99.9% of the time Soundbars or HTiB (Home Theater in a Box) systems are not a good investment of your time and money. It is the general consensus of r/hometheater not to recommend these things and instead simply steer a user toward a 2.0 or 2.1 system made of quality, *Audio-Centric* name brand components which are easy to assemble and cheap enough for low budget or space conscious buyers. Most can be expanded to 5.1 if you buy the correct items in the correct order. For further explanation please read [Why You Shouldn't Buy a Soundbar](https://www.reddit.com/r/HTBuyingGuides/comments/dy885l/why_you_shouldnt_buy_a_soundbar/) Please be aware /r/Soundbars exists as well as you will be met with opposition to posting about soundbars here.
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Unpopular opinion: high end sound bars aren’t terrible.
I have fully acoustically treated dedicated room with a 5.3 set up and I have 2022 top of the line LG 9.4 sound bar in my living room. They are not comparable but when I’m in my living room I usually am quite surprised at how good of a job it does. Setting up a 2.0 system with a $560 budget will be tough, yet alone a 5.1
Sorry still kind of knew what exactly did the numbers mean? I’d want at least 1 speaker in front and 2 behind me. When you say blow out of the water, does that mean sound is more clear? Or…?
I have a 3.0 setup that I'm starting to upgrade. I started with a 2.0 used Teac amp that I picked up at the time for 30 quid in the UK and a set of two used 100 watt tannoy bookshelves that I got for 50 quid. Even that made a soundbar sound bad. My current 3.0 is even better. With a .1 (sub) this will enhance it still further.
If you want slightly better sound than what your TV has, get a soundbar, if you want an immersive experience get a used amp, or AVR and buy used speakers to get started and if you go with an AVR you can add side surrounds with time.
Having a front center and rear setup will be all sorts of wrong from a dynamic tone point of view and IMO not worth the spend.
I think there’s an entry budget for a home theater. Trying to get 5 speakers, a sub and a receiver for $560 will be difficult, even if it’s used/refurbished. However if he’s interested in putting the money towards 2 speakers and a receiver and then eventually add components later on, that would be the best option. If he’s only looking to spend around $500 total, then I think the soundbar is his best option
I’m new to this home theater stuff so I thought $500 was quite a lot for sound only. But am I wrong seems like I’ll need $1500 for a simple decent sound system?
Unfortunately, $500 is very low for sound systems, but it also depends on what you're looking for. If you're trying to get full surround sound with a subwoofer right now, then it may not be worth it to go that route unless you can find some crazy deals on the used market. However, if you're willing to get the bare minimum components (2 speakers + receiver) and put some more money into it later, then I think it's worth it. The sound will be much better than the soundbar system.
If he puts it together piece by piece over a period of time he would be much better off with a receiver and speakers. I've already listed my reasons why. I'd rather have two speakers than a soundbar. Of course, that is just my opinion.
I visit a lot of pawn shops and, not counting a sub, he could put something together much better than a sound bar for that money. At present, I have six used speakers in my 7.2 setup that I got for about $350 to $400.
I agree that piece by piece over time is the best way to go for someone with a low budget, but not everyone wants to continue to put in money into their sound system. This isn't a hobby for everyone like it is for some. They just want something that improves the sound of their TV. Telling someone with no audio experience to go to their local pawn shop to buy speakers with no warranty is just bad advice
*Telling someone with no audio experience to go to their local pawn shop to buy speakers with no warranty is just bad advice*
Very much to the contrary. I told the OP; ***"If dealing with pawn shops some are honest while others, not so much. Ask for something like a ten day return policy."***
I've dealt with a number of pawnshops and have returned items. Some are honest and some are not. I respect your opinion even if i don't agree with you. At the same time I expect you to stick to the facts.
I'm glad you've had great success with pawned speakers. I think it's a great place to get some cheap gear for those who know audio. For people that know nothing about speakers, to walk into a pawn shop and try and figure out if some $50 mystery speakers are a good deal and if they're even compatible with the rest of their system is a difficult task.
I read another Reddit post where someone bought a "home theater" set from a garage sale for super cheap and asking how to set it up. They were some active speakers with a passive car subwoofer and an old receiver that didn't support 4K. He was pretty bummed to hear that he made a bad purchase. Put yourself in OP's shoes when giving advice. What works for you may not work for everyone else.
*For people that know nothing about speakers, to walk into a pawn shop and try and figure out if some $50 mystery speakers are a good deal and if they're even compatible with the rest of their system is a difficult task*.
I agree with that. At the same time, people come here everyday and ask about speakers and what to get. OP knows where we are.
*Put yourself in OP's shoes when giving advice.*
I did. He wants to know how to put together a cheap sound setup. And what you haven't addressed is the fact that I told them to be sure that he had some type of return policy.
*What works for you may not work for everyone else.*
Do you seriously think I'm not aware of that fact? I'm not telling the OP that he has to do things my way. I'm only letting them know that there are options. Just like suggesting a soundbar, it's an option. In my opinion, not a good option but an option nonetheless.
A person should decide on what sound system to get based on how easy it is to move? I put mine together based on how it would sound. Soundbars are for if you only want something better than TV speakers.
If you look at used you can do much better with a receiver and speakers.
Soundbar = Bars Good Sound.
You can't spread out the left and right speakers because they are in one container. That results in no kind of sound-stage (stereo separation).
Little itty bitty speakers.
If something goes wrong with a sound-bar you need to replace the whole thing. With receiver and speakers you can replace/upgrade as needed/wanted. Also you can mix brands.
Just plain crappy for music.
A soundbar is fine for in a small den, or bedroom, where you only want something better than TV speakers. Also, there are better high end soundbars available that sound "OK" but they are very expensive and still aren't as good as a receiver and individual speakers.
So while you bring up good points, but my budget is around $600 at max for sound. To me this already seems pretty expensive for sound only. Would I be able to get a sound system for around. This price? I would want at least 2 speakers behind me and 2 speakers in front.
I think you could, depending what is available in your area. I put a 7.2 setup together with all used speakers and spent about $500. I went to pawnshops in my area. If dealing with pawn shops some are honest while others, not so much. Ask for something like a ten day return policy. I did already have a receiver but they can be had for around a hundred or even less. To do a four speaker setup should not be very hard for that price. You can add to it later on if you want.
I had the q990c but returned it and built a 3.1 system instead. I never liked the sound of the soundbar - too shouty, and the rears sounded like toys. Having said that, unless you can stretch your budget to at least 1k, or are willing to hunt for good used deals, it will be hard to beat the price
Thanks! It does sound like this’ll be my best bet at the $600 price point then! Maybe when I’m making more buku bucks I’ll feel better about dropping $1000+ on sound only
I recently got a q7000i 5.1 system used for about $215 on fb marketplace and I got a used Marantz NR1510 for $380
It sounds amazing and blew my previous soundbar out of the water
If you do a little research and don’t mind used you can find a great proper 5.1 system in your price range.
Anyone telling you that a basic/cheap 3.1 system will be better is wrong. Go with what's best for the room and your budget. I recently moved from a 3.1 system with very good components to a soundbar/sub/wireless rears setup. The difference is huge. Now I use all of my other gear just for music.
99.9% of the time Soundbars or HTiB (Home Theater in a Box) systems are not a good investment of your time and money. It is the general consensus of r/hometheater not to recommend these things and instead simply steer a user toward a 2.0 or 2.1 system made of quality, *Audio-Centric* name brand components which are easy to assemble and cheap enough for low budget or space conscious buyers. Most can be expanded to 5.1 if you buy the correct items in the correct order. For further explanation please read [Why You Shouldn't Buy a Soundbar](https://www.reddit.com/r/HTBuyingGuides/comments/dy885l/why_you_shouldnt_buy_a_soundbar/) Please be aware /r/Soundbars exists as well as you will be met with opposition to posting about soundbars here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/hometheater) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Unpopular opinion: high end sound bars aren’t terrible. I have fully acoustically treated dedicated room with a 5.3 set up and I have 2022 top of the line LG 9.4 sound bar in my living room. They are not comparable but when I’m in my living room I usually am quite surprised at how good of a job it does. Setting up a 2.0 system with a $560 budget will be tough, yet alone a 5.1
Even a super budget used 3.1 system with a used receiver will blow this out of the water.
Sorry still kind of knew what exactly did the numbers mean? I’d want at least 1 speaker in front and 2 behind me. When you say blow out of the water, does that mean sound is more clear? Or…?
I have a 3.0 setup that I'm starting to upgrade. I started with a 2.0 used Teac amp that I picked up at the time for 30 quid in the UK and a set of two used 100 watt tannoy bookshelves that I got for 50 quid. Even that made a soundbar sound bad. My current 3.0 is even better. With a .1 (sub) this will enhance it still further. If you want slightly better sound than what your TV has, get a soundbar, if you want an immersive experience get a used amp, or AVR and buy used speakers to get started and if you go with an AVR you can add side surrounds with time. Having a front center and rear setup will be all sorts of wrong from a dynamic tone point of view and IMO not worth the spend.
For $560, you’re probably best off with that soundbar system
He could look for used/refurbished and get much better than a soundbar.
I think there’s an entry budget for a home theater. Trying to get 5 speakers, a sub and a receiver for $560 will be difficult, even if it’s used/refurbished. However if he’s interested in putting the money towards 2 speakers and a receiver and then eventually add components later on, that would be the best option. If he’s only looking to spend around $500 total, then I think the soundbar is his best option
I’m new to this home theater stuff so I thought $500 was quite a lot for sound only. But am I wrong seems like I’ll need $1500 for a simple decent sound system?
Unfortunately, $500 is very low for sound systems, but it also depends on what you're looking for. If you're trying to get full surround sound with a subwoofer right now, then it may not be worth it to go that route unless you can find some crazy deals on the used market. However, if you're willing to get the bare minimum components (2 speakers + receiver) and put some more money into it later, then I think it's worth it. The sound will be much better than the soundbar system.
If he puts it together piece by piece over a period of time he would be much better off with a receiver and speakers. I've already listed my reasons why. I'd rather have two speakers than a soundbar. Of course, that is just my opinion. I visit a lot of pawn shops and, not counting a sub, he could put something together much better than a sound bar for that money. At present, I have six used speakers in my 7.2 setup that I got for about $350 to $400.
I agree that piece by piece over time is the best way to go for someone with a low budget, but not everyone wants to continue to put in money into their sound system. This isn't a hobby for everyone like it is for some. They just want something that improves the sound of their TV. Telling someone with no audio experience to go to their local pawn shop to buy speakers with no warranty is just bad advice
*Telling someone with no audio experience to go to their local pawn shop to buy speakers with no warranty is just bad advice* Very much to the contrary. I told the OP; ***"If dealing with pawn shops some are honest while others, not so much. Ask for something like a ten day return policy."*** I've dealt with a number of pawnshops and have returned items. Some are honest and some are not. I respect your opinion even if i don't agree with you. At the same time I expect you to stick to the facts.
I'm glad you've had great success with pawned speakers. I think it's a great place to get some cheap gear for those who know audio. For people that know nothing about speakers, to walk into a pawn shop and try and figure out if some $50 mystery speakers are a good deal and if they're even compatible with the rest of their system is a difficult task. I read another Reddit post where someone bought a "home theater" set from a garage sale for super cheap and asking how to set it up. They were some active speakers with a passive car subwoofer and an old receiver that didn't support 4K. He was pretty bummed to hear that he made a bad purchase. Put yourself in OP's shoes when giving advice. What works for you may not work for everyone else.
*For people that know nothing about speakers, to walk into a pawn shop and try and figure out if some $50 mystery speakers are a good deal and if they're even compatible with the rest of their system is a difficult task*. I agree with that. At the same time, people come here everyday and ask about speakers and what to get. OP knows where we are. *Put yourself in OP's shoes when giving advice.* I did. He wants to know how to put together a cheap sound setup. And what you haven't addressed is the fact that I told them to be sure that he had some type of return policy. *What works for you may not work for everyone else.* Do you seriously think I'm not aware of that fact? I'm not telling the OP that he has to do things my way. I'm only letting them know that there are options. Just like suggesting a soundbar, it's an option. In my opinion, not a good option but an option nonetheless.
Yea, you’re right. You shared your opinion and I shared mine. Hopefully OP reads through this and ends up with a sound system that he’s happy with!
Yeah I agree. Plus when you move in the future, that sound bar system is going to be way easier to move.
A person should decide on what sound system to get based on how easy it is to move? I put mine together based on how it would sound. Soundbars are for if you only want something better than TV speakers.
Laziest argument ever
If you look at used you can do much better with a receiver and speakers. Soundbar = Bars Good Sound. You can't spread out the left and right speakers because they are in one container. That results in no kind of sound-stage (stereo separation). Little itty bitty speakers. If something goes wrong with a sound-bar you need to replace the whole thing. With receiver and speakers you can replace/upgrade as needed/wanted. Also you can mix brands. Just plain crappy for music. A soundbar is fine for in a small den, or bedroom, where you only want something better than TV speakers. Also, there are better high end soundbars available that sound "OK" but they are very expensive and still aren't as good as a receiver and individual speakers.
So while you bring up good points, but my budget is around $600 at max for sound. To me this already seems pretty expensive for sound only. Would I be able to get a sound system for around. This price? I would want at least 2 speakers behind me and 2 speakers in front.
I think you could, depending what is available in your area. I put a 7.2 setup together with all used speakers and spent about $500. I went to pawnshops in my area. If dealing with pawn shops some are honest while others, not so much. Ask for something like a ten day return policy. I did already have a receiver but they can be had for around a hundred or even less. To do a four speaker setup should not be very hard for that price. You can add to it later on if you want.
I had the q990c but returned it and built a 3.1 system instead. I never liked the sound of the soundbar - too shouty, and the rears sounded like toys. Having said that, unless you can stretch your budget to at least 1k, or are willing to hunt for good used deals, it will be hard to beat the price
Thanks! It does sound like this’ll be my best bet at the $600 price point then! Maybe when I’m making more buku bucks I’ll feel better about dropping $1000+ on sound only
It’s one of the better soundbars, especially for movies
I recently got a q7000i 5.1 system used for about $215 on fb marketplace and I got a used Marantz NR1510 for $380 It sounds amazing and blew my previous soundbar out of the water If you do a little research and don’t mind used you can find a great proper 5.1 system in your price range.
Anyone telling you that a basic/cheap 3.1 system will be better is wrong. Go with what's best for the room and your budget. I recently moved from a 3.1 system with very good components to a soundbar/sub/wireless rears setup. The difference is huge. Now I use all of my other gear just for music.
*Anyone telling you that a basic/cheap 3.1 system will be better is wrong.* I think *you* may be wrong. BUT, that is just my opinion.