Polk Audio SurroundBar (42", 50", 360 DVD Theater, SDA IHT) - Review/ Help Thread

svtjoe

I would like to know the wattage on the surroundbar360 as well.

I recieved my Surroundbar50 hooked it up to my My Denon 2805 and Velo CHT10 and the sound is awesome. It gets so loud on pure direct mode! Clear highs, tight mids..but as stated it needs the sub, just as the Sub needs the SB.

Break in period.. I played with it and went to -12 yesterday for a while, watched a movie or two at good volume and then went Pure Direct at near refrence volume for a tad today and it was fantastic. BUT, did I hurt anything going that high so early? These drivers are tiny compared to the RTi or LSI line, so I would think break in would be less of an issue (just dont want to hurt the speaker)
Thanks,

Joe

jacob.simpson

Please sombody reply

jacob.simpson wrote: »

Answers please

tennispunck4

I just got ahold of my surroundbar yesterday and paired it with a Marantz 5002 and a PSW10(for now, PSW1000 is on the way) and wondered if anyone else had had good luck with lossless audio from bluray sources. Not to say I've had bad luck but I have only just begun to tweak the surroundbar and receiver and was just looking for some other thoughts on setup. I run bluray through ps3 via HDMI, 14g wire to SB and have been going back and forth with line level and speaker level for the sub. I have a center channel from another system I once had that I was going to use when I finish moving my furniture to add some xtra to the rear. My biggest concern is what to do with the lossless signal since the SB has filters in it. Does this limit what you can do with DD HD or DTS HD? So far I've only had time to skip around through Pirates 3 and went back and forth with different settings. I know that every room is different as well as a persons preferance so it will take some time to adjust to my full liking, just wondered who else has run HD audio with the SB and what settings they liked. Thanks.

jimbo1421

I purchased my 42" SurroundBar back in April 2007 in a package deal from Amazon.com that included the PSW10 subwoofer. After listening to it for 21 months I am forming some opinions about how well the SurroundBar fits with my system and how well satisfied I am with it. Many of the defects that I list below I believe are the fault of the receiver, not the SurroundBar. I include them to show where a system can go wrong and to solicit advice about where to make improvements in my system.

First, my system specs:
Yamaha RX-V496 AV receiver (purchased in 2000)
Sharp Aquos LC-37D62U LCD TV 1080p (2007)
Akai AP-206 Direct Drive turntable with Audio-Technica AT14Sa cartridge
MacBook Pro 2.16 GHz (2006) for iTunes (optical audio out to AVR for 5.1 channel audio)
OWC Neptune Pioneer 107 DVR for CDs and DVDs (Firewire connection to MBP)
Stereo pair of custom 3-way speakers built in 1983 by an audio enthusiast friend
Ears: 56 year old standard issue; tinnitus in left channel due to 25 years of unprotected power tool noise.


The TV and equipment had to go into a corner of my 13' x 19' living room, the right wall being only 2'-9" next to an 8' opening to the dining room. This made setting up a true 5.1 channel system somewhat impractical so I thought I would give the SurroundBar a try.

The SurroundBar is solidly built and the set up instructions were clear. The speaker wire connections are a little hard to get at with the SB on the table stand. The supplied 10 conductor ribbon cable is stiff and can be hard to maneuver through tight spaces. I cut off a 5' length and hoped I wouldn't need more than 20' in any future set up. In the first set up I passed the leads through the holes in the speaker posts and overtightened the nuts that secure them, thus severing the 18g wires. After cleaning out the little shreds of wire from around the posts and restripping the wires I just finger tightened them gently. Next time I wire them I will add banana plugs on the receiver end and spade terminals on the speaker end.

The SurroundBar sits on the TV stand 23" off the floor, angled slightly upward toward those 56 year old ears; the TV mounted just a half inch above on a swiveling post attachment. I would like to contrive an extra mount for the SB so that it can swivel with the TV and accommodate different viewing positions. Per Polk's recommendation I wired the PSW10 in parallel with the left & right front channels. In the AVR set up I set all the speakers to Large and Bass Out to Main (which sends all bass and LFE channel to the left and right front speaker output). There is also a pink noise test generator in the AVR which I used to balance the 5 channels for equal volume. I opened a Netflix account and sat back to enjoy some movies.

And I did enjoy them. This is my first big HD TV and it sure beat my old 27" Curtiss Mathes console (ca.1979 purchased at a yard sale in 1994). Big, beautiful picture with a big sound from the SurroundBar. I have some trouble understanding dialog in noisy scenes so I boosted the center channel +6db which helped. (Try doing that at Century 21!) The subwoofer put out satisfying thumps that I had never heard before on my old stereo VCR setup.

Still, I was aware that the soundstage was nowhere near the 180 degree width that other reviewers reported. Perhaps only 90 degrees, a couple of feet beyond either end of the SurroundBar. Over the past 18 months I studied these forums and reviews as well as the Yamaha manual and gradually educated myself about surround sound. Several suggestions were to boost the output of the surround channels anywhere from +4 to +12 db. I tried that and eventually settled on +6 db. I found a separate addendum in the SB paperwork, which I had overlooked, saying to set the surround delay to 15 milliseconds. And here is where it got really tricky.

The Yamaha AVR has 23 different digital sound field processor programs (DSP) for 2 channel stereo, 2 channel Dolby Digital, 5.1 channel Dolby Digital and 5.1 channel DTS. They have names like "DTS DIGITAL SUR/Normal", 70mm SCI-FI" or "DGTL ADVENTURE", along with some advertising bunkum describing them. There is even one called "CECIL B DEMILLE RELIGIOUS SPECTACLE". No kidding, check it out. Each of these DSP programs has its own surround delay setting as well as other programming intended to mimic various types of sound fields found in movie theaters. These delay settings can be adjusted for each individual DSP program by pressing the right buttons on the remote in just the right order. You can also override the volume settings made in the earlier pink noise test by pressing other buttons. Do it wrong and you can get the surround effects hopelessly screwed up. I know I did. Talk about interactive television, watching TV has never been so complicated. Whew!

I found the chart in the Yamaha manual which lists the delay settings for all the DSP programs and got things straightened out. I also found some programs had that 15 ms delay recommended in the addendum and tried that. Voil

svtjoe

Jim,

Awesome write up. I am still tweaking my SB50. I really like it but I currently have a wall directly behind me which kills the effect. If I move up a couple of feet, it is great. I am moving in two weeks and will have a new setup in the house and I cant wait to mount the SB under the plasma. I have played with the height and I am thinking about mounting it above the plasma..

I am not sure how that will effect the sound.

Also, I have 12awg wire ready to go for the new house, along with power conditioners for my Denon AVR (100 watts per channel). I am thinking that the power and wire should help.

Dialog is sometimes tough to here. Your recommendation is right on as far as the incrase of the center channel.


I would look at the Mid Range Denon's and the new Yamahas. You could find 110 watts per channel in your range.

Upgrade the wire as I hear you get more sound (will find out in a week or so).

The settings on my reciever for delay are in feet, not time delay.
I need to find a chart.


Thanks,

Joe

TECHNOKID

Upgrade the wire as I hear you get more sound (will find out in a week or so).

Below, is from of our discussion at DHC:

There is no real reason to use to large speaker wire, but if it's cheap I guess why not...

From BCAE site:

Quote:
Resistance in Speaker Wire:
Many people are told that they need to use very large speaker wire to prevent a noticeable loss in output. For most situations, 16g speaker wire is absolutely fine. In the following calculator, you can see just how little loss you'll have with a given wire size. Keep in mind that 1 dB is generally the minimum difference you'll be able to hear. If the loss is less than 1dB, you'll never hear it.

Here is a handy Calculator (http://www.bcae1.com/images/swfs/speakerwireselectorassistant.swf) to find all you need to know about your wire run at any length and gauge.

Assuming a 100 WPC receiver a 10ft run of 16 gauge will have a loss of 0.09db, 12 gauge lowers it to 0.03db. Since anything less than 1db is undetectable to human hearing it really doesn't give you any advantage to go thick.

For our purpose here, let's take jimbo1421's receiver value and do the exercise to see what kind of an improvement he would get with 12 gage versus the included 18 gage cable assembly: http://www.bcae1.com/images/swfs/speakerwireselectorassistant.swf

For use with 18 gage wire the values are as follow: 70 watts @ 20 feet cable w/18 gage wire @ 8 ohms impedance = 0.27 db loss...

For use with 12 gage wire the values are as follow: 70 watts @ 20 feet cable w/12 gage wire w/8 ohms impedance = 0.07 db loss

this means your gain for using such a larger wire is only a difference of 0.20 db loss. Not even a1 db difference! NOTE: You need to approximately double the db rating in order to experience a small increase of about 10 watts. Can you imagine, we are pretty far from this result. When Polk's engeeners developped the bar I would imagine they did consider that the cabling being so short was playing in their favor and thus not requiring such powerfull drivers nor receivers to accomplish the task!

jimbo1421, your receiver is actually more of a threath to damage your SB being underpowered compared to a receiver with much more closer match since the distorsion spikes coming from the receiver can be very harmfull to your receiver. In order to operate the SB safely with your receiver, it shouldn't be powered that much more than let's say 1/2 power. If you like the Yamaha, the HTR-6160 (http://www.yamaha.ca/av/PDFs/Receivers/2008_Models/HTR6160_Brochure.pdf ) and above (http://www.yamaha.ca/av/PDFs/Receivers/2008_Models/HTR6180_Brochure.pdf) would be a good match for the bar and your overall set-up. I personnally think the RM series (which the SB uses the same drivers)

jimbo1421

Hi, Technokid,

Thanks for taking the time to work through these numbers. I had read similar remarks elsewhere but was thinking of upgrading to 16 or 12 gage the next time I had the system apart just to see what happened. I think I will skip that now. Remember I cut a 5 foot length of the 25 foot, 18 gage ribbon cable supplied by Polk since the AVR is so close to the TV.

TECHNOKID wrote: »

Below, is from of our discussion at DHC:For our purpose here, let's take jimbo1421's receiver value and do the exercise to see what kind of an improvement he would get with 12 gage versus the included 18 gage cable assembly:

[snip]

this means your gain for using such a larger wire is only a difference of 0.20 db loss. Not even a1 db difference! NOTE: You need to approximately double the db rating in order to experience a small increase of about 10 watts. Can you imagine, we are pretty far from this result. When Polk's engeeners developped the bar I would imagine they did consider that the cabling being so short was playing in their favor and thus not requiring such powerfull drivers nor receivers to accomplish the task!

jimbo1421, your receiver is actually more of a threath to damage your SB being underpowered compared to a receiver with much more closer match since the distorsion spikes coming from the receiver can be very harmfull to your receiver. In order to operate the SB safely with your receiver, it shouldn't be powered that much more than let's say 1/2 power. If you like the Yamaha, the HTR-6160 (http://www.yamaha.ca/av/PDFs/Receivers/2008_Models/HTR6160_Brochure.pdf ) and above (http://www.yamaha.ca/av/PDFs/Receivers/2008_Models/HTR6180_Brochure.pdf) would be a good match for the bar and your overall set-up. I personnally think the RM series (which the SB uses the same drivers)

This concerns me more. These days I never turn the volume up more than 1/3 power when I start to get painful distortion from music sources. I cannot say if I turned it up higher some years ago when I lived in a much bigger house with a listening room 2-1/2 times bigger. Still, even at 1/3 power I can see how the 5.1 surround sound of a train wreck could overtax the system, after boosting the volume to hear quiet dialog. So I am looking to upgrade the receiver.

I have doing a lot more concentrated music listening lately and have become more aware of the shortcomings of my Yamaha RX-V496. None its 2 channel DSP programs really improve the music and more often degrade it. I will be setting up a stereo pair and listening area at the other end of my living room using the B channel and my old custom built 3 ways. So I am looking for a better, more powerful AVR that can drive the SurroundBar for home theater and the stereo set up. I think a pair of LSi9s or something like them might be in the future so the AVR needs to be 4 ohm capable. A phono input is also a must. All that gets pricey so I am keeping an eye on Craigslist.

Technokid, your post was cut off in mid sentence. If you had more to say I am eager to hear it.

Regards,
Jim

jimbo1421

jimbo1421 wrote: »

Listening to 2 channel audio is less satisfying. The Yamaha RX-V496 has three DSP programs for translating stereo input to some kind of surround sound: DISCO, ROCK CONCERT, and CONCERT HALL. These add to the width of the sound stage, which is much needed since the left and right channels are less than 3' apart. Too bad the DSP effects are often unlistenable. They add Yamaha sound engineering on top of whatever the recording engineers did; the result sometimes sounds right, but often it's just a muddle. Turning the DSP effect off leaves a much narrower sound stage, but a more listenable sound. So my solution has been to connect up my old custom built speaker pair on the AVR's B channel. The sound quality is not so good; the old speakers have an oboe-like timbre to them (saxophone, if you want to be cruel), where the SurroundBar is more neutral.

Listening to stereo recordings at higher volumes (-28db) on the SurroundBar is also not so good. I overlooked the recommended amplification specification before I bought; it's 125 watts/channel. My AVR is rated at 70 watts. The result is distortion; with classical music high register violins get shrieky and classical piano music starts to sound clangy. So I have to turn it down. On the plus side, when the choice is popular music, with the DISCO DSP, the results can be terrific. I especially like Dire Straits and Joan Armatrading at full volume.


Jim

I would like to modify these remarks from my earlier review. I find that when listening to a well engineered stereo recording, LP or CD with the DSP effect turned off and the subwoofer turned on, the sound stage is about 6-7 feet wide when seated 7 feet away from the SurroundBar. This is a good bit wider than the 3 foot separation of the left and right tweeters. It is good enough to give spaciousness to the sound. Lesser quality sources, like FM stereo, don't seem to achieve this.

Also, by full volume, I meant 1/3 power (-28db on the scale around the volume knob. More than that only the young can take.

Jim

Cardinals-1

I auditioned it out of couriosity.

For what it is it sounds amazing. Much better than the Bose junk. It will not replace a real 5.1 system anytime soon though.

svtjoe

Can someone explain why members report of the sound being much louder with increase in wire?

Why are all the audiophiles spending money on Bluejeans, Monster...ext..if its not even detectable to the human ear?

I will admit for a spool of In-wall 12 gauge, it was too cheap not to get as my other stuff is crap, but I can't figure out why people say it will became louder after the wire switch?

I will be having a 25-30 run from my component closet to the SB50.


Pics of the completed install will be posted next week.

Thanks,

Joe

TECHNOKID

I will admit for a spool of In-wall 12 gauge, it was too cheap not to get as my other stuff is crap, but I can't figure out why people say it will became louder after the wire switch?

That might put me in trouble with some audiophiles but just keep in mind our hearing is also connected to our brain and the brain can play tricks If you cable is bad then a good reason for replacing however, stay away from marketting gimmicks such as MON$TER... Blue jeans isn't bad price wise and MONOPRICE is also another good option! For people using shorter runs, don't forget that the provided cable could be used doubled-up (2 pieces of 18 gage hooked-up togehter) providing you with higher gage and just as efficient!

Cheers

TECHNOKID

SurroundBAR FAQ

When clicking on a question, the answer doesn't appear... can anyone explain why and/or what I am doing wrong?

Thanks in advance!

jimbo1421

TECHNOKID wrote: »

When clicking on a question, the answer doesn't appear... can anyone explain why and/or what I am doing wrong?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Technokid

I can't even find a page called SurroundBar FAQ. There is one called General SurroundBar Questions. The pop down answers there work for me. Do you have JavaScript enabled? I turned mine off to see what would happen: no answers pop down.

Here is a good place to say how confusing the SurroundBar pages have become. All the other series pages have a sensible layout and structure in common — Overview - Reviews - Tech Specs across the top, and the list of models down the left side. The SB page must have been done by a different committee. With no chairman. I took me 15 minutes once just to look up the specs.

Regards,

Jim

TECHNOKID

Thanks for your reply jimbo1421.

There is one called General SurroundBar Questions. The pop down answers there work for me. Do you have JavaScript enabled?

We are on the same page, I check JavaScript and it is enabled but pop down is blank for me, the answer(s) do not appear.

By the way, I tried the same first at work today and the same was going on and I know JavaScript is enabled on that computer. Maybe Canadians aren't allowed those features

Cheers

jimbo1421

TECHNOKID wrote: »

Thanks for your reply jimbo1421.

We are on the same page, I check JavaScript and it is enabled but pop down is blank for me, the answer(s) do not appear.

By the way, I tried the same first at work today and the same was going on and I know JavaScript is enabled on that computer. Maybe Canadians aren't allowed those features

Cheers

TK-
I am on the Mac side here. I tried several browsers on this page. All worked except Internet Explorer 5.2 (the last version for OS X). In fact the site is seriously screwed up in IE 5.2. The Products button is missing altogether and IE crashes when I paste in the URL for General SurroundBar Questions.

Did you try a different browser?

Regards,
Jim

dssxxxx

New member.

Looking to purchase the SDA INT. Wife factor figures in with the wireless sub. Anything without wires........ :-)

Since I would imagine from reading the online instructions, that all devices are run through the TV (Sammy 46A860). Will be using Tivo HD and BR player to be purchased when new models arrive April-June). Am also going to be using iPod to rid myself of receiver and 200 CD changer (load all 200 on iPod).

How would I took the iPod up? Would it be by purchasing a dock and running through the TV? Or some other suggestion?

Thanks in advance.

jimbo1421

You could use the RCA audio inputs for an iPod dock. The TV would have to be on and consuming power.

Or you could get a SurroundBar 42/PSW10 from Polk Direct (http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Polk-Audio-Direct__W0QQ_armrsZ1) for about $400 including shipping. Keep the receiver and study up on wire management here: http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Polk-Audio-Direct__W0QQ_armrsZ1

Regards,
Jim

dssxxxx

Well...........wire management is something I have to do in the family room.....:-)

But, this is in a living room where the stereo is in one corner (wife is replacing the wall unit), so everything inside must go. And TV/entertainment center is in center of wall where no wires can be seen (hence the entertainment center/TV on top and everything else hidden out of sight).

Would I need or can I use a iPod dock and connect to the TV, since it looks like I cannot connect directly to the SDA IHT?

Or I could use an input selector box found at most Radio Shacks, this is a device that has multiple inputs and a single output. The audio from the iPod one be connected to one set of inputs on the selector box. The television outputs would be connected to another set on inputs. Then the output, of the selector box, would be connected to the inputs of the Polk SDA. By pushing the input buttons you can select which source comes through the Polk.

What's the best solution?

Again, thanks.

jimbo1421

Input selector box = receiver.

Your TV will have unused RCA audio inputs that you could use for an iPod dock. You will still have wires running from your Tivo, BluRay disk player and iPod dock to the TV, audio out wires from the TV to the SB IHT, and power cords to all the devices.

dssxxxx

Here's the catch. Wife does not mind the few wires running from the TV behind the center and through the cut outs in the back of the console, but does not want to see any wires on the floor.

I think I have made the right choice.

Jim you have helped greatly. Just really don't know how to connect the iPod to run without turning on the TV and really don't want to go for the bucks for a separate iPod dock with speakers.

numbnuts22715

Im new, and I have no idea about home audio equipment. I'm thinking about buying a soundbar for my apartments bedroom. I dont want to have wires running around everywhere and I move apartments every year since I am in college and go home for the summer, so I figure a soundbar is the best choice. I'm a best buy employee so I do get a good discount on the soundbars, and as of now I'm looking at the surroundbar 360. What is everybody's take on this?
Ive read that the bass isnt that great coming from it, so I could also get an external subwoofer as well.
It's my understanding that I wont need anything else to run this soundbar.
I will only be hooking my ps3 and my tv up to it, and I'll just run I guess an optical cable from my tv to the soundbar, and then the hdmi to my tv to get the sound from my ps3, right?

Sorry about all the questions, I really don't know much about this.

Thanks,
Charles

nooshinjohn

numbnuts22715 wrote: »

Im new, and I have no idea about home audio equipment. I'm thinking about buying a soundbar for my apartments bedroom. I dont want to have wires running around everywhere and I move apartments every year since I am in college and go home for the summer, so I figure a soundbar is the best choice. I'm a best buy employee so I do get a good discount on the soundbars, and as of now I'm looking at the surroundbar 360. What is everybody's take on this?
Ive read that the bass isnt that great coming from it, so I could also get an external subwoofer as well.
It's my understanding that I wont need anything else to run this soundbar.
I will only be hooking my ps3 and my tv up to it, and I'll just run I guess an optical cable from my tv to the soundbar, and then the hdmi to my tv to get the sound from my ps3, right?

Sorry about all the questions, I really don't know much about this.

Thanks,
Charles

welcome to the club!... for your present needs, I would say go for it!:)

TECHNOKID

numbnuts22715 wrote: »

Im new, and I have no idea about home audio equipment. I'm thinking about buying a soundbar for my apartments bedroom. I dont want to have wires running around everywhere and I move apartments every year since I am in college and go home for the summer, so I figure a soundbar is the best choice. I'm a best buy employee so I do get a good discount on the soundbars, and as of now I'm looking at the surroundbar 360. What is everybody's take on this?
Ive read that the bass isnt that great coming from it, so I could also get an external subwoofer as well.
It's my understanding that I wont need anything else to run this soundbar.
I will only be hooking my ps3 and my tv up to it, and I'll just run I guess an optical cable from my tv to the soundbar, and then the hdmi to my tv to get the sound from my ps3, right?

Sorry about all the questions, I really don't know much about this.

Thanks,
Charles

If you are to buy an extra sub over that, you would be better in getting either the 42" or 50" with the addition of a sub and small receiver in order to get MUCH better quality for your money! Just keep in mind buying combo systems far from gives you the best results while costing the big $$$. Also realize that when loosing part of the system, the system is actually down until you get it fixed while with separate you only loose part of the system and there are chances you can still use the system in the mean time.

Cheers

kab

This is a great and informative thread, offering great insight to those in the forum. I commend all the contributors.

We could use you help on the product pages. We're short on reviews for the SurroundBar 50, 360 and the new IHT. If you have an experience with any of these, we'd love to have to you contribute a short (or long) review.

Thanks,
Al

kab

jimbo1421 wrote: »

...Here is a good place to say how confusing the SurroundBar pages have become...

We hear you Jim and are working on it.

TECHNOKID

:cool:

kab wrote: »

We hear you Jim and are working on it.

It is also great to see Polk's involvement and concerns over their product and while value the clients's opinion.

Personnaly, I chose the 42" trying to save a few dollars (while a good sale/deal was available) but while the 42" gives a very good result I wish I knew as much as I presently know as I would have definitely opted for the 50"!

I may be wrong but the 360 and the instant don't appeal to me as I feel I would have to compromise over the end result of a good stand alone receiver and the choice of a subwoofer of my choice and budget. Even driver wise, the 360 and the instant don't seem to come any close to the 42" and 50" that uses slightly better drivers (same drivers for both if I am not wrong?.

I personally see the 360 and instant closer to an HTIB which is normally quite affordable for budget concerned people but I feel the compromise is way too considerable and for which I decided to stay away from. I see the 42" and 50" as a great center compromise as you still get the quality of speakers but combined with a good receiver while having the opportunity to add a good Polk subwoofer of your choice which can still match the wallet of budget concerned people!

I must add that being technically inclined, the white paper on the SAD technology and surroundbar it self is very convincing and thus help greatly for sale! Mind you, it is explain in plain language that even a non technical could easily understand the processing. However, I think most technical people would see the white paper with great interest and curiosity. It always was much easier to read or listen to people that have knowledge and credibility over what they are talking about (not counting the passion). When the opposite arise, I tend to move away from them and more important the product also. This site is also full of knowledgeable people that when reading them I sometimes feel like a kid that doesn't know anything and is eager to learn. Thanks to Polk for the Forum experience over the fine products

Cheers

kab

TECHNOKID wrote: »

I may be wrong but the 360 and the instant don't appeal to me as I feel I would have to compromise over the end result of a good stand alone receiver and the choice of a subwoofer of my choice and budget...

There's no argument that a well chosen and properly set-up 5 speaker and sub audio system would perform as well or better. And we would way rather sell 5, 7 or 9 speakers. But, a big but, the vast majority who own home theater audio do not have complementary components and do not have the system set-up properly. What's worse is that set-up is so amazingly hard, especially with the newer gear, that the owner has no idea if the system performing up to its potential. Chances are is that it's not. The SurroundBars eliminate or at least minimize the set-up issues

Most here on the forum are technically saavy (or have nothing else to do ) and can screw with their gear until it's right.

The SB 42 and 50 have appeal to those like you who have the gear and the know-how but have a situation where 5 speakers are not wanted, not appropriate or not possible.

TECHNOKID

The SB 42 and 50 have appeal to those like you who have the gear and the know-how but have a situation where 5 speakers are not wanted, not appropriate or not possible.

Actually, I do have the room for the 5 speakers and even wanted them and bought them (RM20 5 pack and 6 RM30) bought the surroundbar technology was and still is intriging and appealing. I am having a ball toying with all of those speakers and I do specially cherish the Polk bar as I find the SDA very clever technology. My point was solely aimed at the 360 which is an HTIB style. I am especially very reluctant to combo package. I feel that even non tech-savy could do better and with the internet, the help is so readily available. Polk is also there for its buyers, this specific thread and the various testimonials about Polk's valuable CS proves it!

Cheers

numbnuts22715

The only reason I asked about the surroundbar 360 is because I can get it for a fraction of the cost of anything else about as good(~400 bucks). I'm in college and dont make enough money to spend more than ~500 or so dollars.

TECHNOKID

numbnuts22715 wrote: »

The only reason I asked about the surroundbar 360 is because I can get it for a fraction of the cost of anything else about as good(~400 bucks). I'm in college and dont make enough money to spend more than ~500 or so dollars.

I guess BB's return policy must apply to their emplyees also. If this is the case, I would suggest you buy and set it up in your environment for a good demo. If you are happy with the end result, you keep it otherewise you simply return your purchase.


Cheers