Pioneer’s new SB-PS23W is a soundbar the way most people want it: A simple, relatively inexpensive way to make a television sound louder. In that way, it’s cut from the same cloth as the fantastic AirPlay speakers the company made last year (actually, they’ve got the some LA-based designer). It wasn’t the first AirPlay speaker, but its design made it a winner.
From what we just heard this $US400 soundbar has a lot of the same potential for the basic soundbar market. The six-speaker array sits in a a handsome wooden enclosure that’s larger than most. While that might not necessarily mesh with the “invisible” aesthetic most soundbars are going for, it gives the music some space to resonate. (The included wireless sub helps fill out the bottom-end nicely as well.) The sound of sweet guitars resonating in wood — just the way it should be.
How do movies sound? Well, see now, that’s the thing — Pioneer wasn’t demoing movies because the system is designed for stereo. That means you’re not getting any fancy surround sound emulation. Pioneer reps said we’re “three years away” from being able to do surround sound well from a soundbar. That’s definitely not true, but at a $US300 price point — surrrrre.
But the trade of of is simplicity and price. This new sound bar only takes two inputs — optical digital and RCA. So you’ll need a separate hub — a TV will do! — to handle all your HDMI inputs.