SharpHt-sb500
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HT-SB500 soundbar poised to overthrow HT-SB300 as Sharp's best yet
Before the end of the year, Sharp will have a new entry at the top of its soundbar offerings -- the HT-SB500. The $350 model, due in December, packs LCR and sub drivers in one cabinet, thus one-upping its stablemates with a "3.1-channel" soundbar designation. The latest multichannel connectivity is a moot point on soundbars, so the HT-SB500 takes the reasonable (at least in our experience) approach and sticks with optical and coaxial SPDIF inputs, stereo RCAs and a 3.5-mm jack. The onboard decoders for DTS, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II should cover the bases for the intended uses, and adding in a dash of Dolby Virtual Speaker or SRS TruSurround HD processing should help create a soundstage that's bigger than the soundbar itself. Sharp knows aesthetics really count in this segment, and caps things off with its Touch Panel (hey, it's trendy right now) controls up front. Full details after the break.
