sort of subwoofer really hits the spot.