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

CaligulaPolk

CaligulaPolk wrote: »

I see that SB360 DVD player have subtitle feature but will Closed captioned [CC] work? I will have to hook up via compoent not HDMI to get CC to work. DVD does have cc, as for Blu-ray it will be subtitles. I would rather to have a player that enable CC via component.

How does this work with PS3? Will i need the dvd player if I hook it up to PS3?

anyone can pop in dvd and have CC icon on back of your dvd to see if dvd player will enable CC on DVD. Do not use dvd subtitles. I did some sample on 360 at best buy this afternoon. people behind me came to me said does it havef subwoofer and it sounds really good. they were amazed. it sold me but i am wondering how 360 will do with blu-ray and how do I connect it if it can be replaced polk dvd player. but i need dvd player with cc ability since PS3 can not play CC via HDMI or component. Thanks in advance.

bradbxyz

I did the same thing, picked up a titanium SB50 from AMAZON for 399, and mailed cust service to get the black grill. Here is their response:

Good-afternoon Mr. Bender,
The Grilles for the SurroundBar 50 come in Black (RF5054-1) or Titanium (RF5056-1) and are available at $30.00 each + S&H.
You can order parts with a Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) or Money Orders.
Please contact us at the address listed below. Most States require that you pay Sales Taxes.

Customer Service / Parts
5601 Metro Dr.
Baltimore, MD. 21215
1-800-377-7655
Fax- 410-764-5470

CaligulaPolk

CaligulaPolk wrote: »

I see that SB360 DVD player have subtitle feature but will Closed captioned [CC] work? I will have to hook up via compoent not HDMI to get CC to work. DVD does have cc, as for Blu-ray it will be subtitles. I would rather to have a player that enable CC via component.

How does this work with PS3? Will i need the dvd player if I hook it up to PS3?

Anyone at POLK can answer this question? Its important to have this ? answered.

skeptic

BAlGaInTl wrote: »

It looked like the front grille was removable from the technical documentation. Or is that just for illustration purposes?

I still feel like I stole it at $399. Has the Titanium version been discontinued or something?

WOW, it's not a steal, it's grand theft! :-)

I assume this is the SurroundBar 50, right? Seriously, even for a SurroundBar 50 Titanium, it's too good to be true. But how do you know it's not faked product from China. You know that, these days, the folks over there can create fake consumer product from virtually any company.

bradbxyz

"But how do you know it's not faked product from China?"

The Box was Polk, The Paperwork was Polk, and I was able to register the serial number with Polk....

MikeC78

If it was purchased directly from Amazon, it's real. BTW, I believe the speaker is manufactured in China for Polk.

CaligulaPolk

CaligulaPolk wrote: »

anyone can pop in dvd and have CC icon on back of your dvd to see if dvd player will enable CC on DVD. Do not use dvd subtitles. I did some sample on 360 at best buy this afternoon. people behind me came to me said does it havef subwoofer and it sounds really good. they were amazed. it sold me but i am wondering how 360 will do with blu-ray and how do I connect it if it can be replaced polk dvd player. but i need dvd player with cc ability since PS3 can not play CC via HDMI or component. Thanks in advance.

I guess ill have to go to best buy with my own DVD with cc to answer my own question, seem no one has clue...

zengel442

Are there any plans for a new Soundbar 360 with a blu-ray instead of a dvd player?

Any takers on this one?? I'd kinda like to know too...

dorokusai

zengel442 wrote: »

Any takers on this one?? I'd kinda like to know too...

At the time of SB360 product design the matter of Blu-Ray was never mentioned in the focus groups. It was in it's infancy at that time. Currently, I don't know where that idea stands within Polk Audio.

dorokusai

CaligulaPolk wrote: »

I guess ill have to go to best buy with my own DVD with cc to answer my own question, seem no one has clue...

How about sending an email directly to Customer Service? You could have had your answer by now.

polkcs@polkaudio.com

gdpeck

debussyj wrote: »

Doro- you are correct, I really need to post pics! Between my 2 channel setup and the modified surround, it's a pretty thing. I was honestly waiting to get my Krell Kid to finish off the room! Thanks for the suggestion! D.

I'd really like to see some pics of your surroundbar 50 setup as well as hear more of your impressions. Because of your posts, I'm really leaning towards picking up that Cambridge Audio receiver for a bedroom surround system I'm building and pairing it with a surroundbar 50.

This post: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=15085011&postcount=7 (which I'm guessing is from you) was very helpful, but I'd still love to see the pics, and hear longer term impressions.

Thanks!
George

acekaye

bradbxyz wrote: »

I did the same thing, picked up a titanium SB50 from AMAZON for 399, and mailed cust service to get the black grill. Here is their response:

Good-afternoon Mr. Bender,
The Grilles for the SurroundBar 50 come in Black (RF5054-1) or Titanium (RF5056-1) and are available at $30.00 each + S&H.
You can order parts with a Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) or Money Orders.
Please contact us at the address listed below. Most States require that you pay Sales Taxes.

Customer Service / Parts
5601 Metro Dr.
Baltimore, MD. 21215
1-800-377-7655
Fax- 410-764-5470

Would it be possible to send a picture of the Titanium SoundBar 50 with the black grille on the front? I am thinking of doing that too and would like to see how it looks before I invest.
Thanks.

fireshoes

Caveman1 wrote: »

I am interested in purchasing the Surroundbar Titanium for 42" plasma that is mounted to a Sanus Full motion mount (VMDD26). I need to know if the Surroundbar will mount to the Sanus Universal Center-channel speaker mount (VMCC1) that attaches to the full motion mount. Does anyone know the answer? Thanks.

Hi Caveman,
PolkAudio.com does list the Sanus VMCC1 as a supported mounting option.

Have fun!

zengel442

dorokusai wrote: »

At the time of SB360 product design the matter of Blu-Ray was never mentioned in the focus groups. It was in it's infancy at that time. Currently, I don't know where that idea stands within Polk Audio.

It sure would be nice to see THAT package offered...

jps

I would like to solicit advise on adjusting my HT system. I would like to purchase a new center channel speaker, one that fits better with my LCD TV. If I opt for the SurroundBar, can I still use the HT speakers that are mounted in the ceiling and my Polk sub? Or, can you recommend a better center channel solution?
Thanks

svtjoe

I am moving to a new place and the room is all tile and the ceilings are around 10 feet high. Its about 20x20 and I will be about 9 feet from my 50' plasma.

Currently I have a nice Denon 985s (100watts per channel), a Velodyne 10' subwoofer and Polk R series all around (R50's in front, CSM center, and R15's in the rear)

I do care about my sound and I would like to upgrade to a better line of polks. I was looking at adding the Rti10's in front and a CSi3 as the center, but I started thinking about how I want a nice sleek living room and started looking at the Surroundbar50. How much performance am I giving up by going with the 50?

I could add a rear 6th channel in my new room to help fill in the rear.

I just want an upgrade from the R50's and not a downgrade just to get a sleek look.

What do you think?

Thanks,

Joe

kfanning9

Getting close to pulling the trigger on a SB, and for me the decision is down to: is it worth it to spend the extra $300-400 for the SB50? I have the wife factor and a very old house going so not looking at 5.1 or 7.1 systems.

Would really appreciate any thoughts. I've read this thread back to when SB50 was introduced and there are a few folks that said the SB50 is a big improvement, but any specifics would be great. I've also read a ton of (mostly positive) reviews on both but few actual comparisons.

Some details on my setup:
- room is relatively small, 21'x18, and couches are far from the back/side walls...seats are 10-12' from the TV
- have a pretty decent 46" LCD HDTV, and a decent 7.1 Onkyo receiver (SR605); just purchased a 10" Dayton subwoofer
- room has L-shaped couches, so listening area is about 9' from far seat on one couch to far seat on other.
- will be watching TV/movies much more than listening to music

So a couple specific questions I'm thinking through:
- is the soundfield on the SB50 significantly larger that it will improve the experience for those not sitting directly in front of the tv?
- I'm not an audiophile (but like most I do enjoy a good experience), so may not notice subtle differences. For my size room is the SB likely to suffice?
- Any other differentiators to consider?

Thanks in advance!

svtjoe

svtjoe wrote: »

I am moving to a new place and the room is all tile and the ceilings are around 10 feet high. Its about 20x20 and I will be about 9 feet from my 50' plasma.

Currently I have a nice Denon 985s (100watts per channel), a Velodyne 10' subwoofer and Polk R series all around (R50's in front, CSM center, and R15's in the rear)

I do care about my sound and I would like to upgrade to a better line of polks. I was looking at adding the Rti10's in front and a CSi3 as the center, but I started thinking about how I want a nice sleek living room and started looking at the Surroundbar50. How much performance am I giving up by going with the 50?

I could add a rear 6th channel in my new room to help fill in the rear.

I just want an upgrade from the R50's and not a downgrade just to get a sleek look.

What do you think?

Thanks,

Joe

kfanning9 wrote: »

Getting close to pulling the trigger on a SB, and for me the decision is down to: is it worth it to spend the extra $300-400 for the SB50? I have the wife factor and a very old house going so not looking at 5.1 or 7.1 systems.

Would really appreciate any thoughts. I've read this thread back to when SB50 was introduced and there are a few folks that said the SB50 is a big improvement, but any specifics would be great. I've also read a ton of (mostly positive) reviews on both but few actual comparisons.

Some details on my setup:
- room is relatively small, 21'x18, and couches are far from the back/side walls...seats are 10-12' from the TV
- have a pretty decent 46" LCD HDTV, and a decent 7.1 Onkyo receiver (SR605); just purchased a 10" Dayton subwoofer
- room has L-shaped couches, so listening area is about 9' from far seat on one couch to far seat on other.
- will be watching TV/movies much more than listening to music

So a couple specific questions I'm thinking through:
- is the soundfield on the SB50 significantly larger that it will improve the experience for those not sitting directly in front of the tv?
- I'm not an audiophile (but like most I do enjoy a good experience), so may not notice subtle differences. For my size room is the SB likely to suffice?
- Any other differentiators to consider?

Thanks in advance!

Not sure on a lot of your questions as I am yet to get a surroundbar. I have been doing a lot of research and it sounds like the 50 is well worth the extra money over the standard original bar.

We have some similar questions, I hope an expert can chime in.

I really want a nice loud and clean system...I have solid equipment, I just hope the bar doesnt sound cheap.

triguy3

svtjoe wrote: »

Not sure on a lot of your questions as I am yet to get a surroundbar. I have been doing a lot of research and it sounds like the 50 is well worth the extra money over the standard original bar.

We have some similar questions, I hope an expert can chime in.

I really want a nice loud and clean system...I have solid equipment, I just hope the bar doesnt sound cheap.

hey
i was originally looking for a sleek alternative to running wires and a whole lot of speakers. My SB is connecting to a decent receiver and sub, and the sound is great. neutral and faithful. the sound stage is wide but not encompassing.

I had a proper PA 5.1 set up previously and while more enveloping was muddy in comparison. for you i think you will find the front sound to be an upgrade, but you will need to maintain your rears to give you the fuller surround experience. the SB can handle a LOT of volume without distrortion.

Those people off axis will not be as envelped as your current setup. Make no mistake about this. sb are great speakers, and the sound great (you may see a lot of members finding them at clearance prices) but you really must want to have the wife friendly look to be able to justfy the narrower sound stage. By maintaining your rears, you will likely have the best of both worlds.

triguy3

jps wrote: »

I would like to solicit advise on adjusting my HT system. I would like to purchase a new center channel speaker, one that fits better with my LCD TV. If I opt for the SurroundBar, can I still use the HT speakers that are mounted in the ceiling and my Polk sub? Or, can you recommend a better center channel solution?
Thanks

yes you can use the surroundbar for the center but it is better suited to use as a surround replacement. if you have in ceiling speakers are they at the back where they can be used as surrounds? front mains should not be used as the surroundbar will have better imaging for the fronts. a good sub is necessary.

svtjoe

triguy3 wrote: »

hey
i was originally looking for a sleek alternative to running wires and a whole lot of speakers. My SB is connecting to a decent receiver and sub, and the sound is great. neutral and faithful. the sound stage is wide but not encompassing.

I had a proper PA 5.1 set up previously and while more enveloping was muddy in comparison. for you i think you will find the front sound to be an upgrade, but you will need to maintain your rears to give you the fuller surround experience. the SB can handle a LOT of volume without distrortion.

Those people off axis will not be as envelped as your current setup. Make no mistake about this. sb are great speakers, and the sound great (you may see a lot of members finding them at clearance prices) but you really must want to have the wife friendly look to be able to justfy the narrower sound stage. By maintaining your rears, you will likely have the best of both worlds.

Awesome! What 5.1 system did you have? Speakers + AVR?

Thanks,

Joe

triguy3

hi svtjoe.

i had R150's at the four corners and I was using the speaker inside the TV as the center channel, all connected to my HK AVR140 (5.1) and the Velodyne DPS-10B Subwoofer. 2 of the the PA R150's were relegated to the basement (stereo only system) i have now on a sony 32" LCD.

svtjoe

Cool! Well I pulled the trigger on the SB50. Should be here this week. I am selling my R50's and R15's and CSM.

New house, modern, and the SB50 should work good. I went and tested the SB360 and it was nice..not super loud, but the 50 connected to my Denon should rock with my Velodyne Sub.

Thanks and I will let you know how it sounds!

triguy3

i am sure you will be thrilled by the look and the sound. let us know how it sounds. when you hook it up you may find it a bit confusing.
there are two ways to hook up, and you may find you have to try it both ways. i found the method that they recommend sounds better than the way i would have imagined. let me know when you get into it. you will see that their recommendations are a bit odd. there is a whote paper on the topic earlier in this thread i think.

opusx100

Aloha!

We've just moved to our new home and purchased SB50 which recommends 150 watts/channel. I have purchased Onkyo TX-SR806 with 130 watts/channel. Do I have enough power or should I get more powerful reciever?

Also, picked up the DSW MicroPRO™ 1000 and wondering if I should have gone with better sub.

Our room measures approx. 21x 15 x 9, hardwood floors with television centered on 21 feet wall.

Any inputs, ideas, and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time.

Mahalo!

svtjoe

I think your reciever should be great. I am going to upgrade the speaker wirre from the start ( I need to run it through the wall anyway)

I am thinking about 14AWG. People mentioned it did wonders on the old Surroundbar.

Opusx: Thats an awesome sub. I wish I could find a deal on one of those. I have a Velodyne 10 and it is fantastic for HT, but a tad slow for music (I love music). I will have to Demo the Micropro.

We should post pics of our setups so everyone can see how it looks on the wall.

dorokusai

Opus - Great setup...stick with what you got.

jacob.simpson

My friend is keen on buying this system, worried on 2 aspects,
why is there no mention of details on
Part A
1. Overall frequency response
2. Sensitivity
3. Power output
4. Are these 2 1/2" Full range drivers better than SB 50 Driver complement
of individual Mid woofer and tweeter.
Part B
Will this Dvd player play all sort disc formats.
Request Mr. Eric or Mr. Ken to reply on this, or if any members who have bought this has a manual with these details can post this.
Thanks in Advance.

opusx100

svtjoe and dorokusai, thanks for the input! It won't be here until early Feb. but started to read up on the manuals already. Thanks once again!

jacob.simpson

Answers please

jacob.simpson wrote: »

My friend is keen on buying this system, worried on 2 aspects,
why is there no mention of details on
Part A
1. Overall frequency response
2. Sensitivity
3. Power output
4. Are these 2 1/2" Full range drivers better than SB 50 Driver complement
of individual Mid woofer and tweeter.
Part B
Will this Dvd player play all sort disc formats.
Request Mr. Eric or Mr. Ken to reply on this, or if any members who have bought this has a manual with these details can post this.
Thanks in Advance.