Altec Lansing PT7031 - Home theater system - 5.1 channel Review

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(More customer reviews)If you can have one for the price I paid I believe it's a worthy replacement to stock flat panel speakers, and an acceptable alternative to true surround sound. I actually bought this at an online outlet site for a little over one bill $. I had not read any reviews online and this speaker system is pretty much non-existent for sale online so I was a little nervous after I had bought this. There are a few quirks that would put off most people from buying, such as a lack of HDMI, and the standard definition on screen setup required to see any changes of audio settings. The sound bar is very large, almost as wide as my 50 inch plasma, so that might be something to consider as well. The remote is a little confusing and attempts to integrate itself as a universal remote but fails as such. I believe the only thing Altec Lansing got right with this rather large sound bar is the cool modern design and the theatre-like sound. I think a lot of people would be interested to know that for movies and regular tv watching it actually outperforms my 5.1 surround HTIB that I paid nearly three times as much. I find myself struggling to hear dialogue with my surround sound, so this is the shining point of the PT7031; it has a perfect balance for dialogue and music so you don't have to constantly turn the volume up and down. It does also have an option for an external subwoofer, and I have not attempted to utilize this because it already has pretty good low end reproduction. This is by no means a replacement for any high end 5.1 surround systems, but it is a good compromise for the type of people who do not want to bother with messy wiring. So bottom line, if you want good sound and don't mind switching back and forth with an on screen audio setup this might be for you, but I would not spend more than what I paid for this.

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Nothing could be simpler. Or more impressive. The PT7031 replaces a traditional A/V receiver and separate speakers with one, beautiful cabinet that sits on any flat surface or mounts directly to the wall beneath your flat-screen TV. But don't let the simplicity fool you. This is true Dolby and DTS multichannel surround sound?made possible by NXT Digital flat-panel technology that reflects sound from your side walls to the back of the room to completely immerse you in the theater experience. Video output for on-screen display (OSD) used in set-up and operation. Subwoofer output for enhanced bass using an optional powered subwooferControl your speaker system and most of your components from a single remote. Strong, durable, and discreet.Included wall-mounting brackets make installation a cinch.

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ZVOX 430 High-Performance Single-Cabinet "Sound Bar" Surround Sound System Review

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(More customer reviews)OK, WOW!!! I got my 430 today and it rocks! Previously owned a Bose 3-2-1- and the ZVOX single speaker puts it to shame. Big full sound, EASY EASY to set up. Simple. Just like they advertise. I'll be getting one for every room and in the house. Who needs a TV...I can stream i-tunes to it and pop one in every room of the house without crazy wiring. The speaker is solid and you can feel the quality right off. While it's a little large, it's rectangular size makes it easy to hide into most low profile media furniture. No dials and knobs or logos...just a sleek looking low profile speaker with kicking sound.

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In a world filled with flashy plastic sound bars, the ZVOX 430 system stands out. Handcrafted from wood (MDF), with hand-lacquered end-panels, the 430\'s compact design encloses three high-performance speakers, a powerful amplifier and a powered subwoofer. Like all ZVOX systems, the 430 delivers realistic, lifelike sound. Movies come alive. Music sounds like music – rich and alive. Inside its slim cabinet (30.4-Inch w x 5.7-Inch h x 5-Inch d) are three 3.25-Inch main speakers, a 4-Inch subwoofer with a flared port, an amplifier and our acclaimed PhaseCue virtual surround sound system. There are no external speakers, external subwoofer or speaker wires. Just connect one cord to your TV and you\'ve created a great-sounding, easy-to-use home theater system. Sound & Vision magazine calls ZVOX systems "remarkably ingenious." Home Entertainment magazine calls ZVOX home theaters "shockingly good."

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ZVOX 425xs High-Performance Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had two different Zvox models at home for the last couple of months, but this commentary could apply to either the 425 or 525 models.
Prior to ordering my first Zvox, I went the more common digital route of a separate Onkyo receiver/amplifier, a speaker bar by Definitive Technologies and some high-end cables. I am not an audiophile, but not averse to a challenge. Setting it all up was a nightmare. I couldn't get a reliable on-screen menu either through the HDMI connection, or through the analog inputs, regardless of how I configured the connections. Additionally, since I needed to hide the receiver, I needed an infrared repeater to turn it on, and it never worked reliably, regardless of where I positioned it.
In summary, I had a system that could not be reliably turned on with my remote, did not reliably give me an on-screen menu for most of the receiver functions, and increased the ambient temperature in the living room by about 4 degrees if it was left on all day (I was rather amused by thinking that at least I had a back-up heating system should the furnace ever fail). I put the better part of 15 hours in to set this up, and reconfigured it again and again. I also probably spent nearly another two hours speaking to people at Onkyo, Definitive Technologies, and the folks who manufactured the IR repeater. And watching something on TV could take minutes of "prep."
Finally, the irritation overwhelmed me, and I boxed everything up (including my 100 page Onkyo receiver owner's manual) and sent it back. At the same time I was doing a bit more research, and discovered the AVS forum thread covering the Zvox models, and it seemed to provide the best discussions and summaries of the different units (from an ordinary user's point of view). I decided to try one.
Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! This is exactly what the Zvox provides! My television, with its clean, easily visible, intuitive on-screen menu is a great switching station for inputs. And the units turn themselves on or off automatically when it senses a signal (or lack thereof) from the TV. Set up is basically five steps: (1) Run analog RCA cables (supplied) from TV's analog audio output jacks to the Zvox, (2) plug in the Zvox, (3) turn the "ON" switch at the back of the Zvox on; (4) go into the TV's menu screen and shut off (once and forever) the TV's cheap, tinny-sounding, cheesy little speakers; and (5) watch TV or a movie. That's basically it!
It does a very good job of filling the room with sound. It feels like the sound is emanating from an area about eight or ten feet wide in front of the TV, bass is quite intense (especially with the 425 model), and dialog is very clear. No need to bring up subtitles or closed captioning when listening at low volume levels. It doesn't make you feel that you are surrounded by sound, but the effect is rather more like you are watching a play or musical performance in a theater. There is a sense of directionality, but it is pretty much from in front of you. I have never quite understood why people like sound that is coming from behind them, when the action is taking place in front of them (?!), but, as I mentioned above, I am not an audiophile, so perhaps I just do not understand why such things are important. Music, in particular, seems much more crisp, clean, and natural than it did with my previous "all digital" system. I have my unit set with bass, treble and phase cue (the simulated surround sound) at about level 5, and haven't found a need to change anything. Set it, forget it! I can't express how much I appreciate it that someone has put together a speaker system with such wonderful quality, and which is brain-dead simple to set up and manage.
As far as shortcomings are concerned, in my view, there are only a couple: (1) as mentioned in another review here, sometimes higher notes lack a bit of clarity or lightness, but to me this seems only to be the case when the volume and/or phase cue is set very high; (2) TV programs or DVDs with garbage audio quality will be played back the same way (what you give this Zvox is exactly what it will give back to you). If you play a garbage sound recording, you will get back garbage. Moreover, it will be full-bodied, wide soundstage, room-filling garbage. I guess this is what "fidelity" means in the term "high fidelity"). You don't seem to be able to do much about this, but if you are listening to decent recordings, it is a very, very good thing.
I think anyone who wants a quality sound system and who wants to eliminate (or prevent the occurrence of) another level of complexity in life (which, I am convinced, is slowly killing us all), this system will be an excellent choice. The surround-sound, five, seven, or nine channel enthusiasts will not be impressed, of course. Fine. Leave them be. I live in a house anyway, not a concert amphitheater. The Zvox is just fine for the rest of us.

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The ZVOX 425xs is the first single-cabinet audio system capable of delivering the volume, impact and dynamic realism – including window-rattling bass – of a high-quality multi-speaker surround sound system. We think it will change the way the world listens to movies, music, TV shows and sporting events. Uncompromised home theater sound no longer requires a room full of speaker boxes, subwoofers and wires! The new ZVOX 425xs combines five speakers, two powered subwoofers, a powerful 133-watt amplifier and our proprietary PhaseCue virtual surround sound system – all in one slim cabinet (36.5"w x 5 3/4"d x 7 3/4"h). Created by legendary speaker designer Winslow Burhoe (founder of EPI Loudspeakers and Burhoe Acoustics), it sounds awesome (yes, we know the word is over-used, but the 425xs really is awesome). Movie soundtracks aren\'t just good sounding, they are startlingly realistic. Bass is solid, accurate and loud down to an amazing 35 Hz (that\'s better than some 10" standalone powered subwoofers). With three center all-channel speakers, midrange and vocal reproduction is superb – with crystal-clear dialog, even at low volume settings. And like all ZVOX systems, the 425xs reproduces music accurately with natural tonal balance, precise imaging and breath-taking realism. Connect just one cord to your TV and you\'ve created a fantastic-sounding, easy-to-use home theater system...without all the clutter and wires of a traditional surround sound system. "Best buy." - Consumer's Digest "Home theater product of the year." - About.com "Stands tall among competing products." - CNET "The 425 sounded great...rivals many discrete systems." - Sound & Vision magazine "The subwoofers reach remarkable depths with audible output even lower than the claimed 35 hertz." - Chicago Tribune

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ZVOX 550HSD Low-Profile Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System with Optical and Coaxial Digital Inputs Review

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(More customer reviews)Before purchasing this speaker/amplifier system, I read every review I could find. However, no matter how well a speaker review is written, the proof is in the actual listening. After some careful measurements of the space where I intended to put this speaker, I decided to go ahead and spring (also known as "putting a dent" in the credit card) for the system. Quick background - I've been using a Yamaha 5.1 channel surround receiver with Bose AM-3 speakers and an OPPO BDP-83 Blu-Ray player. One of my biggest gripes about compact systems has been high levels of total harmonic distortion. But the simple convenience of fewer remotes and easy adjustments does have its charms.
I received the system about 3 days after placing the order and I set it up the day after I got it. Did I say setup? This marvelous audio soundbar/box sets up faster than an egg on hot asphalt. I ran a set of RCA cables from the TV's analog output to the ZVOX analog RCA inputs. Everything else, video and audio-wise, is plugged into the back of the TV. An optical digital cable from the Blu-Ray player to the optical input on the ZVOX takes care of the DVD audio. Even my PC's audio goes through the ZVOX unit.
The unit itself is wonderfully "invisible" in that it sits under the LCD TV base and does not call attention to itself. The sound? With a little noodling on the included remote (which is larger and easier to use than the chiclet size remote provided with the standard 550 model), I was quite impressed. I played my Blu-Ray copy of AVATAR and with the PHASE CUE setting near maximum, the BASS on maximum, treble on about three-quarters of the allowed adjustment range, I began my listening test. After several minutes, I was struck by the fact that the sound was so full and clear that I got lost in the movie. The speakers just "disappeared".
Several observations: The bass output doesn't have quite enough "oomph" for my taste, so I purchased an inexpensive Yamaha YST-50 subwoofer that worked out just nice. It's compact, provides a nice punch to the bass, and fits almost anywhere. As for the surround effect - the system broadens the soundfield more than adding weird surround effects. Truthfully, I like its overall balanced sound much better than some of the other soundbar manufacturers attempts at faux surround.
In summary, if the complexities of today's audio/video receivers and multi-channel rat's nest of connecting cables is driving you to distraction, try the ZVOX 550 HSD system for small spaces (I'm using it in a third bedroom space which is quite small), or the ZVOX 575 HSD system in larger living room spaces. Simple is best!

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The Z-Base 550HSD is the only surround sound system designed to act as a base platform for most 26" - 50" flat-panel TVs. Only three inches thick, the Z-Base virtually disappears when placed beneath a flat panel TV. But don\'t let is low profile fool you -- the 550HSD sounds absolutely terrific-reproducing music and movie soundtracks with lifelike accuracy. The entire system-speakers, amplifier, virtual surround technology and powered subwoofer-fits into the super-slim cabinet. There are no external speakers, no external subwoofers and no speaker wires.The Z-Base 550HSD complements the design of modern TVs by incorporating beautiful hand-lacquered high-gloss black end panels. The top of the Z-Base 550HSD is finished in rugged, scratch-resistant black vinyl that is less likely to be marred by objects such as the TV placed on its surface. Set-up of the Z-Base 550HSD requires very few steps: Simply place the unit on a stable shelf, table or cabinet. Place your stand-mounted flat-panel TV on top of it.Plug in AC power, one connecting cord to the TV. Sit back and enjoy big, realistic sound including thunderous bass from the builtin powered subwoofer. The Z-Base 550HSD uses the ZVOX PhaseCue virtual surround system to create wide, three-dimensional sound, as if you are listening to speakers eight feet apart from each other, with movie sound effects that literally surround you. You get a room full of sound without a roomful of speakers and wires! TV base should not exceed 27" in width or 13" in depth. TV should not exceed 90 pounds in weight. Safety instructions in Z-Base 550HSD Operating Instructions and in TV's Operating Instructions should be closely examined and followed.

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Denon DHT-FS3 Home Theater in a Box Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased the DHT-FS3 hoping not so much for a 5.1 sound-alike experience but simply hoping for a good "TV speaker replacement" system. Unfortunately, while the Denon is the best sounding system of its type, it simply wasn't to be for my application.
First, the size of the unit is a bit larger in some ways that one would expect and smaller than others. Denon obviously designed the unit to fit in front of a flat screen TV, as they thoughtfully provided feet that are widely spaced (about 20") so that the unit can straddle the front of most TV manufacturer's flat screen pedestals. But it's also wider than one might expect - it's wider than a 16:9 32" TV, but a bit narrower than a 37".
The sound is GOOD, but not great. At no time will you think you're in front of not only a 5.1 surround system but even a decent stereo system using bookshelf loudspeakers; however it does sound better than any built-in TV speakers could, and it outdoes most "mini" systems as well, likely including offerings such as Denon's own S-101 HTIB system. Like most such systems, the bass is a bit "thumpy" - the sub just doesn't integrate well with the satellites and crosses over fairly high - around 125-150 Hz - so you never lose sight of the fact that most of your sound is coming from "up there" but the bass notes are coming from "down there."
The unit has multiple inputs - two sets of RCAs for analog, including one set that can be used with one of Denon's iPod docks, two optical digital and one coaxial digital. The setup has many nice features, including distance to the listener, bass/treble (unlike Bose systems, but here the adjustments are in fairly large 2dB increments) and a nice universal remote to control your TV, DVD player and the speaker unit. It can play in straight stereo, "wide" surround, Dolby Digital or even DTS, and all sound reasonably good for this application.
The design flaw? While not Denon's fault, most every flat panel TV manufacturer puts the sensor for their remote control along the bottom of the TV, meaning if the Denon's sitting in front of the TV, I can just about guarantee it will be blocking the TV's remote sensor unless you're using it with a larger set (40" or more) and the sensor's in the corner, or your TV somewhat more intelligently placed the sensor along the TV's sides or top frame.
I don't mean to come across as overly harsh, but I really had high hopes for a product like this from Denon, and sound-wise it really didn't sound as good as I thought it would. That's not really their fault; you can only do so much with smaller drivers in a rather small enclosure. But on the other hand, it does do a better job of producing a virtual surround effect than any TV's built-in surround effect (e.g. "SRS") or the similar Yamaha Sound Projectors.
So in short, it's worth a try if you're looking for a product like this, but the fact that it would block my TV's IR sensor immediately made it a non-starter for me as soon as I removed it from its box. Perhaps in a future model Denon can thoughtfully provide an "IR blaster" on the back of the unit to automatically repeat IR signals it sees to any TV sensors that may be located behind it.
It's truly a beautiful LOOKING unit, the piano black finish blending nicely with the similar finish used on most flat panels that don't use a silvery frame. It's certainly a reasonable value for the price, given what it would cost to build a similar quality system for components or find as high quality a HTIB ("Home Theatre in a Box") system.
However, for the sole reason that it blocks my TV's remote sensor, I've no alternate place to place it, and it neither has an IR blaster nor provision to drive one, it's back in its shipping box just about three hours after first opening it.

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Home Theater in a Box

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ZVOX 525 Low-Profile Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System Review

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(More customer reviews)Zvox now has three of these low profile "z base" speaker systems in its lineup -- the 525 (which is the smallest and least expensive), the 550 (the original model), and the more massive 575 (which is called the "Incredibase"). I wanted something as small and unobtrusive as possible to provide sound with a 40 inch LCD HDTV in a moderate sized bedroom or office space and I wanted solid, natural sound for watching movies. I bought this model, the 525, after reading consistently glowing reviews of the original and slightly larger 550.
The cabinet is a tad over three inches high, 24 inches wide and 12 inches deep. It is well finished and solid. The end panels are a piano black lacquer that looks very attractive if you have your HDTV on an open stand with three sides of the Zvox exposed. Yes, you can indeed stand your HDTV right on top of the Zvox. The shipping box comes with a warning sticker that says not to put anything on top of the Zvox that is wider or deeper than the Zvox cabinet itself. However, the specs also say it will support up to 70 pounds. I contacted Zvox directly and asked whether I could use the 525 as a base for my 40 pound, 40 inch Sony XBR9, which is about 36 inches wide. Zvox advised that so long as the pedestal footprint is smaller than the Zvox cabinet and the unit weighs less than the limit, it is fine. Obviously the warning was written by the lawyers, not by the sales and technical staff. Nevertheless, I would not be comfortable going with anything larger than a 40 inch (diagonal) 16:9 flat panel with this unit and would step up to the larger Zvox models for bigger screens.
With an HDTV perched atop it, this unit virtually disappears. All you will see from the front is a matte, charcoal grey mesh grille and, with the power on, a small blue LED that lurks behind the grille. Hooking this up is a snap. You can run the analog output from your CD, DVD, blu-ray, iPod/iPhone or HDTV directly into the two channel RCA plugs in the back; then plug the power in; and then you're off and running. No muss, no fuss. There is a tiny and simple to operate remote, which controls power (on/off), volume, subwoofer, treble and "phase cue" levels (these latter have "+/-" controls). One drawback -- there is no on-screen display for the level controls. Instead, with each 'step' in the levels, which appear to run over a ten step scale, the blue LED flashes to let you know you have made a change with each step up or down. Once you get the hang of it, not a problem.
Now for the sound. Well, you won't mistake this for a $5,000 sound system. No surprise there. However, you will get amazingly potent, natural, well balanced, rich and detailed sound that is somewhat mind boggling given the modest price and size of the Zvox 525. You can even shake the walls and windows a bit if you wish. We watched "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" with the Zvox cranked up. When Dumbledore and Voldemort are going at it, you will completely forget that the wall of sound -- the shattering glass, crackling electricity and rolling thunder -- is coming out of this little box. You won't hear the 525 straining under the load. The highs are crisp and glistening. The bass is taut, without boominess, and while not terrifically deep, it is quite natural. Unless you're one of those folks who needs to feel the low end in the pit of your stomach, you will find it quite satisfying.
The ersatz surround sound from the "phase cue" system isn't a substitute for front and rear speakers, but it does make the sound seem to come from a reasonably broad and deep sound stage, not a slender box three inches high by two feet wide. I've tried fiddling with the "phase cue" control and honestly don't perceive a great variation from phase cue on full and turned all the way down, other than a bit of unusual "reverb" that seems to occur with the control turned up. In short, there is no really directional "surround," but there is a very spacious sound.
For the price of admission, the Zvox 525 delivers quality construction, elegant design and ample listening pleasure. I wholeheartedly recommend it. As this is a newly released model and has not been available from Amazon until now, I bought directly from Zvox. Given my experience with Amazon purchases, I'm sure you'd be well served buying it here as well.

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The new Z-Base 525 is a compact surround sound system for use in small apartments, bedrooms, offices – or anyplace where space is tight. You get a room full of sound without a roomful of speakers and messy wires! Never before has high-quality surround sound been available in such a small, elegant package.
The Z-Base 525 is only 24-Inch wide by 12.5-Inch deep by 3.5-Inch high. Yet it contains five speakers, amplifiers, a powered subwoofer and our acclaimed PhaseCue\' virtual surround sound system. No external speakers. No external subwoofer. Just put your flat-panel TV or computer monitor on top of it, hook up our single connecting wire, plug it in the wall — and you\'re done. Don\'t be fooled by the small size of the 525. It uses high performance speakers and amplifiers in a hand-built wood (MDF) cabinet with high-gloss hand-lacquered endcaps. It sounds terrific, with accurate music reproduction and life-like movie soundtrack reproduction. Our PhaseCue system delivers three-dimensional sound that will make you think you\'re listening to a much bigger, more expensive system. The ZVOX Z-Base 525 also provides an elegant alternative to traditional PC sound solutions by acting as a space-saving base for the computer's monitor.
If you're looking for a compact, stylish home theater system that doesn't compromise on sound quality, this is it.

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Philips HSB3280/F7 Micro Hi-Fi Soundbar System Review

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(More customer reviews)This Philips soundbar is a little gem. Small enough to set up easily, a wireless subwoofer that actually works and can be heard, without the silly DVD player to break that everyone already has, great loud gaming sound -- we use it with our Xbox for more realistic gaming sounds. We purchased it for our living room and with our old TV and old satellite box, we were very very pleased. We upgraded and realized there were no HMDI connections and we were out of luck. Our new Samsung TV did not recognize this unit in it's Anynet+ system. Couldn't make it work properly with the system that we acquired, and so it went with the old TV and became the gaming soundbar. We are using it, we do like it, we do recommend it. We just recommend checking the connections you need before you buy.
We think Philips makes a great product. We like the sound. It was a good price. It even comes with the wall mounting bracket in the box. Everything you could want. Our problem is that we didn't check to get the right connectivity for our system.

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The Philips HSB3280 Micro Hi-Fi Soundbar System gives you powerful audio effects that your flat TV cannot deliver. The 1-piece integrated system with a wireless subwoofer requires no additional speakers or unruly wires for a truly immersive gaming experience. Smartpower system syncs power status of TV and AV devices. Enrich your AV entertainment experience with Philips HSB3280.

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Polk Audio SurroundBar360° DVD Home Theater System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Observations
Pros: Built like a tank
Simple setup
Cool factor of 10
Cons:
Should have blue ray at this price point.
Frankly I think it needs a subwoofer, Tried it for a few days with a Polk subwoofer and without. Yes it sounds decent without a sub, but only decent, not great. I have yet to hear anything even close to 5.1 or any type of surround. Upon contacting Polk, I was advised that this bar was NOT (unlike the soundbar series) designed to be used above the tv only below with the optimal placement directly in the front of the tv. Frankly the soundbar sitting in front of a 56 inch tv looks horrible, under it it looks built in. Polk indicating that could affect the sound field. Well thats just cute, the whole POINT of this system was it was supposed to give you the 5.1 effect regardless of placement or your position in the room!
It is a nice system, could use a tad more volume, not amazing with the surround, even though the wide open setup I heard at best buy was nothing short of amazing, but in my 12 X 12 living room, far less than spectacular.
Finally save your money, at this price point the 360 is not ready for prime time. If you are looking for solid tight sound in a high end soundbar this is it. If you are expecting the results Polk claims you will be badly disappointed.My old 5.1 theater in a box $300.00 system sounded a tad better frankly.UPDATE:
After owning this a few months I must say it is a complete waste of money.
There simply is no separation in the soundfield regardless of the input signal.
I have tweaked this system to no end with lackluster results.
For a grand there is a endless amount of equipment that you could purchase that would put this system to shame.
Polk missed on this one, if your heart is set on one, wait a while as the price is certain to go down due to the LARGE amount of people disappointed in this system.
This is nothing more than a fancy expensive 2.1 system. Save your money.

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Polk Audio SurroundBar 360-degree DVD Theater is a complete home entertainment system. It incorporates the enveloping sonic benefits of our SurroundBar SDA technology and our patented PowerPort bass venting technology with the convenience of a control console that is a DVD/CD player, amplifier, and an AM/FM radio. The SurroundBar 360-degree has sleek, contemporary design and simple, single-cable speaker hookup which makes it ideal for anyone who wants big, rich surround sound home entertainment without any of the hookup hassles of multiple speakers and wires. The SurroundBar 360-degree DVD Theater employs 8 drivers. A patented combination of signal processing and acoustical geometry produces the vivid three dimensional surround field that exists on the original recording. What you hear is essentially the same as if sounds were actually coming from all around and behind you.

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ZVOX Mini Ultra-Compact Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System Review

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(More customer reviews)While there are some excellent deals on HDTVs right now, the speakers on any tv smaller than 50 inch are dismal. If you care at all about sound, the additional expense of a home theater system is a necessity.
We tried a number of different speakers, all priced about the same as the ZVOX mini. One kept going in and out; another could not handle the sounds of our video games; and some were just plain poor quality. I can't tell you how frustrated we were getting, taking back one type of speaker and trying out another.
The ZVOX mini blew them ALL away.
The speaker is smaller than most, but it has depth and clarity unmatched by anything else I've seen in the same price range. So if you buy a new tv, this is the complementary sound system you are looking for.


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The Mini uses all the same technology as larger ZVOX systems – but with smaller speakers and a smaller cabinet. The result is a single-cabinet surround sound system capable of producing big, accurate, room-filling sound – despite the fact that it\'s about the size of a cigar box. The Mini is perfect for people who don\'t have the space for a bigger system, or for people who need something transportable. The Mini won\'t play as loudly as the ZVOX 325 or the ZVOX 315. And its bass output doesn\'t have as much volume and punch. But don\'t be fooled. The Mini is a serious audio system for serious music and movie lovers. It uses the ZVOX PhaseCue virtual surround system to create big, enveloping sound. It has a built-in powered subwoofer for accurate, musical bass. The critics love the ZVOX Mini. You will be amazed at how something so tiny can sound so big. Music is rich and clear, with none of the tinny sound that most small systems produce. Movies will sound far more theater-like with the Mini than with your TV\'s built-in speakers, with immersive surround effects, clear dialog and tight, clean bass. Small, simple and affordable, the ZVOX Mini will transform your TV into a home theater system...but it won't fill your room with boxes and wires."Creates a sonic dance." - The New York Times "The sound is enormous." -PC World "Outstanding sound quality." - Home Theater magazine "The Mini is a sonic force." - Chicago Tribune

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ZVOX 325 High-Performance Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System Review

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(More customer reviews)This is by far the best sounding, easiest to set up all in one theater system I have owned or heard, bar none. I have owned many 5.1 systems, and also two different soundbar systems (the highly rated Sony HT CT-100 being one of them), and the zvox 325 is the best bang for the buck.
Crystal Clear vocals, smooth bass, and the phase cue option is great for action movies (Wanted and Matrix Blu-ray sounded amazing, although music sounds much better with the phase cue turned almost all the way off.)
While the CT-100 worked great in my bedroom, vocals were still a problem, and the bass was way too punchy even at lower levels. Since I had just ditched and sold all my 5.1 equipment (yamaha 1000 watt receiver, boston acoustics bookshelves, and some older bose fronts) the last thing I wanted to do was run wires all over my condo, as well as have my fiance complain about space issues and how confusing it was for her to just watch tv through the internal speakers. I also did not want to drop thousands of dollars on other sound bar systems just because they had digital audio and hdmi switching capabilities.
My hdtv has 4 hdmi inputs, which is more than enough for me. I have my blu ray, wii, and hd cable all run through hdmi into the tv (except for wii, component), and the analog audio out to the zvox 325. I still do not buy the digital audio is always better bs, as this sounds 10x clearer than my ct-100, and can go twice as loud through a stereo mini jack! No, it is not true 5.1, but during movies I can hear background effects side to side, and most importantly, I can actually HEAR the dialogue. If there is one con, its the flimsy remote, but I can deal with it. I think zvox now has a customer for life, and for $299, I dare you to do better.

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The ZVOX 325 is the perfect choice for someone who wants to add terrific sound to a television – without the complication and expense of a 5.1 surround sound system. It delivers remarkably accurate, wide-range sound from a single compact cabinet; with only one connecting wire\'.and a one-page owner\'s manual. The 325 was created by legendary speaker designer Winslow Burhoe (founder of EPI Loudspeakers and Burhoe Acoustics). Frankly, we are amazed at how good the 325 sounds. It is simply delightful. Female vocalists sound warm, rich and natural. Music is reproduced with true high fidelity. Live concerts sound big and airy and awesome. Movie soundtracks are delivered with startling realism - including punchy, accurate bass. Even sporting events take on a new dimension with the 325 – you\'ll hear details you\'ve never heard before. And all sound is reproduced with a sense of distortion-free ease. Never before has an audio system offered this combination of high performance, small size, simplicity and affordability. Just hook up its single connecting wire and you will transform your TV into a terrific home theater system...but without all the wires and boxes. "The 325 sounded great. An awesome system." - Sound & Vision magazine "Inspires sincere gadget lust...surprisingly good surround sound." - PC World "Superior to most we've tested." - CNET "Remarkable. We're amazed." - Maximum PC magazine "Great sound." - About.com

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Samsung HT-BD8200 Blu-Ray Sound Bar Home Theater System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)When my 10 year old projection TV finally died recently, it was finally a good enough reason to buy a flat panel TV. I ended up buying the Samsung UN55B6000 55" LED. Of course once I got it home it confirmed to me what I knew would be the case, the sound on flat panels isn't great. It's just hard to make speakers small enough for a flat panel that are big enough to be good.
So after all of my hunting, I found the HT-BD8200. I thought it would be perfect. I could get rid of the stack of stereo and AV components and replace them with this. In theory it can replace the Radio tuner, CD player, DVD player, Blu Ray player and receiver.
I received it, hooked it up and started admiring it (I discovered rather rudely that Samsung does not put an HDMI cable in the $800 box so had to go buy one). The wireless subwoofer is awesome and I was able to hide it out of view behind the couch. The unit itself looks like it was made for my TV. It's the same glossy black glass look with the red touch of color.
I had visions of wall mounting my TV with the HT-BD8200 wall mounted right under it (it comes with a wall mount kit).
The controls on the unit are super cool touch controls. No buttons, just symbols on the top of the disc drive area that light up. Just touch the glass over the control and a small beep lets you know it's activated.
It comes with a wifi adapter so that you can stream netflix, pandora, blockbuster etc. to it over your wifi network at home.
I could babble on forever about the cool things it does which is why it breaks my heart to have to list the bad things and ultimately why I had to return it.
Once I got over the thrill of having a new toy, I started to notice buggy behavior that makes me think Samsung rushed this out or cobbled it together without enough QA testing.
- "MODE NOT SUPPORTED"
Since I connected the unit to my TV with HDMI, it activated the Samsung "Anynet" feature which basically let's the TV and soundbar talk to each other and activate Samsung specific features. For example, when you put a disc in the soundbar, it'll automatically change the TV to the correct input and start playing the disc so that you don't have to go through the "source" menu on the TV. What I found was that from time to time I'd put a disc in the soundbar, it'd change the source on the TV but then the TV would just display "Mode Not Supported".
Nothing in the manual said anything about this error and a google search came up with a million unrelated postings about the error on various Samsung products. I was able to get around it by switching the HDMI cable to another port on the TV. When the error would come up again, I'd switch it back to the original port and it would work again. Pretty crappy for an $800 product.
- "Misbehaving Night Light"
Like my TV, the soundbar has a small accent light at the bottom of the center of the unit. You can set it to be on while the unit is on, off, or all the time. I set to to be on when the unit is on. When I went to bed I turned the unit off and the light went off. The next day when I came home from work the light was on and the unit was off. I checked the setting in the menus and it was still set to be off when the unit was off... but it was on. Annoying
- "Ghost in the machine"
The soundbar started to turn itself on by itself. The first time it happened I thought maybe I had left it on without realizing it. So I made it a point to verify it was off when I went out the next day and sure enough it was back on when I came back that night. I had to start leaving it set to an unused input before turning it off to make sure it wouldn't come on blasting the radio mid day or mid night.
- "Low Volume on TV"
The volume when watching movies or listening to CD's can reasonably loud. Don't get me wrong, you cannot ever go deaf listening to this unit on max volume because it just doensn't go that loud but watching TV, the max volume seems to be roughly one third lower than on movies. I found myself watching tv on maximum volume all the time. If it was loud outside or someone was making noise in another room, max wasn't loud enough.
I thought maybe the HDMI audio was the issue so I went and bought an Optical Cable (buy the AmazonBasics one, good price and decent quality). I hooked up the Optical cable to my TV and the result was exactly the same. I then hooked the optical cable directly to my cable box. Exactly the same. Nothing could make the soundbar louder while watching TV. The TV speakers themselves were often similar in volume or louder than the soundbar. The difference was that the soundbar had richer sound. Still not acceptable when the main reason I'm buying it is because I need more volume.
- "Anynet" annoyance
As this list grew and my patience thinned, I finally hit the last straw. I wanted to play a music CD while putting around the house. The TV and soundbar were off. I turned the soundbar on and dropped in a CD. The soundbar automatically activated the anynet feature, turned on the TV and switched to the HDMI input for the soundbar as if I was going to watch a movie. Apparently Samsung didn't bother programming the soundbar not to switch if it's an audio CD. "no big deal, turn off the TV" you say? I did... and Anynet promptly shut the soundbar off with the TV. ARRRRGH!
Could I just disable anynet? Sure! But losing a big chunk of functionality when I bought two Samsung products that are supposed to work together is unreasonable to me, especially when they are as expensive as these are.
So I resigned myself to thinking this was a defective unit and I'd give it another try. I boxed it up and sent it back to Amazon. I was ready to reorder a new one, but they weren't in stock. I decided this was a good thing as if mine was defective, hopefully I'd get a newer one from a newer batch.
I waited a couple of weeks and Amazon finally got them back in stock. I ordered another and it arrived. I connected it and found that only ONE of the issues above had gone away. The new unit didn't turn itself on by itself. All of the other issues were still there.
I finally had to give up and admit that this product is just not what I hoped for and the quality was not worth $800. I sent it back and am now looking for an alternative.

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RCA RTS202 DVD Home Theater System Review

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(More customer reviews)Marty McFly's review is right on target. The sounds better than the speakers that I have on My big screen. The subwoofer throws out a decent base. Its not going to blow you away its just ok. I had a surround system before and this is my first soundbar. The surround sytsem did sound better than the soundbar. But. If you want a OK sound without running wires and having speakers hanging on your walls this is the way to go. Its OK.

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The RTS202 DVD home theater system by RCA delivers full multi-channel sound in a single sound bar and subwoofer using Dolby Virtual Speaker Technology. The slim profile of the subwoofer allows for convenient room placement without occupying a large amount of space. It features HDMI digital output that allows for a single cable connection to your HDMI equipped TV. And with HD upconversion, you\'ll enjoy up to 1080p for the highest quality picture possible. You can also enjoy your favorite music on the 200 watt system with the AM/FM digital tuner and CD compatibility.

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Samsung HT-C6600 Blu-Ray Home Theater System Review

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(More customer reviews)I was originally planning on getting the 6500, but couldn't find one locally. During that search, I ran into a store that had one 6600 left and it was on sale, so I went ahead and got it. The only apparent difference that I've found is the 6600 has Bluray 3D capability, but other than that they seem pretty identical.
Setup was relatively easy. Everything is color-coded and Samsung has their own little speaker wire plug, so it's hard to screw up. That makes it easy, but more difficult to do any kind of customization of your own with other speakers. The speaker calibration seemed to work pretty well, although now and the audio track randomly gets out of sync on occasion, requiring a re-boot to reset things. So far this has only happened when I've been watching the DVR, so I'm not sure if it's specific to that device or input or not.
I have my Xbox 360 and HD Cable plugged into the HDMI inputs, and it plays everything well. It's great playing games in surround sound, too. That adds a whole new dimension to the gaming experience. All of it is running to a 50" Panasonic plasma TV, which has one of the best pictures in the TV business to begin with, so the video quality is awesome.
I expected the sound to be marginal at best, coming from a bit of a home-theater customization background. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it actually sounds, though, particularly when playing DVD or Blurays. Don't get me wrong here, though. This provides the most basic of surround sound, which still greatly enhances watching movies, but it does not provide the same depth of sound as much more expensive and more powerful systems. That said, the subwoofer does get low enough to simulate most sounds, and the rest of it sounds pretty good. Dialogue is the best part, as this is actually sometimes the hardest part of a soundtrack to find a happy medium for comfortable listening without having to keep the remote handy for turning it up and down as the scenes change. The Samsung finds a balance between action and dialogue where you don't have to constantly adjust things, which is proof that they have the auto-calibration down pretty well.
I have mine wired directly to my home network. I didn't even bother with the wireless dongle, as I've yet to use one that works to my expectations. Even with a wired connection to a 10gb connection, I experienced Netflix issues. The entire internet-based menu and apps system is sluggish at best, so I will probably only use the internet for firmware updates. I believe this is a Samsung issue, not my internet, for the simple reason that I can watch full HD Netflix movies through my Xbox wirelessly with no issues at all. And that's fine with me...I still play them through the Samsung surround sound, so it's not a loss, although it would be nice to see Samsung come up with a fix to smooth things out.
There are various apps and whatnot you can play with online, but the remote is clumsy and poorly designed in my opinion. It lacks any intuitive way to type, for one thing, which limits what you can do efficiently on the web. You have to create an account at the Samsung app store, and another at their internet@tv or whatever it's called site, and I just haven't had the patience to sit through it all. I have enough computers and apps already, so I guess I'm happy with just being able to play Blurays in surround sound for now. :)
For the price, I don't think you can beat what you get with this system. $450 and it does almost everything. I do wish it would tell you what resolution it was outputting to the TV and what kind of sound it was playing in (i.e. DTS, Dolby 5.1, etc). As far as I've been able to discover, there is no way to tell if it is truly playing the encoded surround signal.
Pros: Price, good sound, easy setup, better than normal auto-calibration system for speakers
Cons: Confusing remote, unexplained slow-down in internet signal run through system that makes using Netflix almost impossible.

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