Think back to a time long ago (to a living room far, far away), and you might remember when TVs came in big, bulky cabinets. You might even have such a television in your guest room. More likely, you've seen them in trash piles outside of people's homes. But then, in one of the most dramatic, and rapid, transformations in consumer electronics, millions and millions of TVs were rendered unacceptable by flat-panel displays. Overnight, thick was out, and thin was in.
Most speakers, on the other hand, are still distinctly boxy. There are some laws of physics that argue for that geometry. Among other things, speakers perform best when placed in enclosures. As a result, when fielding 5.1 (or more) speakers, it's still common to have six boxes in your home theater. But they can seem anachronistic in the company of your futuristic-looking flat screen.
Clearly, it would be desirable to have speakers that are as unobtrusive and flush to the wall as TV displays. Moreover, it would be nice to consolidate all those sound sources into a smaller, perhaps single unit, and eliminate all those wires. But we'd still like to have some spatial response beyond a mere stereo image — and of course, we still want excellent sound quality.
That wish list, coupled with the difficulty of getting flat-panel buyers to install full-tilt home theaters, has generated a new product category. Commonly called "soundbars," these combo speaker systems typically have a slim, horizontal cabinet that's easily placed on a shelf or mounted on the wall beneath a flat-panel TV. The drivers in a soundbar reproduce at least the two main left/right channels. But clever engineers have devised many variations on this theme. Some soundbars have passive satellite speakers, some add subwoofers, some are self-powered — some even have Dolby Digital/DTS decoders.
We rounded up seven soundbars, ranging from the simple to the sophisticated. For all seven, we used the same music and movie test tracks, including some revealing songs by the Danish rock band Kashmir (from their albums No Balance Palace and Zitilites) and demanding multichannel material from Blue Man Group's The Complex and the DVD of Superman Returns. Our entries: Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two ($350), Denon DHT-FS3 ($1,199), Marantz ES7001 SSX ($1,300), Philips HTS8100 ($800), Polk Audio SurroundBar 50 ($1,100), Yamaha YSP-4000 ($1,800), and the Zvox Model 425 ($700).
We asked: How many channels do they reproduce? Do they convey a broad or even immersive spatial response? Most important, how is their essential sound quality? The answers opened our eyes and ears to the rapid evolution of a whole new kind of speaker system.
Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two
Manufacturers haven't unanimously agreed on usage of the term "soundbar." Boston Acoustics, for instance, prefers to call its offering a "television entertainment enhancement system." In any case, the TVee Model Two comprises a small stereo soundbar and a smallish subwoofer. The sub wirelessly receives the audio signal from the bar via a 2.4-GHz RF link. Also following in a minimalist vein, the system doesn't include a remote. You can either use the simple onboard controls or ask the soundbar to learn the commands from your TV's remote. The power supply is an external "brick" that connects to the bar via a cable.
From a functional standpoint, the TVee Model Two is very straightforward. The soundbar houses four 2[1/2]-inch drivers and two [1/2]-inch tweeters, and the sub has a 6-inch downward-firing driver with a port alongside. You feed the TVee a stereo analog signal via RCA jacks and it plays back 2.1 channels. There's virtual surround sound processing, but Boston Acoustics makes clear that the Tvee's not intended to replace a surround system. Instead, it's meant to provide solid stereo playback that improves on your TV's probably limited sound quality. And in keeping with that mission, its $350 price tag makes it by far the least expensive bar in our survey.
Setup
The TVee Model Two has the barest of control sets: power, mute, and volume. There's also an indicator light that flashes in various colors to show when the soundbar has successfully learned and received remote commands. Using the wireless ID switch on the rear panel, I selected a position (and duplicated it on the subwoofer) that allowed the audio signal to go from the bar to the sub. (Having switchable frequencies is mainly useful if you have more than one TVee in your house and need to avoid crosstalk.) Usefully, the soundbar also has a three-position sensitivity switch to trim input levels and avoid overloads. Along with the wireless ID switch for mating with the bar, the sub also has a level control and an AC cord (still needed for power despite the sub's wireless bridge).
I placed the TVee under my HDTV, and positioned the sub along the front wall, to the left of the display. I then plugged in the two power cords and a stereo input from a DVD player — and appreciated not having to wire the sub. Next, I took a moment to adjust the sub's level for a consistent blend. For the heck of it, I set up the TVee to recognize my remote — which was no big deal since it only responds to mute and volume commands.
| Price $350 / bostonacoustics.com / 978-538-5000 |
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Soundbar •(4) 2.5-in midranges; (2) 0.5-in tweeters •Finishes: midnight with onyx grille; mist with silver grille •31 x 3.75 x 4 in; 8.75 lb Subwoofer •6-in driver; 2.4-GHz wireless link •Finish: same as for soundbar •11.5 x 9.5 x 11.5 in; 11 lbs |
Music Performance
I've had good luck in the past with speakers from Boston Acoustics, and the TVee didn't disappoint me. Kashmir's No Balance Palace and Zitilites have a certain sound that was immediately evident as playback started, indicating pretty accurate tonal balance. The particularly dark timbres of "Kalifornia" were well reproduced. The softly played organ in the intro had just the right harmonic overtones, and the rhythmic pattern was detailed and crisp. The vocals were a little pulled back, but passable. Also, the snare and hi-hat were crunchy, but also passable. The little sub was a bit boomy, but provided a solid foundation for the soundbar.
Blue Man Group's "Sing Along" is recorded in surround, but the TVee played the downmixed stereo version supplied by my DVD player. The stereo mix doesn't have the impact of the surround mix, but I appreciated the TVee's sound quality. Instruments sounded natural with a smooth satellite/subwoofer blend, and the sub provided enough kick to make it interesting. As with any small cabinet, it couldn't drive the lowest half-octave, but mid and upper bass was clean and fairly loud.
Movie Performance
Turning to Superman Returns, the TVee successfully handled the Man of Steel. This action-packed surround soundtrack was neatly replayed in stereo, with all of its dialogue, effects, and music components intact in a clean and clear mix. The subwoofer pumped out some good LFE at modest volume levels, and I appreciated the separate volume control that let me dial up just a little more bass for movie playback (and a little less for music-only listening).
The TVee's manual recommends turning off the sound from your TV when you're using the bar. But it also suggests that you can leave your TV speakers on and use the TVee to "tremendously enhance" the TV's sound. Given the quality of the speakers built into most displays, I'm not sure I'd agree with that last piece of advice. Turn off the TV and stick with the TVee.
Bottom Line
Compared with some other models reviewed here, the TVee Model Two offers modest features and makes no attempt to create any kind of surround soundfield. Its essential strong point, aside from simplicity, is its sound quality. Its a low-cost upgrade from the stereo speakers in your TV that will give you considerably improved sonics, thanks in part to a sub that adds at least an octave of bass that's completely missing from most TV speakers. If that's what you aspire to in a one-piece solution, the TVee Two won't let you down.
This full-featured but slim soundbar includes a separate subwoofer (both are finished in glossy black) and a nicely designed remote. The soundbar has six 3[1/8]-inch drivers, and the sub has a single 6[1/4]-inch driver. It also has Dolby Digital and DTS decoders plus five satellite amplifier channels rated at 22 watts (into 6 ohms) apiece and a sub channel rated at 40 watts (into 3 ohms). All of the electronics are in the bar, which you connect to the passive sub using a supplied cable. The Denon uses proprietary "X-Space" technology to create virtual soundfields.
Setup
The DHT-FS3 has a curved front faced with a metal grille. There's a display (neatly concealed behind the metal grille) and a power switch, as well as controls for volume and for selecting the input and surround mode. There's even a headphone jack. Around back are three digital inputs (two optical and one coaxial), two stereo analog inputs, the subwoofer output, and a jack for connecting an optional iPod dock. Denon offers three docks: the ASD-1R ($129) is a traditional wired model, but you can add network capability for streaming music files and Internet radio (without a PC) to the bar via the Ethernet-connected ASD-3N ($180) or the Wi-Fi-capable ASD-3W ($230). You can use the provided stabilizing feet to place the soundbar on a flat surface or use the threaded inserts to mount it on the wall.
The sub is a simple slim-line affair with no controls to adjust. Its driver fires to one side, which allows the cabinet to be placed against the wall. But you'll need to leave a bit of room for the rear-firing port.
| Price $1,199 / usa.denon.com / 973-396-0810 |
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Soundbar •(6) 3.8-in midranges •Finish: gloss black •33.5 x 3.1 x 4.5 in; 10.8 lb Subwoofer •6.25-inch driver; 40-watt amplifier channel •Finish: gloss black •4 x 15 x 14 in; 12.4 lb |
Setting up the DHT-FS3 was pretty simple. As with all the systems here, I placed the bar under my display and set the sub on the floor alongside. I ran the supplied optical cable from my DVD player to the soundbar, and connected the subwoofer. Then I settled back into my comfy chair with the remote. The system can be quickly optimized for three types of rooms, each with different acoustics, seating positions, and movie or music reproduction. You can also do a more detailed setup, varying parameters such as equalization, fader, room acoustics, and delay. I spent a good deal of time with these to dial in the best sound for my room and my ears. Finally, you can select stereo, wide, and surround playback modes.
Music Performance
"Kalifornia" from Kashmir's No Balance Palace is a moody song with a dark rhythm guitar and pulled-back snare, and its reproduction through the DHT-FS3 was very clean but surprisingly forward — even aggressive. This was confirmed on the up-tempo "Rocket Brothers" from Zitilites, where the crash cymbals were reproduced with lots of presence, but also very brightly. The small sub pumped out respectable bass, carrying the songs with kick drum and bass guitar, particularly after I nudged up the bass level with the tone control.
Satisfied with stereo, I turned to the surround mix on Blue Man Group's The Complex. The five main channels of "Sing Along" were nicely reproduced. The front trio was tonally matched with a solid soundstage, while the surround channels were a bit different tonally (perhaps processed to create a "surround" effect), but they still meshed nicely with the front. There was a suggestion of an immersive feel, with a wider than usual soundstage, but no one would mistake it for surround sound in the usual multichannel sense.
Movie Performance
Auditioning Superman Returns, I found highly intelligible dialogue and a stereo panorama that was wide enough to correlate to images panned across my 50-inch display. The orchestral score had an appropriately "big" sound, both dynamically and in the width of the soundstage. Action sequences played reasonably loud, and the sub, although distinctly limited, supplied enough bass to let me enjoy the flick.
Bottom Line
The DHT-FS3 delivers surround-sound decoding, multichannel amplification, easy setup, and quality reproduction, all in a tidy package. Add a DVD player and a display, and you'll be up and running in five minutes. The sound quality is forward but not harsh, and the subwoofer is capable enough for small rooms. Though its rear-channel reproduction won't get you swiveling your head in amazement, its wide soundstage ably creates an enhanced sense of space. Throw in Denon's sense of style, and you've got a good alternative to having lots of speaker boxes in your room.
The Marantz ES7001 is an ambitious design that shows off some of the more interesting possibilities in soundbar technology. The entire system — which contains two .75-inch dome tweeters, two 3.25-inch midranges, and two 4 [3/4]-inch woofers — is housed in one 42-inch-wide aluminum cabinet. Each speaker has its own 26-watt (into 6 ohms) amplifier channel. There's Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, but no subwoofer — it's expected that you'll add a self-powered unit.
The ES7001 relies on proprietary OPSODIS (Optimal Source Distribution) signal processing to provide virtual surround sound. The processing is based on a crosstalk-cancellation principle where sound from the left channel is reversed in phase and added to the right channel so that it cancels out, causing the right ear to hear only the right channel and giving a binaural effect. The processing and the spread of the drivers in the soundbar are also meant to make different frequencies appear to be nearer or further from the listener, with (according to a diagram in the manual) bass information seeming to come from further back in the room and treble information appearing to originate from up front.
| Price $1,300 / us.marantz.com / 201-762-6500 |
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•(2) 4.75-in woofers; (2) 3.25-in midranges; (2) 0.75-in dome tweeters •Finish: black •42.5 x 6.1 x 5.75 in; 26.5 lb |
Setup
Neatly aligned along the ES7001's front panel are power, volume, and input source controls, as well as several status lights and a small display window. The rear panel sports three digital optical inputs, two HDMI inputs, and two pair of analog stereo inputs. On the output side are one HDMI connection for passing video to a display when the HDMI source inputs are used (there's no audio pass-through), a subwoofer pre-amp output, and a remote out jack and subwoofer control output (both for use with optional Marantz gear).
The full-featured remote control performed as expected, and throws in a few surprises. For example, you can choose a "higher" or "lower" position to optimize playback depending on whether the bar is mounted above or below your screen. Similarly, you can select between one-person or two-person (or more) listening audiences, and optimize the sound for a seating distance less then, equal to, or greater than 2 meters. Back in the old days, we used to have to change the distance between stereo speakers to adjust the width of the stereo panorama.
Setup was quick and painless. I placed the soundbar under my TV and used HDMI to connect both a DVD player and the display. After taking a moment to select display height, a listener number, seating distance, and no subwoofer, I was off to the races.
Music Performance
Spatial fidelity is important, but my main concern is the speaker's tonal fidelity. I was immediately struck by the ES7001's bright and lively sound. Vocals and solo instruments were very forward in the mix, and hi-hat and cymbals were prominent and sometimes hard. Climaxes, like the line "windswept road" in Kashmir's "Kalifornia," were nicely handled by the amplifiers and speakers when played at moderate levels. The system can get quite loud if you push it, though obvious distortion ruins playback at the loudest levels. On its own, the soundbar managed to pump out some decent upper-bass response, giving some credence to floor toms, but you'll definitely want to add a subwoofer for lower-bass support. When I added my sub, I was happy with the blend between the two.
Technically, you should only use the soundbar's "binaural" mode when playing back a binaural recording. But I found that it slightly (and pleasantly) juiced up the panorama of conventional stereo recordings.
Movie Performance
Superman Returns is an FX spectacular, with lots of places where ambient sound can step on the dialogue. The soundbar's upfront, bright sound ensured clear dialogue intelligibility even in the thickest mixes. The orchestral score was similarly dynamic and bright, although thin without a sub. Superman also has hard-working surround channels. The OPSODIS system did widen the front soundstage a good bit, but certainly didn't envelop me in sound. In this regard, I found it typical of most of the bars tested here.
Bottom Line
The ES7001 hits the soundbar sweet spot. Good connectivity, easy setup, and ease of use. The only downside is that you'll need to add a sub. If you're willing to add that expense or already have a full theater with sub that you're looking to downsize for some reason, this could be an interesting path toward simplifying your audio system.
The HTS8100 is a complete, soup-to-nuts playback system. Its soundbar contains a DVD/CD/MP3/JPEG/DivX player, as well as decoders, amplifiers, and speakers. And, yes, Virginia, there is a separate subwoofer. Just add a flat-panel TV and electricity, and you're in business. But wait! There's more! The system includes an AM/FM tuner and even an outboard iPod docking station. The supplied remote is exceptionally stylish, and is the perfect complement to the soundbar itself.
Many playback systems can accept optional iPod docking stations, but Philips includes its dock as part of the package. Sleek and black, it accepts various flavors of iPods, and a simple control mode lets you play music and watch video on your TV using either the remote to handle simple functions or the player itself to operate other features. An extended mode disables the iPod's controls and enables the remote to control everything via an onscreen display on your TV — well, almost everything, since you can only listen to music in this mode.
| Price $800 / philips.com / 888-744-5477 |
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Soundbar •(6) 2.5-in woofers; (2) 1-in soft-dome tweeters •Finish: black •37 x 5.5 x 5.5 in; 16 lb Subwoofer •6.5-in long-throw woofer •Finish: black •11.75 x 17.75 x 11.5 in; 24.6 lb |
Setup
As you might expect, because the HTS8100 is an integrated system, there are fewer input/output options. The front panel is sleekly buttonless and connectorless. A chrome strip across the top of the bar has a very discreet row of buttons for handling basic playback. The rear panel sports outputs for component and composite video, analog stereo, and HDMI. Two box connectors accept cables that are captive to the subwoofer. Tucked away on the left side panel are jacks for analog MP3 input, USB, and the iPod dock. There's no AC cord — power is provided through the subwoofer's umbilical cord. Threaded inserts, along with a provided sturdy bracket, allow wall mounting.
The subwoofer cabinet contains a side-firing driver with a rear port. It also houses the system's power amp as well as other electronics. (When installing, make sure the cooling fan has plenty of clearance.) There are jacks for digital audio input, two pair of analog audio inputs, and AM and FM antenna jacks.
I placed the soundbar under my HDTV and the sub along my front wall beside the display, and connected the two. I then used an HDMI cable to connect the bar to my TV. The first time you power up, you see a setup menu, which I used to specify general parameters for room acoustics, placement, height, and distance. Since the soundbar also contains a DVD player, I also spent a moment selecting the various settings that conformed to my display. Easy breezy.
Music Performance
On No Balance Palace, Kashmir's characteristic sound was readily apparent, with an overall bright sound and nice detail on the vocals. But the brightness negatively affected the lower midrange, which reproduced without some of the warmth I know is in this recording. I also found the upper midrange a bit forward; it sometimes sounded forced, particularly at musical peaks. This distortion seemed to be equally shared between the amps and speakers, and was acceptable at moderate levels. But when playback volume was pushed — and this system can play surprisingly loud — the harshness became objectionable.
The external subwoofer pumped out bass that was a cut above what you get with most soundbar subs. It had a good lower end and enough upper reach to blend with the bar. It had a musical sound for bass guitar and enough punch for kick drum. As with the soundbar, it couldn't play excessively loud, but its reproduction stayed clean at moderate levels.
For Blue Man Group, I selected the "Ambisound" virtual surround mode. This mode doesn't use aggressive signal processing techniques, so its sense of surround is quite modest, but it did open the soundstage a bit. Even better, the processing didn't detract from the playback quality. The downmixed surround channels meshed nicely with the front channels, though I would have appreciated a fader control so I could adjust relative levels of the front and rear signals.
Movie Performance
The soundtrack for Superman Returns provides a good workout for any playback system, and the HTS8100 was up to the task. Dialogue intelligibility was very good, even when I moved off axis. Surround sound effects, although downmixed and moved forward, created a front semi-circular soundstage that complemented the onscreen action. The subwoofer, as with any small sub, couldn't pound out all the LFE content in some scenes, but was strong enough to make the point. When I cranked up the volume, the system was satisfyingly loud enough to complete the sensory experience. And the DVD player's video output, as viewed through the HDMI interconnect, looked detailed and crisp on my TV, in part because of built-in Faroudja 1080p upscaling.
Bottom Line
The whole point of a soundbar is convenience, and the HTS8100 carries that to a logical conclusion. With everything onboard except a TV, it's super simple to set up and operate. The big downside to all this integration, though, is upgradeability. If you want to play Blu-ray Discs, for example — well, you can't, because there's no input to jack a BD player into. Still, within its confines, this system has lots to like. Sleek styling, multiple playback sources, and good audio/video performance make it ideal for out of sight/out of mind installations.
If your flat-panel TV is beautifully styled, then it makes sense to mate it with a beautiful soundbar. The Polk SurroundBar 50 is as stylish as they come. Its black, brushed-aluminum cabinet is quite handsome, and its slender profile can make even the flattest panel look thick. Throw in a tasteful, wraparound cloth grille, and you've got style points to spare.
The 50 is a "pure" soundbar — which means it's completely passive, containing only speakers. You won't find any amps, decoders, virtual surround, or subwoofer here. But arrayed across the front panel, you will find nine identical drivers, three matching tweeters, and two ports. Your system's upstream electronics, amplification, and powered subwoofer remain the same; the soundbar is an all-in-one drop-in replacement for all five satellite speakers found in a standard home theater.
Setup
The 50 comes with a number of plastic mounting pieces. You get two pairs of cradles that prop up each end, as well as a larger plastic bracket, a metal plate, and the necessary screws for wall mounting. Polk also kindly throws in a 15-foot length of flat, 10-conductor speaker cable with each wire pair labeled at both ends. This makes hook-up pretty straightforward.
| Price $1,100 / polkaudio.com / 888-869-4375 |
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•(9) 3.5-in composite woofers; (3) 0.75-in silk-dome tweeters •Finish: black •51 x 4.5 x 5.25 in; 15 lb |
The 50 has ten binding posts aligned across its back surface, one pair for each of the five channels it reproduces. Conveniently, the posts are color-coded to match the supplied speaker cable. Using a pair of cradles, I placed the soundbar under my TV and then disconnected the satellite cables from the back of my receiver so I could wire up the 50 instead.
Following Polk's instructions, I set all of my receiver's channels to "small." I left my own subwoofer connected to the receiver's sub output, with a 120-Hz crossover frequency. I alternately turned my sub level up and down, to get a better idea of the extent of the 50's bass response. Again following Polk's advice, I set my receiver's delay times according to my distance away from the soundbar, with all channel delays set equally. But during my audition, I added some delay to the surround channels, which seemed to slightly open up the soundfield. Finally, I set the front levels to 0 dB and the surround levels to +3 dB.
Music Performance
I was expecting characteristically great Polk sound, and the 50 didn't disappoint me. Kashmir's albums were faithfully reproduced, with a dynamic, although somewhat bright sound. Vocals and instrumentals were spotlessly clean in the upper midrange. Higher up, the hi-hat and cymbals were either slightly edgy or refreshingly brisk, depending on your point of view. Of course, all the bass reproduction was courtesy of my own subwoofer. But the 50 did have sufficient lower midrange to create a nice blend with the sub. Potentially problematic "gap" instruments like bass guitar were nicely supported by the soundbar.
Similarly, Blue Man Group came across nicely. Vocals were clean and percussion snappy. A good deal of the synth lines tested the soundbar's lower midrange, where I could have used a little more warmth here, but I was still satisfied. Of course, the surround channels were collapsed into the front, but aside from the downmixing, musical fidelity was not an issue.
Movie Performance
The aggressive collection of effects on Superman Returns really helps punctuate the movie's action, with some placed hard in specific channels and others panned across channels to correspond to onscreen visuals. The SurroundBar 50 reproduced all of these (as well as dialogue and score) with great transparency, but it couldn't really produce spatial fidelity from the film's surround information. The perceived sources of the five channels remained stubbornly planted at the soundbar, and without interchannel phase games or virtual surround processing, there was nothing to induce my brain to decide otherwise. Clearly, a consolidated soundfield isn't as immersive as one distributed by separate speakers, but I quickly grew accustomed to it. The convenience of soundbars does have limitations — as with several of the other bars, the essential fidelity of the Polk's playback largely compensated for the lack of genuine surround sound.
Bottom Line
Imagine taking all of your satellite speakers and lining them up under your display — that approximates what the SoundBar 50 does. Unlike some other soundbars, it's not an all-in-one solution but rather requires the decoding, amplification, and subwoofer of a traditional playback system. And while it wasn't terribly convincing in its reproduction of the surround channels, it is, in most other respects, simply a complete set of good satellite speakers in one box. Its straightforward design and sound quality let it stand on its own.
Yamaha was one of the first companies to see the possibilities of soundbars (or, as Yamaha likes to call them, "digital sound projectors"). I reviewed two of their earlier-generation efforts (the YSP-1 in May 2005 and the YSP-800 in Feb/March 2006) and was thoroughly impressed. In particular, Yamaha used aggressive digital signal processing and a vast array of drivers to tackle the problem of creating spatial immersion from a line source, and the results were exceptional.
The YSP-4000 is Yamaha's newest entry in the soundbar category. It's a full-featured system containing decoders, amplifiers, and speakers. It also adds automatic room tuning, as well as full video hookups and an onscreen menu. When I say full-featured, I'm not kidding — this system has a full complement of HDMI jacks, can control an iPod, has an FM tuner onboard, and is even XM Radio-ready. (Hey, the owner's manual is 116 pages long.) In many ways, it's the most sophisticated soundbar in this roundup.
Features aside, the YSP-4000 is also a minor sonic miracle. It houses 40 full-range 1.5-inch speakers and two 4.25-inch woofers driven by 40 amplifier channels with maximum output power of 2 watts (into 4 ohms) and two channels rated at 20 watts (into 4 ohms). The speakers are used in conjunction with upstream signal processing to create and steer "beams" of sound that mimic a surround-sound field. Different modes, known as 5 Beam, 3 Beam, 3 Beam + Stereo, My Surround, and My Beam, let you choose and customize soundfields that sound best to you in your room. The system also contains Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, as well as Yamaha's Cinema DSP ambience programs. This loaded feature set is match by the YSP-4000's loaded $1,800 price tag — the heftiest among all the bars tested here.
| Price $1,800 / yamaha.com/yec / 800-492-6242 |
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•(2) 4.4-in woofers; (40) 1.6-in beam drivers •Finish: silver grille, black chassis •40.25 x 7.75 x 5.75 in; 34.6 lb |
Setup
The YSP-4000 is a beefy bar with a prominent, silver metal grille that will either complement your silver flat-panel display or overwhelm it. Either way, it will add some bling to your room. Its front panel has an auxiliary input and a jack for the IntelliBeam microphone. There are also input select and volume buttons and an LCD readout. The back panel is as thick with jacks as some stereo receivers. You'll find two HDMI inputs and one output, two component-video and three composite-video inputs, component- and composite-video outputs, a subwoofer output, two analog stereo inputs, four digital-audio inputs, an XM Radio input, IR input and output, an RS-232C port, an antenna jack, and a system connector used to hook up an optional Yamaha subwoofer. There's also a port to mate Yamaha's YDS-10 iPod dock ($100).
I placed the soundbar under my TV and, taking the path of least resistance, connected it to my DVD player and display via HDMI cables. I connected my own subwoofer to the Yamaha's output. Next step was the IntelliBeam setup, which meant connecting the supplied microphone, placing it at my listening position, and then waiting while the system's test tones probed the room's acoustics. In about three minutes, the system was optimized for my space.
For fun, I also connected a YDS-10 iPod dock using the cable supplied with the dock. I was able to use the remote to control the iPod, and the on-screen display (OSD) made it easy to browse the player's contents. While you can view video and photos when using a simple remote mode, you can't see video using the more advanced OSD mode.
Music Performance
Features and high-powered virtual surround are cool, but they're useless unless the speakers sound good. Fortunately, I was immediately impressed with the YSP-4000's stereo sound quality. Kashmir's vocals were properly warm and detailed, and the ultra-cool snare sound was appropriately dark and moody — though crash cymbals were a touch bright. The soundbar played extremely loudly, but it also degenerated into seriously shrill distortion. (Even though this extra gain might be useful for sources with very low output levels, the system lets you set a maximum volume, and this small chore is worth doing to muzzle any potentially loud and distorted levels.) My subwoofer handled the bass line nicely and meshed well with the bar, but when I turned down the sub's level, the Yamaha produced some decent bass on its own.
Turning to Blue Man Group, I punched in the surround modes. The first time you hear these, you'll smile. Sounds appear to originate from places where there are no speakers. Both the 5 Beam and 3 Beam + Stereo modes successfully placed images far on each end of the soundbar. The whooshing sound of the whipped boat antenna on "Sing Along" quickly swept far from side to side. Perhaps more important, the processing didn't significantly affect sound quality: Vocals and instruments remained tonally correct.
Movie Performance
I punched in the 5 Beam mode and spun Superman Returns. The sequences leading up to the "death" of Superman are dense with effects, both obvious and subtle. The YSP-4000 maintained dialogue intelligibility and timbral quality, while successfully expanding the soundfield far beyond the ends of the bar, placing images almost to either side of my listening position. (Your room acoustics might give a different result.) This yielded a broad and realistic sonic space that was plenty big enough to enjoy movies with surround soundtracks. Without my subwoofer, the LFE was a bit thin but serviceable; adding the sub delivered all the low end I needed, and the overall result was excellent.
Bottom Line
This is an impressive soundbar and — no pun intended — it raises the bar for any competitor. The YSP-4000 has every feature I can think of, and handles every detail of audio playback. Most important, it takes its "sound projector" name seriously and performs near-miracles in its ability to project a soundfield that reaches far beyond its physical cabinet. The soundfield isn't as immersive as with discrete speakers, but it's darn impressive. It's not an inexpensive solution — you can certainly buy a decent A/V receiver and surround speaker package for the cost of a YSP-4000. Still, if you've been considering a soundbar because of the convenience or cosmetic factors, but aren't willing to give up the perks of true surround playback, this system might well overcome your objections.
Zvox is a small Internet-based company specializing in single-cabinet speaker systems. It's committed to "less is more" audio playback, and the Model 425 is its newest offering. The single-cabinet design houses multichannel amplifiers, five 3.25-inch satellite speakers, twin 4-inch long-throw woofers, and Zvox's proprietary PhaseCue virtual-surround circuitry. Three of the satellite speakers are mounted toward the center of the cabinet and are driven by a single amplifier channel. Two more speakers are mounted toward the ends of the soundbar, and are driven by stereo amplifier channels as well as the PhaseCue circuitry upstream to open the soundfield. The side-firing woofers are mounted on the ends of the bar. Finally, a credit-card-sized remote controls a few essential features.
Setup
The imposing black metal grille across the front of the Model 425 imparts an almost industrial look. Metal grilles on each end cover the side-firing woofers and a pair of cabinet ports. Front-panel buttons control power, volume, and the PhaseCue circuit, and there's a minijack convenience input for plugging in an iPod or other temporary device. Around back are two stereo analog inputs and one full-range, monaural output for connecting an optional powered sub. There's a knob for turning on and adjusting the SANE (Sudden Noise Audio Eliminator) level, which is essentially a compressor that reduces the relative volume level of loud passages. I was bummed to find that the Model 425 offers no digital audio inputs.
Since there's no subwoofer to deal with, setup and wiring are a snap. I connected a stereo line from my DVD player and hefted the weighty soundbar underneath my TV. (A custom wall-mount bracket that uses the cabinet's threaded inserts is also available.) Using the remote, I adjusted the treble and bass levels to taste, and then spent some time playing with the PhaseCue control, which seems to extract uncorrelated "out of phase" information from the stereo mix and boosts it. The effect does open up the soundfield a bit, but can sound dreadful if cranked up.
| Price $700 / zvoxaudio.com / 781-599-5493 |
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•(2) 4-in woofers; (5) 3.25-in main drivers •Finish: black •37 x 7 x 5 in; 25 lb |
Music Performance
Kashmir's "Kalifornia" sounded great over the Model 425. There's no mistaking good, clean sound, and that was immediately evident here. Lead singer Kasper Eistrup's vocals were exactly spot-on, with just the right amount of the slight nasal sound that's characteristic of this song. The hard-driving percussion on "Rocket Brothers" had plenty of presence, but maintained correct timbre and never sounded hard. Music sounded best with the SANE turned off and the PhaseCue turned down.
The bass on both songs was good, though not gut-wrenching — despite the sizable cabinet, the small 4-inch drivers were clearly constrained by amplifier power. Still, when I raised the bass level, I was quite satisfied by the amount of low-end sound, not to mention the tonal quality of the bass line it reproduced. This is a good-sounding stereo speaker.
Blue Man Group's "Sing Along" also sounded great. The multichannel mix was downmixed in the player, so the Zvox only received and reproduced the surround-sound channels in stereo. I would have appreciated a fader adjustment somewhere in the signal path, but the downmix was fine, and the sound quality of the Model 425 was, of course, still evident. Vocals sounded natural, high and low percussion were nicely balanced across the spectrum, and synths were tight and punchy. As with straight stereo playback, I preferred to skip the PhaseCue.
Movie Performance
Turning to Superman Returns, I was pleased with the dialogue intelligibility, clean and crisp reproduction of sound effects, and generally transparent playback of the orchestral score.
Bass level is greatly affected by where the subwoofer is placed in a room, and having the woofers for deep bass built into the soundbar doesn't give you much leeway in placement. Still the Zvox did a reasonably good job of reproducing the monster LFE track in the Space Shuttle scene, especially given the arbitrary sub position and the relatively small size of the drivers. Nudging up the PhaseCue opened the soundfield a bit, while keeping dialogue intelligibility intact. It's a minor, but useful feature.
I wished that the Model 425 could deliver louder levels. My DVD player has a fixed output, and even at maximum volume, the Zvox wasn't particularly loud. Switching to a different DVD player with variable output level and boosting that source level let the soundbar drive more decent levels, but that might not be an option for some. The Model 425 could use a touch more horsepower, or at least a more liberal sensitivity setting.
Bottom Line
Putting amplifiers, satellites, and subwoofers all in one box is a minimalist's dream. And the Zvox Model 425 keeps things simple with analog inputs and basic soundfield enhancement. I was very impressed by the bar's sound quality, which rivals many discrete satellite and small sub systems I've heard. It can't reproduce surround channels (even virtually), and I wish it played louder, but its smooth sound quality makes the Zvox a contender.
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