Denon DHT-FS3
Let's get all "Men are from Mars" here for a moment. Blokes don't mind wiring and gaffer tape clogging up their lives, because it serves a purpose. Women are a bit pickier when it comes to speaker cable bisecting the lounge room floor. And they usually get the final say.
This, my friends, is why wireless speaker systems are so popular. But they're not without their problems too: they need power and hence still need a cable attached and a nearby socket; and depending on the technology used, they can also suffer from interference.
Enter the soundbar, a category essentially invented by Yamaha, but one in which most electronics companies now have an offering. Simply put, it's a stereo system in a single box designed to fit neatly under your big screen television that uses a variety of sound know-how techniques to simulate surround effects.
Prices for these systems usually start at around AU$800, but they can reach into the many thousands. Features range from onboard DVD players to iPod docks, but most include a separate subwoofer as standard.
Yamaha currently offers the best range, but competitors such as Philips can trump the Japanese manufacturer for features. Here's a selection of some of the models available on the market.
Denon DHT-FS3
Marantz ES7001
Bowers & Wilkins Panorama
Yamaha YSP-600
Q Acoustics Q-TV2
Yamaha Air Xtreme YAS-71
