In regards to the soundbar phase and whether small surrounds with a sub sound better for about the same $$$ I am going to blaspheme. Several years back I set up my bedroom TV with a computer speaker system including an 6 inch subwoofer and 4 very small speakers. For free it sounds pretty good but the TV has no surround capability to really stress it out. The dialog is pretty good but I don't really have a center channel.
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Music system
Model 990/7500/Magnepan 1.6 QRs/Technics SL1200 MK2/Aperion S-12 Subwoofer/OWA3/Sony NS75H DVD
APC H15 Power Conditioner

TV System
Large Advent Loudspeakers/ Polk center/Monoprice surrounds/Panasonic Viera 42 inch/Onkyo HT-RC260/Sony BDP S590/Directv


Home Theater System
Onkyo PR-SC886/Outlaw 7125 Klipsch RF-82 L/R,RC-62 center, RB-35 SR/SL, BENQ HT1075, Outlaw LFM1-EX/OPPO BDP-83/Directv
Harmony ONE
Blue Jeans and Monoprice interconnects
APC H15 Power Conditioner