I like the looks of a sound bar rather than speakers, but wonder how much I'm giving up on sound.
Thoughts, anyone?
Those sleek sound bar-style speakers you're talking about look good with a flat-panel TV, and require minimal space and wiring. Most models even offer built-in amplification, which means the only other gear you'll need is a DVD or Blu-ray Disc player and a subwoofer for deep bass roar and rumble. Some of models even include a subwoofer. In a nutshell, single-speaker sound bars can deliver room-filling sound without taking up much space.
This may be the solution for you if:
Here are some other things to think about, Bro.
While some sound bars only deliver stereo sound, others create virtual surround sound. Now, they can't give you the same precise, enveloping sound you'd get from a system with five or more speakers. But they can offer more engaging audio than your TV speakers and give you a more complete sound experience.
They accomplish virtual surround sound by bouncing "beams" of sound off your walls, or with special processing that controls timing and volume to make sound effects seem like they're coming from different directions.