Sony BRAVIA Theater System (DAVHDX576WF) - Black
Bring the theater home. This sleek BRAVIA Home Theater System delivers the goods with crisp, 5.1 channel surround sound and S-AIR wireless speaker technology for multi-room audio streaming.
Sony BRAVIA Theater System (DAVHDX576WF) - Black Accessories
 HDMI Cable 2M (6 Feet)
Cables To Go - 40315 - 2M (6.5ft) Velocity HDMI Digital Video Cable (Blue)
Fiber Optical Toslink Digital Audio Optic Interface 6 Foot Cable
Tripp Lite A102-02M Digital Optical Audio Cable, 2x Toslink - 2M (6ft)
Monster HDMI 1000HD Ultra-High Speed HDMI Cable (2 meters)
Playstation 3 40GB
Grand Theft Auto IV
Belkin AV20000-06 PureAV Digital Optical Cable (6-Feet)
Cables Unlimited Premium 2 Meter Version 1.3 HDMI Home Theater Cable (PCM229502M)
Monster Cable MP AV 800 PowerCenter AV 800 with Surge Protection
Sony BRAVIA Theater System (DAVHDX576WF) - Black Reviews
The basic components are the following:. They tried to write three manuals in one. What's worse, these audio gimmicks do not work most of the time, leaving one not hearing anything at all out of the surround speakers in the first place. If you are in a room with an S-AIR unit operating and have to get up and walk over to the unit to turn down the sound just to answer the phone, the sense of user-friendly goes down decidedly. The one solitary option you have is to use the miniature stereo phono headphone out on the front of the unit, but this kills the sound out of the speakers, and requires a preamp to boost the output level for decent recording quality anyway.
Most importantly in today's home theater, if you need to hook up multiple HDMI devices, you will have to depend on the HDMI inputs of some other component, such as your TV, or another true receiver, or an HDMI switcher hooked directly to your TV. (4) Digital Media Port Adaptor. I know about audio, so the terrible manual was only frustrating. As a result, my S-AIR unit is gathering dust, simply non-functional in my house.
(4) Remote. Good thing I already had a bright, backlit universal remote into which to program all the necessary Sony functions. Say what. Not only is this Sony unit a theater in a box, this theater is locked in its box.
This audio feature is set up automatically at the beginning of the manual with discussion of the supplied calibration mic that calculates speaker distances and level settings. Another problem is that the manual is way too small. Such a small format is nearly impossible to read, because Sony's choice of type size is somewhere between 6 to 8 point (no joke). This omission is another important oversight, in my opinion.
* Presentation. What are the problems. Three different sections completely obliterate any semblance of simplicity. The S-AIR wireless system broadcasts on the 2.4 GHz band. (1) Inexpensive 5.1 surround sound with partially wireless surround. For example, "PLII" is an allusion to Dolby Pro Logic II, the second incarnation of the Pro Logic system; the experienced audio person would know what that development was all about, so would have a clue what that sound effect was trying to achieve. Nowhere, however, does any advertising, packaging, manual, or even slips of paper alert the consumer to this fundamental video incompatibility with the newer iPods from the "Classic" forward.
The term "S-AIR receiver" simply causes a knee-jerk reaction of thinking about the system's main amp, not the dinky little box that parrots what the main amp is doing wirelessly. One is both audio and video (DMPORT), but the video is composite quality only. I did this autocalibration several times just to make sure I had not missed anything, and every time I still had to adjust the levels of the speakers manually. Surround sound to the rear speakers is wireless. I rarely mention them in reviews.
That is, whereas you can output the video of the internal DVD player, you cannot output its audio. Your mileage may vary, but I would advise not making any decision about the 576 on the basis of the additional S-AIR receiver unit alone, or even as a deciding factor. Unbelievable. The DVD outputs 5.1 surround sound through the 576 wireless surround sound speaker system, and outputs video three ways: HDMI, component, or composite. * Size. The Sony S-AIR brochure shows the main unit operating subunits all over a two-story house. All sounds very promising with this S-AIR receiver, which is sort of like a remote radio, but reality bites.
Decent sound from the Sony 576WF main unit compels me to stay with this HTIB, even though much that was promised was not delivered. Conclusion:. The 576 remote is not backlit. Manuals are manuals. Who knows.
(6) Passive subwoofer not really adequate to the task of movie sound effects. (6) Overall good sound quality, fairly accurate, flat. Thus, be aware that with the Sony 576, all video input in your theater setup must be provided by some other component. (6) Connections.
With only a few exceptions, however, this Sony manual screams for comment as a poster child for poor design, confusing discussion, and bad layout. The main problem is the tiny body. First, on the minor side, the passive subwoofer is decent for musical frequencies, even though still a little soft and muddled for my tastes (not quite punchy enough). The S-AIR is meant to control sources from the main unit, including the MP3 player in the docking station. This wireless, self-amplifed speaker box is what Sony means by "S-AIR receiver." Until you make concerted effort trying to retrain your audio lingo, the Sony lingo is plain hard to accommodate.
What would a typical audio person think the "S-AIR receiver" is. In the main, however, this particular Sony remote suffers from serious design and layout flaws and immediately threatens any sense of being user friendly at first sight. My TV had the multiple inputs needed for various video feeds, as well as high quality audio out for any recording or other audio pass-through functions. The sound is generally satisfactory, being smooth and fairly accurate if the bass is not pushed. (Many HTIB now have this calibration mic feature).
Such examples of clarity, however, are rare. (4) Docking station for MP3 player, controlled by main unit remote. The mic at least gets the estimated distances pretty good, but the individual speaker level settings were way off. That is, these speakers are hooked into this oddly shaped surround amp by running speaker wires from wherever the surround amp is to each speaker's terminals. Buttons on the top of the S-AIR unit control transport functions of the source dialed in on the S-AIR when in "Separate Mode." For example, if someone is watching a DVD movie on the main unit in the den, someone else in a different room with the S-AIR receiver theoretically could be listening to the main unit's FM tuner and changing stations, or can be listening to a playlist on the MP3 player in the main unit's MP3 dock and controlling transport, such as play, pause, stop, previous and next track. Four examples will suffice:.
A home theater setup by default is looking at multiple video systems (Cable, Satellite, VCR, DVR, PS3, Blu-Ray, etc). However, be aware that this digital audio in is hardwired to the TV input (because the 576 assumes the "Bravia" system TV connection). Guessing is a real crapshoot, since hitting the wrong key in such a small space is so easy. With this adaptation, I am more satisfied with the audio performance, especially action movies. Even in that bedroom the signal sporadically gets lost after locking in. Pros:. That is a pure joke in my experience.
These newer Apple products require an Apple authentication chip for the Apple's iPod video out to work with third-party docks. So, maybe this section is about further configuration of the surround sound settings. Further crammed in are the additional functions of the wireless system and the Sony proprietary "Bravia" system, which syncs various Sony components. This section is about cheap surround EFFECTS.
Another "Home Theater in a Box" design (HTIB), the Sony DAV-HDX576WF tries to be all things to all people and does satisfactorily in some areas and poorly in others, so a mixed bag. Users might think they are done setting up their system's audio. Only audio in. This status is true both for inputs and outputs. Sony has not a word to clarify these relationships among three layers of audio settings presented in the manual. I have the Velodyne set to kick in only at those lower frequencies for movie sound effects, and the Sony subwoofer handling just the higher musical frequencies. So the user is simply stuck with that muddled sound. An experienced audio person could decipher all this and break down all the constituent parts.
* TV: RCA stereo, or digital coaxial, or digital optical (audio only). The user has no option to adjust any EQ. What if you wanted to supplement the system's own sound with an auxiliary subwoofer, or better front stereo sound. The main unit's remote controls many elements of the MP3 transport (Play, Stop, Pause, Track Forward, Track Back) and menu (Previous Menu, Next Menu, Up Folder/Item, Down Folder/Item). I will mention several critical items that seemed to doom the unit for my use anyway:. Oh, no. The most complicated example of confusing terminology in the manual is the discussion of audio. All of the options and controls of an entire home theater system have been compressed like a trash compactor into a very small space.
The S-AIR unit's audio is distinctly muddled, which is a surprise given that the main unit does fairly well. The S-AIR circuitry is supposed to search out a clearer signal in its frequency range to avoid such conflicts, but mine just did not work. Overview:. Note carefully that source inputs provide audio in only, not video (with the exception of the proprietary DMPORT for the MP3 player). Thus, be aware that you need an AC outlet near where you want to put the surround speakers for the surround amp. Apparently, the Sony 576 does not have this Apple chip. An example of an exception would be the good discussion and diagrams of surround sound speaker placement options. In a different part of the manual Sony presents a "Selecting the Sound Mode" section.
The diagrams, likewise, when crammed into such a small page format are quite small. This one item alone makes recording macros from the Sony remote to a universal remote a pain of repetition, involving redundant multiple steps over and over again to get to the right input source in various macros. (2) Good AM/FM tuner with strong reception. I definitely had wireless conflicts with my computer network, and the S-AIR never did get happy until I completely relocated my computer wireless setup. I already was taking the S-AIR Receiver as a "gimme," so, that the unit is now sitting in a closet is just a mild disappointment, not a deal breaker. Instead of writing a manual for each system, they tried to conflate discussions of all three systems into one manual. Inconsistencies abound. (7) Neither main unit audio nor S-AIR Receiver audio have any EQ adjustments.
only on occasion). * Remote. My two cordless phones in the den and dinette are 900 MHz, so not in conflict. The video out of the MP3 docking station is NOT compatible with the newer series iPods beginning with the iPod "Classic" and those related models of the Nano, iPhone, or iTouch. Sony clearly intended to advertise their dock as accommodating the Apple iPod, since the iPod logo is seen all over the 576's packaging and advertisements. So I took the speaker level subwoofer out from the Sony 576 straight into the Velodyne, then passed through the same signal on out to the Sony passive subwoofer. * Size.
A poorly integrated user interface also afflicts this remote. * Inconsistencies. Further, just like the main unit, the S-AIR Receiver does not have any EQ controls. Evaluation:. * Backlit. Sony is trying to offer chintzy ways to simulate some kind of sound coming out of the rear speakers from mono (think AM radio) or two-channel sound sources.
* TUNER: The internal FM tuner stores 20 stations, and the AM tuner stores 10. No dice. Part of the "A.F.D. Your requirements and tastes may be different. One matter to consider is if you are in an apartment.
* SAT/CABLE: RCA stereo (audio only). Sony has produced a remote with black keys on a black face crammed onto a tiny surface area. The reader too easily can get lost even after only a few page turns trying to remember whether the instructions being read at the moment are for the 277, the 279, or the 576, or any combination of the three. You have three ID switches (A, B, C) to choose from to match up among your wireless units (to distinguish from other possible S-AIR units in the neighborhood, but the conflict could hardly occur given limitations of range, unless in a small apartment). The remote is 8.25" long, which is a deceptive figure, because all the buttons are crammed into only 5.75" of the top surface. No word is given on the relationship of this section about audio to any of the others. (5) Digital Media Port Adaptor. You cannot even get a simple cable video signal directly in (not even a simple 70 Ohm coaxial input).
The main unit remote does come capable of HDMI function for the Sony "Bravia" sync. Surround sound redux, or something else altogether. (2) Speakers. * Interface. If I move just a few feet more to the AC socket on the far dinette wall, about 30 feet, the unit simply refuses to lock in. Thus, if you happen to be only one track from the end of a playlist or album the last time the MP3 was stopped, and hit Play on the S-AIR in another room, you get that one remaining song, and "that's all folks." Lack of MP3 menu navigation in the control setup of the S-AIR is a huge oversight on the usability of the S-AIR unit for accessing the MP3 player remotely. The booklet is only 5.75" x 8.5", that is, a typical 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper folded in half and turned vertically. Thus, Sony presents a complicated and confusing mixture of three layers of audio settings, what might be identified more simply as SURROUND, EFFECTS, and MODE, but never once explains their relationships or interaction.
I have a two-story house. Note that the three output ports on the back of the 576 are: (1) video only, and (2) hardwired internally to just the DVD player = are not configurable to output any other sources (except the composite also can output from the MP3 player). To repeat for clarity and emphasis on the three video outputs:. Many instructions are repeated three times, except for those that apply to two units, or those that apply to all three units. (3) DVD/CD player capable of many formats, including playing music/image files. Not so fast. Thus, whatever component is the source of your digital audio, the input source of your audio on the Sony's 576 display always will read "TV"counterintuitive, not user-friendly, and clearly "Sony only" in design. Two caveats apply, one minor, the other more serious.
One example is Sony's terminology for the wireless components of the system. The 576 does have one digital audio in, which can be either coaxial or optical. Even the simplest old style systems had two video sources (Cable, VCR). Still, I would advise caution and not being too optimistic about its functionality or capability.
Connections are bare wires into all speakers, marked for polarity, but color-coded plugs into the main unit that fit only one way to insure proper polarity. * Subwoofer. You can waste five minutes or more reading something, when suddenly you realize those paragraphs are not for your model. The remote button toggles among three options, "Auto," "Movie," and "Music." What is this. Setting up the wireless system is straightforward, and, following instructions carefully, goes without a hitch. One distinct downside to the 576 is that the audio allows no EQ settings of any kind anywherenot even those cheap presets found on many HTIB (such as "Rock," "Classical," "Easy Listening," "Stadium," "Theater"). Sony is silent about the relationship, although the reader encounters the words "surround sound" in the title. Further, the remote is only 1.8" wide.
Three of the four external sources are audio only (AUX, SAT/CABLE, TV). The reader simply learns of a dedicated "Sound Mode" button on the remote. Trying to access the right information for your particular unit in the manual is sometimes an exercise in abject futility. Incredibly, however, while the S-AIR can control basic transport of the MP3 player, such as Play, Pause, Stop, Previous/Next Track, the S-AIR has no menu control.
* DMPORT: proprietary connection for MP3 player dock (audio and video). This is a fancy name for an MP3 dock. These internal sources in more detail are configured as follows:. * Equalization. I probably will have to scrap the Sony dock just like the S-AIR Receiver. Why not.
Talk about confusing. I was able to run the wires of the "wireless" surround speakers discretely, so hardly anyone will notice without scrutiny. Neither can you output the audio of the internal tuner. The other four sources facilitated by the receiver are external (AUX, SAT/CABLE, TV, DMPORT). Why not. (9) Main unit remote control is small, crowded, inconsistently implemented, with a poor user interface, and is not backlit. This option is set in the main unit's system menu.
I had to go back and redo all levels manually. (2) Digital audio in (coaxial, optical) hardwired to "TV" input. The "Classic" iPod was out well before the Sony 576, so Sony at least had time to insert a piece of paper somewhere in the box or manual, or to make this clear post-purchase, and should make this clear in current marketing, but they do not. * Outputs. Sony was lazy. The S-AIR unit does not have its own remote control.
I was able to supplement the subwoofer performance with a really good unit I already had and leapfrog the poor remote with my universal remote. Cons:. Even after the S-AIR unit locks in, the S-AIR unit is too sensitive; weakened signal strength causes easy loss of the signal. Also, seems that Sony has not provided enough wire really to run the speakers, especially not if you have to do something like go up and over a door frame.
What if you wanted to record the audio from the AM or FM tuner, such as a radio program, or from some other source coming in. Only video out. (2) Wireless. * Composite RCA Out (internal DVD or MP3 player only).
(1) Audio. * Inputs. Third, on top of this "surround sound" (read "sound effects") jargon, Sony has layered a third level of complication. If you have all Sony components, you will appreciate this feature. (8) Manual. The main unit comes with a wireless transceiver that broadcasts surround audio on the 2.4 GHz band to the surround amp wireless receiver.
Yet, for other menus, you have to press the "Display" button below and to the right of the control ring. Fortunately, I just happened to have a Velodyne CT-100 active subwoofer lying around that has sophisticated circuitry allowing speaker level inputs with audio pass through. Further aggravating the system setup, the main unit's various inputs cannot be accessed directly on the remote, but have to be toggled through by pressing the plus/minus buttons multiple times. permanent settings. (1) Receiver (Main Unit).
This wireless unit looks like a table radio, and that basically is its function. * Sound. (3) Autocalibration gets distances, but seems to miss speaker levels. The main unit is intentionally crippled from being an actual receiver.
The maximum reception distance is 25-27 feet, and that is line of sight. Not so. I had to add a length of my own speaker wire to get to a corner just 12 feet away as the crow flies. The HTIB design is marketed to the average, non-technical consumer who wants to avoid complicated setups of multiple audio and video components and confusing lingo. The dock is connected to the main unit via a proprietary cable that carries audio and video (composite quality only).
Imagine if you had a party with lots of people moving around. Every block diagram is repeated three times, which is visually tiring and confusing. * Digital HDMI Out (internal DVD only, video only). The surround amp is quite oddly shaped, to be honest (over a foot long. The one remaining problem unsolved is no video out from my iPod using the included Sony dock. (I have not even mentioned yet another section, "Enjoying Multiplex Broadcast Sound (Dual Mono)." There's a mouthful). This complete absence of any video input to the 576 cripples the unit as a true receiver.
The typical audio person is going to think the subject is the system's main amp. The types of external source inputs are as follows:. (5) The 2.4 GHz wireless system can conflict with other 2.4 GHz devices. These keys literally completely disappear with any lowering of light levels in the room, especially watching movies. For some menus, you have to press the "System Menu" button buried in the middle section of all the buttons. Though advertised for Apple iPod, the unit basically really is for Sony products. The surround speakers, in fact, are wired. One major problem is that the manual suffers a split personality and does not keep clear who is being addressed.
Summary:. I can lock in from my den to my dinette wetbar, which is about 27 feet and line of sight. Is this "Sound Mode" button on the remote in addition to, in concert with, or in spite of the "surround sound" choices identified as "A.F.D. The reader encounters really esoteric lingo, such as "A.F.D. I can barely get the S-AIR unit operating even in the bedroom that is immediately over the den where the 576 main unit is. * Controls.
First, you have true 5.1 surround sound. Even when you inadvertently walk in front of the unit, sometimes that is enough to cause the unit to loose its signal. Once all connections are made, setup goes fairly well. Finally, the S-AIR even can function when the main unit is off (in "Standby" mode). The bottom 2.3" is completely blank. The effects are poorly engineered, poorly explained, and basically useless. Multi," "Pro Logic," etc., or the 5.1 surround sound system the calibration mic set up automatically at the beginning.
YOU HAVE NO VIDEO INPUTS OF ANY KIND FOR ANY SOURCE. (10) Digital Media Port Adaptor (MP3 docking station) is NOT video compatible with Apple iPod "Classic" and later. The autocalibration mic has plenty of cord (perhaps 13-14 feet) to work even a large den. This subwoofer, however, is at a distinct disadvantage with handling the boom, thunder, and roar of low frequency movie sound effects. You get a 5.1 surround sound speaker set, the front stereo pair on stands, a ported, passive subwoofer, and two smaller surround speakers that are wired to a small amp that communicates with the main amp wirelessly.
* Surround Sound. The S-AIR unit really does not work well. Somewhere between 27-30 feet, the unit no longer can lock in the signal. Reception is strong and clear if the antennas are positioned well. * "Separate Mode." The S-AIR operates independently of the main unit. The end result is that surface buttons and screened letters of this remote are so small and compacted even Peter Pan would be sorely challenged to use the device. To facilitate the wireless of the 576, I moved my 2.4 GHz computer wireless network out of the den due to conflicts between the computer wireless and the 576 wireless. (In this way the Sony amp sees no extra impedence load at all, so is completely unaware of the Velodyne's existence in the circuitry).
(1) Ports prevent integrating even the most basic home theater components. Further, you cannot pass through the sound of any source coming in. (8) S-AIR Receiver distance performance is inadequate, has no remote, no EQ controls, no menu controls for MP3 player functions, and muddled sound. Could you possibly get more complicated or confusing.
Though the 576's sound is generally OK, just a little dash of EQ would have gone a long way to really making her shine. (11) Manual conflates multiple models, is too small, and especially complicates audio settings. Second, later on in the manual one encounters another audio section, "Enjoying Surround Sound by Using Decoding Mode." Is this still about additional steps to take in setting up the 5.1 surround sound. Finally, you do have one other out port, the miniature stereo phono headphones connection on the front of the 576. * Sound Mode. The DVD player and AM/FM tuner are built in to the receiver. I found the S-AIR unit in the end a poor system and rather useless. You can use the DVD/CD player to play Data-CD or Data-DVD disks that have MP3 song files or JPEG image files.
Sony could not have defeated that purpose more supremely than with their discussion of audio settings in the 576 manual. (7) Digital Audio. Using this connection mutes all the external speakers, naturally. * Terminology.
(3) Wireless Surround. You get a basic 5.1 surround sound receiver facilitating six sources or inputs: DVD, TUNER, AUX, SAT/CABLE, TV, and DMPORT. Yet, what an irony are all these complicated audio settings on the 576. The front stereo speaker stands have to be assembled, which takes a little time, with one part about threading the wire into the stand not quite so obvious.
13.5" x 3.5" x 4" LxWxH). I have to keep in mind that not even "good money" can satisfy every whim, so, that I got by this cheaply for decent movie watching and easier operation for family and friends is a goal achieved. In the same vein, you have no easy access to record the audio of any source, internal or external. Multi," "Pro Logic," "PLII Movie," "PLII Music," etc. Not a ringing endorsement, I know, but the whole experience was not a joy ride either. The only salvation is to download Sony's pdf version of the manual from their website and magnify the size about 400%-600% to read the actual words over the port diagrams of the back of the unitseriously. (8) Included S-AIR Receiver unit, when holding its signal, can operate independently of the main unit (even in "Standby" mode).
What is this. * AUX: front input, miniature stereo phono (audio only). I was downsizing my home theater setup on behalf of easier use for wife and friends and wanted to stay within a predetermined budget. (3) S-AIR Receiver. They have three different HTIB models, the 277WC, 279W, and this one being reviewed, the 576WF. The S-AIR might work just fine at the shorter ranges in many apartments, where den and bedroom are just a wall away, for example. Of these four external sources, one is accessed on the front panel (AUX) and the remaining three on the back. Some exploded wiring diagrams are readable, but all diagrams of the backside of the amp are so minuscule they are literally impossible to read.
* "Party Mode." The S-AIR joins in with the main unit and tunes in whatever the main unit is doing. The novice user easily would think, "Hmm, I guess here is where I now refine the setup of my 5.1 surround sound; the calibration mic must have only got me started." In fact, this section is not about true 5.1 surround sound. Part of the surround sound system. What a mess. (7) Main unit remote controls most MP3 player functions. Hence, the surround sound is only "partially" wireless. The 576 outputs go the opposite way. I moved the conflicting computer wireless network setup out of the den so that the S-AIR surround amp could stay happy and hold its signal.
Sony DAV-HDX576WF Home Theater System. You can input the audio of any device, but not its video. * Component Y-Pb/Cb-Pr/Cr Out (internal DVD only). The S-AIR unit is way too heavy on bass and sounds like listening through a pillow on the higher frequencies. * DVD: The internal DVD has five trays to hold five DVDs or CDs. My guess is that the general consumer buying a HTIB would have a hard time distinguishing all this hoopla, or even when to implement these audio settings (all the time.
This problem is a killer due to the physical nature of the remote layout. You cannot select a different album or playlist, for example. Good, flat sound overall probably is the chief factor that sets this HTIB apart from others in the class. Confusing terminology creates a headache for understanding. Multi," "Pro Logic," etc.
Therefore, I would advise caution about consideration of this HTIB with its wireless surround if you are running anything wireless at 2.4 GHz in the same room or nearby (including phones). You have a small, self-amplified stereo speaker system that receives its sound from the 576 main unit. Instead, Sony conflicts the audio and wireless terminology, forcing Sony to call the main amp not the "receiver," which is standard audio terminology, but the "S-AIR main unit." Then, you have "S-AIR subunits," which is Sony lingo for various other S-AIR devices, such as the wireless surround amplifier or the wireless, self-amplified speaker box. (5) Autocalibrating mic for setting up surround sound.
These are deliberate engineering choices intentionally crippling the system from even the most basic home theater audio/video needs outside the one function of watching a DVD movie. * Performance. When some 576 users reported no conflict with their 2.4 GHz wireless computer networks, I thought I was free and clear. This inability is quite significant given that any room anywhere of any size and configuration will have its own "sound print" (frequency difficiencies) de facto that need to be compensated for to have accurate, clean sound. (4) "Wireless surround" is only partially wireless, and provided speaker wires are not long enough even for typical setups. You can set up the S-AIR unit in two modes:. (5) S-AIR Receiver.
system. For example, what in the manual are called the main unit's "inputs" or "sources" are accessed through the remote's "Function" area with its dual plus/minus buttons. Wow. * Surround SoundAgain. You might have to do this as well.
Sound is clear and powerful but I gotta be honest: I expected the rear speakers to be more powerful/loud ( no matter the source or the sound mode, you can barely hear them). Anyways, it arrived FAST. Although I am still struggling a little with the "S" unit (I still can't make it work), the system is delivering. I bought it a Tuesday night and it was delivered on Thursday.
I can listen my ipod ( or radio or tv) that is hooked up to the main unit while i am in my bedroom. I have a PS2, PS3, and cable box. I did a lot of research on home theater systems and this one seemed to be a good value. The one down side I see is the lack of audio inputs. The remote listening unit is very cool.
The Sony unit only has one optical and one coax digital input. Set up was easy and the included mic lets you set up your speakers quickly. The wireless rear speakers also work great. I am very pleased with the sound quality and feature set this system offers. Not enough for all my stuff.
The rear speakers are not very clear and the unit that I want in a different room doesn't pick up a signal at all. First, I loved the fact the rear speakers are wireless. After researching several different surround sound systems in a box I ended up buying this one for a couple of reasons. The product went together very well and the calibration was easy. Second the wireless (S-Air) technology means (theoretically) you don't have to run wires to different parts of the house assuming you have S-Air units (this one comes with one) that you can place in other room(s). The rear speakers are wireless (from the main unit) but require a wire to the surround amplifier. This was very easy to do.
Don't buy this system if you have a wireless modem. You also have to use the wires that come with the system as they have connections that plug into the amplifier and the unit itself. All speakers require that you use the wires that come with the system because of the way they connect to the system. So the moral of this story is wires is always better and if you try and cut corners you will be like me and out $500. If I had known the interference created by using other wireless products like cordless phones and my wireless modem would interfere with the system I would have never bought it. The wireless system is not as good as advertised. So in the end I have a unit that does sound great out of the front speakers but doesn't work as advertised.
I tried to save a little money and go the easy way out and of course.it didn't work. I tried all 3 channels and still the same result. So on to installation.The manual is complete and gives the user all information necessary to install the system. One issue I have is the wire isn't long enough to stretch across my room so I can hide the amplifier which is rather annoying. The surround is a joke and the unit for other rooms doesn't work at all.
I have researched several different Home theater System, and found this one to be a real value for money, I am not into the technical data but basically understands that this one gives you 1000w of total power, which should be more than enough for your home, it also comes with wireless speakers which will be helpful if you don't want leads running across your room, and you can place speakers in different rooms so that you can hear the sounds from the same room, this is the best value for money and you are also going to recieve speaker stands.
|
