★ Click www.drinktrade.com/ROBINSON to get $20 off your first three bags. ★ *QOTD:* What do you look for when shopping for a new soundbar? ★ *CLICK 🔝 “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions* ★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
For QOTD, primarily for PS5, with a BIG but though. I need a new TV (75"+) and audio system and don't want to spend money NOW only to be limited by 2.1 ports. But a Q950 >plus< a big TV is a budget buster.
Andrew, please don't be offended by this comment as I fully realize you put a ton of work into.your audio quality. As far as I'm concerned there is no need to apologize for the lack of sound quality. I'm here for your insight, knowledge and ability to educate. If you were using a 30 year old Realistic microphone in a metal trash can, I would not care. I appreciate your efforts. 👏👏👏👏👏👍
There is one company that in my mind produces the best sound bars that seem to get no love. That’s the Yamaha YSP sound bars. They have plenty of connectivity options for externals like Blu-ray players, gaming systems & so forth. They are also wall mountable & affordable. I think in this market they are the best bang for your buck!
Perfect sunday. Just sold 2 vintage audio peices to a happy buyer. Hes now got Marantz and Sansui in his collecton. And now the sunday video. Awesome. Coffee in hand.
“Less is more” is the B&O Stage in a nutshell . . . great form factor - you forget it’s even there as it continues to deliver stellar sound from deep bass through the treble audio landscape. Happy listening 👂🏼 with your video.
With the help provided by the two of you. I, after many years, finally made a purchase! My wife and I have been greatly enjoying the Q950A for the last two weeks! While I’ve long thought of a traditional home theater setup as the desired path. This sound bar setup provides a wonderful listening experience and doesn’t clutter our main living space like a traditional system would have. Thank you!
Thanks so much for the video. I always enjoy your updates. When looking for a soundbar, I look at three basic things: 1. The space I’m using it in. That’s the most important bit. 2. At least 3 channels. I have a hard time with dialogue on two channel systems. 3. Connectivity. I don’t like entirely giving up an HDMI port, so I will pick a bar with passthrough over one that does not. Now a couple questions for you: Would you consider reviewing in the future more modestly priced soundbar systems like the LG SP8YA or the Vizio M Series M512a-H6? Additionally, like the Sony HT-A9, have you ever looked at other systems that go for the simple, one-package solution, like the Enclave Audio Cinehome?
I recently purchased the Bose 700 sound bar and I think its good, not the cheapest and especially if you live in Australia like myself, so for all you Americans, it's double the price here.
Thanks for the guide! As a recent convert from a traditional 5.1 set up, I personally look for, price of course, aesthetics, and ease of use. Only having one remote to use, and the bar just works with whatever I am listening to is very nice. Also modern sound bars have come a long way in the sound quality department.
Modern soundbars have come further in quality in a relatively short period of time compared to what traditional hifi has managed in the past 20 or so years.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I very much agree! Seeing your reaction to how well the Sony A9 did with re-creating a surround sound was kind of proof to me, that if it can make someone like you get that kind of reaction then it must be special. I recently purchased a Sonos Beam and was shocked with how well it sounded while watching movies, and thought to myself "this is all I need". I'm not saying I don't "want" a RZ-50 with dual subs and 11 speakers...but I think modern sound bars will be plenty for 95% of people out there!
Good morning from myself and my daughter Allie. Congrats on the new home as well. I currently have the Vizio M512a-H6 and it's been a pretty good solution for apartment living.
I already got my Soundbar of choice. Apart from sound, things like build quality, Software + Hardware support, expendability, connectivity and looks were really important for my purchase decision. A factor which hasn't been featured in the video could be support for Multiroom audio apart from using AirPlay or Air Play2. Being able to make a soundbar the center of the whole audio system in an appartement or house could be interesting for some.
Sennheiser Ambeo is absolutely the best one bar solution I’ve heard for movies. Simply amazing! I had it for a while but then I realized I listen to music more than watching movies so I switched to Technics SU-G700 amp and Monitor Audio Silver 300 speakers combo. Couldn’t be happier. All based on Andrew’s excellent reviews. Thanks again!
Great recommendation and video, Andrew. I was shopping for a new sound system in December last year and listend to most of the mentioned systems, Sonos Arc, B&O Stage, Sennheiser Ambeo and at the end pulled the trigger on the Q950 from Samsung. I found the single bar soundbars not as good as the Samsung - but that was down to my personal preference. Now, having integrated also a new Samsung 65" TV, which adds to the sound of the Q950, I'm very satisfied with the outcome. Music sounds very good and movies are fantastic.
It's been a stressful week having to undo work as well as just trying to decide what to do period. It's a challenging space for sure. We appreciate your patience and thank you for watching.
We requested it however B&W replied saying (paraphrasing) that they are still evaluating their press strategy and would have to get back to us. I'm not holding my breath at this point. We may end up buying one when it comes out in order to review it.
Great video production as always. Your new Breville will not let you down, several years in and mine still makes everyone happy. Sonos Arc with a sub and a couple play 1 surrounds works well for me and blends nicely with our decor but to be fair it wasn't inexpensive and for the money there were a lot of options. This system fit with our other Sonos products and as Christy said "looked good" so was wife approved. A win win for my house 👍
Love your videos. They have been a massive help in helping me decide which sound system I should purchase as my first. I see you're starting to get into coffee and the espresso game. Lance Hedrick's youtube channel is an excellent resource for dialing in your espresso machine.
Coffee and Hifi are a match made in heaven! Every episode of your's is always accompanied by a flat white, made at home by the same machine you've just bought, haha; Hint: Watch a "dialing in your espresso" video to get best results if you haven't already. But yeh, loving your content and thank you both! Hoping that your build is coming along nicely too.
My needs lead me toward something like the sonos. We’re more of a 3.0 or 3.1 household. In the end they I wanted more than what a bar would give us, and for nearly the same money went with an AVR and LRC speakers. The cabling is cleaned up and we have HEOS for streaming and Audessey for tuning. We’ve started with some very inexpensive but quite competent speakers. Using the AVR means upgrading the speakers will be easy to do for improving or dual purpose TV watching and 2-channel listening. We’ve had soundbars n the past and really enjoyed them. Their simplicity is appreciated. For our current iteration separates just made more sense for value, sound quality, AND flexibility. The real key to our decision, as Andrew points out in the video, was deciding what kind of listener were are and the goals we have given that position. Everything else fell in to place from there. Great video, I can see this really helping some folks!
I use a “sound bar” only in our master bedroom. Appearance was a major factor to my wife so I showed her the Ambeo, Mu-so 2, and the Sonus Faber Omnia… the latter two technically not sound bars, but for our needs would work well. We ended up with a Mu-so 2 and the improvement to the TV sound was remarkable. No faux surround, but the happiness of my spouse is #1 priority when it comes to choosing my sound gear.
I just recently bought the LG SP9YA. I bought that based on the fact that it has the features that I wanted and the fact that it was on sale at the time. I only wish it one more additional HDMI input. I also bought it based on very positive reviews from you as well as from other websites. Other than that it's a great soundbar. So in a way, thanks for your help.
As a low budget, high performance alternative to sound bars, I recommend the Klipsch Pro media 2.1 set up. The lack of remote isn't great but at just $100, it's a steal. This would be for medium size rooms and below. The sub and sound is legit.
After my recent move, I'd upgraded the TV to something bigger because of how long our living room is. Opted as well to change up the home theatre system to a sound bar. After hearing so much about the Q950s, I actually picked up their lesser sibling, the Q850s on a sale, which is a 5.1.2 bar with the included wireless sub and sats, along with Atmos support, but no room correction. Sounded good out of the box to me, and because the TV I upgraded to is also Samsung, I'm also trying out the Q-Symphony connectivity. No complaints so far.
Agree 100% with "less is better", no problems to add a wireless sub to a soundbar that "promises" surround sound experience. I am not in the market for a soundbar so I cannot answer your question, however if I were I would opt for "less is better". Finally, espresso and coffee machines: Lavazza, either beans or ground, far better than anything out there and Pasquini espresso machine, a little expensive but built like a tank and will last you a lifetime. I got mine 13-14 years ago, after going through a bunch, including some not so cheap from Starbucks which barely made it after the 1 year mark, some dying before that. I use it many times a day, still excellent espresso and cappuccino.
When I'm on the market to buy a soundbar, the most important factors for me are: powerful sub, rear speakers for more immersive surround sound, atmos, wifi streaming (airplay/chromecast), and a minimalist modern design.
My first Soundbar is probably going to be the B&O beosound stage. I am just waiting for a good deal and my apartment being ready to move in 🤓 Why B&O: 1. I want an active one with great app support 2. My focus is 50:50 music/movie 3. I wanna have an awesome build quality and flat design 4. I don't want a sub caus of my neighbors
I recently bought a Nakamichi 7.2.4 sound bar system just because of name recognition from my younger years and a couple of reviews. Now I regret not seeing your channel before buying it and now cannot return it. The Nakamichi does feel and look cheap but sounds OK?! I should have gotten a Klipsch Cinema 600 or that Jbl 5.1 you reviewed based on price range.
Once upon a time there was a store called FRY'S. The salesman turned up the volume on several of their soundbars for me. I walked out with a Bose plus sub. Now it sounds really nice in the 10x13 room where I have my computer and consoles. My feeling is soundbars work "best" in rooms with 4 walls where their EQ apps have something to bounce sound off of for a "surround" experience. The Bose didn't have the same feeling of sound "weight" used in my open living room-kitchen area 27x 30 or so. My entry level Denon AVR with 4 tiny speakers, center and sub sounded "better". Still farting around setting up my new system as I have a new wood stove to contend with and have yet to decide on stands for the back speakers. Denon X2700H Jamo 809 5.2.2. Even sorta kinda set up (all speakers to left and right of tv), a marked difference in sound from the Jamo speakers. I'm male, yet I really appreciate the way you do NOT talk over Kristi. You ask her opinion, then you LISTEN to it. Good Job.
I bought a Q950A about a month ago and I think I went too far for my needs. By now 20 was the max that the volume went. About sound quality and Atmos, very happy with my choice though!
Yes, there are many. A lot of soundbars from the likes of Samsung, Sony, LG and even Bang & Olufsen have room correction and don't require a mic. The AMBEO uses a mic for its room EQ.
Hey guys right now I'm have my lg sj9 soundbar wuth wireless sub which the sub is crakin a bit now paired with my lg Oled thinking of going sonus now thx for the info all the best K&A ...
I honestly look for directionally and sound height. There’s nothing more distracting than being able to tell sound (especially dialogue) is coming from a particular speaker. I personally use the Sony HT-A9 + SA-SW5 sub and it slaps real hard.
Hey Andrew, need your help here. I bought the AXR 100 AMP. and Klipsch PM-600 like you advice in one of your videos...Do you know if those speakers has any kind of wall brackets or if i can buy somewhere. Thank you
If money is an object folks, listen to Andrew about his love for the Klipsch Cinema 600. I have it, along with a second subwoofer(R12sw), and the surround 3’s added for a less than $1000 5.1 System. Loud, Solid, Great Tone, etc. Hope the move is going good guys😬
I have sound bars hooked up to my TV's because as we all know TV speakers are not generally that good. They make watching TV much better. I always make sure my sound bar ccmes with a subwoofer for more impactful sound.
I currently have an Onkyo TX-SR608. I bought this about 13 yrs ago. It has been a good but not great system. It is paired with Bose bookshelf speakers, left, right center and sub. I am looking to upgrade to a more of a middle price range receiver and or amp. My system just doesn't seem to have the full sound I am looking for. I will keep the Bose due to real estate issues. Any suggestions on a great sounding receiver?
Hey Andrew & Kristi! I think it’s also worth mentioning the hassle factor of mounting the A9 speakers (or surrounds etc) on the wall and hiding power cables and having enough local power outlets because the cost can skyrocket to have the install look clean and functional. 😎
Good morning! Personally, no matter which application, I prefer ARC for control and simplicity. And I do agree with Kristi that looks absolutely matter. Beyond these things, it really depends based on what sort of space I'm looking at.
ARC/eARC is amazing. Early HDMI hiccups sucked, but in 2022 things are pretty much sorted and the ease of use surrounding soundbars is just off the charts!
a great sound that tricks me as if I had a classical surround sound with a lot of speakers, but less boxes and keep it as simple as possible. So I think that q950a is a very good solution.
This may be a silly question, but are all soundbars wall mountable? And the follow-up question is do they sound the same as if they are placed on a console or on a flat surface? Or do the (your) rankings change depending on how you place it? Thanks!
All of the soundbars we've reviewed thus far have been wall mountable and if they are (wall mountable) they've been designed to sound the same (or as close to) when placed atop a solid surface or when mounted to a wall.
Hello Andrew and Kristi. Which sound bars you would rank high if dialogue is the most important thing? Also which all in one sound bar you would pick around 500$ or less? I am testing jbl 5.0 multibeam at the moment. Sonos beam gen 2 might be better choice but lack of bluetooth and only IOS compatible calibration made me choose jbl for now.
Love my q950a. It really does everything I would require for me, and remains a lot less clutteted than a dedicated setup in my apartment with limited space
I'd like to remind that the Sonos soundbars also connect you to their ecosystem, so in addition to being a TV soundbar, they are also a standalone wireless speaker, and they also connect your TV as a source to the rest of your sonos setup. (e.g. Play music from any Smart TV app with your remote into any other sonos device in the house)
Hi Andrew Please help me out. Im considering buy one sound bar to my leaving room to play along with the 55C1 LG. My leaving room is small and the tv rack and sofa are both leaning to the wall. Im thinking about Jbl 9.1 or Q800A. Witch one do you recomend? Thank you P.S: (im not considering Q950A coz its not available in my country yet)
I can only find the K. Heritage review; do you have links for the other passive sound bars? I am looking for a low-profile sound-bar w/LFE that is amazing! THX
I don't have other passive reviews available at this time. There are links in the description to other passive bars should you want to explore other options.
I have moved to a smaller house/apartment and I sold already my receiver and floor stander speakers to avoid problems with my neighbours. Now I'm in the hunt for a small but capable soundbar, I have think on the Sonos beam 2 but I'm not sure about the lack of imputs and format supports, in the other hand the LG SP9YA for example seems to handle more... Are out there more good options in that similar price range and similar characteristics? Any good or bad experiences with these soundbars? Cheers
I bought jbl 5.1 last yr and I am disappointed with the volume so now I'm looking again. I find it difficult to find something loud with optical inputs. I bought a optical splitter and now looking online to find something louder to play all of them together. I'm a music lover so volume is important. I also love to karaoke and have a mixer with optical inputs and output to karaoke with my TV. Any suggestion
Great video. I think more Hi-Fi audio reviewers need to be more open to sound bar solutions. I think they are gaining traction within the community, but there just still seems to be somewhat of a stigma around them. I have a full home theater set up, and while I'd never personally try and replace that with a sound bar solution, it's amazing that there are solutions that exist in this form factor that are getting amazing reviews. Sound bars have come a long way. My wife loathes that I attach a sound bar to every ancillary TV in the house, but I honestly just can't do TV speakers. They sound *so* bad. The point is, sound bars are here to stay, and I think many TV manufacturers know this, which is why they put subpar speakers in their sets. I appreciate your candid attitude towards all inclusive units or simplified units. Sometimes less is more. 3.1 is definitely my preferred format as it keeps things from being distracting. Anyway, long post. Good content as always, guys. Keep up the good work and enjoy that new house.
@Nick Speck, I completely agree. Soundbars have come a long way and I think they're only getting better, but I am with you as well in that I still prefer a "true" 2.1 or 3.1 setup in at least one room. Appreciate you tuning in this morning and have a great day!
A sound bar can be a major improvement for a TV because most TV's don't have good speakers. A sound bar with a subwoofer is even more immersive. Even if you can't afford a real expensive one a decent inexpensive one can make a TV sound much better.
Similar to @WhatsThePoint, I'm also curious if the HT-A9 + SW5 is worth the upgrade over the Q950A for a weird, polygon-shaped, vaulted ceiling living room. Any advice on that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I feel like a sub is necessary in all setups now. Especially since the current ideal is two (two!) subwoofers. A soundbar needing one is just a given by now.
I think the Samsung Q950 is the best choice for any need. Unfortunately this soundbar is ridiculously expensive here in Brazil. Gonna need to stick with my Samsung home theater/blu-ray player 5.1, that I really like.
Andrew, I am torn between the sennheiser ambeo and the q950a. I know I can't go wrong with either one. If possible in your honest opinion. Which one has the edge over the other? Even if just by a little margin, would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know. Thank you
I love the AMBEO, but if you want to make sure you're getting absolute TOTAL immersion the Q950A is likely the better way to go unless your room is symmetrical with ceiling heights below say 10 feet. Also, some users have noted the AMBEO has intermittent issues with lip sync when paired with some TVs. We have not experienced this ourselves, but it is not a complaint we've heard about the Samsung. Plus the Sammy is cheaper and affords you similar levels of performance --albeit from a multi-speaker setup. Hope this helps.
I'm looking for a soundbar together with a whole home multiroom system. What do you recommend (if I want to go a bit less expensive than a full sonos amp & arc system)? I've looked at a DTS play fi based system, Denon heos system, Yamaha Musiccast system, Chromecast built-in products... can't seem to find the best solution.
@@darkroom8317 indeed they look good, but a pity that the wxa-50 musiccast amplifier is discontinued, as there's nothing in the musiccast system to replace it for my other rooms. I was originally planning to use those in a closet in each room to power passive speakers. Was looking at arylic a50 based on Andrew's review, but I'm a bit afraid this may be a bit underpowered for bigger rooms.
I was thinking of building a simple system, maybe with a sound bar, but using a NAD C658 preamp with it... have you reviewed the C658 yet... brand new patron... listen to your reviews all the time... thanks
Came back to this video, as I'm shopping for my folks' place. They need more dialogue clarity, and the Bose 600 appears to be the right choice. If Pops wants more, we can get him the sub and surrounds.
I have a full HT in our main room but I'm looking for something, really nothing special for the TV in our bedroom because I'm just sick of the TV speakers. I'm not looking to spend a ton either. Any suggestions? Something under 200 bucks? I do not want a separate sub either.
I remember when the soundbar was first introduced back in 1998. My dad worked for Altec Lansing and brought one home, the model ADA106. CRT TV's still reigned supreme, and the thing just looked outta place sitting atop of anything smaller than 32" . Its just funny how at the time, the product didnt sell, but fast forward a decade or so its now the de-facto sound system for the non-audiophile who wants something better than crappy TV speakers.
Have you had a chance to listen to the Samsung Q950A with the Q-Symphony enabled in a compatible tv? Trying to determine if it makes it more immersive or just a gimmick.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews We recently switched from an easy Nespresso system to grinding our beans and using a Moka pot. The ritual of slowly making coffee can add enjoyment and calmness to the experience.
@@JeffHeon We had been using a Senseo machine (which I loved) but since moving, I haven't had a single cup from it. The "real" coffee is so much better.
@@JeffHeon I fiddled with many coffee gadgets and I'm dead set on using the French press indefinitely. All other coffee brewing methods require a quality grind. You can use any cheap grinder with the French press. The Moka Pot and Pour Over are very hands on and fussy about temperature. With the French press all you need to do is dump boiling water over ground coffee and wait for 5-10 minutes. Or wait 8 hours with room temp water for cold brew! The coffee always turns out delicious, provided you use good beans.
NEW VIDEO LOVE IT!!! hope the house is going a little better for Kristi and yourself!! I know the livingroom will be your main hub but please keep the rest of your life and home private! So happy for you both.. I think I'm going on 6 months of monthly subscription now worth every penny to help the channel and you guys grow everyone watching HIT THAT LIKE BUTTON.
I have a question for you. Out of all of the options you listed (including the Sony HT-A9 with the sub), which one sounded the best and which one did the best surround sound?
For me, if I were buying a soundbar I would go for an all in one system like the ambeo or the stage because I think the soundbars should just be one thing. If I want surrounds, it’s a AV receiver. If you don’t want to wire rear speakers, Yamaha AV’s are compatible with their wireless speakers.
I am considering the q950a and the Sony Ht-A9. My space is open and has a 12' vaulted celling. Because of this would these not be "worth" it? Also I have a bonus points program thru work that has odds and ends in the soundbar space, namely the q900a, which I would add 9500s rears to mostly recreate the q950a only losing the side channels on the rears. It also has a SW-3 unfortunately no Sw-5. Would you never even consider the SW-3 for the A9?
I audioned first the Q900a and then the Q950A with the satellites Liked at first, but the dialog enhancement is either on or off. No fine tuning. So when on....waaaayyyy too bright and tinny voices. Then Bose 900. Didn't want to wait for Sony A 9 to be available. Then test drove Ambeo. Well, wife said..." that's the one" I agree. We paired it with a sub. Expensive yes....but for reason. So far so good for a month. We love the Ambeo. Oh, btw..BTW.. have also huge open floor plan with vaulted high ceilings.
What about room shape?? If tv not in center like one side wall 2m away other wall 5m. It works good with any soundbar? It makes confusing, no body talk about that. I looking for full home cinema and as well music, than what, better go for traditional 5.1, 7.1 system? Thanks
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for respond ht a9 nr 1 on list ,but there no chance buy and probably situation not will change in future...and rest soundbars not to sure because room shape ...or go for monitor audio its really pricy,but probably not disapointing...
The promise of the best soundbars, for me anyway, was to have a simple plug and play solution that got you most of the way to good cinema sound but with convenience and a small form factor. Even those of us that have invested time and money in a home theatre system don't necessarily want that hassle in other rooms where we have a TV. Soundbars haven't quite done it for me and I always felt you could hear the obvious compromise vs a properly setup 5.1 or greater system, even in a small room with modest sized speakers like the B&W Mt60s or similar. Indeed if you had the space and less money a Q Acoustics 3050 set with a decent AVR (Onkyo make a few) would kick a soundbar's ass. Then I heard the Sony hta9 with sub and it's works amazingly well to give a realistic cinema experience in a reasonably sized living room. It's not taking the place of home theatre systems costing a multiple of its price but it's a worthy plug and play contender for anyone with about $2.5-3.5k to spend. It's good for music but it's great for Atmos content. It's exciting to see someone really crack spatial audio optimisation.
Hey there from Virginia! I look for something that the wife will approve of and sounds good. I am in the market for a sound bar/home theater but would Ike your advice. 1. It has to be a complete home theater as I listen to music, watch movies, and do some gaming. 2. I prefer a more musical and warm sounding speaker. Thank you!
If you like warm, you might enjoy these bit.ly/denton85. The big brother bit.ly/85Linton are (IMO) the better option between the two just not *quite* as warm which is why you may prefer the other.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews if I wanted a soundbar for gaming, music, and movies with atmos that’s warm and musical which of these would you recommend? Bose 900 with surrounds and sub Sony HT A9 with sub B&O Sound Stage Sonos Arc Sennheiser Ambo Thank you again
How do you guys continue to hit it out of the park? Another informative review. I am searching for a replacement sound bar and I think the Eclair will be the one. I’m looking for something that helps clear up dialog as Inhave the same affliction as Kristy. Kristy, if you have a recommendation, I would certainly be “all ears” lol.
Kristi says her favorite soundbar for dialog is Klipsch Heritage here: bit.ly/3uzwUtQ but for a more simple, all-inclusive bar the AMBEO, Beam Gen 2 or Samsung models are great too!
Well Andrew & Kristi: Given the living spaces I tend to inhabitate, and that’s verses the type of the type of sound I would like and I would want, I would tend to go with the “simpler is better” approach. For smaller spaces, I would go with a smaller soundbar that sounds great that also steers/moves the sound around in the room, and then add an approximately sized subwoofer to add the bass/low frequencies. The subwoofer for a small room should complete and round out the sound that I should get in that size of a room without being overbearing or completely drowning out the rest of the sound that I am getting from the soundbar. The sound should be balanced and well matched. Something like a JBL Soundbar that is capable with an equally good small sized subwoofer would be ideal. For a larger room? Then my pick would be a Sennheiser Ambeo (either by itself or with a larger and more powerful subwoofer) would be more ideal then, or a Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar (again, with a larger and approximately sized subwoofer). And in either case, I would do an AVR with ANY of these set ups (a Denon AVR-X1700H for a smaller room and a Marantz SR7015 in a larger room). In either case and in either room whatever the size, I’m to have an enjoyable and satisfying movie night.. Excuse me while I pop some popcorn 🍿 with some melted butter and a large soda with plenty of ice (my soda of choice would be a Mountain Dew, Sprite, or a Schweppes or Seagram’s Ginger Ale). Great review (as usual). Hats off to the both of you and to The Affordable Audiophile. Keep up great work. 👍🏾👍🏾 -Charles-
★ Click www.drinktrade.com/ROBINSON to get $20 off your first three bags.
★ *QOTD:* What do you look for when shopping for a new soundbar?
★ *CLICK 🔝 “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions*
★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
For QOTD, primarily for PS5, with a BIG but though. I need a new TV (75"+) and audio system and don't want to spend money NOW only to be limited by 2.1 ports. But a Q950 >plus< a big TV is a budget buster.
Hey you guys ok Tornado up in Round 🪨 get a little too close? Hope you and your better half are A okay 👍.
Andrew, please don't be offended by this comment as I fully realize you put a ton of work into.your audio quality. As far as I'm concerned there is no need to apologize for the lack of sound quality. I'm here for your insight, knowledge and ability to educate. If you were using a 30 year old Realistic microphone in a metal trash can, I would not care. I appreciate your efforts. 👏👏👏👏👏👍
@Craig Lange, you just made my whole day. Thank you!
Love this so hard, Craig.
There is one company that in my mind produces the best sound bars that seem to get no love. That’s the Yamaha YSP sound bars. They have plenty of connectivity options for externals like Blu-ray players, gaming systems & so forth. They are also wall mountable & affordable. I think in this market they are the best bang for your buck!
Perfect sunday. Just sold 2 vintage audio peices to a happy buyer. Hes now got Marantz and Sansui in his collecton. And now the sunday video. Awesome. Coffee in hand.
Enjoy and thanks for joining us!
“Less is more” is the B&O Stage in a nutshell . . . great form factor - you forget it’s even there as it continues to deliver stellar sound from deep bass through the treble audio landscape. Happy listening 👂🏼 with your video.
Stage is outstanding. Having search for soundbar that is good for listeing music, too, it is the answer. Really great produktio!
With the help provided by the two of you. I, after many years, finally made a purchase!
My wife and I have been greatly enjoying the Q950A for the last two weeks! While I’ve long thought of a traditional home theater setup as the desired path. This sound bar setup provides a wonderful listening experience and doesn’t clutter our main living space like a traditional system would have.
Thank you!
Great to hear! I'm so glad to know you are enjoying yours!
Super helpful guide. I also really like Kristi’s input at the end. It’s a great stand in for the majority of us in the comments.
Appreciate you watching!!
She really tries to be y'all's sounding board.
Thanks so much for the video. I always enjoy your updates. When looking for a soundbar, I look at three basic things:
1. The space I’m using it in. That’s the most important bit.
2. At least 3 channels. I have a hard time with dialogue on two channel systems.
3. Connectivity. I don’t like entirely giving up an HDMI port, so I will pick a bar with passthrough over one that does not.
Now a couple questions for you: Would you consider reviewing in the future more modestly priced soundbar systems like the LG SP8YA or the Vizio M Series M512a-H6? Additionally, like the Sony HT-A9, have you ever looked at other systems that go for the simple, one-package solution, like the Enclave Audio Cinehome?
I recently purchased the Bose 700 sound bar and I think its good, not the cheapest and especially if you live in Australia like myself, so for all you Americans, it's double the price here.
Excellent video as always Andrew. Your channel is my go-to place for anything audio/video. 🙌🙌🙌
Thank you so very much!
Such a kind comment. Thank you.
Thanks for the guide! As a recent convert from a traditional 5.1 set up, I personally look for, price of course, aesthetics, and ease of use. Only having one remote to use, and the bar just works with whatever I am listening to is very nice. Also modern sound bars have come a long way in the sound quality department.
Modern soundbars have come further in quality in a relatively short period of time compared to what traditional hifi has managed in the past 20 or so years.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I very much agree! Seeing your reaction to how well the Sony A9 did with re-creating a surround sound was kind of proof to me, that if it can make someone like you get that kind of reaction then it must be special. I recently purchased a Sonos Beam and was shocked with how well it sounded while watching movies, and thought to myself "this is all I need". I'm not saying I don't "want" a RZ-50 with dual subs and 11 speakers...but I think modern sound bars will be plenty for 95% of people out there!
Good morning from myself and my daughter Allie. Congrats on the new home as well. I currently have the Vizio M512a-H6 and it's been a pretty good solution for apartment living.
VIZIO makes great soundbars. Thank you both so much for watching!
I already got my Soundbar of choice. Apart from sound, things like build quality, Software + Hardware support, expendability, connectivity and looks were really important for my purchase decision.
A factor which hasn't been featured in the video could be support for Multiroom audio apart from using AirPlay or Air Play2. Being able to make a soundbar the center of the whole audio system in an appartement or house could be interesting for some.
Sennheiser Ambeo is absolutely the best one bar solution I’ve heard for movies. Simply amazing! I had it for a while but then I realized I listen to music more than watching movies so I switched to Technics SU-G700 amp and Monitor Audio Silver 300 speakers combo. Couldn’t be happier. All based on Andrew’s excellent reviews. Thanks again!
My favorite solution for someone looking for a sound bar is Klipsch The Fives! Absolutely amazing package if you have the space!
Great recommendation and video, Andrew.
I was shopping for a new sound system in December last year and listend to most of the mentioned systems, Sonos Arc, B&O Stage, Sennheiser Ambeo and at the end pulled the trigger on the Q950 from Samsung. I found the single bar soundbars not as good as the Samsung - but that was down to my personal preference. Now, having integrated also a new Samsung 65" TV, which adds to the sound of the Q950, I'm very satisfied with the outcome. Music sounds very good and movies are fantastic.
Thank you and I think you chose well with the Q950A, especially if you already own a Samsung TV.
Looking forward to seeing an update on the reno's. Saw your post about having to fix some issues with your previous installation 😬
That video is coming soon.
It's been a stressful week having to undo work as well as just trying to decide what to do period. It's a challenging space for sure. We appreciate your patience and thank you for watching.
Not fun when you have all the stress of a move and then something like that happens.
Thank you Andrew. Great video as usual. Are you planning to review the new B&W Panorama 3?
We requested it however B&W replied saying (paraphrasing) that they are still evaluating their press strategy and would have to get back to us.
I'm not holding my breath at this point. We may end up buying one when it comes out in order to review it.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you for your quick reply. I am looking forward to it.
Great video production as always.
Your new Breville will not let you down, several years in and mine still makes everyone happy.
Sonos Arc with a sub and a couple play 1 surrounds works well for me and blends nicely with our decor but to be fair it wasn't inexpensive and for the money there were a lot of options.
This system fit with our other Sonos products and as Christy said "looked good" so was wife approved.
A win win for my house 👍
Appreciate the vote of confidence for the Breville. A few months in and I still feel like I'm learning it.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Every coffee bean change will require an adjustment to your settings, grind & amount.
Love your videos. They have been a massive help in helping me decide which sound system I should purchase as my first. I see you're starting to get into coffee and the espresso game. Lance Hedrick's youtube channel is an excellent resource for dialing in your espresso machine.
I’m still rocking the AMBEO and yes there is a new update coming on the 22 on this mouth I cannot wait! Keep up the great job 😎👍
The AMBEO while big is a great home theater speaker system replacement.
Cool what's the update please whats the changes please
If the new Ambeo comes with rear speakers, sub output and same number of front drivers.... I'm sold.
@@jntaylor63 it already has sub out put. I have mine hooked up to a sub. Love it. Is update with the new Sony 360 audio compatibility for streaming ?
@@thenote2367 yes it does, I just want them to carry to forward. My Polk sub still pounds out the base.
Coffee and Hifi are a match made in heaven! Every episode of your's is always accompanied by a flat white, made at home by the same machine you've just bought, haha; Hint: Watch a "dialing in your espresso" video to get best results if you haven't already. But yeh, loving your content and thank you both! Hoping that your build is coming along nicely too.
Thank you, Luke! We really appreciate you. I've fallen down a number of coffee making rabbit holes. Will look into that one next.
My needs lead me toward something like the sonos. We’re more of a 3.0 or 3.1 household. In the end they I wanted more than what a bar would give us, and for nearly the same money went with an AVR and LRC speakers. The cabling is cleaned up and we have HEOS for streaming and Audessey for tuning. We’ve started with some very inexpensive but quite competent speakers. Using the AVR means upgrading the speakers will be easy to do for improving or dual purpose TV watching and 2-channel listening. We’ve had soundbars n the past and really enjoyed them. Their simplicity is appreciated. For our current iteration separates just made more sense for value, sound quality, AND flexibility. The real key to our decision, as Andrew points out in the video, was deciding what kind of listener were are and the goals we have given that position. Everything else fell in to place from there.
Great video, I can see this really helping some folks!
I appreciate you sharing your personal experiences. Thank you so much for tuning in!
I use a “sound bar” only in our master bedroom. Appearance was a major factor to my wife so I showed her the Ambeo, Mu-so 2, and the Sonus Faber Omnia… the latter two technically not sound bars, but for our needs would work well. We ended up with a Mu-so 2 and the improvement to the TV sound was remarkable. No faux surround, but the happiness of my spouse is #1 priority when it comes to choosing my sound gear.
I just recently bought the LG SP9YA. I bought that based on the fact that it has the features that I wanted and the fact that it was on sale at the time. I only wish it one more additional HDMI input. I also bought it based on very positive reviews from you as well as from other websites. Other than that it's a great soundbar. So in a way, thanks for your help.
Glad you're enjoying the LG, it's a great sound bar!
As a low budget, high performance alternative to sound bars, I recommend the Klipsch Pro media 2.1 set up. The lack of remote isn't great but at just $100, it's a steal. This would be for medium size rooms and below. The sub and sound is legit.
I remember the promedia back in the day. I used it for a desktop setup. It was a nice setup.
Hi. Hope you'll answer. What do I choose, Klipsch Cinema 600 5.1 or Samsung Q800-B?
After my recent move, I'd upgraded the TV to something bigger because of how long our living room is. Opted as well to change up the home theatre system to a sound bar. After hearing so much about the Q950s, I actually picked up their lesser sibling, the Q850s on a sale, which is a 5.1.2 bar with the included wireless sub and sats, along with Atmos support, but no room correction. Sounded good out of the box to me, and because the TV I upgraded to is also Samsung, I'm also trying out the Q-Symphony connectivity. No complaints so far.
can you do a video about playing cds on a bluray player vs a dedicated cd player ive got oppo bluray player
Saw what you did there 😆🙈 *bose*, btw congratz with the new house!
Thank you!! 😁
Agree 100% with "less is better", no problems to add a wireless sub to a soundbar that "promises" surround sound experience.
I am not in the market for a soundbar so I cannot answer your question, however if I were I would opt for "less is better". Finally, espresso and coffee machines: Lavazza, either beans or ground, far better than anything out there and Pasquini espresso machine, a little expensive but built like a tank and will last you a lifetime. I got mine 13-14 years ago, after going through a bunch, including some not so cheap from Starbucks which barely made it after the 1 year mark, some dying before that. I use it many times a day, still excellent espresso and cappuccino.
When I'm on the market to buy a soundbar, the most important factors for me are: powerful sub, rear speakers for more immersive surround sound, atmos, wifi streaming (airplay/chromecast), and a minimalist modern design.
My first Soundbar is probably going to be the B&O beosound stage. I am just waiting for a good deal and my apartment being ready to move in 🤓
Why B&O:
1. I want an active one with great app support
2. My focus is 50:50 music/movie
3. I wanna have an awesome build quality and flat design
4. I don't want a sub caus of my neighbors
It's a great all-inclusive soundbar for sure and would likely be ideal for your needs.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for your response, it was quite an easy pick after seeing your review to that Soundbar 👍
Love your videos Andrew! I have the Samsung q950a and I love it
Thank you!
Another excellent video, thank you!
Thank you!
Hey Andrew, love you channel. Im planning to buy a pioneer sx 850 or 750, can you tell me with speakers complement best. Thank you
I recently bought a Nakamichi 7.2.4 sound bar system just because of name recognition from my younger years and a couple of reviews. Now I regret not seeing your channel before buying it and now cannot return it. The Nakamichi does feel and look cheap but sounds OK?! I should have gotten a Klipsch Cinema 600 or that Jbl 5.1 you reviewed based on price range.
Once upon a time there was a store called FRY'S. The salesman turned up the volume on several of their soundbars for me. I walked out with a Bose plus sub. Now it sounds really nice in the 10x13 room where I have my computer and consoles. My feeling is soundbars work "best" in rooms with 4 walls where their EQ apps have something to bounce sound off of for a "surround" experience. The Bose didn't have the same feeling of sound "weight" used in my open living room-kitchen area 27x 30 or so. My entry level Denon AVR with 4 tiny speakers, center and sub sounded "better". Still farting around setting up my new system as I have a new wood stove to contend with and have yet to decide on stands for the back speakers. Denon X2700H Jamo 809 5.2.2. Even sorta kinda set up (all speakers to left and right of tv), a marked difference in sound from the Jamo speakers.
I'm male, yet I really appreciate the way you do NOT talk over Kristi. You ask her opinion, then you LISTEN to it. Good Job.
I bought a Q950A about a month ago and I think I went too far for my needs. By now 20 was the max that the volume went. About sound quality and Atmos, very happy with my choice though!
Is there a sound bar that offers room correction or comes with a calibration mic?
Yes, there are many. A lot of soundbars from the likes of Samsung, Sony, LG and even Bang & Olufsen have room correction and don't require a mic. The AMBEO uses a mic for its room EQ.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for the answer.
Hey guys right now I'm have my lg sj9 soundbar wuth wireless sub which the sub is crakin a bit now paired with my lg Oled thinking of going sonus now thx for the info all the best K&A ...
Yo! Thanks for joining us WC.
I honestly look for directionally and sound height. There’s nothing more distracting than being able to tell sound (especially dialogue) is coming from a particular speaker. I personally use the Sony HT-A9 + SA-SW5 sub and it slaps real hard.
That's a fantastic system.
Oh I'm also a huge coffee nerd! That new machine looks awesome. 😍
It’s pretty awesome and frankly tastes way better than most places like SB, etc.
It took a few weeks to get the hang of it, but I feel like I can make a decent cup of Joe every time now!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews what’s the name of the coffee that benefits TX food banks through Trade? It’s so good.
@@KristiWright Greater good coffee co.
Hey Andrew, need your help here. I bought the AXR 100 AMP. and Klipsch PM-600 like you advice in one of your videos...Do you know if those speakers has any kind of wall brackets or if i can buy somewhere. Thank you
If money is an object folks, listen to Andrew about his love for the Klipsch Cinema 600.
I have it, along with a second subwoofer(R12sw), and the surround 3’s added for a less than $1000 5.1 System.
Loud, Solid, Great Tone, etc.
Hope the move is going good guys😬
The Cinema 600 is SOOOO good!
I bought the Sony A9 + subwoofer after your review and i love it. Thank you!
Glad you like it!
Great vid.... Hopefully one day you get to review the Sonos arc full system.....
I have sound bars hooked up to my TV's because as we all know TV speakers are not generally that good. They make watching TV much better. I always make sure my sound bar ccmes with a subwoofer for more impactful sound.
Sound advice!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews hey buddy I hope all is good with you
looking forward for you to review "Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3" soundbar
I currently have an Onkyo TX-SR608. I bought this about 13 yrs ago. It has been a good but not great system. It is paired with Bose bookshelf speakers, left, right center and sub. I am looking to upgrade to a more of a middle price range receiver and or amp. My system just doesn't seem to have the full sound I am looking for. I will keep the Bose due to real estate issues. Any suggestions on a great sounding receiver?
Hey Andrew & Kristi! I think it’s also worth mentioning the hassle factor of mounting the A9 speakers (or surrounds etc) on the wall and hiding power cables and having enough local power outlets because the cost can skyrocket to have the install look clean and functional. 😎
Good morning! Personally, no matter which application, I prefer ARC for control and simplicity. And I do agree with Kristi that looks absolutely matter. Beyond these things, it really depends based on what sort of space I'm looking at.
ARC/eARC is amazing. Early HDMI hiccups sucked, but in 2022 things are pretty much sorted and the ease of use surrounding soundbars is just off the charts!
Love the sound bar shows.
Thanks!
a great sound that tricks me as if I had a classical surround sound with a lot of speakers, but less boxes and keep it as simple as possible. So I think that q950a is a very good solution.
The Q950 is among the best all rounder when it comes to soundbars IMHO.
I have a small bedroom of only 9ft 7in x 12ft. I was considering the Samsung Q750B which is currently only $480. Is this a good soundbar option?
This may be a silly question, but are all soundbars wall mountable? And the follow-up question is do they sound the same as if they are placed on a console or on a flat surface? Or do the (your) rankings change depending on how you place it? Thanks!
All of the soundbars we've reviewed thus far have been wall mountable and if they are (wall mountable) they've been designed to sound the same (or as close to) when placed atop a solid surface or when mounted to a wall.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews ok! Thanks for your answer. Congrats on your new house!
Have you get a chance to review bluesound pulse soundbar plus? I have several bluesound device already and would be convenient to stick to same system
Sadly, we still have not been sent one for review.
Wondering if there is a faux surround sound headphones you could recommend
Not sure I recommend them but they definitely create a very interesting effect and unique experience when watching movies. amzn.to/3DffEQd
Hello Andrew and Kristi. Which sound bars you would rank high if dialogue is the most important thing? Also which all in one sound bar you would pick around 500$ or less? I am testing jbl 5.0 multibeam at the moment. Sonos beam gen 2 might be better choice but lack of bluetooth and only IOS compatible calibration made me choose jbl for now.
Love my q950a. It really does everything I would require for me, and remains a lot less clutteted than a dedicated setup in my apartment with limited space
The Q line of soundbars from Samsung are fantastic!
What do you think about the smaller Bose smart soundbar 300 with and without satellite speakers, say for a small bedroom or small TV room. Thanks!
haven't heard that one yet, but if the 700 and 900 are any indication, I bet it's pretty good.
Andrew - Love your videos. Will you be doing any reviews on the Mission lx Connect?
I'd like to remind that the Sonos soundbars also connect you to their ecosystem, so in addition to being a TV soundbar, they are also a standalone wireless speaker, and they also connect your TV as a source to the rest of your sonos setup. (e.g. Play music from any Smart TV app with your remote into any other sonos device in the house)
Sonos as a system does seem to have its advantages so long as you like Sonos (almost) exclusively.
Hi Andrew
Please help me out.
Im considering buy one sound bar to my leaving room to play along with the 55C1 LG. My leaving room is small and the tv rack and sofa are both leaning to the wall.
Im thinking about Jbl 9.1 or Q800A. Witch one do you recomend? Thank you
P.S: (im not considering Q950A coz its not available in my country yet)
I can only find the K. Heritage review; do you have links for the other passive sound bars? I am looking for a low-profile sound-bar w/LFE that is amazing! THX
I don't have other passive reviews available at this time. There are links in the description to other passive bars should you want to explore other options.
I got a Polk sigma 2 to my bedroom and im happy with it. Its pretty good for the price.
Haven't heard that one, but will look into it.
We just got the Magnifi Mini to test out (it's the older model so waiting on the updated version)!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews i have two friends with LG that cost double the price and to BE honest mine beats them for miles
I have an older Samsung HW- MS650 3 channel sound bar for Tv viewing, and when I want more I fire up a full 9 channel system, best of both worlds😀
I have moved to a smaller house/apartment and I sold already my receiver and floor stander speakers to avoid problems with my neighbours. Now I'm in the hunt for a small but capable soundbar, I have think on the Sonos beam 2 but I'm not sure about the lack of imputs and format supports, in the other hand the LG SP9YA for example seems to handle more... Are out there more good options in that similar price range and similar characteristics? Any good or bad experiences with these soundbars? Cheers
Look into the YSP line of sound bars from Yamaha, they are the best with sound & connectivity options, good luck!
I bought jbl 5.1 last yr and I am disappointed with the volume so now I'm looking again. I find it difficult to find something loud with optical inputs. I bought a optical splitter and now looking online to find something louder to play all of them together. I'm a music lover so volume is important. I also love to karaoke and have a mixer with optical inputs and output to karaoke with my TV. Any suggestion
Great video. I think more Hi-Fi audio reviewers need to be more open to sound bar solutions. I think they are gaining traction within the community, but there just still seems to be somewhat of a stigma around them. I have a full home theater set up, and while I'd never personally try and replace that with a sound bar solution, it's amazing that there are solutions that exist in this form factor that are getting amazing reviews. Sound bars have come a long way.
My wife loathes that I attach a sound bar to every ancillary TV in the house, but I honestly just can't do TV speakers. They sound *so* bad. The point is, sound bars are here to stay, and I think many TV manufacturers know this, which is why they put subpar speakers in their sets.
I appreciate your candid attitude towards all inclusive units or simplified units. Sometimes less is more. 3.1 is definitely my preferred format as it keeps things from being distracting. Anyway, long post. Good content as always, guys. Keep up the good work and enjoy that new house.
👏
@Nick Speck, I completely agree. Soundbars have come a long way and I think they're only getting better, but I am with you as well in that I still prefer a "true" 2.1 or 3.1 setup in at least one room. Appreciate you tuning in this morning and have a great day!
A sound bar can be a major improvement for a TV because most TV's don't have good speakers. A sound bar with a subwoofer is even more immersive. Even if you can't afford a real expensive one a decent inexpensive one can make a TV sound much better.
Similar to @WhatsThePoint, I'm also curious if the HT-A9 + SW5 is worth the upgrade over the Q950A for a weird, polygon-shaped, vaulted ceiling living room. Any advice on that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I feel like a sub is necessary in all setups now. Especially since the current ideal is two (two!) subwoofers. A soundbar needing one is just a given by now.
I think the Samsung Q950 is the best choice for any need. Unfortunately this soundbar is ridiculously expensive here in Brazil. Gonna need to stick with my Samsung home theater/blu-ray player 5.1, that I really like.
Andrew, I am torn between the sennheiser ambeo and the q950a. I know I can't go wrong with either one. If possible in your honest opinion. Which one has the edge over the other? Even if just by a little margin, would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know. Thank you
I love the AMBEO, but if you want to make sure you're getting absolute TOTAL immersion the Q950A is likely the better way to go unless your room is symmetrical with ceiling heights below say 10 feet. Also, some users have noted the AMBEO has intermittent issues with lip sync when paired with some TVs. We have not experienced this ourselves, but it is not a complaint we've heard about the Samsung. Plus the Sammy is cheaper and affords you similar levels of performance --albeit from a multi-speaker setup. Hope this helps.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you!
I'm looking for a soundbar together with a whole home multiroom system. What do you recommend (if I want to go a bit less expensive than a full sonos amp & arc system)?
I've looked at a DTS play fi based system, Denon heos system, Yamaha Musiccast system, Chromecast built-in products... can't seem to find the best solution.
Yamaha YSP sound bars are a great option!
@@darkroom8317 indeed they look good, but a pity that the wxa-50 musiccast amplifier is discontinued, as there's nothing in the musiccast system to replace it for my other rooms. I was originally planning to use those in a closet in each room to power passive speakers.
Was looking at arylic a50 based on Andrew's review, but I'm a bit afraid this may be a bit underpowered for bigger rooms.
I was thinking of building a simple system, maybe with a sound bar, but using a NAD C658 preamp with it... have you reviewed the C658 yet... brand new patron... listen to your reviews all the time... thanks
There are no Guides to set up HDMI Soundbars or Cinema with TV's ... I believe u are the most helpful to do it.
Noted and I will see what I can do.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank u .
Very informative!
Hey Bud, are you reviewing samsung q990B anytime soon ?
Came back to this video, as I'm shopping for my folks' place. They need more dialogue clarity, and the Bose 600 appears to be the right choice. If Pops wants more, we can get him the sub and surrounds.
I have a full HT in our main room but I'm looking for something, really nothing special for the TV in our bedroom because I'm just sick of the TV speakers. I'm not looking to spend a ton either. Any suggestions? Something under 200 bucks? I do not want a separate sub either.
My go-to nothing crazy but still great all-in-one soundbar is the Sonos Beam Gen 2 which is more than $200 but I think it's totally worth it.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thank you. Exactly what I'm looking for.
I remember when the soundbar was first introduced back in 1998. My dad worked for Altec Lansing and brought one home, the model ADA106. CRT TV's still reigned supreme, and the thing just looked outta place sitting atop of anything smaller than 32" . Its just funny how at the time, the product didnt sell, but fast forward a decade or so its now the de-facto sound system for the non-audiophile who wants something better than crappy TV speakers.
Have you had a chance to listen to the Samsung Q950A with the Q-Symphony enabled in a compatible tv?
Trying to determine if it makes it more immersive or just a gimmick.
Ignore the comment I deleted. I'm not fully awake yet.
It's not a gimmick. When paired with a compatible Samsung TV the Q-Symphony feature is quite amazing.
Nevermind those roasted beans or a soundbar...THAT COFFEE MACHINE😱😍
A present to ourselves at the end of last year. We love it, though this level of home brew is WAY more involved than our old Keurig-style machine.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews We recently switched from an easy Nespresso system to grinding our beans and using a Moka pot. The ritual of slowly making coffee can add enjoyment and calmness to the experience.
@@JeffHeon We had been using a Senseo machine (which I loved) but since moving, I haven't had a single cup from it. The "real" coffee is so much better.
@@JeffHeon I fiddled with many coffee gadgets and I'm dead set on using the French press indefinitely. All other coffee brewing methods require a quality grind. You can use any cheap grinder with the French press. The Moka Pot and Pour Over are very hands on and fussy about temperature. With the French press all you need to do is dump boiling water over ground coffee and wait for 5-10 minutes. Or wait 8 hours with room temp water for cold brew! The coffee always turns out delicious, provided you use good beans.
@@user-xg6zz8qs3q French press is great! We alternate between it and Moka Pot, but we definitely use the French press more often.
NEW VIDEO LOVE IT!!! hope the house is going a little better for Kristi and yourself!! I know the livingroom will be your main hub but please keep the rest of your life and home private! So happy for you both.. I think I'm going on 6 months of monthly subscription now worth every penny to help the channel and you guys grow everyone watching HIT THAT LIKE BUTTON.
Sincerely appreciate it Nicholas! This past week was rough with respect to home projects, something I'll share with you all in future video.
Thank you, Nicholas. We are so in love with our new home. If only we could just live in it and not worry about channel stuff. LOL.
@@KristiWright you know you guys can take a break every now and again you both have lives too!! Us fans would understand!!
I have a question for you. Out of all of the options you listed (including the Sony HT-A9 with the sub), which one sounded the best and which one did the best surround sound?
Sony A9 + SW5 sub is the best true home theater replacement setup followed by the Q950A and AMBEO.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for your response. Congratulations on the new home!
For me, if I were buying a soundbar I would go for an all in one system like the ambeo or the stage because I think the soundbars should just be one thing. If I want surrounds, it’s a AV receiver. If you don’t want to wire rear speakers, Yamaha AV’s are compatible with their wireless speakers.
Is acoustic treatments one of your pending projects/ segments?
Thx Guys...
Yes, but maybe not the type or style you're used to seeing.
Why is the Naim Mu-so not in this list? I have not heard a powered soundbar that sounds as good ever!
Sweet. Another sound bar video.
Is that a good or bad thing?
I am considering the q950a and the Sony Ht-A9. My space is open and has a 12' vaulted celling. Because of this would these not be "worth" it? Also I have a bonus points program thru work that has odds and ends in the soundbar space, namely the q900a, which I would add 9500s rears to mostly recreate the q950a only losing the side channels on the rears. It also has a SW-3 unfortunately no Sw-5. Would you never even consider the SW-3 for the A9?
I would never consider the SW3 for the A9.
I audioned first the Q900a and then the Q950A with the satellites Liked at first, but the dialog enhancement is either on or off. No fine tuning. So when on....waaaayyyy too bright and tinny voices. Then Bose 900. Didn't want to wait for Sony A 9 to be available. Then test drove Ambeo. Well, wife said..." that's the one" I agree. We paired it with a sub. Expensive yes....but for reason. So far so good for a month. We love the Ambeo. Oh, btw..BTW.. have also huge open floor plan with vaulted high ceilings.
@@thenote2367 Thanks for the input. The Ambeo has always been back of mind, maybe I'll take a deeper look into it. What sub did you add to it?
@@ScratchOneIdea a small one. The Klipsch RS100. On sale at BB @ 50% discount. Blends nice after calibration.
@Andrew Robinson hi, will you be reviewing the Bowers & Wilkins Panaroma 3 soundbar soon?
Yep!
What about room shape?? If tv not in center like one side wall 2m away other wall 5m. It works good with any soundbar? It makes confusing, no body talk about that. I looking for full home cinema and as well music, than what, better go for traditional 5.1, 7.1 system? Thanks
Room shape matters, and some soundbars with room EQ can take shape into account --especially the new Sony bars and HT-A9 (if you can find it).
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for respond
ht a9 nr 1 on list ,but there no chance buy and probably situation not will change in future...and rest soundbars not to sure because room shape ...or go for monitor audio its really pricy,but probably not disapointing...
Andrew, what's your opinion of the JBL 9.1?
ruclips.net/video/4b1U15kUAsk/видео.html
Thanks man, I obviously missed this one 😅
The promise of the best soundbars, for me anyway, was to have a simple plug and play solution that got you most of the way to good cinema sound but with convenience and a small form factor. Even those of us that have invested time and money in a home theatre system don't necessarily want that hassle in other rooms where we have a TV. Soundbars haven't quite done it for me and I always felt you could hear the obvious compromise vs a properly setup 5.1 or greater system, even in a small room with modest sized speakers like the B&W Mt60s or similar. Indeed if you had the space and less money a Q Acoustics 3050 set with a decent AVR (Onkyo make a few) would kick a soundbar's ass.
Then I heard the Sony hta9 with sub and it's works amazingly well to give a realistic cinema experience in a reasonably sized living room. It's not taking the place of home theatre systems costing a multiple of its price but it's a worthy plug and play contender for anyone with about $2.5-3.5k to spend. It's good for music but it's great for Atmos content. It's exciting to see someone really crack spatial audio optimisation.
Hey there from Virginia! I look for something that the wife will approve of and sounds good. I am in the market for a sound bar/home theater but would Ike your advice.
1. It has to be a complete home theater as I listen to music, watch movies, and do some gaming.
2. I prefer a more musical and warm sounding speaker.
Thank you!
If you like warm, you might enjoy these bit.ly/denton85. The big brother bit.ly/85Linton are (IMO) the better option between the two just not *quite* as warm which is why you may prefer the other.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you so very much!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews if I wanted a soundbar for gaming, music, and movies with atmos that’s warm and musical which of these would you recommend?
Bose 900 with surrounds and sub
Sony HT A9 with sub
B&O Sound Stage
Sonos Arc
Sennheiser Ambo
Thank you again
Hey Andrew, see if nakamichi can send you a shockwafe. They seem well reviewed and liked. It would be nice to hear your take on it.
They were not keen on sending one when we requested it over a year ago. I can ask Kristi to try again maybe.
The Ultra is amazing!
How do you guys continue to hit it out of the park? Another informative review. I am searching for a replacement sound bar and I think the Eclair will be the one. I’m looking for something that helps clear up dialog as Inhave the same affliction as Kristy. Kristy, if you have a recommendation, I would certainly be “all ears” lol.
Kristi says her favorite soundbar for dialog is Klipsch Heritage here: bit.ly/3uzwUtQ but for a more simple, all-inclusive bar the AMBEO, Beam Gen 2 or Samsung models are great too!
Thank you Andrew. I am a big Klipsch fan, so I’ll take a look!
Be sure to check out the full review of the Heritage bar as well. You'll find it on the main channel page in the soundbar playlist.
Well Andrew & Kristi:
Given the living spaces I tend to inhabitate, and that’s verses the type of the type of sound I would like and I would want, I would tend to go with the “simpler is better” approach.
For smaller spaces, I would go with a smaller soundbar that sounds great that also steers/moves the sound around in the room, and then add an approximately sized subwoofer to add the bass/low frequencies. The subwoofer for a small room should complete and round out the sound that I should get in that size of a room without being overbearing or completely drowning out the rest of the sound that I am getting from the soundbar.
The sound should be balanced and well matched.
Something like a JBL Soundbar that is capable with an equally good small sized subwoofer would be ideal.
For a larger room?
Then my pick would be a Sennheiser Ambeo (either by itself or with a larger and more powerful subwoofer) would be more ideal then, or a Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar (again, with a larger and approximately sized subwoofer).
And in either case, I would do an AVR with ANY of these set ups (a Denon AVR-X1700H for a smaller room and a Marantz SR7015 in a larger room).
In either case and in either room whatever the size, I’m to have an enjoyable and satisfying movie night..
Excuse me while I pop some popcorn 🍿 with some melted butter and a large soda with plenty of ice (my soda of choice would be a Mountain Dew, Sprite, or a Schweppes or Seagram’s Ginger Ale).
Great review (as usual).
Hats off to the both of you and to The Affordable Audiophile.
Keep up great work.
👍🏾👍🏾
-Charles-
Well...
@@andrewrobinsonreviews
Sorry Andrew, I had to finish writing first.
Sorry for the delay.
-Charles-