Audio Video News

Soundbars may be one of the top selling categories in consumer electronics today, offering a simple and inexpensive path to (faux) surround sound, but many hardcore enthusiasts who read Sound & Vision wouldn’t dream of using one for their main AV setup, according to the findings of our soundbar poll. We asked “do you own a soundbar" and offered several yes/no choices, but the vote wasn’t as overwhelming against soundbars as you might think. Although half of the respondents “would never consider a soundbar,” four in ten acknowledged using one for different reasons. Here’s the breakdown…

50% (337 votes) – No. I love my 5/7.1 home theater setup and would never even consider a soundbar for my main setup.

18% (122 votes) – Yes. It’s a perfect low-clutter solution for my bedroom (or other secondary space).

12% (83 votes) – Yes. I use one in my primary home entertainment space because I don’t have room for multiple speakers.

9% (59 votes) – No. I would never buy a soundbar for myself or anyone else; I don't think they should have a place in the A/V world.

6% (40 votes) – No, but I bought one as a gift for my parents/grandparents (or other friend or relative) because it’s easy to set up and use.

5% (33 votes) – Yes. I use one in my primary home entertainment space because my spouse won’t let me set up a system with multiple speakers.