Best Place Subwoofer Home

Review by M. Winterroth : Takes a bit o'tweaking

For my needs, this pseudo surround sound solution is perfect. I did not want to run wires all over my house, or feed them through the walls or floor, etc. Nor did I want some flaky wireless rear speaker 5.1 solution. I wanted something simple, elegant, with as few wires as possible. I have the Samsung LN52A550 television, and wanted something to complement it well. I looked at the Samsung HT-X810 2.1 soundbar with the integrated upscaling DVD player for compatibility sake, but it was too large and way to expensive ($600 and no blu-ray?!). The Sony CT-100 works great so far. The small, unassuming speaker fits perfectly under my LCD panel and it complements it well. The subwoofer reminds me of a PC tower, but I love the fact that it includes three (3) HDMI inputs. I routed my HD cable box and an upscaling Sony DVD player into it. At first, I found some of the vocal dialogue sound from 5.1 sources a bit muted, but I tweaked the system to my liking (+4 center speaker; -3 subwoofer; Movie soundfield), and this seems to fix the problem right up. All in all, this won't replace a true 5.1 system, but the right and left simulated surround sound works surprisingly well. Then again, I have a family room on the average to small side, and this system might work better in these types of environments. All in all, this is exactly the system I was looking for - it's simple, sounds good, and looks good. ***** UPDATE: July 29, 2008 ***** I still enjoy the system, and think it was worth the $299, but I have found that to really enjoy the system, you must be directly in front of the speaker. If you are off the the side, it sometimes gets a bit hard to hear dialogue. In fact, I still think the dialogue gets a bit muted through these speakers. If there is any ambient noise aruond you (e.g. a fan, a/c unit, etc.) it can really affect the sound output quality. Just my 2 cents, but I would rank this 3.5 stars.

Review by Carol Janis "A/V Geek Squad" : Bang For Your Buck!! Must Buy!!

I plugged it in via HDMI to my PS3 to my Samsung LN40A550 40" 1080p TV. I have played some games and blurays with the device. The sound is excellent for the size and price of the unit. However, it is not as good as my actually 5.1 TruHD system (DUH!) but it is perfect for my TV in my bedroom. The unit includes standard Dolby and DTS surround processing modes. For Blu-ray, it can accept uncompressed PCM soundtracks, but it won't decode Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, nor any DTS HD flavors. (The better Blu-ray players, such as Sony's own PS3, decode those soundtracks internally and output PCM anyway, so that's not going to be a big deal for most folks.) In addition, if you would like an increased surround effect, keep the center channel level at the baseline "zero" setting or below for the most pronounced surround effects. My only complaint is I wish there were more audio configuring options, but the center ans S/W tweeking settings and the sound profiles (standard, movie, music, game) are perfectly fine to get the sound you desire. If your looking for a sound system for your bedroom, office, or small family room TV, this is PERFECT. I Highly recommend the purchase of this unit. If you have an HDTV without speakers yet and a HD source (PS3, bluray, xbox, sat box, upconverting dvd playr, etc.) get off your butt from your computer and go to wal-mart or best buy/or add to cart on amazon.com and purchase this item!

Review by W. Garcia "Wevmax" : Great sound, HOW you connect it makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE!

WARNING! This is going to be wordy but WORTHY! Specially if you initially are unhappy with the product! I've been searching for a sound system and I did NOT want to get an extra component and 5-7 speakers! Did ALOT of research, different websites, read many reviews and found conflicting messages on this item, but decided to take the plunge. I want to make this part clear, because if you connect the system in this fashion, you will be as disappointed as I originally was. Originally I connected a Digital Optical cable, "Audio out" from my Sharp Aquos 52" tv to the "in" of this product and I was VERY dissapointed in the maximum volume. Yes everything SOUNDED GREAT, rich sound, clearer words but the maximum volume was "TOO LOW". It sounded MUCH BETTER than TV speakers but not much louder than the crappy tv ones! Yes I am a man and need to FEEL the volume in my body before I consider it "high". I played with the settings, and although it was a bit better/louder when I connected a Digital Optical cable direct from my PS3 to the Sony Soundbar, it was just under my "Maximum Volume Satisfaction" level. Additional Dissapointments: TV volume and Sony volume were not synch'ed, TV volume was slightly behind the speakers so I would hear an echo. I had to use the Sony remote, and TV remote to adjust volume (yeah, another remote!) and of course volume maximum level still left alot to be desired. Being now highly dissapointed, and not believing that it can possibly be this bad, I read through the instruction book and noticed that I can connect it another way, and should have INSTEAD connected the cable box and PS3 with HDMI cables DIRECTLY into the Sony Soundbar, and THEN connect a 3rd HDMI cable OUT of the Sony Speakers and INTO my HDTV. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! My whole experience Dramatically CHANGED! Dramatic Improvements included: 1)Volume was DRAMATICALLY HIGHER w/Cable box & PS3! Maximum level was just over the top! 2)On my Sharp Aquos, "Aquos Link" was activated and now my TV REMOTE automatically turned the speakers on, off and raised/lowered VOLUME along with my HDTV! Didn't need to use the extra remote control anymore! 3)Aquos link also synchronized the volume so TV & Sony Speaker work together (which i'm sure adds to the dramatic volume increase)! I don't have to raise/lower volume separately and they are both synched. Now comfortable listening was in the "20-30" level (50 is max on these Sony speakers), and when watching blu-ray movies and in 40's, I can FEEL fire & special effects (Iron Man on Blu-Ray ROCKS!!!) 4)Best of all, All devices connected through the Sony Speakers will work automatically, and SWITCH automatically from one input on your HDTV! If you have a big room, it may not be loud enough, but for small & medium rooms (and if you connect it correctly) this definitely met all of my needs! HOW YOU CONNECT will probably make a big difference for you as well. Hope this helps!

Review by Peter B. Degroot : Good sound for the money with some limitations

Summary: Good value for the price and a big improvement over TV speakers, but surround effect is weak and there are some limitations in connectivity, subwoofer placement, remote control and audio settings. I wanted something that would provide improved TV and DVD sound as well as streamed iTunes music without investing a lot of money. This system fills those requirements very well. The sound has a satisfying richness and depth, although the "surround" effect is weak. More like being surrounded on 3 sides, which is pretty much the norm for systems without real rear speakers. To their credit, Sony did not try to mask this limitation by adding reverb effects at ridiculous levels like some systems I've heard. I'm happy with my choice, but if you are contemplating buying this system you should be aware of some of its limitations: Connectivity- There are 4 A/V inputs. Three can be connected via either HDMI (video & audio) or digital optical cable (audio). The SAT input also has a Coax jack. The TV audio can be connected via either RCA jacks or digital optical cable. The ports are labeled TV, BD, DVD and SAT, but any of them can be used for anything. Which is a good thing, because I need RCA jacks for the iTunes music input from my Airport Express so I use the TV input for this and the SAT input for the TV. An additional limitation for audio is that the HDMI audio passed to the TV is inactive if the connected DVD or other device is set to output Dolby 5.1 or DTS audio. Unless you forego Dolby sound you don't have the option of just using the TV speakers for playing DVDs. You also have to turn on and set the Sony system to get DVD sound. This is not a problem for me, but is for less technophyllic members of the household. Subwoofer placement- If you are going to place the subwoofer next to a TV stand, it can only go on the right (facing the TV) because of the placement of the speaker on the side of the subwoofer. The amplifier is built in to the Subwoofer cabinet, so it must have a clear line of sight to the remote control, and you have to be able to see the display on the front of the unit to tell which mode you are in. No hiding the subwoofer. Remote control- The remote control is not a "universal" remote and cannot control any other components other than newer model Sony TVs and DVDs with the "Bravia" system. Audio Settings- There is no equalizer or even the ability to directly set the bass/treble balance. Indirectly this is affected by the choice of "sound field". The choices are Standard, Movie, Music, Sports, Game and P-Audio, all of which have different mixes of surround effect/stereo separation, bass/treble balance and reverb. You can also adjust the relative loudness of the center speaker and the subwoofer. However, these adjustments affect all sound fields, and getting it right for, say, Music may result in way too much subwoofer for Movie. The overall sound volume is adequate for my 11' x 20' TV room, but the maximum output may not be sufficient for large rooms.

Review by lindguini : A Perfect Fit

I tried several 2.1 speaker systems to enhance the sound from our LCD HDTV. The 2.1 speaker systems used the RCA audio output from the TV but I was never satisfied with the quality of the sound, even from the Bose Companion system. I think part of the problem is with the low-level output of the TV's RCA audio connection and for this reason I decided to look for a speaker system that could take advantage of my HDTV's digital optical audio output connection. I also didn't want to have a five-speaker system all around the room and so I focused my search on soundbar-type systems. The Sony HT-CT100, just recently introduced, fit the bill perfectly and comes at a price much lower than the Yamaha and Philips soundbar systems with optical inputs. The Sony HT-CT100 produces great sound. The speaker bar is very low profile and takes up very little space whether you sit it in front of the TV or hang it on the wall. The subwoofer is large (about the size of a desktop PC) and sits on the floor. The subwoofer has a nice display along the top edge of the box to tell you the various system settings. Best of all, the 200 watt amplifier (built-in to the subwoofer) has multiple HDMI and optical audio inputs and acts as the control center for a complete home theater/sound system. This was an unexpected bonus -no need for a separate home theater receiver. Just plug your satellite system, DVD player(s), game consoles, etc. right into the HT-CT100 and control everything from the remote. It's an elegant solution and I haven't seen anything else quite like it. Since the system takes in digital video/audio directly, you get to enjoy full Dolby Digital surround sound. The system can belt out remarkable volume levels and rich, deep bass. The speaker bar has left, right, and center channel speakers along with the remote control IR sensor. The Sony remote supplied with the system will control all your Sony components; however, if your HDTV, DVD player(s), etc. are not Sony brand (like mine), then be prepared to buy a universal learning remote in order to program the HT-CT100 commands. While I can decipher having several remote controls, I prefer to use a single remote control so that my family has an easier time turning on the TV or watching DVDs. The price of the Sony soundbar system is very reasonable considering its power output and multiple digital video/audio inputs to control your home theater. The quality is impressive (though I did have to return my first system due to a soundbar speaker buzz -my second system is flawless) and it looks and sounds like high-end gear. When I shop for items like this, I look at features, quality, and price without regard to the brand. In this case, Sony simply has a product that works great and provides an elegant solution for those wanting home theater sound in a low-profile package. It's a winner.

Review by Ben Klassen "In Klassen We Trust" : HDMI Cables Are A Must!!

I bought this set up after allot of research online. I was ready to pay more than double the cost of this one for some other soundbars and the reviews just weren't as favorable. When I first hooked it up, I used the included optical from my PS3 to the amp and during my first couple tests watching BlueRay movies, I had to have it on MAX sound and it sounded good but I didn't like it having any extra power. I was ready to return this unit and started researching some of the competition again when I decided to try hooking it up via HDMI before returning the unit. I popped in a BlueRay and much to my surprise, I had full rich sound at around 35 and MAX was too loud for standard viewing. I was thrilled b/c I always liked the quality of the sound, just not the max power output. This is a real bargain for such a quality audio output at such a low price. I am very happy with my purchase

Review by aTooL : Great for HD sources

After reading some of the more negative reviews regarding sound quality, I have to state my own experience. This 3.1 system (that can process up to 7.1)is probably the best bang for the buck out there right now. (Period) 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. However, this is the perfect solution for someone who doesnt want to spend $1K> and run wires. The sound (not out of the box, you have to configure a couple of things) is absolutely outstanding for what it is. However, if you are watching SD or over the air broadcast, its not going to be as good. 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. I also have a true 5.1 system in my basement (man-cave), so I know what a high dollar system should sound like. This is comparable, just not with surround sound. Matching this with a HDTV, PS3, and HD cable in a room 16x20 was the perfect fit for me. And, I dare anyone to say this system is not loud enough. Hook it up correctly, press a couple of buttons to adjust to your listen pleasure, and your done. Search around on a few AV forums and you see that this is a highly respected piece of equipment.

Review by R. Rim : Was skeptical, but now I'm raving about the Sony HTCT100 Home Theater

I remember having a 5.1 surround system and moving from apartment to apartment... what a drag dealing with those rear satellite speakers! I heard about these sound bars and was skeptical, but hopeful. 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! 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... the flight path was from 1:00 towards 7:00). 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 helicopter's Doppler effect was perfectly accurate... the impressive part was when the chopper flew off-screen and the sound continued off into the distance behind me. At that moment I thought: "How the heck does this thing work?" Simple, yet truly amazing sound and technology... and with a price tag of less than $300, well, 5-stars from me!

Review by D. Mulligan "RiverAveGuy" : Sony CT100

Got mine 3 days ago for a small room. Set up no brainer. But manual is not the best. 1) HDMI from DirecTV HD to Sat input in back of unit 2) HDMI from PS3 to back of unit (BD) 3) HDMI from xbox 360 to back of unit 4) HDMI from back of unit to Sony 46 LCD Change TV speaker settings in TV menu from TV speakers to external speakers. Play with unit settings to suit your taste. Perfect....wonderful...great..... Much, much, much better than normal TV speakers. So very glad I got this !!! Enjoy

Review by Arnold Guinto "chaosmaster51" : Great Product!

I got tired of my Onkyo surround sound system with all the speakers, woofer, amp, cables and all the space it took, so I started looking for a single unit sound bar. Initially, I was dissapointed by the size or the cost of the other units, or the fact they were not HDMI. I tried Soundmatters MAINstage HD Single-speaker TV sound system, but had a bad experience with the vendor. I was sent an "open box" item. But I plugged it in anyways and was dissapointed by the sound. It did not come with an external woofer and the unit definitely needs one. The internal one was not good enough. There was a remakable sound difference when I plugged in an external woofer. Anyways, I saw this product and it is basically a new product from Sony. To make a long story short, I plugged it in and I was hooked. Sounds great!! Comes with an external woofer that controls everything, takes very little real estate. It took me about 30 minutes to set up and plug everything it. I like it so much that I bought a Sony TDM-IP1 Digital Media Port iPod Dock for my iTouch. The whole system requires HDMI cables. You will need at least 4, 3 for for the components you want to attach with it and 1 from the unit to the TV. You will also need to connect the included optical cable to control the unit via the included remote control. The manual was not clear that it is a required to attach this. Other than that, I love this unit. I have my iTouch connected via Sony's proprietary "digital media port", DirectTV HD DVR and XBOX 360 connected via HDMI. My XBOX 360 also serves as my DVD player. I have an extra open port for a Blu-ray player if and when I get one. I highly recommend this if you want a simple "surround" sound system that takes a lot less space and cables. and if you don't like the clutter of a full home theater system.