Soundbar recommendations?

[PineyCreek]

Looking for recommendations.  I bought an Omnos via Kickstarter...it's the only tech item I've ever backed on Kickstarter that has both succeeded AND they delivered a product to me.  The sound's decent, and the atmospheric effects for being an emulation is fairly competent...only drawback is the HDMI passthrough...it doesn't appear to be HDCP 2.2 compatible.  Since that's not something that can be fixed with a firmware update, I'm looking for a replacement solution and moving the Omnos.

 

Been looking at the LG SK10Y which seems to be discounted on Amazon lately to about $550.  It's either something like that or a receiver/speaker setup (but that setup would have to support wireless rear speakers based on my current living area).  Any other suggestions are appreciated.  Figure the budget I'm looking at is USD $600 or below if not going full receiver/speaker setup.

[johnt]

I recommend a dual speaker setup with a decent brand receiver like Yamaha or Denon. Please don’t waste $600 on a sound bar.

[Derkoli]

7 hours ago, PineyCreek said:

Looking for recommendations.  I bought an Omnos via Kickstarter...it's the only tech item I've ever backed on Kickstarter that has both succeeded AND they delivered a product to me.  The sound's decent, and the atmospheric effects for being an emulation is fairly competent...only drawback is the HDMI passthrough...it doesn't appear to be HDCP 2.2 compatible.  Since that's not something that can be fixed with a firmware update, I'm looking for a replacement solution and moving the Omnos.

 

Been looking at the LG SK10Y which seems to be discounted on Amazon lately to about $550.  It's either something like that or a receiver/speaker setup (but that setup would have to support wireless rear speakers based on my current living area).  Any other suggestions are appreciated.  Figure the budget I'm looking at is USD $600 or below if not going full receiver/speaker setup.

Please do not buy a soundbar. Buy seperate speakers or like @JohnT said, buy a receiver and two speakers, then buy a sub, then a centre channel then surrounds. Ill chuck some recommendations in.

https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-R-51PM-Powered-Bluetooth-Speaker/dp/B07FKCP7PZ/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

https://www.amazon.com/Edifier-S1000DB-Audiophile-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B01CDIS6M0/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=edifier&qid=1557418745&s=gateway&sr=8-6

(then the below all together)

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V385-5-1-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B07BNXXJKB/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=yamaha&qid=1557419017&s=gateway&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/Acoustics-3020i-Bookshelf-Speaker-Graphite/dp/B07C4V26N1/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=q+acoustics&qid=1557418949&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-16-Gauge-Speaker-Wire-Feet/dp/B006LW0W5Y/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_pm?keywords=amazonbasics+speaker+wire&pd_rd_i=B006LW0W5Y&pd_rd_r=d2673f0c-2a56-4350-b7f2-cdf9d02ef0f6&pd_rd_w=R5fTP&pd_rd_wg=500Kf&pf_rd_p=5cc8abfe-8f78-4f34-b19f-d09d6ea0dca4&pf_rd_r=D4RZFPYQ3VAAJYZKYQF2&qid=1557418971&s=gateway

[johnt]

3 hours ago, Derkoli said:

buy a receiver and two speakers, then buy a sub, then a centre channel then surrounds

I'll agree to some extent, but it's not critical to add on the center, surrounds, subwoofers, etc. In general two decent speakers are worlds better than a sound bar... the rest can be a perk if you have the space and budget.

 

I wish sound bars would go away  they make me sad when people crank up the volume at local stores. The listeners fatigue has got to be unreal on those things.

[JabroniBaloney]

1 hour ago, JohnT said:

I'll agree to some extent, but it's not critical to add on the center, surrounds, subwoofers, etc. In general two decent speakers are worlds better than a sound bar... the rest can be a perk if you have the space and budget.

 

I wish sound bars would go away  they make me sad when people crank up the volume at local stores. The listeners fatigue has got to be unreal on those things.

OP could also just get an amp like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0H8TOC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_VZj1Cb3B725N2

[Derkoli]

3 hours ago, JohnT said:

I'll agree to some extent, but it's not critical to add on the center, surrounds, subwoofers, etc. In general two decent speakers are worlds better than a sound bar... the rest can be a perk if you have the space and budget.

 

I wish sound bars would go away  they make me sad when people crank up the volume at local stores. The listeners fatigue has got to be unreal on those things.

The OP seemed like he liked immersion hence the surround stuff lol. also im heavily biased into surround sound so yeah. And the listeners fatigue is awful when played at high volumes, my gf's mum and dad had one in the living room and its very harsh. Quite expensive aswell.

[PineyCreek]

Hey, thank you for all the suggestions and opinions.  All-in-one home theater speaker packages have never impressed me at all, so the main factors in play favoring a sound bar purchase in my mind were the space required for a receiver/amp  plus 5.1 setup (with wireless back speakers as per not really being able to add wires in the wall at this point) and its accompanying cost.  Taking that into account it just made more sense to try to get another sound bar so at least I could achieve some lever of faux surround sound.  Prior to the Omnos I had two rather old floor standing Sony speakers that had an integrated amp/surround function and down-firing subfoofers, completely analog...but those had electrical issues and I couldn't get parts.  They had enough power and range though that I didn't mind not having the rear speakers at the time...and that little setup allowed for rear channels to be connected (simulated Dolby...basically dual left and dual right channels).

 

The Omnos has been good enough...but I wouldn't call it a surround system at all.  I guess if I could find a good 2.1 system with proper midrange that would be alright for now...but it's not ideal.  Hadn't really planned on putting a huge amount of money into it for a number of years when I hope to move to a different place.

[Ravenbear]

I have a Sound Blaster x Katana and I like the sound quality through the Bluetooth and wired. 

[Derkoli]

On 5/10/2019 at 5:54 AM, PineyCreek said:

Hey, thank you for all the suggestions and opinions.  All-in-one home theater speaker packages have never impressed me at all, so the main factors in play favoring a sound bar purchase in my mind were the space required for a receiver/amp  plus 5.1 setup (with wireless back speakers as per not really being able to add wires in the wall at this point) and its accompanying cost.  Taking that into account it just made more sense to try to get another sound bar so at least I could achieve some lever of faux surround sound.  Prior to the Omnos I had two rather old floor standing Sony speakers that had an integrated amp/surround function and down-firing subfoofers, completely analog...but those had electrical issues and I couldn't get parts.  They had enough power and range though that I didn't mind not having the rear speakers at the time...and that little setup allowed for rear channels to be connected (simulated Dolby...basically dual left and dual right channels).

 

The Omnos has been good enough...but I wouldn't call it a surround system at all.  I guess if I could find a good 2.1 system with proper midrange that would be alright for now...but it's not ideal.  Hadn't really planned on putting a huge amount of money into it for a number of years when I hope to move to a different place.

All in one home theaters never really have been good. But i would get a stereo or 2.1 system which would sound a million times better than a soundbar.

[kokakolia]

Here’s the deal with soundbars: the market is absolutely saturated with them. Which means that discount audio shops and eBay are selling older units for cheap. So avoid buying a brand new model at full price! Amazon is a trap. It’s no different than your typical 2.1 stereo systems I suppose. I am very pleased with my Polk Audio Surroundbar 3000 I got at Visions Electronics for $250 CAD (discounted from $500 CAD inside a pile of speakers and soundbars).