Sound bar recommendation

[Melena]

I'm looking into replacing my cheap 7+ year old samsung sound bar. The biggest issue I have with it besides the remote crapping out is the fact the optical audio cable just refuses to firmly seat in my Vizio 55" TV, so just breathing in it's general direction would cause it to fall out of the tv.

Ideally I would like one at about 200 or below, preferably if it's carried by Amazon as I have about 80 bucks in gift cards for them. Also only a 2.1 system. As much as I'd like a 5.1 system, I have no way to mount the rear speakers and I know just placing them on the windowsill is going to make our cats decide to keep knocking them off. No real brand preference, but if there's a Vizio bar that has a remote that can control my TV (the input button on my remote is shot, so I can't change which HDMI port i'm on), that would be great.

[Mafai]

I'm looking into replacing my cheap 7+ year old samsung sound bar. The biggest issue I have with it besides the remote crapping out is the fact the optical audio cable just refuses to firmly seat in my Vizio 55" TV, so just breathing in it's general direction would cause it to fall out of the tv.

Ideally I would like one at about 200 or below, preferably if it's carried by Amazon as I have about 80 bucks in gift cards for them. Also only a 2.1 system. As much as I'd like a 5.1 system, I have no way to mount the rear speakers and I know just placing them on the windowsill is going to make our cats decide to keep knocking them off. No real brand preference, but if there's a Vizio bar that has a remote that can control my TV (the input button on my remote is shot, so I can't change which HDMI port i'm on), that would be great.

I hate to recommend soundbars, but if you must... Razer Leviathan

Its right at your pricepoint too! Iirc it was rated int he top10 on some tech radar article i read recently.

[SephYuyX]

I have the old VIzio soundbar https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CDIK908 and still really liking it.
I hear the new version is just as good/better. https://www.vizio.com/audio.html?fil...igurations=779

[Melena]

I have the old VIzio soundbar https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CDIK908 and still really liking it.
I hear the new version is just as good/better. https://www.vizio.com/audio.html?fil...igurations=779

We were going to buy the newer version (we actually bought it and returned it the next day) after seeing a ton of reviews on Amazon and Costco both complaining of the sub having to be re-paired to the soundbar constantly.

As for the Razer, i've had so many razer products take a shit on me in a year or less that I've given up on them.

[Krandor]

I don't think that's really exclusive to just those. I use a soundbar for my bedroom TV (Samsung for both the TV and soundbar) and it has to be re-paired probably at least once a week.

[Boyiee]

I have an LG soundbar that I've had for years and never had a single issue with.

[Tokitoki]

I have an LG soundbar that I've had for years and never had a single issue with.

I have an LG 45-inch that looks almost exactly like this one. I've never had to re-pair it and have had it since Christmas 2015. I likely have an older model of the one I linked.

[Melena]

Yeah I never had to re-pair the sub on my Samsung when I had it. I may have to hold off on the osund bar now though as my keyboard is taking a dump. You don't realize how often you use the 1 key till you have to fill out taxes....

[Sho]

I have an LG soundbar that I've had for years and never had a single issue with.

Also have a soundbar from LG. Not as long as you (got it last Black Friday) but damn if the sound quality on the thing isn't poppin. No issues, crisp sound.

No pairing issues either since. However, I just recently dedicated an HDMI line from it to the TV. Waaaaaaay better sounding.

[Tokitoki]

Also have a soundbar from LG. Not as long as you (got it last Black Friday) but damn if the sound quality on the thing isn't poppin. No issues, crisp sound.

No pairing issues either since. However, I just recently dedicated an HDMI line from it to the TV. Waaaaaaay better sounding.

What were you using before?

[Krandor]

If we're talking about pairing it would be bluetooth

[Tokitoki]

Trying to get clarification because I think we split the conversation. Some of us are talking about re-pairing to the TV while we started the conversation talking about pairing the sub to the soundbar.

Was curious if he went from an optical to an HDMI and felt that the sound quality increased. I use an optical that came with the soundbar and know very little about this stuff. Wasn't sure if the HDMI is a better quality overall.

My sub is paired through bluetooth to the soundbar, but my soundbar is connected directly to my TV.

[Krandor]

In theory HDMI and optical output should be identical in terms of quality. It's just sending a digital signal and leaving it up to the soundbar to process. Bluetooth is generally doing the same, but due to bandwidth limitations the quality would be degraded.

[Tokitoki]

Cool. Thanks for that.

[Sho]

What were you using before?

Actually never had a soundbar before this -- was built in speakers into a 40" Sony.

I see what you meant now, my bad. I've got the TV and the soundbar at the same time, and no pairing issues since.

Trying to get clarification because I think we split the conversation. Some of us are talking about re-pairing to the TV while we started the conversation talking about pairing the sub to the soundbar.

Was curious if he went from an optical to an HDMI and felt that the sound quality increased. I use an optical that came with the soundbar and know very little about this stuff. Wasn't sure if the HDMI is a better quality overall.

My sub is paired through bluetooth to the soundbar, but my soundbar is connected directly to my TV.

I started with pairing, then tried the optical out line that came with the bar, before finally using one of the spare HDMI cables I had laying around. The only differences between the three would be that while pairing Bluetooth is perfectly fine, it would sometimes (not verrrry often) would have spotty jumps in in audio (due to the bandwidth as Krandor mentioned). The differences between optical out and HDMI would simply be that the HDMI output can handle higher quality audio channels, such as those that are put out by Blu-Ray CDs and the like. Otherwise for all intents and purposes they are pretty much the same output for everything else.

Your set up is perfectly fine, and I'll be doing something similar when I get some more speakers.

[Krandor]

FWIW I don't think soundbars (or any other audio system) will see any difference in the outputted audio between optical and HDMI. Afaik HDMI ARC doesn't support the higher definition audio codecs.

[Kalmado]

I have a Samsung that I bought a few years back that retailed for $200. Has a sub. Personally, I think it sounds like shit. My ex-tenant left an old RCA receiver and some Dual branded bookshelf speakers. I bought a composite to optical adapter and that old crusty receiver and two speakers sounds better.