Ideally I'd like to get a real HT setup, but the reality is the funding and wife support simply isn't there at the moment. However, I am in the market for a Blu-Ray player. And I was also thinking about one of those soundbars that are being pitched instead of having 6 speakers. Are these things any good? If so, are there any that are relatively inexpensive? I'm pretty lo-fi when it comes to HT so I don't need a super high-end solution.

Dinny ... I got a Yamaha YSP-1 4-5 years ago when it was the only game in town. Wanted it for a den for decent HT presentation, and it hasn't disappointed. It fit perfectly on the wall below a Panasonic 42" plasma. Sound is not even close to full on 5.1 or n.1 HT, but worlds better than the tv speakers. It has done what I wanted, and I am happy with it. Did a quick look, and it seems everyone makes them now, and they are pretty cheap. If I were buying now, think I would stick with Yammy or Denon, and it looks like $500-600 will get you something good.

Living in an apartment I looked at them a few years back when Yamaha was the only game in town. I thought it sounded quite good, luckily for you there are far more options today and at a lower price. Have you listened to any of the offerings available?

I have never listened to one. But I'm not expecting miracles. Just something that would be a significant, though unobtrusive, upgrade over the regular TV speakers.

When I bought our HT setup last spring, it was for watching movies and I wanted the surround experience. So I got a smallish 5.1 HTIB (HT in a box). To ease the wiring issue, I got a "wireless" connection to the rear speakers, which was an additional option. Wireless here means that a signal is sent wirelessly to a small amplifier to which the two rear speakers connect via normal speaker wire.

The setup is a big improvement over TV speakers and gives fairly good sound (for a $700 system) for movies. A setup like this is non-obtrusive and may work for you aesthetically while still giving you surround sound. So you might want to look into this.

Disclaimer: I've never listened to a sound bar and am just assuming that it doesn't really do surround. An earlier post alluded to that too.

If you can engage in some creative accounting you could always try

Sound & Vision Magazine - B&W Panorama Soundbar

The old, original Dinny could file 2.2 Kilobucks under miscellaneous , no?

Discover the Panorama - Sound Bar - B&W | Bowers & Wilkins

Maybe I should wait for Dinny 3.0.

I am also in the same predicament, as I want some kind of cheap home-theater setup that takes very little space but sounds nice. I was thinking two tall skinny speakers and a sub that can power the entire system (2.1 system I guess) , but this soundbar thing seems interesting as well. Any suggestions beyond the soundbar?

I am in much the same. The nice Yamaha soundbars with the little calibration mic look good but my room and tv placement is going to present a lot of trouble and I want some assurance before dropping that much.

I wonder if I can get a trial from somewhere to try before I buy or buy and return etc.

I'm thinking you should just hire a babysitter, Dinny. The resolution in the theater is something like 4x 1080p, I read recently (which I think really means 16x).

I'm thinking you should just hire a babysitter, Dinny. The resolution in the theater is something like 4x 1080p, I read recently (which I think really means 16x).

I love going to the movies, though I tend to fall asleep in them these days.

[dusty]Watch better movies.[/dusty]

I never pulled the trigger on the soundbar, but I'm back in the market. Anyone have any further experience to report?

You know there's one on Goldbox right now?

Amazon.com Gold Box: New Deals. Every Day.

My panasonic came free with the plasma, it's better than the internal speaker that's for sure. Works well for standard viewing.

The only bars I have much experience with are chocolate.

I look at the soundbar as the next step up from internal TV speakers, but the cost seems to be beyond that level in most cases.

The soundbars I've heard are a ripoff for what you get. I think you're better off with some cheap Insignias.

I bought these like 7 years ago for $45. Much better sound than the bars I've experienced.

I've been meaning to upgrade forever but never do because these 'aren't broken'. The tv on the other hand, is getting upgraded soon, hence the wire mess.

Ye I probably wouldn't bother with a sound bar, it is convenient and mine came with a wireless sub and was free and part of the special package amazon had going.

So 2.0 or 2.1 (5.1 isn't an option)?

How would the Quad 12L Actives do for this?

For movies I would go 2.1 unless your speakers are really monoliths and have some serious bass capability. 12L actives should be good for the L and R.

You already have a great way to lower the bass. It's called a "volume control".

How would the Quad 12L Actives do for this?

Dew et.

If you still need to go soundbar because of the form factor and/or WAF, there is (probably) one sound bar that would be good, but I forget which one it is. The Yamaha? Or rather, one of the Yamahas? They use the same technology as passive radar arrays (in reverse, obviously) to "direct" the sound, by phase delaying each driver based on the input, and which channel it corresponds to. Maybe they all use that now, I don't know.

Here is a bunch of reviews.

2.1...Quad 12L actives + Emotiva Ultra Sub 12 FTW!