Sony HTSS360 5.1 channel Home Theater System (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own a new 40" Sony Bravia LCD that I hooked this system up to. I was very impressed with its sound and its wide range of features for the price! However, there were a couple areas that I feel need to be addressed.

PROS:
- Excellent sound, especially the Movie DCS mode which adds a ton of depth to any movie
- Easy setup
- Excellent integration with a Sony TV. I can fully control my LCD from the receiver remote after hooking up the HDMI cables.
- Full HDMI switching makes initial connection and switching between sources a snap. I can switch between cable and my PS3 with 1 button.
- Wide range of format handling, including Linear PCM.
- Wide range of sound modes.
- No color distortion issues when switching between HDMI sources. This seemed to be a problem in older models.

CONS:
- I found the bass to be a little lacking due to the fact that the subwoofer is passive. I swapped the included one out with this: Yamaha YST-SW216BL Advanced YST II Front-Firing Active Subwoofer and it brought the sound to a whole new level!
- Uses proprietary speaker wire connections. Sony makes it very hard to swap the subwoofer like I described previously because the receiver uses proprietary plugs for the speakers instead of generic speaker wire attachments. The system comes with 4 thin speaker wires with plugs to the receiver on one end, and bare wire on the other to hook up to the satellite speakers. However, the subwoofer's is HARD WIRED, so it can't be detached at all. What's worse is that Sony only sells their speaker wires in packs of 5, for a whopping $55.
To use my new subwoofer, I simply found an aftermarket plug with a small length of wire on eBay, spliced it with some standard 18 gauge wire of my own and hooked it up to my new sub. Voila, it worked like a charm.

OVERALL:
Out of the box, the system is a solid 4/5. With a powered subwoofer and a little bit of handiwork to get around Sony's greed, it can be improved to 5/5.

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Product Description:
A perfect complement to Blu-ray Disc format movies and advanced gaming platforms, this slim, surround sound receiver system offers simplicity in set-up and connectivity. Experience the full benefit Blu-ray Disc technology sound was developed for with three HDMI inputs. Connect HD sources with a single cable and directly access them through the systems remote contro. One button control is also available with BRAVIA Sync technology and the system cosmetically compliments Blu-ray Disc players and TVs.

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Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'll start by saying I'm not an Audiophile.I just wanted a decent mid-range receiver that does all the latest lossless audio formats and has 7.1 channels so it's ready to take advantage of BluRay as that format evolves.So my primary focus is on a system that plays audio for movies and video games as it's primary function.Currently I have this receiver setup in a 5.1 configuration since that's the type of receiver it replaced.I have more speakers on order to expand it out but to be honest, right now if you're building a home theater from scratch, you only need 5.1 .The 7.1 specs aren't really supported yet and DVDs and Playstation/Xbox are all 5.1, so if you're starting from scratch save some money and setup for 5.1 first and expand as support grows.

I used the automated speaker calibration feature to setup all the channels.This is where you place the provided mic at ear level at three different listener positions.The receiver then sends out tones which will drive you and your dog nuts for about 15 minutes while the entire process goes on.Once it was done however, I was/am very pleased with the results.

I've heard some people ask about humming, i can detect no humming.I have some WiFi equipment close by which is 2.5 ghz and so far have not heard any humming.Some other people have said the Receiver runs hot to which I would ask those people, is this your first receiver?They do run hot !This one runs no hotter than the old one i replaced from a different manufacturer so as far as I'm concerned, the heat issue is normal.I have it in a small component rack that's enclosed on the sides and back with a door on the front, it's got maybe half an inch space around the sides and 2 inches of space on top and so far everything is good.

The back has tons of inputs, but the primary reason I waited for the 606 over the previous model is the number of HDMI ports, the next generation audio/video cable which is a requirement for full resolution BluRay playback.They're rev 1.3a to support all the latest audio formats as well (none of which are currently supported by the discs themselves yet though).The receiver will pass through a 1080p signal from a BluRay or other high def video source.If you feed it a standard def 480i video source, it will upscale it to 1080i or 720p.It does a decent job but i would say upscaling isn't the receivers strong point, it does an acceptable job though.But lets face it, Onkyo doesn't build TV's, their bread and butter isn't video, it's audio.

I'm pleased with the performance and the styling of the receiver, it's just very basic and sleek.No built in graphical user interface and all that other nonsense that receivers 3x this price but no more times the performance come equipped with.This receiver for a mid end system for movies and video games just really can't be matched in terms of performance per dollar spent.

I have matched this receiver with some Polk Audio speakers.Specifically i have a Polk CSi3 center channel and six Polk RTi4 bookshelf speakers (all of which you can find at great prices here on Amazon where I ordered them from) and I am very very happy with the results.The Polk speakers like the Onkyo 606 receiver are over achievers for their price point, so they match together extremely well.

The only thing I have left to say is buy it, I wouldn't hesitate recommending this receiver to anyone looking for a solid movie/video game home theater experience.

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Product Description:
As part of the second generation of Onkyo high-definition-capable receivers, the TX-SR606 is at the forefront of affordable home theater. The key is to have the most capable version of HDMI. The TX-SR606 provides high-definition video and audio processing for four source components-another first for Onkyo at this level. From Blu-ray Disc players to gaming consoles and cable/satellite boxes, you have everything in the digital realm covered. Apart from 1080p video, the TX-SR606 can upscale all video signals to 1080i, regardless of the connection, for output via HDMI. Onkyo's own RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) also gives you inter-operability with the displays and playback components from other leading brands. And with an expanded version of Audyssey's room correction technology, the TX-SR606 maintains the fullness of surround sound audio quality at low volume levels. The TX-SR606 offers all-round excellence rarely seen at this level.

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Logitech X-540 Surround Sound Speakers Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Setup was easy and they look good, especially the speaker on the monitor and the woofer. But the volume and sound quality are not as good as expected. Little fuzzy.

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Product Description:
Immerse yourself in the game with the outstanding surround sound of Logitech's X-540 speaker system. Dual driver satellites use patented FDD2™ technology to eliminate the uneven response created by conventional dual driver designs. Matrix mode creates 5.1 surround sound from 2- channel sources. The innovative center channel speaker clips onto the top of most flat-panel LCD monitors. The ported subwoofer features dynamic, real-time equalization that maximizes bass while minimizing distortion. The X-540 also features a convenient control pod with volume and subwoofer level controls, as well as a headphone jack for private listening. Satellite stands rotate for easy wall mounting.

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Coby DVD765 5.1-Channel DVD Home Theater System (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is probably the worst Home Theater System you can find. I would list the pros and cons but there isn't anything good about the system at all so I will just list the problems.

- The speaker wires are too short. They won't even cover a 10' x 10' bedroom.
- The speaker quality is horrific. My TV from 1995 (no surround sound) sounds better than these
-The volume can only go so low. You can try to keep turning the volume down but once it hits about halfway of what it would be on a normal one the sound will just mute. There is no low volume.
- The DVD quality is terrible as well. So much for progressive scan.
- WORST OF ALL: You cannot control the volume when watching tv ONLY when watching a DVD or playing music. Don't know why anyone would make a home theater product where you can't control the volume when watching tv.

DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Going directly back to Amazon.

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Product Description:
Coby DVD765 5.1-Channel DVD Home Theater System, 5.1-channel progressive scan DVD player, compact and slim design, DVD, DVD±R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, and JPEG compatible, Dolby digital decoder, 5.1-channel audio for surround sound systems, digital and analog AV outputs for home theater use, NTSC/PAL compatible, convenient front panel and on-screen display, multiple language, subtitle, and camera angle support, picture zoom function, parental lock control, AC 100-240V automatic power switching, FCC approved and ETL listed, Home theater speakers; 5.1-channel surround sound system with 300W total output, 5 full-range satellite speakers, Subwoofer with tuned port for deep bass response

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Harman Kardon HTFS 2 Black Lacquer Speaker Floor Stands Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered 4 of these for each of my main channel speakers. The bases are very heavy and will keep the speakers steady.

It comes with floor studs for either hard wood or carpet. The carpet ones are pretty neat little cleats that stick into the carpet to give it even more stability.The hard floor studs are some little rubber nubs.

The base of the stand is made of aluminum it seems, with a high gloss paint job that matches the speakers surprisingly well. All very modern looking.

I'd def. recommend these for your HKTS systeam.

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Product Description:
These slim-profile, aluminum-extrusion columns are custom-designed to match the HKTS 15, HKTS 18, HKS 6 and HKS 9 satellite speakers, while accenting any decor. A self-contained, internal wire management system adds to the system approach by keeping speaker wires out of sight.

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Harman Kardon HKS-9 Speaker Pack (Pair) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased these speakers to round out my surround system and get full 7.1 sound. They are the perfect addition to my existing Pioneer Elite SG-05 receiver and Infinity speakers. Their versatile mounting system enabled me to locate them exactly where I wanted them and they sound great with my existing set-up. Usually my wife is somewhat ambivalent to the changes I make to our home theater system but she noticed the difference immediately. If you're looking for small, affordable and great sounding speakers to complete your surround system, I would highly recommend the HKS-9's.

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Product Description:
TWO-WAY SATELLITE SPEAKERS WITH 3" MIDRANGE & .75" DOME TWEETER FOR HARHKTS18 PAIR

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KINETIC ISOL ACCSRATED FOR 375 LBS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Only got one for $14.95 plus shipping instead of a set of 4 or 5 or 6. That's about $60 for a set of 4. Rubber air inflated go cart / mower wheels are $10 at Northern T and E & would work better & be far cheaper for a set of 4. Just feel ripped off. One isolator?

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Product Description:
BUTTKICKER KINETIC ISOLACCSRATED FOR 375 LBS

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