Big Bang For Your Buck!
Pros:
True 5.1 Surround Sound, Warm Sound, Clear Dialogue, Deep Bass & a Great Price!
Cons:
Needs an optical input for external players like Blu-Ray & HD-DVD.
The Bottom Line:
I highly recommend the HTS5544/37 ASAP if you have a projector, big screen tv or just a nice tv.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
After buying a front projector I needed to upgrade from my cheap $50 surround sound system, which for the price was impressive, but two of the speakers had gone out and the subwoofer had blown. So, I decided to upgrade to a true digital surround sound system.
So, I went to Wal-Mart going down the line demoing all of their systems from $150-$600. The Philips HTS3544 system sounded the best overall, to my surprise since it only cost about $199.95 It had a nice warm sound for the price, nice deep bass that can rattle your floor.
It turned out to be a perfect match for my high definition DLP front projector. The DVD player is very nice, but since I have a front projector I am always using my HD-DVD player. DVDs sound superb even with composite (red and white cables) hookups, but when I switch to digital it's just awesome for the low price. Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are on a level that surprised me at how great it sounds for the price. It really made me wonder how much better a $20,000 system could be.
The DVD player included is great for playing MP3 discs or CDs. It has great sound for music. It has warmth, nice bass and is just really clear and can go pretty darn loud. So, this surround sound system s just really great for movies or music. It's been awesome for playing Rock Band for the 360. We've had a blast. This system adds a new dimension to the game. Other X-Box 360 games makes you feel like you're in the game and everyone else always grins from ear to ear when they first see my setup and hear the sound coming from it. It's very theatrical.
You can calibrate the volume of each speaker, including the subwoofer, which is a plus. I turn of the center channel for clearer dialogue, bump up the bass a few notches and turn up the rear speakers. When you get it just play with these settings and find out what works best for you.
All in all, this system is the best true 5.1 surround sound system for your money. The one flaw is that I wish this system had an optical digital audio intput so I could hookup my HD-DVD player without needing to convert the HD-DVD player's optical audio to digital coaxial with a converter box. It was cheap to do so, but still, a bit of a hassle. You can get the the converter box and digital coaxial cable for about $20 on ebay.
Don't waste your money on the rest of those overpriced Home Theater In A Box setups at Wal-Mart costing upto $600+. They are not worth the price difference and from what I've heard they aren't even as good as this. You don't always get what you pay for in this world.....sometimes you get better! hehe.
