Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 With a new TV I need to replace my center channel with thinner one. Been looking at these soundbars and it appears most of them come with subwoofers, remotes, etc. It also looks like they all have HDMI inputs. I don't need any of that shit. I just need a bar that I can plug speaker wire into and volume is controlled by my receiver. Any of you have or know of something like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I heard the vast majority of them suck from an audio quality standpoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 That's not good. I have a sweet Polk audio one I have to do away with due to getting a new TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o0n8 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 everything I've looked at basically makes it seem that sound bars are cheap alternatives to a home theater system. If you are just looking for a different center speaker that might be a tall order since they are generally part of a speaker set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Yeah I just need a center speaker. Currently I have about 6" under my TV to mantle. With new TV I'll have less than 4". I'll have to visit Best Buy and check options. Worse case I use the center and store the woofer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90G60 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 What brand TV did you buy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 What brand TV did you buy? Vizio. Great room is pretty big...a center speaker is definitely needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90G60 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Is it smart? Many of the newer style smart TV's will disable the internal TV speaker volume control when it knows you have a sound bar connected. I know pretty much all of the new LG's support their own sound bars, not 100% on Vizio. Another option would be to get a smart universal remote. You can program the volume buttons to only control the sound bar. Logitech makes a nice remote, but they can get pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I had a top of the line Yamaha sound bar. Was like $1500 ish and the sound quality was insane. Better then most home theatre systems I have heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Is it smart? Many of the newer style smart TV's will disable the internal TV speaker volume control when it knows you have a sound bar connected. I know pretty much all of the new LG's support their own sound bars, not 100% on Vizio. Another option would be to get a smart universal remote. You can program the volume buttons to only control the sound bar. Logitech makes a nice remote, but they can get pricey. Yes, it's smart. I'll look into that. I always keep the TV speakers off. I use my Polk center for most of that. I had a top of the line Yamaha sound bar. Was like $1500 ish and the sound quality was insane. Better then most home theatre systems I have heard. I was hoping to stay in the $300 range for the bar. I'll see today at best buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I like my $200 LG Sound Bar. I replaced an old Sony Theatre in a Box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffro Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I might be interested in your old one if you get a new one. I too have a vizio and the built in speakers leave much to be desired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I might be interested in your old one if you get a new one. I too have a vizio and the built in speakers leave much to be desired. I'll get you the model # and be in touch if I find something this evening at Best Buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafunk13 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 You can certainly find center speakers individually. That's what you want, not a soundbar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90G60 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Yes, it's smart. I'll look into that. I always keep the TV speakers off. I use my Polk center for most of that. I was hoping to stay in the $300 range for the bar. I'll see today at best buy. Under $300 should be easy! Make sure you shop around, even if it's on your phone before you pull the trigger. Best Buy's prices on home theater stuff can be :fuuuu: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstmg8 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 You can certainly find center speakers individually. That's what you want, not a soundbar. Agreed, you just need a speaker, I'm sure they are available in a 4" height. Much cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trouble Maker Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I just need a bar that I can plug speaker wire into and volume is controlled by my receiver. Any of you have or know of something like this? Yeah, it's called a center channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstmg8 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/12/17/ec7ae4120960e8eece756c4902b85832.jpg Maybe something like this? Says 4" hx3.5" d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cordell Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Any of the sound bars I've looked at were meant to be better speakers then what came in the TV and hence hook up to be full range, and not with simple speaker wire. I bought a nice bar and sub from Boston Acustics that works well since I have no room for a decent surrond system in my living room. I don't know how I'd hook it up to be a center channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPL_Josh Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 If you can't find what you want just built it. You could build a great quaility center channel for $100 or less. To any dimension wanted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I knew I needed a center channel due to having that now. I talked Soundbars because of how then they are. Talking to guy at Best Buy, he says they weren't meant to be powered by anything and won't work for me. Even if I used an optical cable to the TV and a remote to control the volume, the sound would be off from the rest of my system. This leaves me with finding just as you guys stated, a thin center or build it. I need something that's a few hundred bucks with quality. My current on screams and no distort. Don't want cheap and poor sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87GT Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 There are plenty of central speakers out there. I don't know of any under 4"s. Have you considered doing a wall mount above the TV? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 There are plenty of central speakers out there. I don't know of any under 4"s. Have you considered doing a wall mount above the TV? No space above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstmg8 Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 That 4" Polk for $75 won't work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPL_Josh Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 There are plenty of central speakers out there. I don't know of any under 4"s. Have you considered doing a wall mount above the TV? My center channel I'm building is 3" tall. It can be done. You just need a center to handle vocal range and upper frequencies. Mains and sub will fill in the rest of the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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