Soundbar Reviews

Polk SurroundBar 9000 IHT Soundbar HT Labs Measures

HT Labs Measures

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This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (corrected for on-wall boundary gain and employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the SurroundBar 9000 IHT soundbar (purple trace) and subwoofer (blue trace). The left channel was measured with grille at a distance of 1 meter.

The SurroundBar 9000’s listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/–15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures + 4.11 /– 5.03 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The –3-dB point is at 122 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 106 Hz.

The subwoofer’s close-miked response, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower –3-dB point is at 38 Hz and the –6-dB point is at 35 Hz. The upper –3-dB point is at 100 Hz.—MJP

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COMMENTS
HKA2's picture
Submitted by HKA2 on March 29, 2013 - 5:50am

"While it doesn’t do the near impossible and convince you there’s actually sound coming from behind you, the SB9000 does create an exceptionally wide, dynamic soundstage that fills the entire front wall and often reaches part way down the sides of the room."

Just a point of information: 5.1-channel surround was never intended to put sound behind the listener. Almost all speaker placement recommendations (Dolby, DTS, THX, etc.) put the surround speakers to the sides of the listener.

maj0crk's picture
Submitted by maj0crk on May 16, 2013 - 2:26pm

Once BluRay became THE format for discs, reviewers dropped reviewing outdated DVDs. So why are you continuing to give print space to those soundbar companies that won't convert to the new lossless sound formats DolbyTrueHD & DTS HDMaster, such as this Polk product?
I've no problem you're reviewing these on-line, but valuable print space is another matter. PLEASE! Stop giving credence to outdated technology.

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