Soundbar Replacement Advice

[Bville]

Hi, the subwoofer for my LG SN9YG soundbar is no longer functioning (can’t figure out why), but it has me considering a replacement since there seem to be some decent sales going on now. I’m considering replacing my old soundbar with either:
1) LG S90QY soundbar
2) Klipsch Reference Cinema 5.1.4 system with a Denon AVR-S760H 7.2 receiver
My thought process for the LG soundbar is that I could still make use of the LG wireless surround sound speakers I have.
However, I like the idea of the speaker/receiver system, since it would also give me the option of hooking up a turntable and I can update the system in the future. I understand that the Klipsch system is 9 channel and the receiver has 7. Figure I could bypass a couple upfiring speakers to save right now to save on the cost of a 9 channel receiver.
And I figure there will be a learning curve abandoning the simplicity of a soundbar and going the speaker/receiver route.
I would appreciate any advice or guidance from the community.
Thanks in advance!

 

[twsecrest]

DENON AVR-S760H 7.2-Ch x 75w 8K A/V Receiver w/HEOS

Denon Factory Refurbished

www.accessories4less.com

 

[Danaxus]

The rabbit hole is deep.
The right system for you really depends on your needs, space, budget, and in the case of surround sound - willingness to mess with your ceiling.
Soundbars are easy and come with many benefits. Samsung soundbars are cheap and quite good, but you also get much more fancy ones like the Bang & Olufsen ones, or, Dear God, the Nakamichi Dragon.

You also get some really easy and elegant plug&play surround systems like Sony's HT-A9, which is pretty hassle-free.


If you want to DIY a sound system however, there's a lot to learn and do. There are plenty of receivers out there, but which one you want depends on your needs. If you play video games, you'll need one with gaming features like ALLM, VRR, and HDMI 2.1, perhaps on multiple ports. If you plan on buying passive speakers, your AVR will need to have enough and good amplification to drive them properly (you won't find good amplification easily, but power should be ok depending on what speakers you get). If you primarily enjoy listening to 2-channel music but want some surround functionality, perhaps you want to get active speakers for the 2 front channels, so you can bypass the AVR's mediocre amplifier for music, in which case a cheap AVR will do (as long as it has pre-outs, that let you hook up active speakers).

And finally, you may also want to consider room treatment. When you buy a guitar, you don't ignore the guitar and focus on the strings alone. Sure, the strings are actually producing the sound, but the size, shape, and material of the guitar are incredibly important to the overall sound of the instrument. Same thing goes for rooms - when you listen to stuff, you're essentially *inside* the guitar, so treating your room makes a big difference - and proper treatment isn't cheap, though you can DIY it.


All this is to say: first establish your needs, budget, and willingness to modify your space (put speakers on ceilings, acoustic treatment on ceilings/walls). Based on that, recommendations can be made. Your ideal solution may range from a good soundbar with a wireless subwoofer you can place in the best spot, all the way to picking out your own system. I suspect a solution like the aforementioned Sony HT-A9 with an added subwoofer will be ideal - it'll give you decent sound, surround, and some rudimentary room correction.

Imho, I would get a system that is complete today, rather than buying components now and leaving other components 'til later. You won't enjoy an incomplete system as much as a complete one. And also, components you think are permanent have a nasty habit of turning out not to be. The exception to this rule is if you're willing to go second-hand, and live in an area where you can buy/sell things easily. That lets you switch components in and out, for close to free.

 

[Bville]

Thanks! This gives me a lot to consider. As I mentioned it seems I’m at a crossroads, between investing in another soundbar/subwoofer or go “down the rabbit hole”. I ended up ordering a “renewed” Denon AVR-S760H receiver as a starting point to build around. I’ll need to look into whether it includes those features and pre-outs you mentioned. If not, I could return and find another option. I was considering starting with a 3.1 system to hopefully stretch my budget and get more “quality” than “quantity”. I got some great advice on to look into Monoprice speakers and Dayton subwoofer. I do have some LG wireless surround speakers with my current soundbar system that I imagine I could simply wire to the AVR until I can get something else. But I have to admit with all that said it seems a bit overwhelming and the simplicity of a simple soundbar is tempting. However I’m not in a rush, I can still use my current soundbar albeit without a subwoofer and continue to search for the best deals. Thanks again!

 

[Bville]

The rabbit hole is deep.
The right system for you really depends on your needs, space, budget, and in the case of surround sound - willingness to mess with your ceiling.
Soundbars are easy and come with many benefits. Samsung soundbars are cheap and quite good, but you also get much more fancy ones like the Bang & Olufsen ones, or, Dear God, the Nakamichi Dragon.

You also get some really easy and elegant plug&play surround systems like Sony's HT-A9, which is pretty hassle-free.


If you want to DIY a sound system however, there's a lot to learn and do. There are plenty of receivers out there, but which one you want depends on your needs. If you play video games, you'll need one with gaming features like ALLM, VRR, and HDMI 2.1, perhaps on multiple ports. If you plan on buying passive speakers, your AVR will need to have enough and good amplification to drive them properly (you won't find good amplification easily, but power should be ok depending on what speakers you get). If you primarily enjoy listening to 2-channel music but want some surround functionality, perhaps you want to get active speakers for the 2 front channels, so you can bypass the AVR's mediocre amplifier for music, in which case a cheap AVR will do (as long as it has pre-outs, that let you hook up active speakers).

And finally, you may also want to consider room treatment. When you buy a guitar, you don't ignore the guitar and focus on the strings alone. Sure, the strings are actually producing the sound, but the size, shape, and material of the guitar are incredibly important to the overall sound of the instrument. Same thing goes for rooms - when you listen to stuff, you're essentially *inside* the guitar, so treating your room makes a big difference - and proper treatment isn't cheap, though you can DIY it.


All this is to say: first establish your needs, budget, and willingness to modify your space (put speakers on ceilings, acoustic treatment on ceilings/walls). Based on that, recommendations can be made. Your ideal solution may range from a good soundbar with a wireless subwoofer you can place in the best spot, all the way to picking out your own system. I suspect a solution like the aforementioned Sony HT-A9 with an added subwoofer will be ideal - it'll give you decent sound, surround, and some rudimentary room correction.

Imho, I would get a system that is complete today, rather than buying components now and leaving other components 'til later. You won't enjoy an incomplete system as much as a complete one. And also, components you think are permanent have a nasty habit of turning out not to be. The exception to this rule is if you're willing to go second-hand, and live in an area where you can buy/sell things easily. That lets you switch components in and out, for close to free.

Sorry, I just realized I posted without hitting reply. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[staticV3]

Depending on the size of the room, I would strongly consider Monoprice's 5.1 THX bundle: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=41287

Erin from Erin's Audio Corner has reviewed both the sub and satellite speakers:
https://youtu.be/4Hjk7iOkM_4
https://youtu.be/B9GYqhuMu88
https://www.youtube.com/live/Uyxu0Asz8Iw

 

[Bville]

Depending on the size of the room, I would strongly consider Monoprice's 5.1 THX bundle: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=41287

Erin from Erin's Audio Corner has reviewed both the sub and satellite speakers:
https://youtu.be/4Hjk7iOkM_4
https://youtu.be/B9GYqhuMu88
https://www.youtube.com/live/Uyxu0Asz8Iw

Thanks! I was considering this system, though I wish it had a more dedicated center channel speaker. I see there is a THX option for $499, however adding that now would not be in the budget. You mentioned the size of the room. The room is 12 ft x 12 ft and I’m seated 8 ft from the TV. Would this system be recommended for this space? Thanks

 

[staticV3]

Thanks! I was considering this system, though I wish it had a more dedicated center channel speaker. I see there is a THX option for $499, however adding that now would not be in the budget. You mentioned the size of the room. The room is 12 ft x 12 ft and I’m seated 8 ft from the TV. Would this system be recommended for this space? Thanks

Please watch the reviews once you find the time. Erin goes into detail on what size rooms this system would be appropriate for.

Also, IMO, using one of the satellites as center would be preferential to almost all budget center speakers with their typical 2-way MTM directivity issues, which this one does not have.

 

[JSmith]

1) LG S90QY soundbar

If you decide on a soundbar, get a decent Samsung (generally excellent since they bought Harman) or even Yahama, JBL... not LG, garbage.


JSmith

 

[FrantzM]

Depending on the size of the room, I would strongly consider Monoprice's 5.1 THX bundle: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=41287

Erin from Erin's Audio Corner has reviewed both the sub and satellite speakers:
https://youtu.be/4Hjk7iOkM_4
https://youtu.be/B9GYqhuMu88
https://www.youtube.com/live/Uyxu0Asz8Iw

+1

MonoPrice when it comes to AV products is a bit under the radar or quite often scoffed at, because they "make" or sell almost everything, but they have real gems in their AV lineups some could be considered high-End/Performance...

Peace.

 

[Bville]

Please watch the reviews once you find the time. Erin goes into detail on what size rooms this system would be appropriate for.

Also, IMO, using one of the satellites as center would be preferential to almost all budget center speakers with their typical 2-way MTM directivity issues, which this one does not have.

Will do. I realize there is a lot to learn and I’m trying hard not to make too many mistakes.

 

[Bville]

+1

MonoPrice when it comes to AV products is a bit under the radar or quite often scoffed at, because they "make" or sell almost everything, but they have real gems in their AV lineups some could be considered high-End/Performance...

Peace.

Thanks! I never heard of them until recently and was surprised when I saw all the great reviews.

 

[Bville]

If you decide on a soundbar, get a decent Samsung (generally excellent since they bought Harman) or even Yahama, JBL... not LG, garbage.


JSmith

Thanks! Considering the LG soundbar I’m having to replace is only 3 years old I was hesitant on getting another. But there are good deals (seems there is a reason for that) and I wanted to hopefully make use of my rear surround sound speakers I have with that system. But that shouldn’t be the reason to not consider other options.

 

[Bville]

Thanks! Considering the LG soundbar I’m having to replace is only 3 years old I was hesitant on getting another. But there are good deals (seems there is a reason for that) and I wanted to hopefully make use of my rear surround sound speakers I have with that system. But that shouldn’t be the reason to not consider other options.

I found what appears to be a good deal on a Samsung Q910B soundbar ($645).
After watching some videos on speaker placement for home theater systems, with how my living room is configured, I can’t imagine there would be much of a benefit going with a speaker/receiver system as opposed to a soundbar. If I had a more dedicated room for a home theater it might make more sense. Thanks again

 

[twsecrest]

If your going for full 5.1 surround sound, drop the soundbar and go with 5.1 speaker setup.
I like shopping at Monoprice.

 

[Bville]

If your going for full 5.1 surround sound, drop the soundbar and go with 5.1 speaker setup.
I like shopping at Monoprice.

I watched a few videos on home theater room configuration and our living room is less than optimal (e.g., 4 hallway openings, front entrance, no way to reasonably do any soundproofing). Also, it’s a little too big for the Monoprice Monolith system, which is a shame since it seems like a great deal. So I’ve decided to just replace my soundbar with another since it seemed to work well enough for that space. Based on what I learned I considered moving from a surround system and looked at some 3.1 and 3.1.2 soundbars, but after considering the deal I could get on the Q910B, just seemed to make sense to get that soundbar.
I’m working to finish my basement and am thinking that would be a better candidate for a more traditional home theater system.

 

[Danaxus]

I found what appears to be a good deal on a Samsung Q910B soundbar ($645).
After watching some videos on speaker placement for home theater systems, with how my living room is configured, I can’t imagine there would be much of a benefit going with a speaker/receiver system as opposed to a soundbar. If I had a more dedicated room for a home theater it might make more sense. Thanks again

I wouldn't say that necessarily. A ready-made surround system can be a real upgrade to a soundbar - you should check prices for the Sony HT-A9. Also, not sure about where you live, but the Q990 isn't vastly more expensive here than the Q910, and should give you more bang for your buck - check local prices and see.

Finally, it's really close to Black Friday - maybe hold off and buy something then?

 

[ban25]

The sad truth is that soundbars are frequently marketed as drop-in solutions for home theater surround, but in fact, they all end up sounding like a mono center channel with no separation. You just can't beat physics. I would strongly encourage you to avoid a soundbar at all costs, regardless of room type.

 

[Bville]

The sad truth is that soundbars are frequently marketed as drop-in solutions for home theater surround, but in fact, they all end up sounding like a mono center channel with no separation. You just can't beat physics. I would strongly encourage you to avoid a soundbar at all costs, regardless of room type.

Yes, after some reconsideration (and reminder that Black Friday sales are right around the corner - thanks Danaxus) I decided to forgo the Q910 soundbar and go back to the drawing board. I can see without a doubt that my inexperience with AV equipment is on display.
Since I have a functioning soundbar, albeit without a sub, I realize I don’t need to rush and I can more strategically go about building a home theater system. With that said, it seems my first investment should be in a decent AV receiver. I was doing some online research and it seems the Denon X1700 or X2700 and the Onkyo TX-NR6100 are well reviewed 7 channel receivers. Any other recommendations? I realize there are some great brands in the world of AV that I’m not even aware of. After I get a receiver I can begin to budget for speakers and I can see where to go from that point.
Thanks and thanks to everyone for your advice and patience as I fumble through this process.

 

[ban25]

Yes, after some reconsideration (and reminder that Black Friday sales are right around the corner - thanks Danaxus) I decided to forgo the Q910 soundbar and go back to the drawing board. I can see without a doubt that my inexperience with AV equipment is on display.
Since I have a functioning soundbar, albeit without a sub, I realize I don’t need to rush and I can more strategically go about building a home theater system. With that said, it seems my first investment should be in a decent AV receiver. I was doing some online research and it seems the Denon X1700 or X2700 and the Onkyo TX-NR6100 are well reviewed 7 channel receivers. Any other recommendations? I realize there are some great brands in the world of AV that I’m not even aware of. After I get a receiver I can begin to budget for speakers and I can see where to go from that point.
Thanks and thanks to everyone for your advice and patience as I fumble through this process.

I would go with a current generation AVR, like the X2800H. You will appreciate having HDMI 2.1, if not immediately, then in a few years. You can also start small on speakers. I run a set of bookshelf speakers in a bedroom and I get excellent stereo imaging out of them and probably more than enough bass for the application.