Endless reams of untidy cabling are a mainstay of most
multispeaker sound systems, whether they're 5.1 or the more
space-hungry 7.1 specifications.  These setups aren't ideal for
anybody without a capacious lounge that features a pretty
standard layout.  Unfortunately, the whims of modern
architecture mean that stereotypical retail showroom interiors
are few and far between, making setting up surround sound
systems accurately a difficult issue.  To get round this,
manufacturers produced soundbars – devices incorporating five
channels into one bar that can be placed above or below a
television.  Many consumer electronics makers have spied the
emerging market for clutter-free speaker solutions and jumped on
the soundbar production bandwagon. There are two main solutions
on offer.  The cheaper option simply provides stereo sound,
which offers a clearer and more defined alternative to your
television's standard built-in speaker.  These models are
generally active rather than passive, which means that the
amplific