Harman Kardon HKTS-18 High-Performance, 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll just confirm and add a little bit to what everyone else has said about these truly great speakers. They sound great, first and foremost. They feel very solid, like they are made entirely of metal (a good thing!). In fact, while many systems sport satellite speakers weighing around 2 pounds (USA), these weigh closer to 3 pounds.
The image on the Amazon page for these speakers does not do them at all justice! The base speaker is very big, looks like a fine price of furniture, and could possible sub as a side-table (but don't do it...hehe)!
I have mine connected to a Denon AVR-1908 receiver. I mention this because it took me a few days to figure the best setup for these speakers, and I want to mention some pointers. My receiver allows choosing between 'small' and 'large' when it comes to the front, back, and center speakers. For these speakers, set them all to 'small'.
But, most importantly, be sure the sub-woofer is turned on on your receiver! I used the system for a couple of days before I realized the bass speaker was not on! That's because the front speakers were set to 'large', so they took up the task of filling in the missing bass (so it was hard to notice the bass wasn't on). I figured out how to turn the bass on in the receiver, and - WHOA! - the entire room shook!
Which brings me to a special pointer - you can tell if the bass speaker is getting a signal by the COLOR of the light on top! If it is off, there is no power. If it is yellow, it is on, but no signal (or too low a signal to register if low volume). Blue means on and there is a signal!
So, in conclusion, these speakers are awesome for the price! Speaking of which, the price of Amazon fluctuates for this item more than the stock market! I have seen it go up and down on the same day as much as fifty or even two hundred dollars! So monitor the price and strike when it is low (I got mine for LESS than four hundred dollars!).

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The Harman Kardon HKTS 18 is a beautiful black lacquer speaker system with a powerful 200 watt 10" subwoofer.It is a 5.1 speaker system which can be expanded to 7.1 with the optional HKS-9 satellite speakers. It has a 3/4" tweeter for excellent high frequency response.It is magnetically shielded so it can be put next to your TV. It comes with all the speaker cables and shelf stand and wall mount brackets for the satellites.

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Onkyo M-282 2-Channel Power Amplifier Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this amp to drive a passive homemade sub and it has done nothing but please me. I'm running it at 4ohms to each channel, and it pumps out serious power. Despite the lower resistance, its heat dissipation is lower than my receiver. I do not believe Onkyo's numbers for this amp, they have to be higher. When I hooked it up to my main front speakers, it revealed an exellent range of frequencies at any volume. This piece is a great example of Onkyo quality for a low price, I'm still curious as to why they discontinued it.

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Ideal for quality stereo listening, for expanding your surround system from 5.1 to 6.1 or 7.1 channels to deliver the latest home theater surround formats, and for multiroom setups, Onkyo's M-282 stereo power amplifier makes a powerful and affordable system upgrade. The amp uses Onkyo's exclusive Wide Range Amplifier Technology and pumps 2 x 100 watts per channel RMS into 8 ohm speakers and 2 x 125 wpc into 6 ohms. (For dynamic power handling, you're looking at 2 x 140 watts into 8 ohms, 2 x 125 watts into 6 ohms.)If you're going for an upgrade from 5.1 to 7.1, make sure your 5.1 surround receiver has preamplifier outputs for 7.1 channels. The M-282 only amplifies a line-level signal; it does not include surround processing or a volume control like a traditional preamplifier or an integrated amplifier/surround receiver.You can rig the amp to power up when it senses an audio signal or through the use of a 12-volt trigger (standard to automation systems). The receiver also features audio passthrough jacks in case you want to daisy-chain several like components through several rooms for multi-room distribution of your primary listening source.The receiver uses Onkyo's Wide Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT), which ensures signal accuracy even with high-resolution sources such as DVD-Audio and SACD. According to Onkyo, WRAT eliminates the adverse effects of counter-electromotive force by applying an unusually low amount of NFB (negative feedback), constructing the amp with carefully selected, high-tolerance, wide-range parts in all critical sections, and using innovative circuit topology based on the company's decades of experience building high-end amplifiers. The result? A flat response beyond 100 kHz.Rear-panel connections and controls consist of a ground (use only if the system exhibits an audible hum), an input-level adjustment, 1 each stereo analog (left/right) RCA audio input and passthrough/output, a trigger setting (audio, 12-volt, off), a 12-volt trigger input jack, left/right speaker outputs with banana-plug-friendly binding-post speaker terminals, and a grounded AC power terminal.What's in the Box Power amplifier, an AC power cord, and a user's manual.

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Klipsch Synergy Quintet III Home Theater Speaker System (Set of Five, Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently upgraded my system with a new receiver and needed some new speakers to complement them. I wanted the Bose Acoustimass speakers forever but couldn't bear dropping a G on them. I also wanted to stay in the "bookshelf" size speaker as it suited my set up better. So I decided to try these for less than half the price of the Bose. I figured I could return them if they didn't thrill me. Short story....they did.
I was floored by the fullness of the sound. They hit the highs, mids, and lows like a champ. I like to use the action bits on Terminator 3 to test out new recievers and speakers and these really impressed me with a huge wall of sound. I knew they were good when I got excited while watching a movie I'd seen so many times before. It was almost like listening to it for the first time. I also popped in some cd's and I swear I heard things in some of my music that I've never heard before.
I'd heard those Bose speakers a dozen times at Comp USA and Best Buy and really do feel these are better for a full sound. The Bose do the highs an mids really well but not the lows. These are designed to be the total package with their horn/tweeter design and they certainly perform as such. They can actually be used without a subwoofer, which is good for people who don't like the booming and rumbling that subs provide. Klipsch suggest their own subs(of course) but I felt the price was a little rich for my blood, so I use a $100 Sony powered sub and it works just fine.
They look and feel like they're made from good quality materials. In fact, I accidently dropped one from 2 1/2 feet onto a wooden floor (oops) and it was completely intact without any marks and still works perfectly. The posts on the back of the speakers make speaker wire attachment a snap. You just unscrew the cap, the wire goes through the middle of the post, then you tighten the cap back down. No problemo. A great feature. They also make placement and mounting easy as you can sit them on a shelf, like in the picture, or flip the stand part back to mount on a wall. They also pivot to point in most any angle you'd want. The center speaker doesn't though.
There are only a couple of slight negatives here. The center speaker sounds a little boxey. It could use some more treble as it leans a little more towards the mid range. Since the majority of dialog comes from the center speaker, I wanted a little more sharpness. This is minor though and doesn't hinder the experience at all. The other is the balancing. Pairing them with my new reciever to find the best sound was a bit tricky. Again, these are very slight negatives and shouldn't deter you from looking into these fabulous speakers. I'm just trying to be as honest as I can here. I never once thought of returning them though.
Klipsch has a great reputation in the audio world and touts these as their best selling compact speaker system. These are a great deal for the price as they sound huge and like they should cost alot more. If you're starting to get serious about your audio for your home theater, there's nothing else out there that's gonna top these at their size and price. Believe me, I looked.

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Synergy Series Quintet III 5-Piece Home Theater Speaker System

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High Gloss Piano Finish 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS True Surround Sound Home Theater Speaker System For Your TV, DVD Player, Ipod, Xbox, Ps3 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a piece of Junk - nice photo though. It came used - broken - reboxed and not comatable with US spec A/V components. The manual is the worst case of "ENGRISH" I have ever seen. It is more of a joke than anything else. The Amazon ads are a fraud. I have spent 3 days now and have yet to ID the seller or the shipper. Amazon, themselves, can not tell me. If you are lucky enough to find a phone # to contact them. They do not screen the sellers they represent as advocates of a much better company. I am disheartened and out nearly [...]. If you do not buy directly from Amazon - beware. E-bay has much better safeguards.

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Bose® Acoustimass® 10 Series IV home entertainment speaker system - Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I hooked up the acoustimass speakers to Harman Kardon AVR 154 receiver. If you are into audio, you will know that although this receiver is not very powerful, the sound quality it delivers is excellent.
Purpose: My purpose in purchasing this system was two folds: Music and movies.
Setup: Setting up this system is a breeze. All cables are color coded and there's plenty of it (20 ft for the front speakers and 50 ft for the rear or surround speakers). All you have to remember is that all the cables first go into the module, and then one single cable (actually a set of 5 joined together) are connected to the receiver. I think this system was up and running within 20 minutes of me unpacking it.
What's included: You will get 4 cube array (vertical) speakers, one center speaker (identical to the cube arrays, just horizontal) and one BOSE module which houses all the connections and the sub woofer.
Sound Test: I own an IPOD touch and a PS3. I do own a cable box, but that is not ideal to check a $60 AIWA system, let alone a BOSE 5.1 speaker set. I connected my IPOD using an RCA cable and my PS3 using an optical cable.
IPOD: This was an analogue audio test, and I knew that this system will not perform its best with this setup, but since this is how I listen to music, I had to perform this test. The bass was great. It sounded balanced and did not over power the other aspects of the song. The instruments sounded nice, if not great, and the initial impression was one of utter satisfaction with the sound quality. However, once I started playing a song where vocals were the focal point, the system really disappointed me. The voice of the artist was just not crisp or clear. When the bass module was allowed to contribute, the sound quality was decent, but a song where the bass module had very little to do, the system sounded almost like a boombox, which was really disappointing.
PS3: I tested this system with Dark Knight's Blu Ray disc. I wanted Matrix, but Blockbuster didn't have it at time. I am sure a DVD would have done the trick, but since I own a Blu-Ray player, I thought it would be a great test. In the beginning when the Joker started killing all his compatriots during the Bank Heist, the system astounded me. Not only could you hear the sound, but feel it. Every gunshot, every bang was distinct, crisp and clear. It was like being in a theatre and I almost forgave BOSE for not giving me my vocals during the IPOD test. But then I heard the dialogue, and I ran into the same exact problem. You had to turn the volume up to hear the dialogue, but then it was too loud during the action sequences. I even tried turning the bass way down, but then for some unknown reason whatever clarity the dialogues had, disappeared. Then I tried playing an MP4 file from my PS3, which had the exact same problem. For some reason, this system has trouble with treble or highs. I know nothing about audio, but I know what sounds good, and for the amount of money I paid, this was not good.
Troubleshooting: The room where I had placed the BOSE system is not very big. It is around 12x20 feet and I had placed three speakers on the tv stand and 2 right on the wall behind my sofa. I played for hours with changing the direction of the cube speakers individually and together. I also tried different sound settings (DOLBY, DTS, NEO etc) but the vocals and dialogues were just not there. In the end I just packed up the system and returned it.
Conclusion: The system is barely ok for the movies, and horrible for music. I actually went to some independently owned audio stores and heard some other speakers. Before I bought BOSE, I hadn't even heard of companies like Mirage, Paradigm and KEF. I always assumed that BOSE was the best, but after buying the system realized that BOSE is the only one saying it. Even CNET doesn't have an expert review of this "excellent" system. I ended up buying KEF 2005.3 5.1 speaker system and couldn't be happier with it. The vocals are crystal clear, sound is crisp, and dialogues are powerful. The bass is great and does not interfere.
IMHO, please go and listen for yourself to other systems before you buy BOSE. Ask the dealer if its at all possible to play BOSE and another comparable system next to each other. Try listening to the speakers without the bass module or the subwoofer. Take your favourite CD, IPOD or a DVD with you and listen to the system at low, medium and high volumes. Don't let the salesperson blast the manufacturer's CD or DVD in your face while you are standing 2 feet away from the speakers. It's just like singing in the shower, everyone sounds good.
In the end, BOSE was really disappointing for a system that claims to be the best. I did some research and found out that BOSE sued Consumer Reports and eventually lost because Consumer Reports criticized one of its systems. Also the lack of expert reviews on the BOSE systems should be a clue that there is something fishy. To me BOSE is all marketing and not a good bang for your buck.
Also go the AVS forums or any other audio video forums and read about BOSE and other speaker systems. You will be shocked as I was. And if you are a BOSE owner, and in love with the sound quality, I am very happy for you. I just couldn't spend that much money and not be happy with my system. I work very hard for my money.


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The Bose Acoustimass 10 Series IV home entertainment speaker system brings 5.1-channel sound to your movies and music. Connect it to your home theater receiver and enjoy Bose quality sound. his system includes an Acoustimass bass module, four Direct/Reflecting Cube speakers, and a center channel speaker.
See larger image.

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VideoSecu 2 Black Universal Satellite Speaker Mounts / Brackets for Walls and Ceilings 1EH Review

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(More customer reviews)I just wanted a mount to hold up 4 of my Bose speakers without spending a lot and these did the trick. Very sturdy and easy to install. Highly recommend them! These speaker mounts are the way to go if you are price conscious like myself.

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VideoSecu 2 Pack Universal Speaker Mounts / Brackets for Walls and Ceilings MS26B2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Got these 2 days before I thought that I would thats a plus. Made of a good solid plastic and worth the price. Used them for my surround sound I got 6 of them and have 2 hanging from the ceiling with the extended mounts and 4 on the wall with the short mounts. Holds my Polk audio speakers like a champ.

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Polk Audio SurroundBar 50 Surround System (Single Speaker, Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I got the SurroundBar 50 last week after a few days of research. If you're researching for single speaker surround sound solutions that means you cannot run wires in your room thanks to the landlord or your wife (welcome to my world hehe).
You have couple of options when you're looking for a single speaker solution for your home theater project, and I was down to Yamaha and Polk Audio. Between the two I chose Polk Audio over Yamaha because (A) Yamaha requires a perfect 4 wall room so that sound can bounce back off the walls and create the surround sound effect, which I don't have (cathedral ceiling, staircase in the middle of the house so no back wall and side walls are far apart.) and (B) Yamaha costs way more. Don't get me wrong, Yamaha is awesome from what I read on Amazon and on other sites, but SurroundBar/SurroundBar 50 plus a decent subwoofer cost less than a Yamaha (which has an integrated subwoofer).
To pair with my SurroundBar 50, I bought a Velodyne Minivee 10 subwoofer. It was a bit of an overkill in my situation. But I wanted to spend a bit more and get a great sounding sub in case I wanted to build a better home theater one day. You can pair SurroundBar 50 with any Polk Audio sub out there. PSW111 is a good one for example. I have an Onkyo A/V Receiver and an Onkyo DVD player. The setup was fairly easy. SurroundBar 50 comes with the audio cables ready to be hooked up between the bar and your receiver. Everything is color coded so you can't really go wrong here. I hooked up an RCA audio cable between my receiver and my sub's line level inputs. Total setup = 1 hour or less.
After configuring my receiver to use the new bar and sub, I tested the surround sound with Matrix, Gladiator and Pitch Black DVDs. SurroundBar 50 produces the "enveloping sound" as promised. I still need some adjustments to do later but so far I'm pretty impressed with what I have. The SDA technology Polk Audio offers does a great job. This product will NOT give you a true 5.1 surround sound experience, so if you're an audiophile this is not for you. This product performs really well in creating the 5.1 effect. In Pitch Black you really hear those flying creatures moving around and in Matrix it's a pleasure hearing bullets flying by and ricocheting.
Overall I'm very impressed. I'm just happy I was able to setup a surround sound system under an hour and without running wires going through walls and furniture and carpet etc. Your experience may vary from mine so go to your local electronics store and give this a test. If your wife is like mine who is against speakers and wires around the room then SurroundBar might be the solution for you too. :)


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Onkyo SKS-HT870 Home Theater Speaker System Review

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(More customer reviews)I am happy with this speaker set because, in my view, I got a lot of value for what I paid. I wouldn't call myself an Onkyo fan when it comes to entertainment devices - Sony receiver, Sony PS3, Sony BD player, Samsung TV - but I am aware of Onkyo's reputation for quality and this set of speakers doesn't disappoint.
All prospective buyers should be aware that these are 6 Ohm (SIX OHM) speakers. They will work well with 6 Ohm receivers, of course, and you SHOULD be able to use them with an 8 Ohm receiver if it's kept in a well-ventilated shelf and you don't keep it continuously at full blast. My own receiver is 8 Ohm and it seems to be Okay but both Onkyo and the receiver maker may not want to honor the warranty if they get word of this.CONTENTS
What you get is good quality, 130W speakers encased in well-built wood boxes, a 290W powered woofer and then, there are a couple of unexpected bonuses.
- 1 Center speaker, surprisingly large
- 2 Front speakers on 'tower' stands (tallboy) - will save you money on speaker stands but if you're thinking about hanging them, this is not your set.
- 4 Satellite speakers - do have hanging holes
- 1 Woofer - powered, connects through 'banana' jacks on both ends
- Color-coded wires for each speaker - kind of thin and I used my own, see below but... they're free
- Onkyo UP-A1 Dock for the iPod - this was totally unexpectedSETUP
A screwdriver will be needed to attach the heavy metal base to the front, floor-standing speakers.
If you go with the color-coded wires, connecting everything is easy. I decided that I wanted thicker, copper speaker wire so I went with ACOUSTIC RESEARCH AP-16100W 100' White 16 Gauge Oxygen-Free Speaker Wire and I'm happy I did that. The 100 ft. spool was about 25 ft. short of what I needed so, until I get another 25 ft., one of my satellite speakers will be using the Onkyo-supplied wire so I'm happy they included these.
The center and satellite speakers have mounting holes in the back but not on the base. I like my center speaker to sit on top of the TV and that was accomplished with about 1 ft. of Velcro 2"-wide tape. I used Velcro on the 4 stands as well as, in my view, it preserves the speaker's integrity and it even offers some cushioning.
I do not own an iPod or an Onkyo receiver so the iPod Dock I am trying to sell at Amazon. Hopefully, there will be a buyer and that should help reduce the overall cost of this set.THE EXPERIENCE
I only have good things to say about this set. For what I paid, it fully meets my expectation. The sound is full, crisp and if there are any distortions my ear is not trained or sensitive enough to detect them.
Physically, the boxes look professionally built and designed, uncompromising black matte with the sides of the center, the top of the front speakers and the woofer's front a perfect shiny polish - don't touch them or the fingerprints could be seen from a distance. The tall front pair is stable even on my carpeted floor.RATING
This set deserves its 5 stars well for delivering good quality, well-built speakers and the couple of extras - wires, iPod dock. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a 7.1 set of 6 Ohm speakers.

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For maximum audio impact, your multichannel Onkyo receiver should be accompanied by a full-blooded surround-sound speaker set. Fitting the bill is the SKS-HT870, a 7.1-channel system that injects power and vitality into all your movies, games, and music. The highlight--both visually and aurally--is a pair of dual-drive, floor-standing tallboy front speakers rated conservatively at 130 W. In concert with the two-way center and full-range surround and surround-back speakers--each also rated 130 W--they deliver stunningly detailed high- and mid-range frequencies. Meanwhile, at the bottom end, a superbly calibrated 290 W subwoofer adds visceral heft to bass notes and low frequency effects.

Specifications
Front Speakers
Type: Dual-drive, 2-way
Woofer: 3-1/4-inch cone woofer x 2
Tweeter: 1-inch Balanced-Dome
Frequency response: 55 Hz-50 kHz
Maximum power: 130 watts
Dimensions: 10-5/16 x 41-5/16 x 10-5/16 inches

Surround Speakers
Type: Full-range
Woofer: 3-1/4-inch cone
Tweeter: 3/4-inch Balanced-Dome
Frequency response: 80 Hz-20 kHz
Maximum power: 130 watts
Dimensions: 4-1/2 x 9-1/16 x 3-3/4 inches

Center Speaker
Type: Dual-drive, 2-way
Woofer: 3-1/4-inch cone woofer x 2
Tweeter: 1-inch Balanced-Dome
Frequency response: 55 Hz-50 kHz
Maximum power: 130 watts
Dimensions: 16-15/16 x 4-1/2 x 4-3/4 inches
Onkyo SKS-HT870 7.1-channel surround sound speaker package (see larger image).

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Boston Acoustics Horizon Series MCS130 5.1-Channel Surround Speaker System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great system of speakers. Well-built, good looking, durable, good connections, but MOST importantly - great sound. The subwoofer is a MONSTER of good bass! I am extremely pleased with this surround sound system, better than any I have ever had. The only reason I am giving this product 4 stars, rather than 5 is that the overall depth of sound is not quite as sharp as I expected. The rear channels are too average for a 5 star rating.The center and front speakers are really good. This is an outstanding, overall diverse and powerful set of speakers for anything from watching James Bond to a Pavarotti concert. Highly recommended.

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Small enough to hang on a wall, but powerful enough to bring down the house, the new Boston Acoustics Horizon MCS130 5.1-Channel Speaker System takes all the complexity out of multi-channel audio without sacrificing any of its impact. Matched 3.5" drivers and 1" soft dome tweeters combine with a 10" 200-Watt powered subwoofer to let you take on all the excitement Hollywood can throw at you. Its all in a days work for the Horizon MCS130.

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Sony DAV-C900 DVD Dream System Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had this machine for a little over six months. The sound is excellent, looks great. Great feature set for the money.
Lately, however, most dvds stop playing part way into the movie (CDs work fine). Only brand new discs play. I cleaned the player using a special dvd cleaner disc and this did not help.
Now I'm back to a $99 combination dvd/vhs player I bought last year which seems to play any dvd no matter how scratched or beat up.

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Sony's DAV-C900 DVD Dream System consists of six speakers and a 5-disc DVD/CD/SACD changer with 10-bit video digital-to-analog converter for a host of entertainment at your fingertips. It comes with a 2-way center speaker with dual 2-3/8-inch woofers, 3-way surround speakers with dual 2-3/8-inch woofers, and a subwoofer with an 8-inch driver. Listen to the difference our Digital Cinema Sound System makes as you immerse yourself in the magic of Sony DVD.
The DAV-C900 has 450 watts total system power, and offers built-in Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby Pro Logic decoding. The Digital Cinema Sound system recreates the acoustics of Hollywood dubbing stages, and you'll be amazed by the Headphone Theater mode. The DAV-C900 also offers an AM/FM receiver with 30 presets (20 FM, 10 AM).
Tech Talk
Dolby Digital: This sound format for movie theaters is more advanced than Dolby Pro Logic Surround. In this format, the rear speakers output stereo sound with an expanded frequency range, and a subwoofer channel for deep bass is independently provided. This format is also called "5.1" because the subwoofer channel is counted as 0.1 channel (since it functions only when a deep bass effect is needed). All six channels in this format are recorded separately to realize superior channel separation. Furthermore, since all the signals are processed digitally, less signal degradation occurs.
Dolby Pro Logic Surround: As one method of decoding Dolby Surround, Dolby Pro Logic Surround produces four channels from two-channel sound. Compared with the former Dolby Surround system, Dolby Pro Logic Surround reproduces left-to-right panning more naturally and localizes sounds more precisely. To take full advantage of Dolby Pro Logic, you should have one pair of rear speakers and a center speaker. The rear speakers' put out monaural sound.
DTS: Digital audio compression technology that Digital Theater Systems developed. This technology conforms to 5.1-channel surround. The rear channel is stereo and there is discrete subwoofer channel in this format. DTS provides the same 5.1 discrete channels on high quality digital audio. The good channel separation is realized because the all-channel data is recorded discrete and processed in digital.
SACD: Super Audio CD (SACD) is a high-resolution digital audio format that promises vast sonic improvements over the current audio CD format. Super Audio CD discs can be played back on dedicated Super Audio CD players or combination SACD/DVD-Video players. Certain SACD discs feature a conventional audio CD layer (hybrid SACDs) which can be played back by any CD player or computer with a CD-ROM drive.
What's in the Box DAV-C900 home theater receiver/DVD player, 5 speakers (2 front, 2 rear, and 1 center), 1 subwoofer, AM loop antenna, FM wire antenna, speaker cords, video cord, remote control (RM-SS900), 2 AA batteries, and printed installation instructions.

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JBL S312 II 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker with 12" Woofer (Black Maple) Review

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(More customer reviews)Many people, unfortunately, make the mistake -- often encouraged by a sales person -- of spending more money for electronic components than for speakers. But the most important components for determining the sound of an audio system are the speakers. And in the world of superb-sounding speakers JBL currently is the king. The S312 II is a great speaker with clean, sweet highs, natural-sounding midrange and clean, deep bass. There is no speaker at this price which sounds as good. If you feel that you must have a lower price, I recommend the JBL S310 II which drops the woofer size from 12" to 10" But either way, if you want great sound, get JBL speakers -- preferable the S series.

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JBL's Studio Series S312 II is a three-way, full-range floorstanding loudspeaker capable of delivering clear, dynamic sound for both music and movies. It's sold as a single speaker. Buy two for stereo uses or pick up five or merely three for use in surround-sound applications--only three if you'll be using two other speakers to serve as the left/right front or surrounds. If your TV is on a high shelf or mounted on the wall, as would a flat-panel set, you can simply position the "center channel" speaker beneath it.Be aware that you don't need a television to enjoy multichannel surround sound: the SACD, DVD-Audio, and DTS-CD formats all make ample use of full-range center-channel speakers, providing you have the space and the inclination to set up speakers for 5- or 5.1-channel music listening. Use a powered subwoofer for the .1 low-frequency effects channel, or configure your surround receiver to fold the .1 signal into the audio feeding the other speakers--with the S312 II's 35 Hz bass rating, you'll have plenty of bass even without a subwoofer.The speaker's Elliptical Oblate Spheroidal (EOS) waveguide imbues sound with unparalleled spaciousness and definition. The pure-titanium tweeter and the midrange transducer are mounted on a Linear Field Proximity (LFP) bezel that ensures a seamless transition between the middle and high frequencies. The PolyPlas (polymer-coated cellulose fiber) cone woofer features traditional JBL engineering--the same technologies used in JBL's Professional equipment, which is found in stadiums, music halls, and movie theaters around the world.Shielded components allow speaker placement near video monitors. A high-temperature-capable, oversize Kapton voice coil and a HeatScape motor structure allow this speaker to play all types of movies and music with ease, no matter how dynamic the content. The unit's woofers are built on cast-aluminum frames, which reduce distortion and increase its power-handling ability. A low-diffraction IsoPower baffle directs the sound power into the room, reducing distortion from cabinet vibration.The speaker's lock-mitred, computer-designed enclosure requires no internal bracing. Its flared, FreeFlow port increases bass response without adding unwanted port noise (sometimes heard as "chuffing" when you really crank your tunes). JBL's custom-designed drivers allow the use of simple, Straight-Line Signal Path (SSP) crossover networks with high-quality electrical components that minimize processing that could degrade the signal. Finally, JBL has outfitted the S312 II with all-metal, gold-plated, five-way binding-post speaker terminals for secure and flexible hookups, from bare wire to banana-plug jacks. What's in the Box One speaker, a speaker grille, and a user's manual.

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Sony SA-VS150H 5.1/7.1-Channel Speaker Package (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're buying these speakers and you're expecting very good sound, please go buy from klipsch or some other American brand... These speakers do alright for their price, but it's not the best speakers ever... They sound descent if you've never had a home theater system before. It is a good pair of speakers if you're just starting out and want to enjoy the surround sound system. The sub-woofer, however, is extremely weak. You will not get the movie theater "boom" when you hear explosions and such. It is so weak that you might as well just not have it. Maybe if you pair up a different sub-woofer with this setup, it might be better. Otherwise, the product is quite a disappointment.

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Yamaha NS-SP1800BL 5.1-Channel Home Theater Speaker Package Review

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(More customer reviews)Using this with a Sony BD player and Onkyo 5.1 amp linked via coax audio; TV via HDMI. After all settings were completed, the action and big explosions sounded great. If you listen to movies using TV speakers, you don't know what you're missing.
BUT I couldn't hear dialog. Checked all settings, and searched online forums. I tried to boost the dB for the center but still couldn't hear. Speakers are connected via Monster Cable instead of the flimsy speaker cable provided (so small the connectors won't even hold it). Then I used the test tone from the amp to find out the center channel speaker doesn't work. I'm using an existing bookshelf speaker for center for now.
Otherwise, the bases sound fine and rest of the speakers seem more than powerful enough for my tiny home theater room. Watched Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3-D with 6-year old, and the combination 3-D video and 3-D audio were a winner with him.
For a small room, with a decent amp and proper cables (do yourself a favor, and get at least 16-gauge) this set should work just fine for most movie lovers. Audiophiles should look elsewhere. And test all speakers before you throw out the packaging (as I did).
UPDATE: after mentioning to Amazon the center channel was not working but I didn't want to pack everything up, they promptly shipped me a new set FOC - with pre-paid return as well. Next day. New center channel works great, and sound has greatly improved. Nicely done!

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JBL Control 2.4G On Air Wireless Speaker System (Pair) Review

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(More customer reviews)Here's the good news: The sound quality is nice. The frequency response seems very detailed, and these diminutive speakers pack more bass than looks would suggest. No complaints about the sound quality.
Here's the bad news: These speakers have MANY very serious flaws that make them unusable.
1) The speakers have a timeout mechanism - they go into a standby mode if the sound stops transmitting. That's fine, but the standby mode mechanism is very overeager: the speakers often enter standby if the music volume stops, or even if the volume just gets a little too quiet, for a short period of time - even as little as 5 seconds. So the speakers can go into standby even during a quiet section of otherwise loud music, and the wakeup process is not trivial: it may take 10 seconds or more to reacquire the signal once the music kicks in again. Worse, this quirk is hard-coded and not adjustable; you can't disable or adjust the standby mechanism.
In short, these $200+ speakers have a tendency to cut out the music for 25 seconds or more when it dips too low. That is a fatal flaw. And it's not the only one:
2) These speakers will SHUT DOWN your Wi-Fi network. I have a very recent 802.11g router (a Motorola SBG900), and when there's music streaming to the speakers, my bandwidth drops from a steady 200kbps to about 5kbps. Seriously. If I unplug the transmitters (which are 10' away from both the router and the receiving computer), my bandwidth comes to life; if I plug 'em in again, my bandwidth vanishes immediately. It's terrible.
3) JBL made some very strange choices with regard to the cabling. The cable from the right speaker to the left is about 25 feet long - a bizarrely long connection for such small speakers - and unless you want to splice it, you're going to have a rat's-nest tangle of excess cable hanging somewhere between or behind the speakers. Meanwhile, the power cable is only about 18" between the active speaker and the power brick; and the power cable coming out of the brick is only about 3' long. As a result, if you mount the speakers 6' high, you'll have a massive black brick with a glowing green LED dangling at about 3', and probably a hookup to a longer power cable about 1' off the floor. It's quite sad; JBL must not have tried to actually mount these speakers before they shipped 'em out.
4) Speaking of mounting: The speakers come with wall mounting brackets that look sturdy at first glance. However, the speakers are very boxy - about 5" deep - so they'll project noticeably from the wall. Much worse, the mounting bracket is very poorly designed. For example, the speakers mount on a ball-and-socket bolt that's *way* too long - you'll see an extra 1.5" inches of bolt projecting from the wall mounting, for no particular reason. (In fact, JBL doesn't seem to trust the integrity of the bracket; they include a camera-strap-like thing for fastening the speaker to the bracket, in case it fails. Creepy.)
5) Want to buy extra speakers and dial 'em in to the same channel? Of course you do; it's wireless, right? Well, not so fast. First, JBL won't sell you *just* the speakers, so you have to buy a whole 'nother set - including a second transmitter - at full price. Second, the wireless setup has a hard limit of two speaker sets per transmitter channel. I own three sets of these speakers, and only two connect to the transmitter at any one time. I don't know why; it's completely capricious, and it severely limits the extensibility of the system.
It's really tragic that JBL made such terrible ancillary choices, because the prime virtue of these speakers - the sound quality - is very nice. But the convenience and sound quality aren't worth the hassles... particularly at such a high price point.
Bottom line: Avoid. Avoid at all costs. These things are FATALLY flawed. JBL needs to recall them and fix them... and if they don't, I'm certainly never buying their equipment again.
- David Stein


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Add a pair of speakers in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the garage or on the patio.JBL On Air Control 2.4G wireless speaker system combines high-performance sound quality with wireless-installation convenience.The unit includes a pair of wall-mountable loudspeakers that incorporate a wireless transceiver and amplifier, a transmitter/receiver module, and a remote control.This system is ideal for a host of wireless-speaker applications, including use as the surround channels in a multichannel home theater, as a second-room music system, and as a high-quality wireless speaker system for computers and digital music players.The On Air Control 2.4G utilizes the 2.4GHz frequency range for interference-free transmission, and the transmitter/receiver module can be used with up to two pairs of JBL On Air speakers.The active speaker system includes a mini-jack input for connection to a second local audio source and a subwoofer output that enables the speakers to be used as part of a 2.1-channel satellite/subwoofer audio system.The 100mm polylaminate woofer produces rich, deep bass response, while the 12mm titanium-laminate tweeter delivers sparkling, clear high frequencies throughout the listening room.Easy-to-use wall brackets are included.

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JBL Venue Series SUB12 12-Inch 500-Watt Subwoofer Review

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(More customer reviews)Recently I built myself a new home theater system.
My System:
Receiver: Denon 887 (really like this receiver... wish it was a bit more powerful, but still great)
Speakers:
Front Left/Right:
JBL E80 (Black Ash) 3-Way, Dual 6-Inch Floorstanding Loudspeaker
Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power200 Watts
Power Handling (Continuous/Peak)100 Watts/400 Watts
Impedance8 Ohms nominal
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m)91dB
Frequency Response (-3dB)38Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequencies300Hz, 4000Hz
Center:
JBL EC35 3-Way Dual 5-Inch Center Channel Loudspeaker
Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power150 Watts
Power Handling (Continuous/Peak)75 Watts/300 Watts
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m)91dB
Frequency Response (-3dB)75Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequencies800Hz, 3200Hz
4 surround speakers (2 on sides, 2 on back)
JBL E10 2-Way, 4-Inch Wall-Mount/Bookshelf Speakers
Maximum Recommended Amplifier Power100 Watts
Power Handling (Continuous/Peak)50 Watts/200 Watts
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m)86dB
Frequency Response (-3dB)75Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequency2000Hz
Subwoofer:
JBL SUB 12 12" (300mm) Powered Subwoofer With 300-Watt Amplifier
Amplifier Power (RMS)250 Watts
Peak Dynamic Power500 Watts
Low-Pass Frequency Variable from 50Hz to 150Hz
Frequency Response 25Hz - Low-pass crossover settingSubwoofer review:
The first thing you notice when the box shows up on your door is that it's very big. The cabinet feels very well constructed. The look of the face (with the cover removed) is a fo-carbin fiber look. Everything about this feels well made.
My pervious `home theater' had been a $250 system in a box (receiver, speakers, and sub). That old system had an 8 inch sub that was probably

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Designed to meet JBL's stringent audio standards, the Venue Series SUB12 subwoofer uses premium technology to let your home-theater system deliver those pulsing lower frequencies with maximum sound quality. With a frequency response of 25 Hz and a variable low-pass frequency of 50 to 150 Hz all backed up by a powerful amplifier and assisted by a FreeFlow flared port, the SUB12 gives you low notes loud, clear, and distortion-free. The amplifier power is 300 watts, with a peak dynamic power of 500 watts.The 12-inch woofer is constructed from JBL's proven PolyPlas material and housed in a 19.75 x 14.375 x 18 inch case, making it compact enough to position easily in your home theater. The SUB12 comes with LFE- and line-level inputs to give you connection flexibility, and crossover-frequency controls and a phase switch let you adjust the SUB12's output to suit your audio needs.

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2 Heavy duty PA DJ Club Adjustable Satellite Speaker Stand MS06BP 1SP Review

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(More customer reviews)I agonized over these or spending about 3 times as much and reluctantly took the plunge. I am glad I did, these are great stands, very stable, easy to adjust and aren't ugly.
One thing to note (for super-audiophiles), the feed have rubber knobs, not spikes. This would be easy to swap out, but just worth noting for the folks who care.
Buy with confidence.

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