Home Theatre Systems


5.1 channel complete surround sound systems are an ideal entry into the home theatre experience. Newer 6.1 and 7.1 formats on the other hand allow a more optimal sound quality regardless of the seating position in the area. Mini systems are recommended for limited space, DVD compact systems are a carefree packages for the technically inexperienced. More...

  • Home Theatre Systems (117)
  • Reviews (181)
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1
Denon Home Cinema System (DBP-4010UD / AVR-4810)
Listed since 04/2010
Blu-ray System
"For: Big sound and intense life-like picture; Great upscaling; Solid build; 11-channel output! Against: Complex to set-up."
1 Review
 
 
2
Sony DAV-F200
Listed since 06/2008
Compact Home Cinema System
What Hi-Fi found this Sony system to be a great package, delivering impressive images and room-shaking sound. The  …
1 Review
 
 
3
Yamaha HiFi DVX-1000
Listed since 05/2008
Compact Home Cinema System
While the DVX-1000 commands a premium price, Reg Hardware felt that its wealth of integrated technologies made  …
2 Reviews
 
 
4
LG Electronics HB965TZ
Listed since 03/2010
Blu-ray System
The astounding sound quality of the HB965TZ puts it well above most one-box systems, delivering music and film  …
2 Reviews, 2 Opinions
 
 
5
Sony BDV-E300
Listed since 08/2009
Blu-ray System
"With limited digital media support – including an inexplicable inability to play MP3, WMA and DivX from discs and USB sticks ... the lack of Wi  …
3 Reviews
 
 
6
Panasonic SC-BT200
Listed since 04/2009
Blu-ray System
"... Performance was poor. The SC-BT200 took over a minute to access the main menu of our Blu-ray film. Skipping chapters was slow and there'  …
5 Reviews, 5 Opinions
 
 
7
LG Electronics HB354BS
Listed since 04/2009
Blu-ray System
"The LG HB354BS is a very good piece of equipment that's been designed well for a specific target audience.  …
6 Reviews, 7 Opinions
 
 
8
Klipsch WF-34 Home Theater System
Listed since 03/2010
"Klipsch's WF-34 system is a quality system that works hard to deliver an impressively high-end sound  …
3 Reviews
 
 
9
Panasonic SC-BT205
Listed since 06/2009
Blu-ray System, Home Cinema in a Box
"Pros: Full HD audio and video. Detailed, dynamic sound. Video is stable and full of subtleties. Cons: Build quality won'  …
5 Reviews
 
 
10
Listed since 06/2010
"For: Delightful dynamism; Excitement and crisply detailed imagery; Sexy construction. Against: You need  …
1 Review
 
 
 
 
11
Teufel Concept E 400 + Decoderstation 5
Listed since 07/2009
Mini Home Cinema System
If you have your media spread across your PC and games console, and have a Blu-ray and HD TV, Teufel's Concept  …
1 Review
 
 
12
Panasonic SC-PT870
Listed since 06/2009
Home Cinema in a Box
Panasonic's SC-PT870 come with six 5.1 surround sound speakers that are an irritation to assemble, and mp3  …
1 Review
 
 
13
Samsung HW-C450
Listed since 03/2010
Home Cinema in a Box
"The Samsung HW-C450 isn't a particularly good system for listening to music, but it wasn't really  …
1 Review, 2 Opinions
 
 
14
Onkyo HT-S3305
Listed since 06/2010
Compact Home Cinema System
"... with the potential to expand the system further by adding DAB and the iPod dock. Offering the latest  …
1 Review
 
 
15
Samsung HT-C6930W
Listed since 03/2010
Blu-ray System
"FOR: Packed full of features; 3D support; decent picture; fair detail and clarity from sound. AGAINST:  …
3 Reviews
 
 
16
Yamaha HiFi YHT-S400
Listed since 01/2010
Home Cinema in a Box
"Pros: Crisply detailed, well integrated sound. Tidy soundbar and thoughtful subwoofer design. Cons: Rack  …
3 Reviews
 
 
17
Listed since 01/2010
Blu-ray System, Compact Home Cinema System
"Pros: Satellite speakers are amazingly small and easy to hide. Picture quality is excellent. Sound is much  …
2 Reviews
 
 
18
LG Electronics HB954PB
Listed since 06/2009
Blu-ray System
"... there are both optical and coaxial S/PDIF inputs. A pop-out tray on the front houses an iPod dock, and there'  …
7 Reviews
 
 
19
Samsung HT-BD1255
Listed since 06/2009
Blu-ray System
"For: Well-featured; Decent sound and visuals from movies; Good file compatibility. Against: Audio set-up issues  …
3 Reviews
 
 
20
Samsung HT-C6500
Listed since 05/2010
Home Cinema System with Recorder
"For: Comprehensive specification; iPod dock; built-in wireless; solid, full-bodied sound. Against: Not the most detailed or dynamic presentation  …
2 Reviews, 3 Opinions
 
 
 
 
"LG HB965TZ Review"
1 Home Theatre System (approx. £560)
TrustedReviews
Published on 8/2010
On test: LG Electronics HB965TZ
"If you like the look of LG's BD570 Blu-ray player and need a surround sound system to go with it, then the HB965TZ might be just what you're looking for. It boasts all of the nifty features offered by LG's standalone deck but throws a set of ultra-stylish 5.1 speakers, 1,100W of amplification and a preposterous amount of other goodies into the box – all for a fairly reasonable outlay compared with the cumulative price of separates." Review details: Single test.    Test results
"Sony BDV-E370 review"
1 Home Theatre System (approx. £330)
Stuff TV
Published on 8/2010
On test: Sony BDV-E370
"At £480, the BDV-E370 is Sony's cheapest new Blu-ray home cinema system. This has caught the attention of our wallet, and our inner geek likes the look of the spec sheet too – 3D playback, Wi-Fi networking, all sorts of multimedia playback, 850W of power and wireless rear speakers." Review details: Single test.    Test results
"Panasonic SC-BT230 Review"
1 Home Theatre System (approx. £320)
TrustedReviews
Published on 7/2010
On test: Panasonic SC-BT230
"The SC-BT230 is a scaled down version of the SC-BT330 system we reviewed back in May, and like its bigger brother the BT230 provides an ideal entree into the world of hi-def home cinema without the fuss and expense of separates. It's also packed with little added extras that make it more of an all-round entertainment centre than a straight up Blu-ray system." Review details: Single test. One home cinema system was reviewed and rated on design, features, performance and value.    Test results
"3D comes to all-in-one Blu-ray"
1 Home Theatre System (approx. £600)
What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision
Issue 9/2010
On test: Samsung HT-C6930W
"THIS IS THE first 3D Blu-ray in a box system we've seen, and there's an awful lot going on here. As well as Blu-ray, you'll find 3D support, DLNA and Internet@TV streaming content, wireless speakers, an iPod dock and more. ..." Review details: Single test.    Test results
"Panasonic SC-ZT2 review"
1 Surround Sound System (approx. £790)
PC Advisor
Published on 7/2010
On test: Panasonic SC-ZT2
"The Panasonic SC-ZT2 is a home theatre system with two floor-standing stereo speakers and a slimline A/V receiver." Review details: Single test.    Test results

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Home Theatre Systems

Home theatre systems offer primarily particularly good sound quality through a surround capable audio system. By means of several loudspeakers distributed in the area, the TV can be enjoyed with a cinema-like audio experience - which can be increased even more if it is used together with a standard TV-quality video projector or a projector that projects the image in Cinematic size onto the wall. It should definitely have at least one HDMI and DVI interface. Home cinema systems are offered in three kinds of system that differ in the complexity of the audio playback. A 5.1 channel system, which consists of four speakers and a subwoofer, may already fully reflect all the information contained on a DVD audio track. Such 5.1 surround sound provides a complete system that is a good entry into the home theatre world. The benefit of the individual purchase of components however, is - like a PC - that the home theatre system can be customised to suit individual needs using high-quality technical components. Newer systems like the 6.1 and 7.1. formats, however, work with an additional rear center channel. This is distributed either with one (6.1) or two (7.1) more speakers and provides a more realistic audio playback for up to a nearly perfect 360 degree sound - always assuming that the required receiver is available for this. Effects and music signals can be better located, and are no longer adapted to a spatial position. The advantage is therefore mainly in the fact that the speakers no longer have to be arranged to follow a strict seating position for the listener, and hence providing optimal audio enjoyment to several people in the room. Since playback units must be co-ordinated such as DVD players and receivers with the loudspeakers, the user will also be offered complete DVD surround sound systems. These are particularly suited for technically inexperienced users who do not want to deal with the detailed composition of a system. Mini-home theater systems on the other hand are the "small versions" available if there is not enough space to install large speakers. If the reproduced audio sound is sufficient by cinema standards, the THX seal of quality is awarded. Home theatre with HTPCs has a picture and sound quality that can be compared to that of high quality equipment at a similar price.

More information

Strickly speaking any stereo system can be easily expanded to a home theatre system, as most modern DVD players, amplifiers or receivers already have available the necessary six channel sound decoder and connectivity for digital and analog playback. Should a receiver or amplifier for a home theatre system be bought separately, it is best to get it with an integrated decoder as this solution is superior to a DVD player with decoder in respect to loud speaker setup and sound quality. Also with the loud speakers, the speaker set for a hi-fi system can be supplemented, but all boxes should be from the same manufacturer and from the same series if possible. Complete systems where all the boxes are coordinated, usually supply the best sound.

Key connections

For the entire home theatre system it is important before buying to go through the connections that are needed for the devices connected to the home theatre network. By default, all DVD players possess a Scart socket, usually even in double execution, as a central interface if further devices are to be attached. These should be RGB-enabled. Another connection can be an S-Video port, which provides a better picture quality than the scart socket, but does not transmit audio signals. A component output would be useful in the sense that the high-quality analog video link, also called YUV, offers the slightest loss of quality. So-called digital video interfaces such as DVI or HDMI are becoming ever more common. This set a new standard for the digital transmission of high-resolution audio and video data over a single cable.

Loud Speaker

A complete system, in which all the boxes were consistent with each other, is often better in sound quality. When you purchase a complete system therefore, it can be useful if all the boxes are from the same manufacturer and come from the same series. Many manufacturers offer a variety of home theatre speaker series with main, center and surround speakers. An active subwoofer should not be omitted, because only with this does the complete surround-sound experience sound right. All current amplifier and receiver types, designed for six-channel operation, have an output for connecting an active subwoofer via RCA. In each case, when purchasing a loud speaker, be sure to listen to the equipment, because whether someone likes a speaker also depends on the subjective sound perception.
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