Soundbar Quandry - Big money

[anonymous-user]

[redacted]

[carreauchompeur]

Personally, I think it’s overpriced. I have an Arcadia soundbar and wireless sub which cost me £550 all in. I simply cannot see the Bose being doubly better!

[Paul Drawmer]

Surely you should be asking this in: Home Cinema & Hi Fi ?

But get yourself to the nearest Richer Sounds and ask their advice.

[tenohfive]

For the same money without any effort at all you could have a full 5.1 Atmos setup:
https://www.richersounds.com/denon-avrx2400-focal-...
https://www.avforums.com/review/focal-sib-evo-dolb...

The sound quality should blow you away. I say 'should,' as I'm still building my intended Atmos setup in stages (starting with the AVR X2400H.) So I'm not speaking from practical experience. But this will obviously be source dependent - with Netflix/Amazon/Rakuten etc there's a lot of 5.1 content and more and more has Atmos support too. With terrestrial...well, I haven't used an aerial in 10 years and sacked off my cable TV package recently, so I've no idea.

Btw, with that setup you've got the option to connect your AVR to wireless speakers around the house if you go the HEOS route for multiroom audio. They're also due to add Alexa support if that's something that's in your house already - although I wouldn't buy based upon any feature that doesn't ship with it; it's just a bonus if/when it comes.

The only reason I'd look at a setup like the one you've posted is if you can't make a cabled setup work.

Edited by tenohfive on Sunday 17th June 11:31

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Comical pricing for BOSE equipment, nothing new there.

If you want a decent soundbar/sub combo that'll rubbish most of these silly little ones on the market then ARCAM is the main option.

£300 for the solo plus soundbar then £300 for the matching 300W sub makes an incredible combo.

Quality of sound > 969 micro speaker psuedo surround rubbish soundbar and weasy sub.

[boyse7en]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Well that was a waste of everyone's time. You came asking for opinions and then dismiss anyone who doesn't agree with your choice as a "hater".

You've got the money to get whatever overhyped, overpriced speakers you like so just buy what you want and enjoy them

[counterofbeans]

boyse7en said:

Well that was a waste of everyone's time. You came asking for opinions and then dismiss anyone who doesn't agree with your choice as a "hater".

You've got the money to get whatever overhyped, overpriced speakers you like so just buy what you want and enjoy them

Total waste of time and totally inevitable.

[TheRainMaker]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Don't think its haters tbh, its' just people with a bit of experience, which is after all why you asked the question.

Now if you think the Bose system sounds good, that's all that really matters, but if people want to point out Bose use the cheapest parts possible, cheap paper drivers and are very badly built using plastic and glue, there really is no need to call them haters.

image1 by The Rain Maker, on Flickr

IMG_2604 by The Rain Maker, on Flickr

Now with all that said Bose does have its place, it does look better than most other brands out there and it doesn't sound the worst by a long shot, but in no way could anyone ever say its high-end audio.

[B17NNS]

tenohfive said:

https://www.richersounds.com/denon-avrx2400-focal-...
https://www.avforums.com/review/focal-sib-evo-dolb...

Was going to suggest that.

-Ad- said:

£300 for the solo plus soundbar then £300 for the matching 300W sub makes an incredible combo.

Good shout. Solo Soundbar now £200

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SoloBar-Arcam-Solo-SoundB...

Sub available for £150

https://www.richersounds.com/arcam-solo-sub-blk-so...

Loads of better ways to spend that budget OP.

Lifestyle speakers:

https://creative-audio.co.uk/HD.php?_DEN_X2400H_QA...

Bookshelf speakers:

https://creative-audio.co.uk/HD.php?_DEN_X2400H_QA...

I've got this set up with the 3020 rears.

https://creative-audio.co.uk/HD.php?_DEN_X2400H_QA...

If you listen to two channel stuff as well the 3050's are a cracking speaker for the money. Creative Audio are a proper old school bricks and mortar hifi shop (with a crap website). If you're nearby well worth a visit as they'll let you audition the various options.

Edited by B17NNS on Tuesday 19th June 15:03

[Dan_1981]

With a decent budget o spend on a soundbar i'd be looking at this Yamaha.

https://www.richersounds.com/yamaha-ysp2700-blk.ht...

I've got the previous 2500 model it's very very good.

Not as good as full 5.1 but when you can't have that, then the Yamaha is a great option.

[B17NNS]

You've stated that you're an audiophile yet you seem determined to buy a lifestyle product that the industry believes to be mediocre.

For the same money you can get a very highly regarded AV receiver and 5.1.2 Atmos speaker system.

All that really matters is that you get what sounds best to you at the price point you're happy with. If the Bose system is the best you've heard then that's the product for you

What Hi-Fi (take a pinch of salt) give the Sony 5 stars

https://www.whathifi.com/sony/ht-st5000/review

The Bose gets 3 stars

https://www.whathifi.com/bose/soundtouch-300/revie...

Edited by B17NNS on Tuesday 19th June 17:27

[DavidY]

At that price you could consider a Naim Muso, if quality audio is what you are after, though it won't handle 5.1 you need to feed it the 2ch input (optical)

[Black can man]

We have a Canton , bloody lovely it is too.

[TheRainMaker]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Designed 25 years ago but still a current model you can buy today.

https://pro.bose.com/en_us/products/loudspeakers/b...

They were the nearest Bose product to my desk, but believe me, the new stuff is not any different.

[legzr1]

Bose are absolutely fantastic.



Until you hear something that sounds twice as good for half the money.
And there are lots of better sounding options out there.

Tip:
If you buy Bose, STOP listening to anything else.

There’s a fair chance that a well regarded audio outfit know a thing or two about sound quality.
Arcam, B&W and Naim to mention just three - I’d have anything from them over anything from Bose.

[anonymous-user]

Find somewhere that will let you do a home demo, sounds good in the shop but could sound crap at home.

Home demo.

Did I mention home demo?

I looked at that link, that is more expensive than a major service on my porsche at an OPC with plenty of change.

Find a decent hifi shop, Currys is not a decent hifi shop.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 19th June 20:34

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anonymous said:

[redacted]

You're not wrong there:



Do yourself a favour and pickup the reduced Arcam at £199 and the matching wireless sub for £249. At those prices they're giving them away!

Interesting thing on the BOOOOSE equipment...... They never list any of the specs at all, even the output power (RMS) is never listed!

I suppose, why list something at all if it's going to be far worse than the competition, better keep the aura of the name and brand up there as the real (and only) reason to buy the equipment.

[arfur]

Have you looked at Sonos ?

I have a Sonos Soundbar and Sonos Sub which are then complemented with a pair of "3's" on stands ...

The rest of the house is Sonos as well, mix of "1's" and "5''s"

Sounds awsome always !

ta

arf

[dmsims]

Sonos=Bose=Beats

[Eddh]

I have a Sonos playbase and two play:1 as surrounds, it sounds great IMO.

More importantly, it is almost invisible under the TV, we live in a lovely victorian place so its hard to find something that disappears.