Can you hear me now?

COMBINE two of the hottest product trends in consumer electronics and whattaya get?

The Sonos Playbar - the most versatile, entertaining wedge of speakers/amplifiers/Internet-streaming computer power you'll ever plunk under your TV screen.

For anyone with a good set of ears but limited floor space, this high-end soundbar offers a most efficient fix for the mediocre sound emitting from today's flat-panel TV sets.

And because it's got the Sonos name on it, the Playbar does double duty as a streaming, networking music player, pulling down fantastic free Internet radio stations by the thousands, plus paid subscription music content (Spotify, Rhapsody, Sirius/XM, MOG), now a huge growth category.

Oft-promoted when you're purchasing a TV, soundbars can be had for lots less than the $699 price tag on a Sonos Playbar. But this sleek thing makes its case with exceedingly good sound and an attractive, flexible design suitable for wall or tabletop.

The Playbar's detailed, balanced sound is the result of nine individually amplified and equalized speakers firing forward and to the sides - the latter enhancing the sense of a big sound field, especially in a smaller room.

Sonos also offers an optional wireless subwoofer and rear speakers to make a full, 5.1-channel home theater system with the Playbar. But I didn't think the sub was necessary during my test, enjoying explosive flicks like "Skyfall," music-centric TV shows ("Nashville," "Smash"), and new Blu-ray renderings of the "Love for Levon" Helm tribute concert, coming to PBS next month, and "Live at Montreux," a reunion of Miles Davis with Quincy Jones and the Gil Evans Orchestra. Even with lower bit-rate Internet radio stations, the Playbar puts out a solid bass response. In the tradition of Bose products, a Sonos Playbar automatically adjusts tone equalization relative to volume. At low volume, the bass doesn't drown out voices; make it louder and the system cranks a bolder, punchier presentation.

And when you consider all of the Sonos-exclusive features, this soundbar really jumps out of the crowd, adding up to the home theater/music-playback system many people would crave.

Or you can make the piece one part of a sexy whole-house system, delivering synchronized or distinct music to every room fitted with Sonos gear.

Patented, wireless "mesh network" technology makes all things possible. Only one Sonos-branded component has to be hardwired (via Ethernet cable) to your home Internet system. All the other Sonos amplified speakers and receivers communicate wirelessly with the Web and each other, with minimal delay.

Once connected via fiber-optic cable to a digital sound source, the Playbar will turn itself on when detecting a signal, then shut down when the line goes quiet. If you don't have an optical output on your TV, or want to use a Playbar with several different digital sound products, you'll need to invest in a small optical switcher (under $20).

By the way, Sonos no longer sells dedicated remote controllers for its gear. Instead, a spiffy, free app turns any iOS or Android device (connected on the same Wi-Fi network) into a super-responsive, super-easy Sonos system controller.