Wired earplug buds easily give you the best performance. It's very easy for them to generate big fat bass and simultaneously very high tweets. They can also be extremely loud. As long as you have your equalizer tuned for the buds, they sound completely perfect. Best of all, they are cheap, don't weigh anything, comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and will never bother your neighbours.
3.4 if you think like NakaMichi LOL but seriously with how BIG that sound bar is and the size of the Surrounds and Subs you might as well go with an AVR and SAVE space and MONEY, which ELIMINATES the only good thing about sound bars. They sound better than a TV by itself worse than a full Home Theater System but take up less space and cost less and both of those are NOT a thing with this sounds bar. I have Two 7.1 AVR's with the 14 speakers and 2 subs to go with them and this sound bar cost more that all that COMBINED and my speakers and subs are from Polk, JBL and SVS
@@ocularcavity8412 Especially because that soundbar isn't just massive, it is also kinda ugly. For the same price, you could easily get a 5.1.2 with a nicer build quality and looks, while having better sound. Maybe even a 7.1.2 honestly. And that one would include room correction. Looks and ease of use (room correction) are probably the two main reasons why people get soundbars in the first place, and this thing fails at both.
@@LegionRRTX I thought Dan was an audiophile. Also, didn't they already did Dan's house in the AMD Tech Upgrade? But stuff seems to walk away from the LTT warehouse, so I'm sure it'll end up in SOMEBODY'S house when Linus comes over. Might be a raffle prize for their xmas party.
One thing I always think about when it comes to theater setups is that good speakers stay good. I helped my parents buy their modest setup nearly 15 years ago. Got them some good Klipsch speakers and a modest Yamaha Receiver. Many many years and few moves later the receiver crapped out. Went ahead and got another modest receiver and they were back up and running with minimal investment. If the sub died, we could just get a replacement sub. Any of the speakers finally fail we can just replace them individually or in pairs or the like. If the sound bar fails you're now having to buy an entire sound bar again. Which if its a $200 cheapo Vizio one then sure not a big deal, but if its a $1000 - $4500 kit then that's gonna be a bad time.
good point - though a decent receiver already runs you about 400 bucks or more right... i just bough a soundbar with Atmos second hand for that money 😅
@@dewdmcman4321yes but they aren't any where near as user friendly to fix I have an ancient set of Philips towers speakers and I've replaced the both the main drivers and tweeters over the years after accidentally blowing them out and all I needed was a Philips head screwdriver, last time I opened a dead soundbar it was a Sony one it still has screes but also numerous plastic clips that a few broke while opening it and it never goes back together quite right, parts are also much harder to come by for soundbars. Overall if you have the money invest in a proper sound system and treat it well it'll outlast any soundbar be cheaper to fix/replace individual components
@@dewdmcman4321 Yeah, unless someone chooses to cover the electronics in a black blob, the chip craps out, the firmware bricks itself or the driver burns up. Good luck trying to find the same speaker driver these use in 10- years.
Yeah, and and couldn't help feeling that Linus appeared a bit more distracted/distant/preoccupied in this one when he is normally a bit more invested on camera overall.
I felt the same. It was a pretty direct review and comparison, which i'm not against honestly. If anything i prefer that for anyone looking to buy this product.
The Audiophile market segment is the most blatant example of the term diminishing returns. It's not entirely a scam, but the difference between these systems is negligible for the asking prices, and there is a bunch of outright scammers thriving in the market.
@@alexisrivera200xable not sure dude. My setup is all custom made by myself. Worked for JBL, turbosound and precision devices for a few years so all hand picked from voicecoil, through to cabinet material. It's epic but after I heard a 145k linn audio setup I was left a bit gutted my setup wasn't a linn. Mine cost me peanuts as built from scratch and tested myself but in comparison I could never see myself parting with money that could buy a house
Definitely recommend going diy. I started 2.1 with an $80 receiver and 2 sony towers for like $100. Now, a few years later I have a 5.2 system ready to upgrade to atmos (5.2.2) as soon as I'm ready to upgrade the receiver. But I'm no more than like $500-$600 dollars in and it still beats any soundbar in that range
Audiophiles don't like soundbars, and that's the point. Audiophiles will spend money on speakers. Most soundbars are terrible compared to audiophile speakers. They are mostly a cheaper (but not cheap) option for those that don't care enough to buy a proper system. Please delete your comment, as it completely misses the point.
Fun fact for you Linus! Nakamichi were actually making car audio systems for Lexus in the 90s and then in the 00s with 12 disk CD changers and really high quality speakers!
My nakamichi on 2002 Lexus es is still by far the best sound system I have heard in any car. Probably s class and Lexus LS have better specs on paper but to any average ear they made so well balanced amp and speakers.
I always love the home theater content! One benefit with the DIY setup is you can buy used! There are good reasons to buy new with a receiver, but unlike other tech a high end speaker 20 years ago is still a high end speaker today. I have a killer 7.1 setup with an SVS sub and Aperion speakers for $1,200. Add in the Marantz receiver, which I bought new, and a used Emotiva amp and I'm at $2,700 for a truly amazing audio experience. And I pieced this together over a few years. I bought 5 of the speakers and the receiver at the same time, but skipped the sub because I was in an apartment. After moving to a house I added the sub, then a few months later the rear surrounds. Shortly after that I added the amp because the receiver couldn't power everything.
Good point, and yeah, agree that what used to be high-end back then, still is, practically at least. There have been improvements made, but more on the specs side, like SNR I noticed. What sounded great still sounds great and it's not like there were no great speakers back then. I actually have the feeling that the good stuff is rarer and more expensive nowadays..
The hoffman iron law of speaker design still reigns true, if you want big, loud and deep, you got to go big and powerfull. For most people who just watch tv and the occational movie, soundbars is a huge step up from tv inbuilt audio. And the technology has come a long way, I've heard several soundbars that are impressive, even down in the more modest budget to mid tier range. But, once you need that power and loudness, most soundbars get harsh, thin or even audibly distorts with the usually small 8" subwoofer chuffing and bottoming out. So if you want a really full, powerfull and deep sound with clarity all the way up to 11, you need to go with fullsized, traditional speakers. But if you live in an apartment where you can never flex the power of your audio gear, soundbars go a long way.
I would still go with traditional speakers in an apartment, because soundbars usually depend on the subwoofer for lower mids and upper bass. Without the sub, almost every soundbar (including this one) will sound terrible, while even a pair of bookshelfs with 7-inch woofers will still be able to reproduce those lower frequecnies.
@@kelmanl4 Aesthetics over functionality. I work for a B&O Store and a lot of people complain about the remote (not included, costs CHF 400) for being too small and having no backlights for the keys. There are also a lot of complaints about the way how you replace the battery. Its super fuggly, because the back of the remote is made out of one piece of metal and you need to use a paper clip to open it.
@@CHSTechnologies they left the importance of sound and functionality area about two decades ago. If you have 7k to spend on a soundbar then you probably have enough to replace the remote if you mess it up is their theory. What's the warranty on the high end stuff? I know my headphones only got two years. I own a pair of H9s and the build quality is spectacular like it's perfect even after four years it's still in almost new condition and I've dropped them down a flight of stairs.
At least it's B&O, so you can expect good audio and a premium finish. Not some back from the dead brand. But there are many other options, including better sounding ones, for way less money.
Everybody, be on the look out for old "component" stereo systems, the kind you used to see in the 70's/80's with stacked individual components, in a wood cabinet with a glass front, and a phonograph on top. They usually come with a pair of HUGE speakers, and those speakers tend to be pretty amazing. I have Sanyo SS-1040's, they stand 3' tall, and sound incredible, and they came from my grandmother's old component system from '76 or so. Things like that can often be found at a yard sale, or if someone passes, the family may be willing to part with "old tech". My Sanyo speakers can shake my entire house from end to end, and rattle the glass in the windows. And back then, shit was built to last. I put a 2x12 board across the tops of my speakers, and four 250-pound guys used that as a scaffold. The speakers are fine, but the board is so bowed that if I found some rope, I could launch 2x4 "arrows" across my lawn. PRESERVE OLD TECH!!!
I've assembled multiple HQ surround systems by buying used. They kick ass for hundreds of dollars, not thousands. I strongly recommend buying used if you know a little bit about audio and have patience.
I bought the Onkyo TX-NR545 Receiver back in 2016 for less than $300 and paired it with a set of Onkyo 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos speakers for less than $330 and I'm very happy. The bass really rumbles. I still works all these years later and I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon.
iGot a 'tiny' sound bar & sub setup by Philips with a 'toy' size 6" driver 4 the sub & was blown away after iThrew parametric EQ & stuff @ it = very deep & tight, like the Sony dual metal 6" sub type 'surroundey all in one' type systems (tho their sats suk). THe Phillips has 6 cones up top & 2 tweets = very 'screechy' until U tweak it in the computer 2 sound 'big' instead of 'harsh' =)
I replaced my Onkyo TX 590 with the RZ50. Thought about putting the Dragon in my garage but decided to put that 590 back to work until I can afford an RZ70. The 50 works great in the house and no soundbar is going to be as versatile.
Slightly misleading title though because it isn’t just the soundbar … The Dragon set includes both subs and surrounds. The sonos arc set, if you add an extra sub, is pretty much the same price so that would be an interesting comparison if you get the chance
And compare it to the cost savings on the Samsung q990d. Well reviewed by rtings and as low as +1000$ Edit: I’d note that the nakamichi doesn’t have room correction like the rest, so that’s also for consideration edit: typos
I own one and love the sound with both music and surround...best compliment to my qm8 and easy, simple setup and use. Any system that sounds good will easily surpass 3400.00 and will occupy much more real-estate in ur room. IMO
@@dorian6021 If you ask the FTC or the FCC (can't remember which regulates this), you'd still need to do full disclosures and handle the video as if they did sponsor the video. While Linus did disclose that Nakamichi did send them the soundbar for review (which they're supposed to), it's also supposed to be posted in a way that the viewer cannot avoid it and Nakamichi can't hide it. But LTT is a Canadian company, so I don't know how much they're beholden to US agencies?
@@dorian6021 The issue is that while no actual money changed hands, a thing of value did. So it's not just Money, but also Money Equivalent. It's important to know, since even gifting someone a review sample or copy could be seen as a way to influence people. One of the reasons smaller influencers are often afraid to speak negatively about a product they received for free is that the manufacturer can often turn off that pipeline. And the US Government (I still think it's the FTC and not the FCC) says that consumers need to know if there is ANY influence on their opinions in any way, even if the money isn't in cold, hard cash. Ask Steve at GamersNexus or Stepphanie of the Jimqusition why they buy everything they test and/or review.
honestly after listening to both binural recordings the Nakamichi is pretty good the rain doesnt sound quite right though The bass is a major difference between the two with Linus's setup majorly winning, but if you can swap out the Nakamichi ones for others it could be nice. At very least the Core Sound bar bit does seem quite good.
Consider that the Nakamichi doesn't even have room correction. You wouldn't need to spend $13,000 to best it. I would argue that you could build a more competent "classic" home theater with Atmos height channels for the same price, or even less. The massive flaw of this soundbar is that it doesn't go below 100Hz. Even a small bookshelf-speaker can easily get down to 60Hz. The problem with the soundbar is that the sub has to cover those frequencies. A moderately deep male voice will already go that low, which will just sound less natural if it is taken care of two differently placed speakers. Also, another RU-vidr (Andrew Robinson) found that the subs don't even go down to 20 Hz. They can play down to 40Hz, but at 20Hz they make a weird noise that shouldn't be there. All that is to say that this setup is not worth it. And in my personal opinion, it doesn't even help in the visual department, which seems to be one of the main reasons why people buy soundbars in the first place. This thing is incredibly ugly and looks super cheap. Not only could you get better sound out of a classical home theater setup for the same price, you could also choose speakers with a nicer finishing.
folded ribbon tweeters are legit but there's no replacement for displacement soundbars will never be able to compete with dedicated speakers, especially in the mids like linus mentioned
I really think the future is in Sony's implementation, 4 separate speakers with kickass 360 software setup and a mother box. People just can't let go of the discreet soundbar look tho.
Sound bars (& other 'mini driver' speakers) can do mids as well as big speakers but not as loud, generally speaking, & U do hav 2 EQ tha fuk out of them 2 correct all their 'howling' problems because 'driver 2 small' probz =P iMainly use a freebie sound bar on my kitchen big screen setup & it sounds 'big' with the sub & no 'weak mids' but run it with EQ! & iMean like multi-band parametric tweaked 2 hell like some concert PA, not 'bass & treble knob' bull$hit =))
@@MuhammadKharismawan It's weird to me because a soundbar is far more ugly in my opinion than a set of bookshelf speakers in the color white or even a real-wood veneer.
Yeah, this is something that no soundbar can get around of. You need 5-inch or 7-inch woofers to properly reproduce those mid- and upperbass-frequencies. This also allows the sub to be freed up so that it only does bass and doesn't have to help out in stuff like people's voices. And a soundbar like this that is comically large and butt-ugly completely defeats the purpose while not improving that much over cheaper models. At that point, a dedicated home-theater-setup with room-correction makes so much more sense.
I had a Nakamichi tape deck, but it was one before the Dragon. It was somewhere around the time I started working, so I'm guessing ~1991. By then the Dragon's had established themselves as being the top tier, but could get a bargain on the 1000ZXL, which in most ways was almost as good, but many were being sold as people upgraded. Ironically, they are now worth about 4 times the cost of a Dragon if been well maintained.
The Dragons LQQK KQQL bot build quality iz absolute krap. The joke @ 'Audiophile' $hopz like ware iWoz all 'Eventually everybody will own a Dragon' (because they always break & they get sick of fixing it want 2 get rid of them =)) U can get sound quality as good as Dragons or better depending on the model of Nak & others. Even a cheapie like the BX2 R GR8. 1 ov my Naks died just sitting in storage = WTF? =)) BTW: None ov thiz $tov iz Nak. They R just 'milking' the brand name 2 peddle mor #ChinaKrap = #Total$cam.
The only thing that's "back" here are the names- a cynical attempt to cash in on the reputation of the long-defunct original company by slapping the name of their most famous line (i.e. very high-end cassette decks) onto a completely different type of product. In some ways, the trashy low-end headphones they were selling under the "Nakamichi" brand a few years ago were less objectionable, because they were so obviously *not* the high-end products of the original company. Regardless, this sort of nostalgia-exploiting tactic always gets owners of zombie brands a lot of "[long-defunct company/product] is back!" publicity. This isn't the first example- the current owners of the "Atari" name have been doing it for years- and it won't be the last. Still, you'd have thought they'd have at least reused the name for a pseudo-premium cassette deck.
@@NotATube They weren't exactly 'long defunct' as a company, though it's reputation certainly hasn't been the same. Some of their soundbars have done pretty well in reviews over the last few years. Putting the Dragon name on this is a bit of stretch.
I have to say that the team at LMG does a GREAT job with producing such high quality videos that we can watch for free. The editors, the shooters, the hosts, writers etc.... You all makes it look so effortless, which I KNOW it isn't. I never really thought of the production value until I watched other channels like J2C, GN and others. LTT has MUCH higher production value in my opition. I am not saying that the other channels mentions are terrible and unwatchable, I am just saying that LTT has higher production quality. If you take 1 video per 6 months from the beginning of the channel until now, you can really see how much LTT has progressed in terms of quality. Please never stop making such awesome videos. And also, awesome work from the accounting department so they there is money for Linus to spend on things to review so we don't have to! And Sales for generating the money And all the other departments for doing awesome work
I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a audiophile or a snob of sound at all. so me listening to the 2 recordings back to back, could tell a little difference... but both sounded exceptional to me... Listened to on Astros A50's
Listening to a youtube video of an audio system recording doesn't bring anything. RU-vid audio encoding is not very high quality, and it will be affected by the mic they used, room, the player you use and so on...
I mean that makes sense, it’s RU-vid plus you’re listening on something that doesn’t have a flat response curve at all, Astro’s has super boosted mids and bass since they’re gaming headphones
If the binaural recordings are decently representative of the systems then the Dragon isn't as good, but gives you like 95 percent for quarter of the cost. The bass performance being the reason it's not as good.
15 years installing/servicing AV systems and theres never been a soundbar that can compete with a discrete 5.1 or higher system. Can't remember if it was Bowers & Wilkins or which brand but there was a $1,500 soundbar our company starting selling. Installed and setup for a customer then the owner of the company the next day asks me, "How did that new soundbar sound?" Me shrugging, "Like a soundbar..."😂😂 Great video, loving the content
What I learned is that the most important thing in home cinema is balance. You can’t put the big ones in front and small ones in rear. Every speaker should be the absolute same. At least in the ear level layer. And put at least 2-4K in sound dampening for your room and have the right setup in distances. Can’t put a good symmetrical surround setup? Keep it stereo. And if you want atmos, don’t do the reflection from the ceiling. There you can put smaller ones but still choose the biggest you can afford and mount. Also subwoofers at very hard to get right. Drive two minimum and never spend less than 1,5k each. Go 5.0 with full size standing speakers if that doesn’t fit your budget or if you are not willing to measure, test and configure a lot. As soon as you use subs, even with speakers that can go low, measure them in at small 80hz.
I own a Nakamichi dragon and it’s in my living room and a 5.4.2 home theater system with a Denon 3800h and it’s pretty darn close how much the dragon sounds compared to the dedicated system
NGL, this is actually a compelling option if you're someone who wants great sound in a constrained space. Most people are not gonna spend Linus level money on their house and are not gonna have such a spacious room for a home theater set-up, but what they might wanna do is have a nice audio setup in their living room for when they wanna watch movies, TV shows or have friends and family over.
I have designed amplifiers and speakers. You can build a 100W/100W/240W 2.1 system with +- 1.5db across the range for like $500. This may not be surround sound but its way the fuck better than most people need. There are $2000+ 2.1 systems with peaks and valleys at 3db, for comparison, which you will hear a lack of audio if you a/b test. All this to say that, no, this is not a compelling option for a constrained price. Anything over $1000 is hardly justifiable but the hifi audio industry is niche so prices are artificially pumped. Don't encourage this.
@@Fhabdhxi Yeah, you can design your own amps and speakers and you can build them, but not everybody can/wants to. A premade solution is what most people are going to go for. Even handy people are either gonna go for premade solutions or hire someone else to do it. I'm an electrician and generally love to do things DIY but I don't think I'd bother to soucre parts, and do all that work when I can just simply buy a premade system. Not to mention that were talking about a slick and simple surround sound solution that performs great. You could probably make your own DIY surround sound solution with your own amps and speakers, but at that point you're already spending a lot of money and time. And as someone who has worked with and listened to very high quality systems I wouldn't say that anything over 1000$ isn't justifiable.
I agree; not just from a cost perspective, but having floor standing speakers can also be a nightmare for certain kids/pets, where soundbars can be a lot more accessible. I feel that saying “a surround setup sounds better” isn’t a fair argument; of course it sounds better, but the soundbar format has its own physical advantages that some households are unable to ignore.
@@christophersteen1873 Ok? Your point? Just because it's reference that doesn't mean it's gonna be a better listening experience. Unless you're an audio engineer or work in the music industry it doesn't really matter. Most of the times when it comes to audio setups for movies, tv shows and gaming, a V curve is gonna be preferable for most people.
@@RevoltDynasty I agree, but I'm not saying that a surround sound sounds better, I'm just saying that a 2.1 setup isn't comparable the complete package that was shown in the video (which was a complete surround setup).
My first home theater experience was with a Jurassic Park THX laser disk. I'll never forget FEELING the t-rex attack. Unfortunately continual apartment living has prevented me from having my own setup.
Me watching this Video on a PAIR of JBL 4355. I really love Audio, its soo interesting to hear the Sound of different speakers. Recently upgraded my Cables to cables from Nordost, insanely expensive, i can clearly hear the difference to my last cables.
I got the Dragon just after pre sale at like $3500. Going from a full av 7.2.1 to the Dragon, in my living room, sounds way better than the old av set up.
Full av but with bad speakers? Had you bought a good 5.1 speaker setup, like a klipsch, you probably would have had much better result than with this sound bar. Especially since it doesn't do any room correction
@@tiloalo had Klipsch front towers and center. I think it was just the av being dated. Honestly the lack of speaker wire and ease of use is worth it for me.
I think that says more about your previous 7.2 than the Dragon! Having to reach for the remote control almost every time the movie sound Dynamics change is very annoying. Unfortunately, that's one of the downfalls when going with a budget AVR. IMO better to persevere and if need be carry on saving and purchase the one one really wants to purchase. Buy once cry once! Our eyes follow our ears to wear the story lives..
True! And I could have bought a new AVR and went that route, BUT the misses began mentioning the speaker wires more often and this way, she can't complain and neither can I with the quality. It works, it sounds good, and for my purpose fills the role perfectly.
I remember my first full dedicated setup started with a budget of ~$1,500 in 2011, ended closer to ~$15,000 in 24 months. Every time I watch a movie with a solid soundtrack it still brings joy to my ears. There's also some deals to be had in the used market, good gear lasts years.
I'm SO glad the Dragon is finally on LTT! That system is a BEAST. I'm getting one when I move into my new place. This was never designed to be a big punchy bassy system - it was actually meant for apartments and small rooms where the room effect would significantly add to the bass. And this is the ONLY soundbar that uses the actual AVR Atmos codec, not the soundbar codec.
@@spdcrzy 5 KEF Q150s, a Denon s960h, and a couple speedwoofers can run ya around $2,000 and will blow your eardrums out. Toss in a few micca atmos speakers if you feel like it.
I love my dragon. My job moves me every few years so this is a great simple (yet pricey) to give great performance until I actually retire and go the same route with wired solutions
I had the old nakamichi 9.2.4 sound bar system and my goodness was it phenomenal! Completely ruined most other audio devices for me. Theyre a top notch brand for sure
"the first thing youre gonna notice about the dragon when you get it is that it is huge, and really heavy" things you can say on an LTT shoot AND in the bedroom
High channels don't add much for you because you have weak low-quality speakers compared to the SVS system, specially compared to the L&R channels, they are not installed correctly pointing towards the main seat and you only have 4 high channels compared to 7 lower channels. Upgrade them, add 2 more channels, and most importantly install them correctly, it will make a *BIG* difference. Personally, I would use the same models as the surrounds, even though they don't look as clean installed with ceiling mounts. It's a dedicated room and you'll be in the dark having fun anyway.
What is the point of soundbar if you have to add surrounds, dual subwoofers and whatnot? It is not much more trouble to install normal front speakers at that point.
@@whotfisjason7870 The 'WAF' is actually better with a stereo pair in front = 1 on each side of the video screen. That 'giantflat box' wastes a LOT of floor space = only useful if U already have some big furniture item under the screen. It's the 'idea' of a sound bar = when the form factor becomes an absurd joke = gigantic yet still inferior =))
Thanks for the binaural recordings, those are awesome. One critique: On top of saying "it's huge" and holding something smaller next to it for comparison, it would be really helpful to just state its dimensions. Question: At what point does a "soundbar" stop being a soundbar? This is a speaker that's 58 inches (around 1.5m) wide. That is getting in the range of the width of a small stereo setups. In my small surround setup, my front speakers are roughly 2.1 meters apart, for example. So you might already considers this soundbar a center speaker with the two front speakers on the side. Add to that, this "soundbar" comes with two extra subwoofers and two surround speakers. That's really not a soundbar, that's basically a 5.2 setup with added height channels via the upwards firing drivers. Honestly, though, with two subwoofers, the bass performance is really disappointing. Note there: If you measured the bass performance, instead of saying "30-45 before rolling off", it would be great to just give the -3db roll-off point, because that is realistically the point where it stops being useful. Most companies use the -6db point for advertising, while some even use the -10db point, which is just ridiculous. That's also why your "30-45 before rolling off" is just not that helpful, honestly. If it's 30 Hz at -3db that's actually "fine" for a smaller sub, but considering this comes with _two_ subs that aren't _that_ small, I'd still be disappointed, considering you can get around 35 Hz at -3db from good mid-sized standing speakers and a decent sub of very comparable size from Nubert, for example, plays down to 26 Hz at -3db. If it's 45 Hz at -3db, then that is honestly ridiculously bad for a subwoofer. That's bass performance you can get from good shelf speakers. Overall, nice review, especially with the binaural recordings, but could be a bit more detailed in the specs / measurement area.
So just a few things to consider. You're sub location is going to dictate a lot of how your sub sounds. How big your room is also a big factor. If you're using it in a smaller room, the bass will receive more room gain and could potentially go lower. Same with the sonos speakers. Where as with your real setup, it used room calibration to fix all those issues. You could probably get alot more sound from both the sonos and dragon systems in a smaller room.
@@nonothing9685 while that is true, that IS part of what you pay for when you go for a full system. Additionally the size and ported enclosure of the subs will limit the ultimate extension you can expect even with room-gain, as the natural roll-off of a 4th order alignment (the ported sub) is too aggressive to allow the room-gain to compensate. And even so, there is every chance Nakamichi has employed limiters and filters to flat-out not let the subs play frequencies lower than port-tuning.
If you're willing to spend $4K on home theater just start out with a decent receiver and 3.1 setup and build from there. Once you're spending that much the ability to modify your system in the future is worth WAY more than any kind of all in one system.
Went for an arc with a sub 3.0 and 2x era 300. The sound is amazing, the integration almost perfect and it truly elevates the strong points of the arc by adding the sub and surrounds. The soundstage with atmos is phenominal. In addition, my wife doesn't complain because the white speakers / design is almost invisible in our room. I'd take the sonos setup anytime over this soundbar.
Frankly, 2 8s with what looks like an 8 inch port is either going to be tuned upper bass or extreme lower bass... and since they're 8s, I was anticipating upper bass. Needs to be rounded out with a solid 10/12 in a non-bandpass ported box to get those sub-30s really hitting.
I use Sonos Arc with 2 Sonos Subs and 2x one SLs on back. Rumble is so powerful, adding anything more powerful would make sense in dedicated cinema room.
I watched the review….not a Naka fanboy or guy that feels the need to defend my purchase. That said, this was a very misleading and slanted review at best. At worst, I think that you may not have spent the proper amount of time setting up the Dragon for the characteristics of the room that it’s in. I actually have a full 7.4.4 Atmos system in my media room with 4 SVS Ultra Towers, 1 Ultra center 4 SVS Subs (2 PB2000’s/2PB1000’s) and Def Tec Speakers for Height and Accent running thru a Denon 6700 AVR with Help from a 5 Channel Emotiva Amp. Out of the box, I was disappointed with the Dragon as I unfairly compared the two. I spent a great deal of time specccing out and optimizing my media room system and NO time tweaking the Dragon system. I set it up based on recommendations made by the owners manual. After tweaking a few settings (crossover, speaker distances, levels) and playing with sub and surround speaker placement, I sincerely feel the Dragon does an amazing job vs my media room system which probably cost close to $20K. It’s not better, but it’s pretty damn good. I’m at the point where I nor my family members have a preference for where we settle down for family movie night. That’s a big deal because the full systems are paired to 150 and 144” screens vs the Dragon which is mated to a 100” U8K. If I were doing it over….im not sure I’d do the full system. The Dragon gets me 85%?of the sound at 15% of the cost of my full system. They key in all this is tweaking the Dragon to fit the characteristics of your room. I actually considered returning the Dragon after using the initial setup suggestions from the owners manual settings. I found a group of people on FB that really help me dial it in. I truly love this thing now!
Bingo, you hit the nail square on the head. Sounds like we run in a similar circle. I have a full home theater, 7.2.4, driven by Anthem and Marantz for sound and power, B&W's all around, with exception to Golden Ears for the rears, and two JL Audio Subs. The system can flat out move sound and get one real deep into a movie-audio track. Then I spent a ton of time on sound acoustics, which I think in the end, probably matters as much as anything else. Top Gun Maverick, I can hear a pin drop in any scene, if it's in the movie. Upstairs in the main great room, we have a Sonos Arc, Gen 2 sub, and the 300's for side-rear. And while I can clearly hear the difference, TGM still sounds damn good. Obviously no sound bar can carve out the separation a dedicated system can, but exactly as you pointed out, nobody is bummed out when in our great room with the soundbar. Also like you, there will come a time when the McMansion gets sold, and we live more to the use of the space, and it'll be the Dragon or Sonos and I'll be just fine. Also have a Samsung 990d in our second home, and even down there, I'm never feeling like we are missing out. It's not a Sonos, but as close as the Sonos is to what I think the Dragon is, I think the Samsung is the same to Sonos. Good sound is good sound, and there are lots of companies out there making good stuff for us all!
The overhead speakers don't do much because your sources are poorly mixed. Even action films like Fast and Furious can't get sound onto these speakers. Use Auro 3D as a format! It converts and puts a lot of sound out at the top and then it's really fun.
Linus is not an audiophile. SVS is 'mass-fi' trash = metal tweeters & plastic cones, & overpriced 'small box' type subs = dum. With even LESS floor space than a pair of SVS subs U can get GIGANTIC speakers that will sound way better than N E 'sound bar' or 'surround system'. It doesn't sound 'incomplete' either = stuff bounces around in the room =)
@dewdmcman4321 see... That's why he explains it simply his sva system costs 13k and they are trash then how much a person should spend to get good sound!
@@dewdmcman4321 SVS isn't remotely close to the trash side of things. Point out the plastic in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6oDfPbT0H5w.html Be all end all? Of course not, but saying giant tower speakers are the answer tells a lot about someone who doesn't know that where the front three speakers goes is often NOT where the front three speakers go. There's no right answer in sound, only products with compromises in every situation.
7:04 - The Chinese have been playing this game for many years where they put out an audio product, and it automatically gets the "20Hz - 20KHz" range stamp. It could be mini speaker with a full range 1 inch driver powered by 2 AAA batteries and it gets the "20Hz - 20KHz" sticker of approval. (rolleyes)
It's unfortunate that you didn't mention the price of the Arc. The MSRP is probably around 900 but you can find it on sale fairly regularly. I paid 630 last year.
I work at Best Buy in home theater. While I'm not as far informed as true enthusiasts nor do I have the budget for a fully custom setup, I'm pretty happy with the Sony Bravia bar 9 that just came out, SW5 Subwoofer and RS5 rears that I recently picked up.
I think the use case for a soundbar is space... you can place it in top of your TV and barly need additional space. This thing is so massive the hole point of a soundbar is gone... If you need that much space, dedicated Speakers will always win in price/value.
I dont think you guys understand that subwoofer channel is always mono, If you have 4 drivers on a mono channel with the same crossover frequency(sound spectrum), they all work together. that's a quad speaker. The speaker he points at has 3 drivers that separates lows, mids, highs. 3 frequency independent drivers to make 1 speakers full sound spectrum.
@@drachamberlain sure, that's true you *could* claim that since they have four drivers, it's a quad-sub system. BUT if you have two subwoofer enclosures, as the Dragon does, it's very often referred to as a dual-subwoofer setup, which has a lot of uses with mono-summed Bass-managed content. However, no matter how many drivers are in each enclosure, that does not acoustically matter due to the proximity of the drivers in relation to the wavelengths of bass frequencies, so it's honestly disingenuous to claim you have "four" subs in this particular situation.
@ 9:42 The quote you are looking for is "the law of diminishing returns." It completely affects every industry and every situation where money is involved. You only get a small percent of boost at the top but it usually comes at a premium price of 2 - 4 times as much 😅
Average consumer for soundbar plug their soundbar into a random HDMI port on the tv which isn't occupied. There are also some consumer that plug in their soundbar into a HDMI port on the tv and complins about how bad the soundbar sounds, because the consumer pluged the soundbar into the wrong port. I'm looking at you companies please say in the instruction to the consumer you have to plug the soundbar into an arc/earc port and tv makers please label the HDMI that has earc/arc support earc/arc some tv models doesn't do that and some does. In the recent years tv makers mostly label the HDMI port earc/arc that has support for it.
I always wanted to see someone test the Nakamichi Shockwafe system as well. Its been interesting watching Nakamichi come back to life. In the Mid 2010s, Nakamichi came back as a K-Mart (US) brand. Surprisingly good quality out of $15 Headphones. Glad to see them come back in full force.
@@CaptainRex332 Specifically it is becuase the word "ugreen" is hyperlinked along with the first link because they missed out a space, if you remove that it works
You could vertically install a sound bar in each corner of the room giving you way better sound, 4 is better than 1. As long as the room isn't to big as the speakers would be to far away.
For myself, I have to say separate cabs/enclosures for speakers, right from the audio input to the AV receiver, get the signal divided up into individual channels and out into the cabs (L,C,R,SL,SR,S) it'll give a much better sound picture of what's going on and where it's coming from and only using one sub in the corner firing along the wall ( bass loves walls due to the wavelength), having all those speakers in one ( unported?) enclosure will just muddy the audio and give no pinpoint on where the sound is coming from, ( again for me ) having a sound bar with ( L,C,R ) in one box just makes the "sound" sound claustrophobic and not spread out enough no matter which way you point the speakers... hope this makes sense, it did in my head 🤣🤣
If you want the look of a soundbar, but the preformence of a full surround system, there is really only one answer. Which is to pair good tower/bookshelf speakers and a good sub with invisible in walls. I don't mean in walls. I mean invisable. Underneath the dry wall. That's what I have. I have a KEF compact sub(I forget the name, but it's the one with opposing woofers) and Buchardt s400s. Those are paired with 4 surround and 4 height channels of sonance invisable speakers. My living room looks like a nice TV/stereo setup, but actually it's a 6.1.4 surround sound home theater. I say 6 becuase there is no center channel. The buchardts have such good stereo imaging it isn't needed.
Listening to the 2 audio clips in the description on a pair of Sennheiser Momentum 4’s, there really is no comparison between Linus’s system and the soundbar. There’s a HUGE difference in quality in favor of Linus’s system.
People focus too much on the bass performance - the biggest difference between those 2 clips is later on, with the rest of the sound range. The Nak sounds like you're listening to cheap speakers in a box, whereas the separates system just sounds like you're listening to the real world. There's no way it's 80% of the performance IMHO.
Creative soundbar has all the IO you need. Comes with subwoofer, and controller. It can even pair with BT. The price is way cheaper than any of the contenders, but still provides decent sounds. They made quality speakers and soundcards for decades.
After listening the Binoral Recording on my Meze 105 Pro, I would say the most noticeable difference is the very sharp high notes, especially at the beginning of the recording. And with saying that: I love my 5.1.2 hand picked system. All I'm going to need. Was expensive enough. NAD receiver and full Nubert NuLine System.
As both a viewer of this channel for many years and someone who has worked in selling Hi-Fi audio for almost 3 years, I would absolutely love to see an LTT video on stereo performance comparison of these brands: JBL, B&W, KEF and Martin Logan. Preferably in a video that includes both Linus and Dan in it. Or have a video on Schitt audio because writers deserve a fun day too.
I think many people don't really get that the main use of soundbars is in homes where there is no infostructure for a traditional setup. most places outside of the US don't have hollow walls that you can just pull wires through. of the house wasn't built with a surround system in mind, the only realistic option (that doesn't include a bunch of wires laying all over your livingroom) is a soundbar.
I’ll be honest here. I’ve had some really expensive audio set ups before. But when I bought my most recent house the wife wanted something less complicated and less visual. I grabbed a $350 Onn brand Dolby Atmos 5.1 system. 46” sound bar with a 10” wireless sub. I couldn’t be more satisfied. It rocks the entire living room and the sound is all around you. Paired with a 86” LG tv and it’s mint. Now in my converted garage that’s a media room it’s not quite on par with my Yamaha system but I’m very surprised with how close it is considering its thousands cheaper. Can’t even believe I’m saying it but yeah Walmarts sound system in box is pretty fuckin lit. Edited to say I am disappointed that Walmart no longer sells the specific one I bought, they do sell one that is similar but it’s smaller. Not sure how that one sounds but I was sitting here typing this thinking about buying another one for our bedroom and found out I couldn’t lol.
After over 50 years as an A/V tech i have learned one thing, that is to recreate the sound that blows you away in a cinema you have to move air, lots of it and you can't do that with smaller drivers no matter how many you have. The very best soundbars are good, but realy stuggle against a full seperates system, and ceiling mounted effects drivers are a must for a true atmos experience. Relying on bouncing the sound off the ceiling is just not the same.
You guys should do something crazy and do an all budget studio monitor surround setup. They typically cost something like $150-$200 USD for each speaker, so for under $2K you could have a 5.1 setup with speakers that probably sound great. I use two 8 inch studio monitors for my TV with a cheapo "HDMI ARC Audio Extractor" that goes HDMI to analog 3.5mm output. Then just a 3.5mm TRS to dual 1/4" cable to the monitors. I don't even need a sub with this setup and it sounds GREAT.
Generally you would buy something that costs 4,000 dollars with around 4,000 dollars, but idk, that might not be how you spend 4,000 dollars on a soundbar because soundbars be different I guess (idk I’m broke)
I'm still using old 80s speaker setups with a more modern HDMI audio receiver (to connect my PC/PS4/Switch). Some of the old school speakers are just really badass.
