Audio Systems: sound bar

Question
This question may be out of your area--if it is, I apologize in advance. I'm looking at sound bars for a 46" Samsung stereo TV (UN46D6400)that is about 18 months old, and I'm wondering if I should buy a "better" sound bar, thinking it will still be in use after the life of the TV is spent, or maybe get a less expensive one if the life of a sound bar is about that of a TV.
I've looked at a zillion of them, and I'm so confused. Can you suggest a couple of things to consider when purchasing a sound bar?

Answer
While I don't have any specific brand recommendations, my advice is to go and listen to some that are in your price range. You'd be surprised how many "premier" brands sound worse than less expensive models. Trust your own ears, and make your choices based off of what you hear. Commissioned salespeople WILL try to up-sell you to something that "sounds better", so be wary of that.

You might also want to look at the connectivity of the soundbar... some will be very limited on the inputs, which could "bite" you later on if you get another TV that doesn't have the same connection types, or if you want to add a subwoofer, extra speakers, etc...

Concerning the "life" of a TV or soundbar - I can't speak to that very much, as ALL brands occasionally put out a dud, while another might have something that you couldn't kill with baseball bat and hand grenades. Price or perceived "quality" have no bearing on this.


I hope this helps.

Wayne