 impressie sound |
| Review Date: June 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K. Pizarro, |
| I bought this product but am not using it for any kind of video display so I can't speak to it for that. I'm using it as a sound system for my ipod and computer and it hasn't let me down. The sound really packs a punch and is really nice if you use the right equalizer to get the proper balance in sound. The only drawback is that it doesn't put out any sound when using these functions through the center speaker so really its just like having a 4.1 system unless you use it as a surround system for a tv. It goes pretty loud considering i haven't really gone above 22 volume even though it goes up to 34. The balance is really good, although I tend to like a little more bass in my music, which it offers plenty of. Great system that isn't too pricey. Would recommend to anyone who wants an easy way to get out of having to use a 2.1 system on a laptop. |
Good Product Good Price
|
| Review Date: June 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Bill, Vacaville, CA |
| I recently purchased the Sony Bravia HDX285 home theater. I was looking for quality sound and a reliable product. The sound quality is very good. My living room is smaller and the Bass is impressive. I have not played with all the features yet but the system was easy to set up and the features I have used DVD, Ipod and Surround sound for my satellite TV all work great. I research multiple home theaters before I chose this one and I am glad I pick this system. I would recommend this system to my friends. |
Amazing for the Price
|
| Review Date: July 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kartik Sathappan, Belmont, OH USA |
this speaker system is really good for the price, I upgraded to this system from a logitech 5.1 set of desktop speakers, so of course going from desktop speakers to home theatre speakers you would expect much better sound, and you get it. The treble and high ranges are good, not exceptional but for $300 thats fine- however, the bass is truly exceptional- nice lows, and gives you a satisfying punch, very powerful.
one important note to those not using the iPdod dock or built in cd/dvd player: if you plug in your computer or video game console via the audio in jack, you must press system menu on the remote and change the audio mode to Pro Logic, otherwise sound will only come the from the front two speakers! |
Read professional reviews
|
| Review Date: February 9, 2010 |
| Reviewer: M. Fargo, San Francisco, CA |
| I'm not a professional, but I almost didn't purchase this unit due to conflicting reviews about what the unit is or isn't capable of doing. Having had similar experiences with other products advertised on Amazon, it was usually (always, actually) a negative review from a customer who hadn't read or didn't follow the manual. So with the attractive price, I went ahead and gave it a try. The manual clearly states that you can use additional devices, so I began the set up, and every device I had can be used through this system (TiVo, a second Blu-Ray DVD, my iPhone). I can watch TV in surround sound; the manual gives clear instructions on how to do this. The quality is good. This replaces an older Cambridge Soundworks 5.1 system, and the quality is comparible. The set-up was easy. I live in a small apartment in a large metropolitan area, and I've learned these systems give clarity without volume, and my neighbors never complain and remark they never know when I'm home. It's a 5 disc DVD player, so you'll need counter/shelf space to accomodate. The AM/FM receiver is a great plus. This is attached to a first generation Samsung HDTV 1080i, and I'm very pleased...with the price and performance. I used HDMI and optical cable hook-up, which are not included in the purchase. |
Great system, great sound for the money!
|
| Review Date: December 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Jettfan, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
I purchased this system from my local Best Buy for $250 and bought the $40 Geek Squad 4 year guarantee for peace of mind. I don't have to bother with Sony if anything goes wrong, it is cheaper to invest in the additional guarantees than incur shipping costs to return it to the manufacturer. Set up and instal was simple, I ran the sound with a digital optical cable directly from the Direct TV reciever and the volume is really loud, very full bass from the subwoofer, which is pretty large and I have no need for an amplifier, this system equalizes the sound perfectly when set to the proper settings, the video quality is amazing, the sound is very impressive. The speakers are all solid and sturdy, great casing, sleek looking unit. For the price you just can't go wrong a lot of features for very little money.
Whoever is having sound issues dosen't have the sound settings correct, not all channels broadcast in surround sound, and not all music cd's are in surround sound format and they will not work in surround sound. Once I got the settings correct on it EVERYTHING comes out of all of the speakers. Whoever commented that the adapter to go wireless is $150 should check Best Buy, it is $50. The additional speakers will be costly but in urban areas wireless signals have a lot of interferance from cell phones, cordless phones, etc. and I have been advised by everyone who does home theater systems for a living that hard wired systems have a much better sound quality. |
Best 5.1 HTIB for the money!!
|
| Review Date: January 5, 2010 |
| Reviewer: _anonymous_, |
I researched Home Theater in a Box systems in the $200-300 price range for months, and eventually bought this system after reading all of the reviews. I've had it for two weeks now and love it. I don't have a huge living room, but the system is as loud as I would ever need it at only HALF the maximum volume! I haven't really tested the DVD player, so I can't comment on the upconverting video quality just yet.
PROS:
- Plenty of volume and bass, while keeping the mids and highs in a good balance.
- Great clarity of the sound overall, and the surround speakers add plenty of volume behind you.
- Loved the auto calibrate feature using the included microphone --- it takes the guess work out of tweaking each speaker's levels.
- Overall look of the system: the receiver/DVD player is quite small for a receiver (although it is a bit deep, so measure your TV stand where you'll be putting it), and none of the speakers are gaudy looking or oversized.
- "Night Mode" is a GREAT feature for when you want to quiet some of the bass from whatever you're watching, without losing the highs (like the vocals in a movie).
- Price point is great for people who want great sound, without breaking the bank.
CONS:
- Lack of audio/video inputs. If you have a Wii, XBox 360, PS3 and other peripherals, you'll need an input switcher. Here's a suggestion, find a picture of the rear of this unit (like over at [...]), so you know exactly what inputs you're getting.
- Lack of ability to turn the sub woofer up and down manually.
- Proprietary speaker wire connectors (this wasn't a problem for me, but if you need extra long speaker wire in any spot, you'll need to make some extensions). |
Perfect
|
| Review Date: February 5, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Frederik F. Botes, |
I ordered this Last friday and got it Tuesday. It came in a large box, which is heavy. So, you get all the things you need: 5 satellites, Subwoofer, Reciever, Remote, Batteries, Am and FM antennae, Speaker wires, Ipod Dock (woohoo), setup disc etc.
I was looking for a new speaker system when the one i used to have got stolen (i-Station 8 by Logic), so i thought i'd upgrade, especially something for my Xbox 360. i wanted both a 5.1 surround sound system with Optical Digital Input, and an ipod dock. looking at some of the Pioneer items, i found systems with Optical in, but no ipod dock. Then the ones with an Ipod dock were 2.1 Stereo sound. the only ones that had both 5.1 optical and ipod dock were about $400, which i couldnt afford (since it is only for my bedroom)...... and then i saw this.
The speakers are really beautiful, and the sound quality is great. i can plug in my computer, xbox, ipod, and still have 2 inputs free. i dont use it for dvds (i use my xbox), just for CDs.
so Pros:
- beautiful
- sound quality
- inputs
- functions
but cons:
- the amp is really large (16 inches deep)
- no seperate bass control
- remote is.... confusing.
once you set it up, and you figure the remote out, then definately without a doubt 5 Stars. |
Great Sony Product
|
| Review Date: August 31, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Richard Dalessandro, New Jersey |
| You can never go wrong with a Sony product. I have 2 surround sounds, a big screen TV, a camcorder, etc. This product is tremendous for around $250. For a small to medium room, it does everything you need. The sound volume will not "blowout" a big room at maximum, though. That would be my only concern. Make sure you get an HDMI wire which is not included(I got one for $5 on EBAY) and you regular DVD's look like virtual HDTV. I cannot wait to get a IPOD to dock. Enjoy! |
|
No video reviews found for this product.