Sound quality: JBL's Cinema SB450 delivers sound quality that falls in the very good range - although it has some noticeable sonic quirks it reproduces music and dialog very well. The bass has good impact, but is a bit boomy and the deepest bass is lacking. The midrange is a bit thin, grainy, hollow, and constricted. The treble is extended, but a touch smeared. This model does a decent job of recovering room ambience (the sense of the acoustic space in which the music was recorded), but is a touch congested. The Virtual Surround setting makes the sound echoey and somewhat harsh. There was no significant difference between the HDMI, optical, Bluetooth, and analog inputs. The system can provide satisfying volume in a medium sized room.
TV setup and ease of use: Very good overall. Setup: Programming to respond to a TV remote was quick, easy, straight forward. HDMI CEC activation and deactivation is done on the connected TV and not on the SB450; the instructions that come with this unit refer to the on-line instructions that direct the user to the TV instructions. The soundbar comes with HDMI digital audio/video and optical digital audio cables for TV connection, a stereo analog audio cable must be purchased separately if you want or need to connect your TV that way. Ease of Use: This model has two options that allow it to work seamlessly with your TV - it can be programmed to respond to most TV remote control volume and mute commands or it can be set to respond to the volume and mute commands from the remotes of HDMI CEC compatible TVs when connected via the HDMI ARC ports with and HDMI cable. Its own remote seems cluttered but is not difficult to use. The soundbar console's power, source, and volume buttons adequately marked with symbols; the mute control consists of simultaneously pressing the volume buttons and is unlabeled. All controls are easy to see and access. The console display shows power status, has muting status and on/off DSP effects mode indicators that are easily seen from arms length. The source indicator lights under printed word labels that are difficult to read from arms length due to poor contrast and small size, and there is no visual indication that volume is being increased or decreased.
Features setup and ease of use: Good overall. Setup: Pairing a Bluetooth device required a long push of a well marked button - easy and straight forward. Ease of Use: The remote seems cluttered but is not difficult to use. The soundbar console's power, source, and volume buttons are adequately marked with symbols; the mute control consists of simultaneously pressing the volume buttons and is unlabeled. All controls are easy to see and access. The console display shows power status, has muting status and on/off DSP effects mode indicators that are easily seen from arms length. The source indicator lights under printed word labels that are difficult to read from arms length due to poor contrast and small size, and there is no visual indication that the volume is being increased or decreased.
