CES 2009

Sound bars are becoming popular for flat panel displays. While we prefer a typical setup with separate left, right, and center speakers arrayed properly across the front (which will always produce a better soundstage than any single enclosure serving all channels), that type of setup doesn't work for everyone. To that end, Definitive Technology demonstrated two new sound bars, or in their words, Mythos Solo Surround Arrays: the SSA42 ($899 for panels from 30" to 46") and SSA50 ($1099, for panels 50" and up).

Each of these designs incorporates three coaxial drivers for the main left-, center-, and right-channel information, plus additional drivers that are wired in mystical ways to generate a semblance of real surround information. The bigger SSA50 is said to have higher power handling capacity for greater dynamic range. (As with most such designs, the SSA speakers are not self-powered but must be driven by an external AV receiver or separates.)