Best Home Audio Sound Bars
It is also a stand–alone all–in–one Sonos player that allows you to wirelessly stream all the music on earth—your iTunes library, your favorite music services, and thousands of Internet radio stations, shows and podcasts.PLAYBAR connects to your TV using a single optical cable and power cord and plays everything that is connected to your TV, from cable boxes to gaming consoles. Syncs wirelessly with other Sonos speakers so you can listen to TV or music in perfect sync, throughout your home. Control from your existing TV remote, or wirelessly connect on the Sonos app from your smart device.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have Playbar hooked up through an optical cable to my Sharp Aquos and the remote control for Xfinity TV. The remote for the cable box easily adjusts the volume for Sonos so if you are worried about that, you don't have to be."
"It's a nice product and looks great while being easy to operate (although more reliant on the Sonos application than I'd prefer). When testing the Playbar with a direct connection to a device (e.g. Apple TV) and running it compared to my 5 speaker system through my receiver I was impressed with the quality. Great idea - but the problem is that most TV's won't pass Dolby Digital (DD) 5.1 surround from HDMI to the digital/optical audio. Alternatively you can use an optical audio switch, which is fine most of the time but may not work with a blu-ray player since Playbar lacks DTS support and are also limited on inputs, but this doesn't solve what to do for certain devices that don't have an optical audio port (e.g. most computers, Wii U, etc). Pros: ++Easy set up. ++Sonos. +Decent sound from stereo source. Cons: ---Single optical input only. --No DTS support. --Entire package is expensive for 5.1 (or even 3.1). The only scenario I can see this being a good thing is if you have a room where you want to add a Sonos component and a soundbar to and you want to do it in a single package without caring about other components, like for a Den or a bedroom. But the reliance on a single optical input being provided from the TV, one which will down convert any HDMI source's audio to stereo sound, in the name of simplicity just seems like a bad idea. Sonos says they elected to omit this on the Playbase (the related product to this) because so few things used it and they wanted to focus on streaming but the issue is this limits user choice. They have their very specific viewpoint of how people should use this product and with what (5.1 over optical in DD, steaming services) and that options aren't needed. I'm not saying there's no market for this or it's terrible - if you have a TV that passes 5.1 and you don't care about DTS and Dolby Atmos it's a fine product and exactly the scenario that Sonos has in mind."
"You can’t see what the current volume level is unless you look at the slow/generally bad Sonos app, and you don’t realize how important that isn’t until it’s missing. If you’re spending >$1k for a home theater surround system, you shouldn’t have to deal with lip sync issues. Of course, there’s also the Sonos ecosystem problems, but if you’re looking at this speaker you’re probably already familiar with those limitations (e.g. no Bluetooth, no line-in, no audible support, slow app updates, etc."
Upgrade your TV audio to a premium experience with the VIZIO 38” 2.1 Sound Bar System and Wireless Subwoofer, a great fit for 42”+ Class TVs. Enjoy 100 dB of room filling, crystal clear sound with less than 1% total harmonic distortion*.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"About 2 hours from the point of starting hookup I finally decided it was a lost cause and contacted amazon for a replacement. The replacement came pretty quickly and amazon picked up the return item from the house. within 20 minutes I was able to connect via blue tooth as well as listening to movies through the television. If it were purely based on the sound quality, ease of use and setup I would have gladly given it 5 stars. However it had to be knocked down a couple pegs for the temporary aggravation it caused in the interim. I would still recommend this bar to anyone with the warning that you may spend a few extra minutes fiddling with it to keep it doing its job."
"To test this sound bar, I played lots of movies (like Godzilla, Transformers and anything else with lots of high pulsing sound) and there was no distortion whatsoever. He mentioned that he's installed sound bars for other people from all the big brand names and most of those systems didn't sound as good as my VIZIO. If you want a great sound bar and not pay and arm and a leg for it, get this system."
"The great reviews and the incredible amount of audio input options were what ultimately sold me on the Vizio sound bar along with the very reasonable price tag. This included mounting it to the bottom of my television via a WALI Universal Sound Bar bracket also purchased on Amazon. The relatively small subwoofer pairs incredibly well with the sound bar and the EQ can be adjusted to add or subtract bass, treble, and mid-range."
"Overall not recommended - Owned this unit for 2 years and had excellent initial experiences; only complaint at first was that the lowest volume setting was still loud - difficult to quietly watch tv while someone is sleeping in an adjacent room."
"Edit: the crackle now permeates all sound ranges and is infuriating - I would only recommend this particular sound bar + sub if you only want to annoy your apartment neighbors."
The sound bar allows wired connections included LINE IN, Optical, Coaxial, and RCA IN so practically every device can connect; while your favorite smartphones, tablets, and other Bluetooth devices have the option to connect wirelessly. Sitting low and stretching long, the sound bar uses tough ABS plastic and is covered by a soft touch cloth ensuring you’ll have great sound for years to come. TOUCH OR REMOTE CONTROL: Dual operation modes for convenience that feature high grade metal controls and a remote to adjust playback settings including volume and track selection (not compatible with universal remote if it doesn't have the IR learning function).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great quality speaker."
"Awesome soundbar and decently sized, perfect for a home entertainment system."
"I have a bose Cinemate soundbar for my downstairs living room, and needed a solutuon for tv upstairs but I didn't want to drop the bose money."
"Just plug into the tv with an auxiliary cord (same as what you can use in your car to plug in an mp3/ipod/whatever player), and voila, you should be set."
"The added benefit of this soundbar is that it has both RCA/Digital connections as well as bluetooth. Something to note since this soundbar is already amplified it is not a passive soundbar so hooking up to your receiver will be a bit complicated if you are looking for that type of connection."
"I really like the sound of this speaker."
"The sound is good."
"In addition to being used with my TV, this is bluetooth so when I am not watching TV then I have the ability to broadcast my music wirelessly."
Best Home Audio Phono Preamps
For the USB port Electric current, If a small part TV may not supply reach to 1A, When insert it to the TV USB port and don't turn on or flashes sometimes, You can simply use the 5V 1A Universal USB Wall Charger to power the led strip lights instead. 5.The LED Light Strip can be turn on/off the same time with the TV' power on/off, but get few exceptions as different TV version. 1 x Vansky 80 Inch LED RGB Bias Lighting TV Backlight with 16 Inch USB Cable. 1 x. Wireless Remote Control. 1 x 3M Adhesive Tap (Spare). 1 x Use Manual. What you get- Vansky LED strip light bias lighting for TV with Wireless Remote Control, spare 3m adhesive tap, together with 45 days money back, One year guarantee and friendly, Easy-to-reach support.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"They came pretty fast and set up was easy ..just peel and stick and love the colors."
"considering there are tons of led light strips out there by like Phillips, which cost an arm and a leg, this one is cheap yet works!"
"The issue I had was the first one I got had no working blue lights, so all colors requires blue input were just dim green or red. I received it yesterday, the red doesn't work on this set."
"The light creates the sense of being in a small movie theater."
"This is THE kit that you should buy when your'e looking to purchase multi-colored LED strips with a remote control."
"Even though my TV had 3 USB ports, I had to add a USB 2.0 Hub to use this; never enough ports."
"These are Led Strip Lights for blocking out the glare when watching tv or playing games on his TV."
"The backlight was exactly what I was looking for."
Best Home Audio Receivers & Amplifiers
How to Use: 1.Power on/off Power on: Press the multifunction button about 3 seconds until the blue and red indicator lights start flashing alternately. 3.Pairing: (1)Before using the receiver first time, please be sure to have it fully charged. (2)Connect Mpow with your car stereo. (3)Press the multifunction button about 3 seconds until the blue and red indicator lights start flashing alternately. (4)Turn on the Bluetooth function of your phone. (5)Search for the Bluetooth devices and select “MPOW”. (6)If there is needs a code, please enter “0000”. (7)If pairing is successful, the blue indicator light would flash slowly. DUAL-LINK CONNECTION & WIDE COMPATIBILITY : Mpow could connect two Bluetooth devices at once and the Bluetooth range up to 30 feet in open space without obstacles.And it also could compatible with most Bluetooth enabled devices like smartphone, MP3, tablet, etc, ideal for home or vehicle audio systems.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Your music will be a little quieter and not as bassy as it is when you use an auxiliary cable to connect directly to your device. Even so, this device is an ideal solution for the target demographic - folks that just want to eliminate that auxiliary cord and stream audio to their radio via bluetooth without breaking the bank. Update 12/29/2014: I had previously rated this as a 4-star device - because of the loss of audio volume/fidelity...but after an 8 hour road trip and the device lasting the ENTIRE trip and then some...I'm bumping my rating up to 5-stars."
"You'll need to power it off or disconnect bluetooth when you leave vehicle or you'll miss calls or continue streaming media. I might add this, for I found audibility as an issue in a different review; The sound is LOUDER than using an auxiliary cord or just listening to the radio! Just make sure you long press (hold the + button) the volume all the way up until it beeps, then turn your device all the way up and adjust as needed with your radio controls."
"I am ALWAYS listening to music in my car (I have a 2008 chevy) and have always used an auxiliary cord to connect my phone (iPhone 6plus) to my stereo. Turned on the Bluetooth option on my iPhone 6plus held the multifunction button down for 3 seconds and selected MPOW under my Bluetooth settings in my phone and plugged the little guy in!"
"My audiophile friends told me it was a stupid idea to buy this to make my Audio-Technica m50x headphones wireless."
Best Home Theater Speakers
Compact and Superior. Enjoy your music with 360 degree stereo sound realized through dual high performance drivers (6W x 2) and a uniquely enhanced bass. Capacitive Touch Control: DOSS touch portable speaker makes it easy to control the mood and energy of any party by giving you fingertip control of the tracks you're playing, their volume and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"From outstanding highs and mids with descent bass to loud and clear sound, this speaker blows the competitors out of the water! And I also bought a Speaker Case DOSS Speaker Case, UtechSmart Premium PU Leather Shockproof Waterproof Carrying EVA Case Cover Storage Pouch Bag for DOSS Bluetooth Speaker to protect it well."
"Even with a 50 HP motor directly behind me I can still hear it over my 4 stroke yamaha engine. I can load up many of my favorite artists on a 16 GB micro sd card and I don't have to drain my phone using bluetooth. I like to stream Pandora but in the boat there are times I lose the cell signal. The micro SD card solves this issue and actually sounds better than bluetooth.Finally, yesterday after a day on the water i mistakenly left the speaker in my boat while I hosed it down."
"Purchasing this was a great choice and I would highly suggest purchasing this product if you are in the market for a great sounding portable speaker."
"Sounds crisp & good, new trend designed, looks attractive at any location, bass is ok but depend type of music listen to."
"Milla, the customer service representative, sent very precise instructions, the update was simple to install and worked beautifully. The company, Wonders Check, is located in China and I don’t know where their customer service center is located, but that’s great turnaround time."
"Great sound quality and long lasting battery time."
"The quality of his speaker I just amazing and it's portable and runs off its own battery once charged."
"Only "con" when you reach max volume the music pauses for like 2-3 seconds, meanwhile the speakers will play a tune, to let you know max volume."
Best Audio Component Equalizers
Enable your TV set to be connected with 3 peripheral devices, such as Xbox, DVD player, PS3 etc.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I had 2 systems on the first adapter then chained together the second adapter on the 3rd input."
"I have a monitor that doesn't have an AV port only HDMI, took a gamble to see if an AV/HDMI adapter will work with Fosmon."
"This device allowed me to have all three hooked up to the sound bar."
"This product works exactly as it is supposed to."
"I bought this so I could switch from receiver output to headphones and it worked great."
"The cord is too short, but I just switched cords with my DVD player to get it to the length I need it without it hanging awkwardly in the middle."
"It felt like cheap plastic when i got it, so I wasn't expecting it to actually work, but it does, it's exactly what I needed to try and maintain a tangled mess of wires on a gaming set!"
"This is a waste of money."
Best Home Theater Systems
This proprietary technology provides a dynamic frequency range and an expansive soundstage, resulting in smooth, realistic sound that emanates from each satellite speaker as well as the center channel. Made up of four Take satellite speakers, a Take center channel speaker and one 200-watt Take powered subwoofer, each high-gloss black speaker component in this system is masterfully integrated with each other creating a killer sound that is much bigger than it looks and that seamlessly meshes with any flat panel HDTV system. View larger . View larger . View larger . View larger . Integrating the best technologies Energy has to offer, the Take Classic can fill your room with hair-rising effects and theater-like sound: hyperbolic aluminum dome tweeters for screaming highs, Convergent Source Modules for clear, crisp dialogue and music and a Ribbed Elliptical Surround on the subwoofer that makes every explosion a room shaking affair. Our patented Convergent Source Module (CSM) 3-inch poly-titanium woofer and .75-inch hyperbolic aluminum-dome tweeter -the heart of Energy speakers Patented Ribbed Elliptical Surround woofers create high efficiency, low distortion An aluminum dome tweeter for sonic accuracy Front and rear venting for more powerful bass response. The CSM gives soundtracks a dynamic frequency range and a huge soundstage, for smooth, realistic sound from each satellite speaker and the center channel. Ribbed Elliptical Surround Technology Energy's patented Ribbed Elliptical Surround technology (U.S. patent #6,725,967, Canadian patent #2,407,123) increases excursion, eliminates distortion and raises efficiency on woofers and subwoofers. What's in the Box A 6-piece, high gloss black set of Energy Take Classic 5.1 speakers: 4-Take satellite speakers, 1-perfectly matched Take center channel speaker, 1-perfectly matched Take powered subwoofer; 1-owners manual. Frequency Response - Sat: 115Hz-20KHz; Center: 110Hz-20KHz; Subwoofer: 33Hz-150Hz +/- 3dB Crossover Point - 2.9 kHz Sensitivity - 89dB Power Handling - Sat & Center: 100 Watts; Subwoofer: 200 Watts Recommended Amplifier Power - 20 - 100 Watts RMS (continuous) Impedance - 8-ohm compatible Subwoofer Variable Low Pass Filter - 40Hz-150Hz @ 18dB/octave Tweeter - ¾-inch (19 mm) Hyperbolic™ aluminum-dome Woofer - Sat & Center: 3-inch poly-titanium; Sub: 8" IM Cone with Patented Ribbed Elliptical Surround Dimensions (inches) - Sat: 6 7/8 x 4 1/8 x 4 1/8; Center: 4 1/8 x 10 1/4 x 4 1/8; Subwoofer: 12 5/8 x 12 5/8 x 12 5/8 (add 2 1/6" for feet) Weight - Sat: 2.9 lbs; Center: 3.2 lbs; Subwoofer: 19.7 lbs. The three most common subwoofer locations include corners (which can result in boomy or exaggerated low frequency response), placement along a wall, away from the corner (producing moderate bass performance with increased fidelity over corner placement), or beside a front speaker (creating a better blend with the front speaker, but sacrificing overall volume). 4 gloss black 2-way Energy satellite speakers.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is my first "real" 5.1 speaker system (having upgraded from a HTIB), so I don't have a lot to compare them to, but to me they sound great.."
"Solid,Heavy construction, great sound, wicked bass.....except for that danged bright blue light .... guys you gotta install an on/off switch for that thing ...."
"They are pretty good speakers, not great but offers a good home theater sound. The only speaker that I really feel doesn't give off enough sound, is probably the center speaker."
"As such, dialog is often difficult to understand even if the volume is loud enough.The center channel produces such clear voice that I understand even the whispers. I've wanted a Bose Acoustimass for a number of years and had the money to buy them, but decided to listen to all of the major reviews online.I bought the Energy Take Classics on a gamble. I also bought a Sony DH540 receiver and a Sony S5100 BluRay player."
"One last thing, 14 gauge speaker is about the max size speaker wire these will take and I'd also suggest using open spade lug crimp connectors as threading bare speaker through the binding post holes is a massive PITA."
"I decided to purchase this system because I just can't buy into the overpriced hype any more. When I heard these speakers I just laughed to my self because they sounded better then speakers thousand of dollars more. Amazon also did a great job at getting me the package without any issues."