Monoprice Soundbars: SB-200SW Premium Slim Soundbar w/ Wireless Subwoofer

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11-20-2020 at 05:50 PM #3

SB-100 has the same specs as the TCL-ALTO 7 except for the remote is different, I just need one in my kitchen.

DSP chip digital sound processor no Dolby Digital in this one.. Shame

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Last edited by tipstir November 20, 2020 at 05:54 PM.

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11-20-2020 at 05:51 PM #4

I have a couple of old Monoprice soundbars that I use just for music and I've been happy with them. They aren't however connected to a TV because they don't have an HDMI interface. Do any of these allow for volume adjustment via the HDMI connection?

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11-20-2020 at 06:02 PM #5

Quote from mikie :

I have a couple of old Monoprice soundbars that I use just for music and I've been happy with them. They aren't however connected to a TV because they don't have an HDMI interface. Do any of these allow for volume adjustment via the HDMI connection?

Yes, both 200 series models have HDMI-ARC which allow for this.

I have both the 200 (for general bluetooth listening) and the 200SW (for the TV).

The subwoofer is much too loud for my room and I have it connected to a smart plug; I only turn it on for movies. For regular shows it's just FAR to much and frankly the crossover is much too high as background audio and vocals get sent to it.

BUT, that works fine for me. The soundbar-only sounds great for everyday listening and when I watch movies it gets really immersive. I like it.

The 200 for just bluetooth audio? Meh. It's pretty muddy.

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11-20-2020 at 06:05 PM #6

Can a 60 watt wireless sub even be felt?

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11-20-2020 at 06:27 PM #7

Quote from BaconSnake :

Yes, both 200 series models have HDMI-ARC which allow for this.

I have both the 200 (for general bluetooth listening) and the 200SW (for the TV).

The subwoofer is much too loud for my room and I have it connected to a smart plug; I only turn it on for movies. For regular shows it's just FAR to much and frankly the crossover is much too high as background audio and vocals get sent to it.

BUT, that works fine for me. The soundbar-only sounds great for everyday listening and when I watch movies it gets really immersive. I like it.

The 200 for just bluetooth audio? Meh. It's pretty muddy.

Thanks for the confirmation! How do you have this cabled up? I would have expected two HDMI ports for pass through. I'll have other inputs on the TV via HDMI because it's not a smart TV.

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11-20-2020 at 06:43 PM #8

Quote from mikie :

Thanks for the confirmation! How do you have this cabled up? I would have expected two HDMI ports for pass through. I'll have other inputs on the TV via HDMI because it's not a smart TV.

Actually I think I answered my own question. I'd have to use an optical out. I don't have an HDMI ARC port on the TV to support it. I didn't understand originally how things would cable together which is why I was asking about an HDMI in & out port. I get it now.

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11-20-2020 at 07:01 PM #9

Quote from tipstir :

SB-100 has the same specs as the TCL-ALTO 7 except for the remote is different, I just need one in my kitchen.

DSP chip digital sound processor no Dolby Digital in this one.. Shame

It's 2.1, you don't need Dolby.

The dsp will already correctly route left and right because stereo has been common for several decades.

And the subwoofer will get sent all audio below the cutoff frequency.

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11-20-2020 at 07:16 PM #10

I just need a simple speaker to play music for my home office that I will never lug around around. I already have the HK Onyx that I love. Thinking between the SB100 vs the Onyx and Sonos One refurb. Sb100 being $40 and the other two being $100. Are these good at this price point?

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11-20-2020 at 09:17 PM #11

Snagged one for home gym @ $40 why not.

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11-20-2020 at 10:29 PM #12

Quote from hprasanna84 :

I just need a simple speaker to play music for my home office that I will never lug around around. I already have the HK Onyx that I love. Thinking between the SB100 vs the Onyx and Sonos One refurb. Sb100 being $40 and the other two being $100. Are these good at this price point?

If it's just for music, why not a more compact design? A 20w or better single channel speaker would probably get you what you need.

This one is only $30 and claims to do 100w rms: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BL9T4WX/ The JBL Flip 5 might also be another option, though that's closer to the $100 mark.

One other possibility would be getting 2-4 Google Home Minis and making a speaker group out of them. Putting one in each corner of the room sounds pretty immersive.

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Last edited by wherestheanykey November 20, 2020 at 10:31 PM.

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11-21-2020 at 01:12 AM #13

Quote from wherestheanykey :

It's 2.1, you don't need Dolby.

The dsp will already correctly route left and right because stereo has been common for several decades.

And the subwoofer will get sent all audio below the cutoff frequency.

Yes you do need Dolby Digital Support true 5.1 License Hardware. These don't have the license so they offer DSP Digital Sound Processor. You can have both Dolby Digital Chipset with DSP as well. I do not want just Mono, Stereo, DSP. Or Matrix Surround.

Full Systems with Dolby Digital Chipset, DTS Chipset, DSP Chipset. This you be offered. Just DSP just not the same. Now that Dolby Atmos is offers some Sound bars like the SONY X Series 8500 has only 4 speakers with dual active subwoofers to give full virtual surround $299.

DSP is only good for those devices that really don't have support or offer Dolby Digital & DTS Licenced Chipsets.

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11-21-2020 at 03:33 AM #14

Quote from tipstir :

Yes you do need Dolby Digital Support true 5.1 License Hardware. These don't have the license so they offer DSP Digital Sound Processor. You can have both Dolby Digital Chipset with DSP as well. I do not want just Mono, Stereo, DSP. Or Matrix Surround.

Full Systems with Dolby Digital Chipset, DTS Chipset, DSP Chipset. This you be offered. Just DSP just not the same. Now that Dolby Atmos is offers some Sound bars like the SONY X Series 8500 has only 4 speakers with dual active subwoofers to give full virtual surround $299.

DSP is only good for those devices that really don't have support or offer Dolby Digital & DTS Licenced Chipsets.

You're very confused.

The most this 2.1 setup can put out is stereo, regardless of how the audio is decoded. That's decided entirely by the amount of speakers available and where they're located.

Don't get started on virtualized surround sound, because it's all a marketing gimmick. Even with headphones, you're not getting an accurate representation of the surround track unless it was recorded with binaural microphones or you're playing a game (otherwise, it's all added in post and only providing an approximate effect).

True Dolby surround requires dedicated channels and back in the days of analog input, guess what? There were inputs going to each pair of channels on the receiver. The same was/is true for sound cards.

Turning on 5.1 audio with any 2.1 setup is not going to magically give you surround, it's just going to make the left, right, and L+R joined center sound worse.

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11-21-2020 at 04:38 AM #15

Quote from YodaWise :

Can a 60 watt wireless sub even be felt?

Feel it as in sub 20Hz inaudible smack you in the chest bass? No, obviously not. A 5.25" woofer isn't going to pressurize a room. This is a rather silly question, especially given that the price of the sub and soundbar is $100. This sub will probably try to deliver bass down to 40Hz and it will probably fail. It is probably boomy and most likely crosses over to the soundbar at far too high of a frequency which will give you bass localization. Again, though, it's $100. I'm sure the 2.1 system is perfectly fine if you're just trying to get some better than TV sound and some extra boom when you're watching an occasional movie on a TV you don't typically watch movies on.

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