Old 5.1 HTIB vs New Soundbar

[DaaromMike]

Hi Guys!

 

So the title says a lot, I currently have an old 5.1 HTIB system (It's from around 2002 so really old) and I'm considering swapping it out all together for a new soundbar, mostly due to the inconveniences (decoding modern codecs like TRUEHD & Atmos and having to use multiple remotes because optical audio can't transfer volume and the likes) but also partly for the sound quality, since it's not great. It's fine for movie watching but the speakers barley produce any lows meaning the sub needs to be cranked AT ALL TIMES which sounds absolutely awful when listening to music since the bass overshadows literally any other sound, but turning it off also sounds hideous because than there aren't any lows... So overall it's not great, especially for listening to music.

 

But part of me is still concerned an affordable soundbar will not sound much better than my existing speakers.

 

So maybe you guys can help me decide here:

I'm looking to spend around 250-450 euro's, not because I can't afford to spend more just because I barely use my speakers since I live in an apartment (I don't want to piss the neighbors off too much xD), but I still want decent sound for when my friends come over to watch a movie for example...

 

So what should I do, should I stick with my old 5.1 system that wasn't all that great in the first place or should I get a reasonably affordable soundbar (advice would be helpful ) and replace my old system altogether.

 

Thanks in advance!

[dalekphalm]

For $200 to $450 Euros, you can get a really good sound bar. If the choice is between your old system or a decently mid-range to high end sound bar - go for the sound bar.

 

A lot of them even have optional rear wireless speakers, and some even come with subs (or can add them later).

 

Especially if you have no desire to just replace your old setup with a new 5.1 setup.

 

Soundbar examples:

https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/310925/the-best-soundbars

The one from that list that peaks interest is the Yamaha MusicCast Bar 400 - but there are 7 different soundbars under your maximum budget figure.

Disclaimer: These figures are almost certainly USD, so your regional pricing may vary a bit.

 

Here are some more options to look at:

https://www.whathifi.com/us/best-buys/home-cinema/best-soundbars

https://www.crutchfield.ca/S-dtTCb5YidfX/learn/best-sound-bars.html

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-soundbar-speakers,review-2004.html

https://www.techhive.com/article/3197573/best-soundbars.html

[DaaromMike]

6 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

For $200 to $450 Euros, you can get a really good sound bar. If the choice is between your old system or a decently mid-range to high end sound bar - go for the sound bar.

 

A lot of them even have optional rear wireless speakers, and some even come with subs (or can add them later).

 

Especially if you have no desire to just replace your old setup with a new 5.1 setup.

 

Soundbar examples:

https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/310925/the-best-soundbars

The one from that list that peaks interest is the Yamaha MusicCast Bar 400 - but there are 7 different soundbars under your maximum budget figure.

Disclaimer: These figures are almost certainly USD, so your regional pricing may vary a bit.

 

Here are some more options to look at:

https://www.whathifi.com/us/best-buys/home-cinema/best-soundbars

https://www.crutchfield.ca/S-dtTCb5YidfX/learn/best-sound-bars.html

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-soundbar-speakers,review-2004.html

https://www.techhive.com/article/3197573/best-soundbars.html

Alright, thanks,

 

It's good to know there are so many mid ranges options out there... I'm sure there is something in there for me, and about not having interest in getting another 5.1 system, I'd actually love to get a new system but I don't feel like it's worth it to spend that kind of money on a system I'll use maybe once a week...

 

[dalekphalm]

15 minutes ago, DaaromMike said:

Alright, thanks,

 

It's good to know there are so many mid ranges options out there... I'm sure there is something in there for me, and about not having interest in getting another 5.1 system, I'd actually love to get a new system but I don't feel like it's worth it to spend that kind of money on a system I'll use maybe once a week...

 

*shrugs* to each their own  I use my 5.1 (Logitech Z5300 - not high end but still holds its own) once every week or 2.

 

With that in mind, for your budget, you're gonna get a much nicer soundbar than you would a complete 5.1 setup. Alternatively you could buy a good 5.1 AV Receiver, and 2 speakers to start and slowly build out a full 5.1 system. For convenience, if you're happy with a Soundbar, go for it.

[tikker]

25 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

Alternatively you could buy a good 5.1 AV Receiver, and 2 speakers to start and slowly build out a full 5.1 system.

Personally would recommend going this route but a soundbar in that price range will probably sound a bit better than the ~20 year old HTIB. Things have definitely changed/improved a bit over the last decades, and to me the sound bars on display in the shops sound quite nice to me really. They'll still struggle with bass, naturally, because of the smaller drivers.

 

It depends on your needs in the end. If musical performace is (more) important to you, I'd say invest in a nice stereo setup first. If you pour a little bit more money in the receiver from the start, you can have a stepping stone towards surround right away and add speakers as you go, plus modern AVRs will deal with modern codecs and Atmos easily (just check the specs).

 

It took me 2 years to get my 5.0.2 setup and I still need a sub also similarly to you I use it to watch a movie once a week or so and the rest it's just on stereo duty.

[dalekphalm]

Just now, tikker said:

Personally would recommend going this route but a soundbar in that price range will probably sound a bit better than the ~20 year old HTIB. Things have definitely changed/improved a bit over the last decades, and to me the sound bars on display in the shops sound quite nice to me really. They'll still struggle with bass, naturally, because of the smaller drivers.

Not an issue in the ~$400 price range, as most of them have a 2.1 setup w/ a separate sub, and a lot of the 2.0 ones have optional subs that you can just buy and add in later.

Just now, tikker said:

It depends on your needs in the end. If musical performace is (more) important to you, I'd say invest in a nice stereo setup first. If you pour a little bit more money in the receiver from the start, you can have a stepping stone towards surround right away and add speakers as you go, plus modern AVRs will deal with modern codecs and Atmos easily (just check the specs).

 

It took me 2 years to get my 5.0.2 setup and I still need a sub also similarly to you I use it to watch a movie once a week or so and the rest it's just on stereo duty.

All good points - eventually this is the route I'll be doing personally. My Logitech setup is quite good for the price I paid (and how long I've owned them), but the fact that they are analog input only (3.5mm x3) has a lot of limitations. In the short term I've added a digital interface to them via a cheap Optical TOSLINK to 5.1 RCA, and I've just attached some 3.5mm to RCA breakout cables to connect the whole thing. Then I hooked up my Xbox One S to the optical decoder box.

 

Eventually I'll replace the decoder box with a decent AV receiver that'll support HDMI, Atmos, and the various HD/Master audio codecs, etc - and I can reuse the speakers and sub from the Logitech kit (or just the speakers and upgrade the sub, since I feel like it's the weakest part of the system - the sub isn't very precise sounding, and is a bit muddy). Then I'll slowly replace the Logitech speakers with better/more powerful ones over a long span.

 

But I've definitely considered soundbars too - there are a lot of good options now.

[tikker]

2 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

Not an issue in the ~$400 price range, as most of them have a 2.1 setup w/ a separate sub, and a lot of the 2.0 ones have optional subs that you can just buy and add in later.

Ah yes, completely forgot these things can come with subs.

 

I have nothing bad to say about Logitech. I've invested in my TV/music setup now, but my gaming rig still has my trusty Logitech Z523 2.1 setup that I bought with my first PC ~5-6 years ago. I even put on a new 3.5mm jack when a connection in there broke or something, causing the left channel to stop working.

[dalekphalm]

32 minutes ago, tikker said:

Ah yes, completely forgot these things can come with subs.

 

I have nothing bad to say about Logitech. I've invested in my TV/music setup now, but my gaming rig still has my trusty Logitech Z523 2.1 setup that I bought with my first PC ~5-6 years ago. I even put on a new 3.5mm jack when a connection in there broke or something, causing the left channel to stop working.

Yeah I've had my Z5300's since... like 2003 or 2004? They've never failed me (though a few of the 3.5mm cables wore out, but they're standard Male to Male, so easily replaced). I even spilled coke on one of the speaker covers years ago - while it did stain the cover, the speakers themselves were unaffected.

[DaaromMike]

19 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

Alternatively you could buy a good 5.1 AV Receiver, and 2 speakers to start and slowly build out a full 5.1 system.

Didn't think about that to be honest... I could totally do that too... I'll have to look into that a bit more but thanks for the suggestion!