Customer Reviews

Sharp HTSB300 2.1 Sound Bar Audio System with Digital Decoding

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Inexpensive soundbar best suited for a medium size Aquos LCD TV. Crisp high's and solid mid range characteristics, seamless operation with Aquos TV. Sound is improved tremendously with the addition of a small subwoofer such as a Polk Audio PSW111 or similar using the subwoofer output on the bar which can be controlled using the included remote. Dimensions are thin and long and well suited to 32, 37 and 40" TV's (the bar is 31.5 inches long). Well suited for smaller rooms or apartments, however surround sound effects are subtle. This unit will not fool you into believing sound is coming from behind you, however it does create an immersive sound field that fills the listening area and is a dramatic improvement over built in TV speakers. Great for someone who is avoiding complex audio systems and seeking a minimalist, but satisfying audio experience. If you have no intention of adding a subwoofer, get the less expensive HT-SB200, the difference between the digital and analog inputs is insignificant.

The HTSB300 is a big improvement over the speakers built into flat panel TVs. Don't mistake it for surround sound--it isn't. However, the improvement in sound quality is very noticeable, especially in the lower register. Even though we could have bought a low-end surround system for this price, we decided that the hassle of running wires, siting speakers and so on simply wasn't worth it. We watch TV and movies, not run a theater. There's also the benefit of the small size, which generally is making use of what would normally be wasted space in front of the TV.

Three notes. We've found that keeping the built-in TV speakers at a low level seems to improve the overall quality of sound. We found that the included "spikes", meant to elevate the unit so it can sit over the pedestal of the TV, doesn't work so well (as least with our Sharp Aquos). It raises the unit to the point where it interferes with the TV's remote receiver. And you get yet another remote to keep up with. (Our cable "universal" remote doesn't know what to make of this unit.)

I bought this soundbar mainly because it was simple to set up and get started. There was one cable to hook up and we had sound. I did not want the hassle of hooking up an extra subwoofer, placing a bunch of speakers around the room, etc. This was a plug and play. So simple that we had sound literally 5 minutes out of the box. The drawback obviously is that you will not get the sound that comes out of a home theater set up that can cost thousands. The speakers on our TV point downward so the sound is muffled. I wanted speakers that pointed outwards towards the TV viewer. The soundbar is small, compact, and stylish. I hate setting up AV stuff for the HDTV because I always seem to get wires or cables crossed. You literally cannot mess this up. This is a simple solution to crappy flat screen TV speakers. The soundbar has 4 audio modes: standard, cinema, sports, and news. Very happy with the sound but don't expect to be blown away - you need the whole home theater set up for that. The only reason that it doesn't get 5 stars is because I don't think any stand alone soundbar can reproduce the sound of a home theater system.

I checked around and this Sharp Sound Bar seems to be one of the best on the market. It does what it says it does. I have the same feelings as the other reviewers. Don't look for blow away sound just a sound "enhancement" and with that in mind you should feel like you got a pretty good deal. The only issue I have is that the Sound Bar remote is not compatible with my TV and I have to use the Sound Bar remote to turn down the volume. That is a bit of a pain when those LOUD commericals come calling!!

Did not expect Theatre Surround Sound. I simply wanted to enrich and CLARIFY the sound, especially dialogue, on my Sharp flat panel and this sound bar accomplishes that. Very pleased with the improvement.

I bought this unit in December of 2009 because I simply couldn't get enough sound out of my 37" Aquos TV. It has worked wonderfully. It delivers a much larger sound which allows me to hear it without difficulty (and without a personal amplifier in most cases). The small remote that comes with it has been quite handy; I use it most of the time instead of the large remote that came with the TV. I love my Aquos TV and the soundbar made the deal complete for me. Installation was a snap; no problems from either unit. Highly recommended.

Much,much,improvement over tv speakers!Very glad I installed sound bar.A little distortion with bass when bass and volume up.Just back off bass and or sub to remedy.We are now hearing all new lovely sounds!

I really enjoy great sound quality but hate the loudness that comes along with surround sound. Our entertainment center is against the same wall as our babies' bedrooms so I can't handle the loud booming all the time. I love the fact that this sound bar turns off when the volume on the TV is turned low. So when I want to watch late at night I don't have to worry about turning it off. The quality is great and the size is perfect. I like that the vocals are loud enough for me to hear without the woffer blowing us off the couch.

The product is well made, easy to install and produced very good sound in the bedroom. The fatal flaw for us, however, was the fact that there was no remote code for our DirecTV remote. We called Sharp and spoke with their customer service and their technical department and they agreed. In fact, this model is not compatible with most universal remotes that do not have a learning feature. With as many remotes as one has these days, the thought of adding another, especially a little tiny one, was a deal breaker and we sent the product back.

This isn't the best sounding Soundbar system that I own, but it's designed to work with any TV from any maker and it works well. It has several inputs including standard RCA, optical, and coaxial. The auto power on and off function works flawlessly using the optical input. The sound is better than the 32" LG LCD TV that I have it hooked up to, but don't expect room filling surround sound. This is best used for a bedroom TV and not your main living area. I have a Sony CT100 Soundbar system in my living room that sounds much better, but it cost over $100 more. For the price, you won't do any better for a 32" or smaller TV.