TVs, televisions, soundbars, projectors, surround sound, etc

This stuff seems to get spread across half a dozen different threads so thought I'd start a new thread with it all.

I'm looking for a decent, not too big (going under a 40" TV) soundbar (no subwoofer). Ideally something that works a bit for music too. Sonos beam is looking the favourite but it's not cheap. Anyone have any other suggestions? Cheers

Same price as the Sonos Beam so that probably rules it out, but I've got the Bose Smart Soundbar 300. Have had it about 15 months and can't fault it, just works and sound is good enough for me.

I have the fist gen Beam and I'd recommend, also nice to just chuck the radio on throughout the house as have other Sonos products

EDIT: Although Father in Law is fuming as his 1st gen products (read only work with the old app) are basically useless now. So not looking forward to that in a few years.

I've got the Beam (1st Gen, didn't realise there was a 2nd gen until ^) on the TV downstairs.

Have got a few Sonos One's throughout the house so having it tied into that for playing the radio throughout the house is great.

Cheers. Good to hear positive things about the Beam. The Bose one looks decent too, looks pretty similar features. Will have to see if I can find a review of both.

Managed to pick up a second hand Beam a while ago and apart from having some agro setting up through my ARC HDMI port for some reason, its been very good.

Also have a couple of Play:3s around the house so nice to get it all going when we have people over.

Realised recently I have zero 4k inputs into my 4k TV so that's been money well spent...

2nd hand Dali katch or kubic perhaps (the kubic is not small though)

The Dali stuff looks interesting but a bit big.

I went with the Sonos Beam in the end. Looks a nice bit of kit from a bit of a play yesterday. Bit annoying that you need an Apple phone to set it up properly.

Got a 50" Samsung frame on the chimney wall in the living room of a Victorian house. Was thinking of installing a Sonos Beam in the left alcove where the Samsung TV box lives for connecting.

Did a bit or reading and people seem to say it has to be centered to the TV. Is it really going to make that much different if it's less than 500mm away on the left? Room is 3.5m by 4m.

Alternatively is there a system that could be made of 2 speakers connected wirelessly?

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Why not put the beam under the TV?

Because I planned everything with the TV so there wouldn't be any wires showing and if I install the Beam there would for power and connection to the TV. The wall behind is solid brick.

Also open to non Sonos options of one speaker each side if they don't have to be connected together. Planning on having a set of Strings shelves either side.

It makes no difference, the only difference is the sound comes from the left of the room not the middle. I have a similar set up and my sound bar is under the equivalent of your bay window

It’s just a Bluetooth speaker.

I had speakers that were to the side of the TV, it sounded weird.

Is there not a chimney inside that chimney breast where you can run wires.

Obvious solution is wireless active speakers and connect them to the TV via Bluetooth. If it's a recent version of Bluetooth you shouldn't have any delay (although your TV will probably let you correct that anyway).

KEF lsx or Dali Oberon 1c spring to mind but I'm sure there are cheaper options. You would need to run power to them both.

Thank you. Active powered bookshelf speakers is what I'm after I believe. I might head out to a Richer Sounds shop and have a chat with the guys there see what they suggest.

Thanks for the recco, these both look greater but I'd like it to stay around £500 if possible so Dali Oberon 1, Polk Signature S15e etc ...

so Dali Oberon 1, Polk Signature S15e etc

These are passive speakers so both would need wiring to the same amp which I assume is what you're trying to avoid. If you can do this then there are a whole range of cheaper options. I have Oberon 1 mounted either side of the chimney breast with holes drilled through the chimney breast and all the wiring in the chimney to keep it neat.

If you can't do that you want to be asking for active speakers where you don't need to have the two speakers connected by a wire (most have the "amp" in one speaker and a wire that leads to another speaker).

Why not drill a hole in the wall and drop a cable down behind the TV?
I've got a similar Samsung (with the small cable and then the box elsewhere) and a Sonos Beam and my plan is to drill into the chimneybreast through the brick.

Alternatively, the Sonos Beam is only 65cm wide. Squinting at the fireplace then that might fit snugly inside?

@aggi This is interesting I'm a learning a lot here. Is the jump for Active Speakers double the price? I think I could do the drilling through chimney breast to run the speaker cable as that one is quite small and the speakers would be at the height of the TV on the shelves either side. Only annoying thing with this setup is the separate remote vs HDMI Arc.

@duncs I guess I could do that and buy the special Beam mounts that mount onto the Samsung frame. However, kind of ruins the idea of it looking like a framed picture if it's got a soundbar attached to it. Also, the hole to run the HDMI cable would have to be quite big.

How wide is the hole where the fireplace was?
If 65cm then could put it there toward the top?

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I think you might be right. I think for the sake of drilling through the chimney breast at the height of the speakers to connect them together I might go ahead and get something like the Dali Oberon 1 or Kanto YU 6.

The offering for active wireless speakers seems to be pretty limited and to cost £1k ... which isn't what I had in mind as my budget for this if I'm honest.

Or I just go the easy route and spend more ££ on the Dali Oberon 1C

Any idea what the latest sketchy chromecast knockoff is that I should be looking at?

Why not just get an actual Chromecast?

If that's what you want there's nothing better for the money.

Alternatively is there a system that could be made of 2 speakers connected wirelessly?

If you’re using an AppleTV to watch your content you could get a pair of the beefy homepods as a simple wireless audio solution, or buy an old airport express to use just about anything that takes a line in. If you’re not using an AppleTV, well, have you considered it?

Not using an Apple TV just Samsung UI. Didn't think about those, they seem discontinued but lots available second hand. Can they easily be connected and used as left right channels?

I had settled on waiting for the KEF Lsx II which should come out soon

Minimising your contact with a samsung ui will do wonders for your mental well-being.

Apple TV/HomePod process:
Get Apple TV, set up the ‘home’. If it detects one HomePod in the same ‘room’ it’ll ask if you want to use it as tv output, job done. If you have two HomePods in the same room they offer to be a stereo pair. I use an airport express plugged into an amp and some fancy speakers because I’ve only got one boss HomePod :(

Okay thanks I'll do a bit reading/video viewing. I'd have to buy it all so ends up around £700 vs £1k let's say so could be worth a punt