Large Open Living Space - Soundbar Vs. Surround Sound System

Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 10:10

Hello fellow bargainers, my wife and I are in the process of building our new home and I'm thinking ahead on what audio equipment to get for our living room, to (most likely) pair with a 77" OLED TV.

We're not audiophiles by any means but we do enjoy watching movies, listening to music, the occasional gaming, and can appreciate good lows/bass from a sub.

Admittedly my knowledge is limited, so I wanted to get some second opinions from the community. The space is very open and is basically adjoining the dining and kitchen area with no walls separating the spaces (see floor plan. I do know that an enclosed space (i.e. dedicated 'theatre room') is of course ideal, but we're choosing not to go down that path as we'd rather have an extra spare bed/multipurpose room.

So my question is:
- Would say, a Samsung Q990 suffice, given a proper surround sound system is redundant for such a large open space, or
- Is it still worth exploring a proper surround sound system like a 5.1.2?

Any feedback or recommendation is appreciated. Cheers.

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 29/12/2023 - 10:15

    A soundbar will be cheaper than a full home theatre setup. Worth considering your budget too as to whether the 5.1.2 system will be worth it.

  • sumyungguy on 29/12/2023 - 10:35
    +2

    I have a similar open space with high ceilings. Subwoofer calculators recommend 12-inch; I have two 10-inch subs which helps compensate my room acoustics. I'm aiming for bass you can feel, not just hear. A pair of decent mains blows away any soundbar. Wholly depends on your preferences (auditory, aesthetic) and budget.

    • Protractor on 29/12/2023 - 12:42
      +2

      Just remember this (bass you can feel) is likely to impact on your neighbours. Bass penetrates into other ppls lives, so be thoughtful about time place,volume and how often / what time you arc it up. Don't be 'that guy'.

    • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 15:26

      That's interesting. Do you mind sharing your full setup just for comparative purposes?

      • sumyungguy on 29/12/2023 - 17:20
        +1

        My mains used to be JBL 2-way bookshelf speakers on stands. I thought they sounded OK. Then I upgraded to Yamaha NS-777: 3-way bass reflex with dual woofers - a massive improvement for movies and music. I have Polk centre and rears and two Yamaha subs. Happy for now and I can live without Atmos. For your room layout I suggest auditioning Sony HT-A9 & SA-SW5.

        • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 22:28

          Thanks so much for the suggestions!

  • kenzstar on 29/12/2023 - 10:55

    You also have to think about the wiring inside the walls to the speakers. It looks like you dont have a rear wall, where are you gonna place the rear speakers on a open living space?

    • Mechz on 29/12/2023 - 15:03

      Ceiling

  • botwuuzy on 29/12/2023 - 11:32
    +2

    Soundbars look nice but generally are a bit overpriced for the sound quality
    A simple set of 2 speakers from Edifier at the same price would sound better without the wiring hassle of a surround system.
    Personally I'd consider 2 speakers (left and right) +- subwoofer
    If you make sure that the first speaker pair supports a subwoofer then you can always get that later if you feel you need one, and also if you want to upgrade later on it's easier to sell secondhand than a full surround system

  • skid on 29/12/2023 - 11:46

    That's a great set up. Are the windows on the left wall?

    Is the FPL = fireplace? If so, that'd be in the way of the TV and sound system. If you can move the fireplace, I'd put wired speakers on the corners and where the sliding doors shut. If you cannot move the fireplace, get a soundbar.

    • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 15:30

      Correct - there will be a sliding door to the left (leading to the alfresco) and yes FPL = fireplace. There will be a benchtop next to the fireplace - assume that would still work for a bookshelf L+R setup instead of floor standing?

      • skid on 29/12/2023 - 16:02

        It'll be tricky to balance as the TV will no longer be centered in the living room and the speakers will not be equidistant from the viewing position. The rear speaker wires will be hard to get around the fireplace or move in a bit above the floorboards.

        The Q990 will be fine with the fireplace where it is.

        Keep in mind that the fireplace is a light source which may be distracting next to the TV.

  • DGrayson82 on 29/12/2023 - 11:57

    Both the Q990 and 5.1.2 will require wires running across the floor for the rear speakers so maybe consider a decent 3.1 system instead. A pair of KEF Q950s with a Q650 centre and SVS PB-3000 sub would go really well

    • Dejy on 29/12/2023 - 14:16

      For the Q990 the rear speakers and sub are wireless, it just needs power.

      • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 15:19

        I'm putting a regressed power point somewhere in the middle (below where the sofa would sit) so that would at least give me power to the rears.

  • Drakesy on 29/12/2023 - 12:30
    +1

    the Q990 will go well, fairly powerful (relative to other soundbars).

    Honestly though an atmos amplifier and some secondhand speakers (Jamo, Dali, B&W, Polk, Focal) can be picked up for next to nothing off gumtree/Marketplace for $1000-$1500. Although i'm guilty of getting a bit carried away with hifi, have trialled multiple speakers and amps and my current Atmos setup set me back something like $750 (retailed for around $5k back in the day).

    Atmos Soundbars have come a long way and are pretty decent compared to full blown hifi, it's a bit like buying an Apple vs Android. Userbility vs able to refine and tune to what you want.

    I have both (Samsung Q600B) and am happy to listen to a soundbar casually and it'll more than fill your room and then some, whilst the hifi setup gets a run when the misso is out of the house.

  • Morien on 29/12/2023 - 13:31

    I'd say a dedicated system would allow you greater performance in an open space than would a soundbar. But it really depends on what you are able to get in your budget and what you are happy with.

    I have friends who love their soundbars. I love my 5.2. Mine blows theirs away, but theirs takes up no space.

    What is your wife's opinion?

    • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 15:21
      +1

      She's indifferent - basically when it comes to AV/tech stuff I'm calling all the shots 😛

  • rumblytangara on 29/12/2023 - 13:42
    +3

    Think about it this way- soundbars are going to have drivers about 2 inches wide. 20cm^2 surface area. Modestly sized speaker is going to have a driver 6 inches wide, 175cm^2 surface area, literally 8 times larger.

    There's only so much air that can be moved by the tiny little drivers in a soundbar. Convincing mid frequencies and low end needs lots of moving air. A sub can… kinda… half assed compensate for this but not much.

    Caveat- the only soundbars I've bothered listening to have been store demos. Where they all (including the high end Samsung ones) sound like shite compared to decent traditional speakers. It wasn't even hard- I could tell within five or ten seconds that something was off with the sound. And I'm not an audiophile who obsesses over gear and pours money into it- just interested enough to have done some home testing and casual speaker builds. My TV sound setup is cheaper than the Samsung system.

    • Protractor on 29/12/2023 - 14:36
      +1

      Convenience Vs audio quality sound?

      Marketing wins again. (soundbars)

      Hips ears don't lie

      • rumblytangara on 29/12/2023 - 14:44

        I've found an amusing way to avoid audiophile bias- I ask my primary school kids what sounds better. I've tried a soundbar and two different pairs of bookshelf speakers (with and without a sub).

        The larger bookshelf speakers win easily, even though they look a bit ghetto because my woodworking skills are lacking. The verdict from the kid was "it's like the sound comes from all over the room instead of just the front".

        Ditched the sub, it was noticeable to me but didn't make a big enough difference. And nobody else in the family cared.

  • Mechz on 29/12/2023 - 15:07

    Get some in-ceiling speakers for the rears and surrounds.

    Subwoofer is a must, SVS or similar.

    Make sure your centre speaker can keep up with your fronts.

    • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 15:23

      I note SVS subs rated very highly, but to be honest I haven't read up much on in-ceiling speakers. Are there any brands that are mid-range/good for value that do the job and won't necessarily break the bank?

      • Mechz on 29/12/2023 - 15:53
        +1

        Yamaha are pretty neutral sounding and good value. Polk as well.

        Klipsch are brighter sounding in general.

        • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 22:32

          Thanks for the suggestions!

  • pizzip on 29/12/2023 - 15:13

    Why not 2.1 then upgrade to surround later if you think you need it? Soundbars are the like the Dyson of audio, you're paying for trendy marketing and 'convenience'.

    • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 15:20

      That's a good shout to be fair - I was thinking more along the lines of "just get something decent upfront and let it last for a while".

      • pizzip on 29/12/2023 - 15:57

        If you're gonna spend ~$1500 on a soundbar, maybe look at this Yamaha package:
        https://www.amazon.com.au/Yamaha-RX-V385-5-1ch-Theatre-Recei…

        While I'm sure it's not the absolute best value package out there (you could do better by scouring deals for individual pieces most likely), it's all there together and is upgradable. Would kill literally any soundbar in existence, even in 2.1 or 3.1.

        • Excelsior on 29/12/2023 - 22:31

          Thanks for the suggestion! My only concern with floorstanding speakers is that because of the fireplace placement, it would just look weird and out of place. I may have to replace them with bookshelf speakers instead.

  • loropy9 on 29/12/2023 - 16:24

    It looks like 4 - 6 ceiling 2-way or 3-way speakers would do well in your large open space.

  • angryofm on 30/12/2023 - 09:18
    +1

    If you had a dedicated theatre room like ours then a full 7 or 9 channel a/v receiver setup with dual subwoofers would be perfect but for your situation I would strongly recommend a good quality soundbar - far less obtrusive, wont dominate the room from an aesthetic pov and will give very satisfying sound.
    I recently installed a JBL BAR 1000 in a friends place with similar layout to yours and they are delighted with the result, so was I and I ended up buying the same for our family room…
    Very easy to install with totally wireless rears and a very decent 10" subwoofer, a great setup for a non-dedicated theatre room…
    BUT - it’s still advisable to install speaker wiring in the walls and ceiling during your build, just in case your needs change in the future…

    • Excelsior on 30/12/2023 - 12:15

      Interesting take given most folks with a dedicated set up are pretty much anti-soundbar, but like you've said practicality trumps performance in cases like this.

      With that being said - any comments on JBL Bar vs Samsung Q990?

    • sumyungguy on 30/12/2023 - 12:45

      Soundbars definitely have a use-case; satisfactory sound, low-cost, great for renters/apartment dwellers, work well in average-sized rooms with 2.4m ceilings, high partner approval factor, wireless subs offer flexible placement, good for tv and movies. You could get one for your secondary living space and trial it in your 6m x 12m space.

  • NelgCip on 30/12/2023 - 10:54

    There is also a site called Stereonet.com which is dedicated to all home theatre and hi-fi. They also have classified section which you can get pre-owned items at cheaper price which I have used before to buy as well sell items. You can also post your question in the forum section if it is not already available.

    You can also visit your local home theatre store to try the speakers and AV receivers or soundbar. They will help you with the process of selecting based on your budget, floor layout, music that you listen or movies that you watch.

    Hope this helps.

  • LFO on 30/12/2023 - 11:56

    Any feedback or recommendation is appreciated. Cheers.

    As a potential neighbor (because you never know …) it might be DON'T WISH TO HEAR what I'm not watching.

    How about multiple high fidelity wireless headphones? It is a very civilized alternative.

    (Unless of course, you live in a large acreage, kilometers away from a next-door-neighbor)

  • bamzero on 30/12/2023 - 18:42

    Consider using in-ceiling speakers, get your surround sound without cables and clutter in your open space.

  • johnnyg on 30/12/2023 - 18:45

    Ive got both.

    No comparision - get a seperate receiver and speakers and sub.

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