Zvox Z-Base 575

Sound bars feel like they've been around forever now, but they're still a relatively new product; consider that the groundbreaking Yamaha YSP-1 debuted back at CES 2005. Since then, the exterior design of the units hasn't changed much, with the vast majority still consisting of a long pole-like shape that sits under your HDTV. That design has always been somewhat problematic, as an HDTV's stand is often too short or too wide to comfortably accommodate the sound bar, and even if it fits it still adds clutter to your media area.

The Zvox Z-Base 575 (along with the step-down Z-Base 550 and Z-Base 525) tackles both of these deficiencies in a clever way: the speaker is shaped like a large black box that acts as a second pedestal for your HDTV. That makes the Z-Base "disappear" on your TV stand--a remarkable feat considering the Z-Base's rather large size. That size contributes to the Z-Base's capability to fill a large room with sound; its powerful bass was better than any other sound bar we've tested that lacks a separate subwoofer.

The Z-Base 575 does have its shortcomings. For instance, the feature set is minimalist, and competing systems offer significant feature step-ups, like HDMI switching on the YSP-3000 ($800 street price) or digital audio inputs on the Denon DHT-FS3 ($450 street price). However, if you don't need the extra features, dig the Z-Base 575's minimalist design, and need big sound, the Zvox Z-Base 575 fits the bill.