Is a soundbar my only option?

[Muzza]

Hi

I am looking for some decent surround sound in my lounge for movies and also music but have hit resistance from the wife over cables and size of speakers around the room (I recently had to return the MA radius 90 package).

Currently I have my TV plugged into come B&W 685 S3's via a Onkyo TR609. Is my only option for some decent sound now to get a soundbar? Will this work alongside my current speakers or is it separate?

Or maybe I should scrap surround and just look to get a pair of decent towers? My budget is around £800-£1,000.

 

[chudleighpaul]

Apart from getting a divorce, a soundbar is probably your best option. All the sound is generated from the internal speakers in the soundbar, so your existing speakers will be redundaant.

Edit: As you already have a surround sound amp, you could opt for 3.1 ie just have two main speakers plus a centre and sub-woofer

 

[Muzza]

Edit: As you already have a surround sound amp, you could opt for 3.1 ie just have two main speakers plus a centre and sub-woofer

[/quote]

Would this arrangement sound better?

 

[Anonymous]

If aestethics is a requirement even a soundbar might be objectionable. For my mother-in-law I've also been looking to solve this and I came across the Yamaha YRS-1100 and suggested it. Depending on screen size and other wishes the YRS-2100 might be a better fit for you. Both appear to use the same type of virtual surround that the YSP-2200 uses, which got a good review here as well as on other sides.

 

[chudleighpaul]

Edit: As you already have a surround sound amp, you could opt for 3.1 ie just have two main speakers plus a centre and sub-woofer

Would this arrangement sound better?

[/quote]

It would certainly sound better than just sound from the TV, whether it sounds better than a soundbar, only you can judge in your own home. If possible try to audition both. The advantage with a 3.1 system is you may eventually get permission to add two rear speakers and then have 5.1

Can't you put your foot down with a firm hand?

 

[duaplex]

See this is why I store a set of divorce papers in my draw and when the wife moans I gesture towards the draw

If she objects to the MA package i dont get whey she would not to a set of towers, surely they are more intrusive? It seems like you need a sat/style package to satisfy the wife and you could go as far as cutting into the walls and hiding the wire. My suggestion is the B&W MT 25, grab and ex demo pair i have seen some real bargins on sevenoaks's site. It falls in your budget even if they are brand new!

 

[Anonymous]

So, your wife is happy with your current B&W 685's, yes? But wasn't happy with the MA package - was it the rear speakers and all the cables trailing to them that was the problem?

I'd stick with your current B&W's for the front left/right, these a decent speakers and if she's happy with them, don't rock the boat.

A B&W centre speaker to match, probably wouldn't look too dissimilar to a sound bar, not as long, but a bit chunkier. At least the cables would be minimal and probably hidden with cabinet and tv etc.

As for sub woofer, this is tricky, as you tend to need to get down low. That said your B&W's aren't too bad, specs says they go down to 49Hz, which is pretty good considering. You're going to need a decent size sub to better that. Most people stick one in the corner, cover it with a table cloth and just treat it as a side table. If its decent, it'll wiegh a tonne and won't actually vibrate!

So that just leaves the rears. Perhaps look into in-wall or in-ceiling speakers. Build some in, that are flush to the wall/ceiling and are just a discreate grille on show. Not sure how close you can colour match the grille, but you might be able to get close. Obviously, its a bit more work, you'll need to bury the cables in the walls/ceiling cavity etc. But just promote it as a lounge redecoration spree. Let he choose some nice uplighters to fit at the same time and choose some updated paint/wallpaper etc. B&W do a good range of in-wall/in-ceiling speakers to match.

You could even go the full hog, build a false wall for the front, embed the TV flush and get in-wall speakers for the front too. One of our board rooms at work has this setup, big screen behind some wooden doors and just white grilles flush int he wall concealing the speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

An interesting topic, and one which might affect me too in the same way shortly. Is it sacrilege to consider a wireless surround sound system? I understand that only the rear speakers are wireless and still need a mains connection, but how do they compare in quality?

 

[Anonymous]

If you do it properly, the wires to the rear speakers should be (almost) invisible. In my case under something similar to skirting on the ceiling. And the rears are in 2 bookshelves, and almost unnoticable.

Apart from that. Man up! P

 

[MajorFubar]

I know my wife well enough to know what she will accept in the home so there is never a time when I've bought something then had to sheepishly return it. Besides, all our household purchases, HiFi components included, are a joint decision. Didn't you discuss your intended purchase of the MA Radius 90s with her in advance? I don't mean that to sound insulting at all...it just strikes me as a little odd!