Cheap, compact, and fast and easy to install, sound bars can also thoroughly pep up a TV’s sound. JVC’s new 4.1-channel TH-BA1 includes a subwoofer and costs just 330 GBP.

October 14, 2009 — Sounds good: A chic, minimalist, lifestyle sound bar that, according to JVC, is easy to install and will also perfectly suit the manufacturer’s range of LCD TVs. Especially interesting is the wireless connection to the supplied subwoofer, making installation even easier. Simply connect both components to the power and hook up the audio source device, as the Japanese company explains, and you’re done!

For uncomplicated home theater: JVC’s TH-BA1 sound bar.

The whole thing costs just 330 GBP and will likely be of interest to home-theater beginners, people lacking the space for a full system, and budget-conscious buyers. Let’s look at some more technical details: The slender bar accommodates an amplifier, as well as four 30-watt speakers, each of which is held in its own individual casing to combat mutual interferences. The system’s audio simulates surround sound and claims to be equally suitable for all types of playback — music, speech, and movies, for example. The supplied 100-watt subwoofer has its own integrated amplifier that’s supposed to provide genuinely powerful bass. The 4.1 sound bar TH-BA1 is on sale now.

For in-depth information on sound bars also read our article Sound Bars Explained and Reviewed.