Hasta La Gadget!

The last time Pioneer introduced a speaker bar was 1998, but 15 years later the company’s giving it another go. The just-announced speaker bar system, the SP-SB23W, will retail for $399 this fall — reps said the device was designed to pump out high-quality audio without sacrificing a small, attractive design. It’s clearly not the most compact rig on the market, but it does offer decent output. It features six independently amplified speakers and an eight-channel active digital crossover network. There’s also a wireless subwoofer with a 6.5-inch driver and Dolby Digital decoding on board.

On the noisy show floor here at CE Week, it was a little difficult to judge sound quality definitively, but the dialogue recording we heard did sound extremely crisp. For those who already count a Pioneer speaker or two among their home theater setup, the speaker bar should fit in perfectly; it sports a wood — rather than plastic — construction, and the company says its cabinet enclosure offer better control of the speakers “because of its resistance to unwanted resonance.” Check out our hands-on photo gallery below, and head past the break for the full press info.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

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Vizio trotted out a new line of soundbars back at CES, and true to its word, they’re starting to materialize out in the real world. It’s the middle-child, 42-inch unit we’re seeing become available today. As a refresher, the 5.1 system comes with a wireless subwoofer, Dolby Digital, DTS Digital Surround, Bluetooth, and a pair of rear satellite speakers. If that gap under your TV was calling out for this, then you can expect to see it at Amazon, Costco, and Walmart online, or Best Buy on both sides of the digital / physical realm (although it won’t be in stores until May 27th). Wherever you get it from, expect to lay down $330 for the honor.

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The world has been talking about a paperless society for quite some time already, and it seems to me that it might not be that easy to be truly paperless, although a wireless world does sound like an enticing idea, and of course, it certainly is more “doable”, so to speak. If you have been in the market for a wireless speaker for your living room, then you might do yourself a favor by checking out the Samsung HW-F750 AirTrack Wireless Soundbar.

This soundbar is meant to remain in front of your monitor or TV so that it can deliver theater-like quality in the comfort of your own home, and by the name of the AirTrack itself, it is a no-brainer to derive the fact that this bad boy will work without any wires. In fact, the Samsung HW-F750 AirTrack is touted to be the world’s first soundbar with a built-in vacuum tube amplifier, and relies on Bluetooth connectivity to “talk” to a TV for a true, blue immersive and seamless home theater experience. [Press Release]

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Orbitsound, a UK based audio company, has announced the release of its M range of soundbars.  The latest offerings are the M9 and M12 soundbars with Bluetooth connectivity and a wireless subwoofer. Both models come with Orbitsound’s propitiatory spatial sound technology.

The newest Soundbars look somewhat the same as the T series, but the M series comes with upgrades to the soundbars. The biggest update is the Bluetooth capability, allowing users to connect a smartphone, tablet or any other Bluetooth enabled device to the Soundbar. Previous models included a docking station, which has been removed. Also with the M series is a wireless subwoofer that uses a bespoke low-latency 2.4GHz connection. It has volume control included on the back of it. The M series comes with settings memory, which basically saves the volume, the source and other settings, so that the next time you plug in your favorite device, you do not have to manually change the settings.

The system comes with a Bluetooth remote control. Priced at roughly $450 for the M9 and $600 for the M12, the Soundbar is expected to hit the stores in March.

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We’ve long been enamored of Sonos’ musical streaming technology and its wireless speakers, whether it’s the S5 Play:5, the Play:3 or the Sub. But, what if you’re looking for some Sonos gear that can stream your favorite MOG or Spotify playlist and deliver surround sound on movie night? Well, you’re in luck, because the Playbar has arrived, packing all of Sonos’ streaming capabilities you know and love in a soundbar form factor.

It’s got nine speakers: six 8-centimeter (3.15-inch) aluminum cone mids powered by neodymium magnets and three 2.5-centimeter (1-inch) titanium dome tweeters. It connects to TVs, game consoles and cable boxes via Toslink cable and wires into home networks via Gigabit Ethernet or wireless connectivity can be had for those who own a Sonos Bridge. Naturally, it can be controlled by the Sonos app, but volume can also be toggled by your TV remote, thanks to the IR receivers on board and the remote codes stored on Sonos’ servers.

Naturally, Playbar can deliver simulated surround sound on its own, but it can also be paired with Sonos’ other speakers to deliver true 5.1 channel sound should your wallet be willing and able. Speaking of, the Playbar goes on sale worldwide on March 5th for $699, €699 or £599 depending which part of the globe you call home. We got to see (and hear) the Playbar for ourselves at Sonos HQ in Santa Barbara, California and chat with the folks who built it, so join us after the break to learn more about the company’s first foray into home theater.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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