Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Sub-Woofer - Black
One of the problems with home-theater surround sound is finding the space to place 6 speakers in a room. It can be a challenge. Sony's HT-CT100 converts the surround experience to 3.1 channels and uses only 2 speakers, a subwoofer and a SoundBar. The SoundBar is placed like a center channel speaker directly over the TV. Speakers within the bar radiate at different angles to deliver center, left, and right channels through a spatially enhanced soundfield. With 50 Watts to each channel + 100 Watts directly to subwoofer, the system delivers 250 watts total. Featuring HDMI - Component Video - Optical A/V ports, you can connect your TV and DVD or Blu-Ray player directly to the system. It's the simplest, most streamlined way to enjoy home-theater surround.
LPCM Playback - LPCM is a method of encoding audio information digitally which can have up to 8 channels of uncompressed audio. This wider bandwidth allows for high resolution audio which is closer to the original 3 Optical, 1-Coax Dolby Digital/DTS/ProLogic
Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Sub-Woofer - Black Accessories
 HDMI Cable 2M (6 Feet)
Cables To Go - 40315 - 2M (6.5ft) Velocity HDMI Digital Video Cable (Blue)
Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote
Playstation 3 40GB
Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote
Sony TDM-IP1 Digital Media Port iPod Dock
Cables Unlimited Premium 2 Meter Version 1.3 HDMI Home Theater Cable (PCM229502M)
Fiber Optical Toslink Digital Audio Optic Interface 6 Foot Cable
Sony DVP-NS700H/B 1080p Upscaling DVD Player, Black
Cables Unlimited 6-Foot HDMI Male to Male Cable (PCM-2295-06)
Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Sub-Woofer - Black Reviews
At that moment I thought: "How the heck does this thing work." Simple, yet truly amazing sound and technology. I have had my HTCT100 for over 5 hours now and have watched 1.5 movies and played my XBox 360 and can honestly say that I am impressed. I heard about these sound bars and was skeptical, but hopeful. the flight path was from 1:00 towards 7:00). what a drag dealing with those rear satellite speakers.
The helicopter's Doppler effect was perfectly accurate. I remember having a 5.1 surround system and moving from apartment to apartment. The best example of what I mean comes from "Black Hawk Down" where a helicopter comes flying from the background towards the viewer (imagine a clock lying flat. and with a price tag of less than $300, well, 5-stars from me. Not only is BHD one of my favorite movies, but it also won an Oscar for its Sound, so I knew this would be a good test. the impressive part was when the chopper flew off-screen and the sound continued off into the distance behind me.
I have a 7.1 setup in my living room with my bigger TV, so I know good sound when I hear it. I've started watching movies I haven't viewed for a while just to enjoy the great sound of this unit. This product was EXACTLY what I went looking for when I realized a standard 5/6/7.1 solution wouldn't work well in my office. In the irregular space in my office, this is the perfect solution for high quality, semi-positional sound.
Matching this with a HDTV, PS3, and HD cable in a room 16x20 was the perfect fit for me. This 3.1 system (that can process up to 7.1)is probably the best bang for the buck out there right now. And, I dare anyone to say this system is not loud enough. Hooked up via HDMI cables and used with an HD source (IE HDTV reception or Blu-Ray, or even DVD) this is an incredible system. No, its not true surround sound.only simulated.
Compare this to listening to your car radio, or at least mine. CD sounds better than FM stations, and FM stations sound better than AM. This is comparable, just not with surround sound. The sound (not out of the box, you have to configure a couple of things) is absolutely outstanding for what it is. Search around on a few AV forums and you see that this is a highly respected piece of equipment. However, this is the perfect solution for someone who doesnt want to spend $1K> and run wires.
Hook it up correctly, press a couple of buttons to adjust to your listen pleasure, and your done. After reading some of the more negative reviews regarding sound quality, I have to state my own experience. I also have a true 5.1 system in my basement (man-cave), so I know what a high dollar system should sound like. (Period). However, if you are watching SD or over the air broadcast, its not going to be as good.
I have pets that would chew wires and can not put them in the walls or under a rug. When I played movies that have great surround scenes (e.g., train whizzing by in Hot Fuzz - great movie by the way), the sound was great but not like I have heard with a true 5.1 system where you hear the train coming from behind you). For the price & constraints I have, this is a great solution. Since I bought a Sony HD TV, I was biased to stay in the Sony family since the Bravia sync kept usage simple (a requirement for low-tech wife & kids). I love these speakers. As such, the sound bar solution was really my only choice (except for an all wireless system). It is a full & rich sound that is way better than the TV speakers.
I plan to return and try Yamaha YAS-70 sound bar system and from what I have read, seen and heard that system seems much better (ofcourse little pricey too). I think this system (as it mentions) is for people with small rooms and set up convenience without having to run wires around. Easy setup. I also tried connecting sound via optical cable and got the same results. I have a bigger room and the sound from this system is same as my 56" Samsung DLP TV. I brought it and connected all via HDMIs. However the sound coming from the soundbar/subwoofer is average at best.
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