BIC Formula FH56-BAR Speaker Bar System

I bought this to eliminate a 5 speaker mess. It is the only one like it. Wow was I suprised how this is a high performance speaker like it is. I had a couple large systems years ago, one had bose 901 another had cerwin vega at 15 speakers with a big 4 ohm amp. I can say this is nearly as loud and very clear. I also have an f 12 subwoofer from bic. Very happy with this system. I have a yamaha 5.1 receiver from around 2004. She gets a work out with this sound bar. I need a cooling fan for it now. I will confirm also that you need to use a digital connection that is true 5.1 , running it through your tv coax or optical changes it to 2 channel stereo and you cant get dts to work through that connection.Very important. Always connect from source direct to receiver for true surround or dts.

I have reviewed this product many times as we are Custom AV installers. It is a great product if you have the space for it.

I am giving this speaker 5 stars based on its value and its design. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for an alternative to the pathetic speakers that are being used in flat screen tvs. Up untill a few months ago I had no interest in home theater. My main interest for audio is music and I consider myself a budget minded audiophile. I recently purchased a 60 inch Samsung tv through a company plan for a price that was to good to pass up. I was a little disappointed when I heard the sound from the tv though. I am writing this review to tell my experience and in the event there is someone else in my situation. Once I realized that i needed an alternative, the first thing I did was purchase a receiver on ebay. I was wanting something of high quality without spending a lot. I am using an older pioneer elite vsx-45tx receiver circa 2004. This was a high end receiver at the time and the brand is known for its audio quality. I own a pair of polk audio srs sda 3.2tl speakers so I acquired an operion center channel and 12in sub. When I set these speakers up in a 3.1 setup I was not that impressed. The center didn't match the mains and the sub was over powering. I then decided to try something different and came across the Bic FH-56 bar. After hooking it up and running the auto calibration setup with the receiver I noticed a large improvement in the sound. Dialogue was clear and an overall improvement in the sound. I also noticed that the sound did not sound like surround sound. I started digging in a little deeper and found that the signal that is outputed from a Samsung tv (and some other brands as well) eventhough it is an optical signal it is stereo not 5.1. The tv down mixes the signal to a 2 channel signal from the original, it does not pass the digital signal through. This to me, explains why there are mostly 2.1 sound bars rather than options like the FH-56. I found that what I have to do in my situation is run the digital signal directly from the source to the receiver in order to get 5.1 surround. Once setup this way, the sound stage opens up and definitely 34;feels34; like surround sound. In my situation I am now looking to purchase an external hdmi switcher that extracts the digital audio and passes it in its original form on an optical ouput and sends the video through hdmi. They can be had for around $50. I hope this helps someone. The sound quality from this speaker is excellent when driven by a good amplifier. A very good value for the price. I think this is a solid buy.

sound is OK

Do your measurements before ordering this thing. It's that big. It's technically not a sound bar (since it requires a AV receiver and AWG wires)...it is actually a straight speaker (7 of them total) with five drivers in it: one driver connecting to each channel (I believe the rear left/rear right channels split into two speakers each on the sides), and requiring connection to a receiver's full five channels to power it. That said, the sound is Fantastic and has the dialogue, soundstage, and nearly full surround of something TRIPLE the price of this. Everything is incredibly crisp and immersive according to this pseudo-audiophile. By the way, I recommend 16 or 14 gauge wire instead of gauge wire for audio. Also, I personally recommend OFC AWG although people think copper wire doesn't make a difference (i use Knukonceptz; varying lengths can be bought on Ebay). As for what kind of receiver to get for this? I personally use a almost-vintage Harman Kardon AVR 500, which is perfect for what I need at 80 watts per channel and with DTS/Dolby Digital. As for you, any receiver rated for 90 to 160 watts RMS per channel will be in the optimum power range for these speakers, but any receiver rated between 10 and 160 watts will do. Also, banana plugs are not necessary unless you move stuff around a lot. The speaker is well-crafted and feels durable. Plus, it's made in the USA. And aside from working around the inconvenient (yet compulsory) size and weight of it, I believe it's a no-brainer to buy this speaker. I cannot recommend it enough!

Sounds so much better than the Sony HTIB that I used before. Combine this with a cheap receiver and it puts out good sound.