Soundbars vs Conventional Home Theater Sys

Hi All,

I’m new to this forum, so please allow me to preface this brief discussion by saying that I’m not an audiophile by any stretch; however I like to think I have a pretty good ear for what good audio sounds like, or at least should sound like. Having said that, I’m trying to establish a smaller audio footprint, and I’m looking for some guidance from subject matter experts on soundbars vs the conventional home theater system.

I currently own the following equipment:

1. Receiver - Denon AVR-791 125W x 7 Channels

2. Front Speakers - Klipsch Ref RB-41 II Bookshelf

3. Center Speaker - Klipsch Ref R-25C

4. Sub - Polk Audio PSW111

I recently purchased the Samsung N650 w/subwoofer and was very disappointed with the sound! Although my equipment is fairly dated, it sounds way better than the Samsung soundbar. Perhaps that was a bad choice to begin with, but what I’m looking to hear is can any of the current soundbars produce sound as good as or better than the typical home theater system? Of course whenever you mention anything audio-related names like Bose and Sonos enter the conversation, and I think those brands are great but they’re pricey and I've seen a number of reviews questioning the sound quality for the $$$. For example, the Bose Soundbar 700 alone is $800.00 without the sub, and I’ve seen mixed reviews about the app required to configure it. I’ve also heard names like MartinLogan and Paradigm, does anyone have any thoughts on those brands? I don’t mind paying top dollar for high quality equipment, but I want to make sure the equipment is worth it.

Any comments/help is greatly appreciated!