SurroundBar Questions

Bobsama

Hi. Long-time Polk listener here primarily from the Vintage section. My stepfather is looking for a surround sound setup. I steered him away from your typical $300 BluRay+HTIB and more towards using a Polk SurroundBar. My question is centered on the SurroundBar 3000 IHT.

Is the 3000IHT a 5-channel bar or is it like a 2-channel or 3-channel one? Is it more like the regular IHT, the SurroundBar 42, or the SB 50 (with the exception of an internal amp & opt/coax input)? I was looking at the SurroundBar 50 and it seems nice, but the 3000IHT is cheaper of course.

My stepfather liked the wireless subwoofer idea (I personally hate the idea) and both my stepfather and my mother adore the idea of a single speaker bar. They like my SDA-1's but I'm moving them into storage in a week or so.

Topper

the Surroundbar 3000 is more of an LCR bar. If you want a similar powered bar with wireless sub that does surround sound, hang on a few more weeks for the upcoming Surroundbar 6000 IHT.

(By the way i've tried the original IHT and the new 3000 and for both of them the wireless connection for the sub is excellent. Signal never dropped out or anything. If you didn't know they werent wired, you'd never be able to tell )

Bobsama

I am looking for L+C+R+SS: I could care less about SW (I'd rather have a Velodyne). Preferably have the SDA effect on the L, R, and SS to have the most complete sound stage (like the SurroundBar 50)

TECHNOKID

Is the 3000IHT a 5-channel bar or is it like a 2-channel or 3-channel one? Is it more like the regular IHT, the SurroundBar 42, or the SB 50 (with the exception of an internal amp & opt/coax input)? I was looking at the SurroundBar 50 and it seems nice, but the 3000IHT is cheaper of course.

While the 3000IHT is amazing Polk product you get what you pay for. Think about it, you pay less for a product that includes built amp when compared with the SB50 which you actually need amp over your cost. So depending exactly what you are looking for...

Topper wrote: »

the Surroundbar 3000 is more of an LCR bar. If you want a similar powered bar with wireless sub that does surround sound, hang on a few more weeks for the upcoming Surroundbar 6000 IHT.

(By the way i've tried the original IHT and the new 3000 and for both of them the wireless connection for the sub is excellent. Signal never dropped out or anything. If you didn't know they werent wired, you'd never be able to tell )

According to the below statement, Polk seems to claim it does simulate rear speakers.

■Delivers bigger, fuller sound with no rear speakers. No rear speakers means no messy wiring and no clutter. Just a beautiful, sleek speaker that complements your flat panel TV and a compact subwoofer that sits tucked out of the way.

My only beef is that Polk doesn't seem to provide specs for the 3000IHT.

Bobsama wrote: »

I am looking for L+C+R+SS: I could care less about SW (I'd rather have a Velodyne). Preferably have the SDA effect on the L, R, and SS to have the most complete sound stage (like the SurroundBar 50)

Velodine might be overkilled for any type of surround bars... Would you put a firefly motor in a vette or would you put a vette motor in a firefly (get the drift?).

Wireless speakers are just as great as wired speakers! Think about it, radio has been over the air for many moons and as soon as technology moved to FM (radio frequency) versus AM (amplitude modulations) there hasn't been any real issues. Think about it, for many years, audiophiles has listened to FM radio on their expensive high end systems withouth complaint so IMHO, it is even easier to provide quality FM or RF to your speakers from home (locally) specially that this technology has greatly improved over the years. I actually been fortunate enough to do some testing using RF 2.4 Ghz testing with speakers I normally used wired and didn't notice any major difference. Yet Polk also use 2.4 Ghz wireless frequency foe their wireless subwoofers. The main concern is to make sure no other gear sich as wireless routers and phones interfers with the wireless sub. Good quality wireless gear will usually provide frequency selector switch in order to avoid such problem, check if Polk wireless provides for such options.

Topper

BOBSAMA:

If you aint in a hurry, looks like the Surroundbar 6000 is more up your alley as it has SDA and handles dolby digital and everything. Perfect for the parents or the wives or the kids where they only have to deal with the tv remote and everythings good to go .

(If you already have a receiver though and are seriously looking to pick up a velo, the surroundbar 50 is the bar for you)


TECHNOKID:

The 3000 definitely sounds much fuller with a much wider sound stage than regular tv speakers but with its stereo inputs, it wouldnt be the best choice if surround sound is what your looking for. (But if your just looking for an affordable and easy-to-use upgrade of your tv speakers (like for the spare bedroom or for grandma and stuff, its an excellent choice)

Bobsama

I want both the rear and front channels to be SDAed (like the SurroundBar 50). Power is no real issue--my stepfather has a half-decent Sony receiver (a $600 7x100W model from a few years ago) and they actually don't do THAT bad with my SDA-1's. Naturally they could do better, but it's plenty for them.

They have a (crappy) subwoofer that I don't really want to use--I've been eying a Velodyne VX-11 or VDR-10BV. I'd prefer not to further clog the common wireless frequencies--we're already 900MHz, 2.4GHz, and 5.8GHz for wireless phones, access points, and phones.

Right now, they have my Polk SDA-1's as main L/R and a set of my stepfather's crappy Sony "We don't know how to seal Acoustic Suspension speakers". Those are going and not just because they're crap--my mom doesn't want speaker wires in any walkways so the right side channel is spited. The left side channel is fine since I ran #16 copper biwire under the radiator kickboard. Both are going, however, as soon as we pick a SurroundBar (or my stepfather gets inpatient and buys a $300 HTIB with a Blu-Ray player and wireless rear speakers).



So bottom line: the 3000IHT is a slightly bigger version of the SDA IHT. Is the 6000IHT going to be more in the vein of the 360 DVD Theater or more like the SurroundBar 50?

TECHNOKID

Bobsama, since your stepfather already own a receiver IMHO, I think you'd be better go with the SB50. Remember, you get what you pay for, think about it, paying less for some that has built in amp versus un-powered speakers, which one would you think provides best SQ?

I own the SB42 and it is very impressive for a single box 5.1. Doro (Mark) has a few of the SB50 and I think he could comment on the improvement over the SB42. I believe the SB50 frequency is much better. IMHO, it is much better to aim toward the un-powered SBs with seperate receiver than any built in powered IHT.

As far as wireless goes, just test with a BB good Rocketfish wireless kit (selectable frequency carrier) and see if you like it. If not, simply return the unit to BB

Bobsama

Alright. Hows the 360 DVD Theater one? Can you dispense of the hideous DVD player or is it basically required? I like the front & side SDA and supposedly digital SDA (is there a real difference when listening?) looks interesting.

TECHNOKID

Bobsama wrote: »

Alright. Hows the 360 DVD Theater one? Can you dispense of the hideous DVD player or is it basically required? I like the front & side SDA and supposedly digital SDA (is there a real difference when listening?) looks interesting.

Someone can correct if I am wrong but IMHO, you need the DVD to power the bar (proprietary connections?).

I believe someone went through the pin connections in a different thread...