We’ve just finished our hands on time with the new Panasonic SC-HTB65 Home Cinema Sound Bar and we’re are very please with what Panasonic have produced.
With TV’s getting thinner and in turn, built in speakers getting smaller, this sound bar is a nice option for someone who wants to improve the audio quality of their home viewing be it for TV, films or gaming.
The sound bar is extremely easy to set up. In the box, you get the sound bar, the AC power cord, the remote control and the set up manual. It is a bit disappointing that an optical cable isn’t included because this is what’s needed to connect the sound bar to your TV or compatible device. We had the sound bar out of the box an set up ready to go in less that 2 minutes, it really is that simple.
The design of the sound bar is very sleek and compact considering all that it’s packing in. It measures only 2 and a half nches tall when sat flat on it’s base.
There are a variety of modes and settings to choose from on the sound bar and the bundled remote comes in handy when you’re sitting back getting ready to enjoy a film for example.Movie lovers can also try switching the sound mode to Cinema as it may improve the audio quality. There are other sound modes to try out for other occasions like Stereo, Stadium, News, Music and Standard. The device can be placed flat in front of your TV, wall mounted or tilted 90 degrees. There is an option to select whether you have the device set flat or at 90 degrees on the sound bar so it knows how best to send the audio out for each position. The sound bar is recommended for 42 inch TV’s and above.
The bass from the device is extremely impressive considering it’s sleek design. We found ourselves actually turning it down for certain parts of the movie we tested it with. You also have the option to increase or decrease the dialog level with the handy + and – buttons on the remote. The remote itself is simple and easy to use but you do need to make sure you have it pointed directly at the sound bar for the signal to send.
Overall, if you’re in the market for an affordable yet impressive sounding sound bar, the Panasonic SC_HTB65 could be just what you’re looking for. Admittedly, it’s not going to replace a full 5.1 speaker set up but it is more that capable of filling a room, especially when you’ve selected Cinema mode, and giving clear highs and good deep bass levels. The RRP for the SC_HTB65 is €200.
Useful info:
- 90 watt total output
- Built-in subwoofer
- 2.1 channel system
- Dimensions H 6.6, W 95, D 10.5cm
- Weight 3.2kg
- Multi-positional
- Adjustable dialogue volume
- Wall mountable
Here is a link to the official product page.
