Now i wanna buy a TOTR sound bar, any advice/recco's would be appreciated.

[Pumpuynarak]

As per the topic title, i've already got a Samsung which is very good imo, paid 12K bht for it but if there's anything out there better which there must be i would appreciate knowing about it. I've obviously looked around online and i see some priced at 40K, are they that special to warrant the pricing, if they are i'm up for one.

TIA  

[tommy dee]

2 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

As per the topic title, i've already got a Samsung which is very good imo, paid 12K bht for it but if there's anything out there better which there must be i would appreciate knowing about it. I've obviously looked around online and i see some priced at 40K, are they that special to warrant the pricing, if they are i'm up for one.

TIA  

having already had surround sound, i bought a cheaper EGA soundbar.  opened it up and wired in two side speakers.  i like it that way.  and not dear either

[Toy Boy]

7 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

As per the topic title, i've already got a Samsung which is very good imo, paid 12K bht for it but if there's anything out there better which there must be i would appreciate knowing about it. I've obviously looked around online and i see some priced at 40K, are they that special to warrant the pricing, if they are i'm up for one.

TIA  

I've got a couple of Samsung sound bars, the newest one cost around 16K Baht and has a monster sub-woofer. I'm pretty happy with them, my only gripe is that the 'new' TV (which is coming up to 3 years old now) has several different sound settings. I mostly use the adaptive sound setting for watching videos, but it results in some weird effects with high sounds listening to music, so I switch to the surround sound or standard settling if I remember to.

I've no idea if it's worth paying 40K Baht or more for one, but after years spent working in high-intensity noise environments on drilling rigs my hearing is like Beethoven's, i.e. shot, lol. There's an upside to that, though, as I often fail to hear the GF nagging me for more money.

[Aqualung]

https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/home-cinema/best-soundbars

If your thinking about spending quite a lot of money, my advice would be to ask for a demonstration. That may mean using a hi-fi or audio specialist shop instead of the electrical sores. 

[Pumpuynarak]

7 hours ago, Aqualung said:

https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/home-cinema/best-soundbars

If your thinking about spending quite a lot of money, my advice would be to ask for a demonstration. That may mean using a hi-fi or audio specialist shop instead of the electrical sores. 

Thanks for the link, its very informative. Yes indeed when i bought my Denon AV receiver and JBL surround sound system i did just as you say and sourced it from an audio specialist shop and benifited from a demo and i might do just the same again but they have to have what i want to buy.

[Aqualung]

29 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Thanks for the link, its very informative. Yes indeed when i bought my Denon AV receiver and JBL surround sound system i did just as you say and sourced it from an audio specialist shop and benifited from a demo and i might do just the same again but they have to have what i want to buy.

Yes of course they do. So maybe a trip to BKK. 

I've been a part time audiophile since my teens and the what hi-fi magazine I used to buy was particularly helpful in sourcing good quality budget hi - fi which would perform just aswell as overpriced Bang and Olufson gear. In fact it opened my eyes to some real quality stuff. 

When it comes to a TV, here in Sweden it's difficult to find my favourite brand of TV which is Panasonic so I had to make do with a Sony Bravia ( turned out to be a good choice) 

As for my sound bar and subwoofer I bought Samsungs expecting nothing but mediocrity. I could have gone for Denon or JBL but I'd already spent enough. Turned out they were adequate for what I needed and sounded great. 

My audio needs for TV aren't as important to me as audio for musical needs. That's another story. 

[Pumpuynarak]

Thanks, i'm more than happy with my Samsung sound bar but i'm always considering so called better equipment as i'm a massive music fan and really enjoy quality loud sound lol. I'm curious what these sound bars costing 40K offer compared to those at 12K. My mate here bought a Chinese sound bar costing 1.800bht and he's really happy with it, i've never heard it so the juries out lol

When i lived in the UK i always bought high spec Sony TV's and audio equipment but had Bose speakers surround sound gear, it ticked all the boxes for me but since arriving in Thailand i've become a Samsung fan, i agree with your B&O comment.

Perhaps as you say a trip to Bangers might be the way to go if i can't source/get a demo here in Korat.

[Aqualung]

35 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Thanks, i'm more than happy with my Samsung sound bar but i'm always considering so called better equipment as i'm a massive music fan and really enjoy quality loud sound lol. I'm curious what these sound bars costing 40K offer compared to those at 12K. My mate here bought a Chinese sound bar costing 1.800bht and he's really happy with it, i've never heard it so the juries out lol

When i lived in the UK i always bought high spec Sony TV's and audio equipment but had Bose speakers surround sound gear, it ticked all the boxes for me but since arriving in Thailand i've become a Samsung fan, i agree with your B&O comment.

Perhaps as you say a trip to Bangers might be the way to go if i can't source/get a demo here in Korat.

Just be aware Pump as you already know. You get what you pay for. Tvs by themselves arent built for sound quality so don't waste 40k on a spoundbar unless you want to replace you current TV to some monster edition. 

Sennheiser, who I swear by regarding headphones have a monster of a spoundbar. It's terribly expensive and a waste of time. Midrange is the way to go imho. 

I think you can improve on your current set up but not by much. And much depends on the quality of what you are viewing on your TV. 

My set up is good for me, but as I live in an apartment block I have to be careful re the volume as my Syrian neighbours get pissed of at listening to Black Sabbath, AC/ DC etc etc. 

Good luck with your purchase. You'll be fine. 

[Aqualung]

I would be interested to know if you have a hi-fi set up mate. 

What does it consist? 

[Pumpuynarak]

28 minutes ago, Aqualung said:

Just be aware Pump as you already know. You get what you pay for. Tvs by themselves arent built for sound quality so don't waste 40k on a spoundbar unless you want to replace you current TV to some monster edition. 

Sennheiser, who I swear by regarding headphones have a monster of a spoundbar. It's terribly expensive and a waste of time. Midrange is the way to go imho. 

I think you can improve on your current set up but not by much. And much depends on the quality of what you are viewing on your TV. 

My set up is good for me, but as I live in an apartment block I have to be careful re the volume as my Syrian neighbours get pissed of at listening to Black Sabbath, AC/ DC etc etc. 

Good luck with your purchase. You'll be fine. 

Thanks, i got a Samsung 4k smart TV linked up to a Denon AV receiver with the JBL surround sound speakers up in my double bedroom with balcony, i used to also have a Denon CD player but that went south after a few years due to the humidity, i have'nt bothered to replace it as yet due to most of my music listening is from Youtube Premium despite bringing my vast (circa 300) CD music collection from the UK which cost me 30K import duty from Thai customs 😟  In the lounge i got once again a Samsung 4K smart TV linked up to a Samsung soundbar which i have to say is pretty good.

On reading that article you kindly supplied i think you're probaly right ''mid range is the way to go''.

My neighbours are fine with the volume turned up occasionally as long as i don't ''take the piss'' lol, like most Thais they are very tolerant and i don't abuse that fact.    

Edited October 3, 2023 by Pumpuynarak

[Glasseye]

23 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Thanks, i'm more than happy with my Samsung sound bar but i'm always considering so called better equipment as i'm a massive music fan and really enjoy quality loud sound lol. I'm curious what these sound bars costing 40K offer compared to those at 12K. My mate here bought a Chinese sound bar costing 1.800bht and he's really happy with it, i've never heard it so the juries out lol

When i lived in the UK i always bought high spec Sony TV's and audio equipment but had Bose speakers surround sound gear, it ticked all the boxes for me but since arriving in Thailand i've become a Samsung fan, i agree with your B&O comment.

Perhaps as you say a trip to Bangers might be the way to go if i can't source/get a demo here in Korat.

 

As you know I am also a huge music fan (lol, how many years have we been swapping tunes in here ?).

I am still struggling to figure out exactly what I want to do with my "sound situation". Everytime I begin to feel like I am close to making a decision I get bogged down with the particulars or sidetracked with other unrelated issues.

For me sound quality is something that I just sense. In other words... it is either good, ok, or shit. 

Kind of like wine for me. It either tastes good or it doesn't. So, if I am going to drink it I will just buy something at a good price. I don't know jack shit about the vintage, and I don't know jack about high level quality of sound. 

I do reckon there is a line where spending above a certain point is not going to make a difference to my ears. Something like the point of diminishing returns.

[Pumpuynarak]

1 hour ago, Glasseye said:

 

As you know I am also a huge music fan (lol, how many years have we been swapping tunes in here ?).

I am still struggling to figure out exactly what I want to do with my "sound situation". Everytime I begin to feel like I am close to making a decision I get bogged down with the particulars or sidetracked with other unrelated issues.

For me sound quality is something that I just sense. In other words... it is either good, ok, or shit. 

Kind of like wine for me. It either tastes good or it doesn't. So, if I am going to drink it I will just buy something at a good price. I don't know jack shit about the vintage, and I don't know jack about high level quality of sound. 

I do reckon there is a line where spending above a certain point is not going to make a difference to my ears. Something like the point of diminishing returns.

You're bang on the money mate, no point in paying out large dosh if ya don't need to, and keep posting the tunes lol