02:45 02.06.2006 | All news from "Tech News and Articles"
Review: Sony HT-7000DH Home Theater System (NewsFactor)
HTIB systems are often easy to install, and that convenience is typically at the cost of power and sound quality. The Sony HT-7000DH, while including everything you need to easily set up a home theater system, winds up making that sacrifice.
Look and Feel
The HT-7000DH design falls short in the style department. The speakers are drab and not very impressive-looking. They are cased in wood veneer with speaker grills made of hard plastic. The block-shaped speaker design will definitely not turn any heads, especially as other models in the same price range offer much more attractive styling.
On the positive side, the DVD/CD changer and receiver are typically styled Sony components that match very well. They feature sleek, black casing with simple-yet-functional controls on each faceplate.
Features
The HT-7000DH is powered by a feature-rich 900-watt AV receiver that includes HDMI connections and automatic speaker calibration using Sony's Digital Cinema Auto Calibration feature. The system is XM-radio ready (with a subscription to the XM radio service) and plays Super Audio CDs.
The five-disc DVD/CD changer features progressive scan and HDMI output with "upscaling," a nice feature that converts DVD media from 480p resolution to either 720p or 1080i, depending on the display capability of your TV.
While some HTIB systems suffer from inadequate power and lack of connection options, the HT-7000DH provides plenty of both. Each of the front, left, and surround speakers receives 140 watts, and the subwoofer receives 200 watts.
The resulting volume level is more than adequate to fill most rooms. Connection options are plentiful, highlighted by the HDMI pass-through feature that allows both digital audio and video to be transmitted using only one cable. The additional connection options leave plenty of room for future expansion.
Performance
As impressive as the list of features is, the resulting listening experience is mediocre at best. In our surround sound and music tests, effects were produced accurately but the experience left a lot to be desired.
Mid-bass frequencies were skimpy and did not bring out the full sound effects when watching DVDs and listening to CDs. High frequencies were equally lackluster and were not as smooth-sounding as other competing models.
Listening to a few songs from a mix CD, we felt that the beats were not very punchy and the lyrical accompaniment sounded overly flat. The bass was powerful and could easily be heard and felt during movie action sequences, but, for the most part, the speakers were simply unimpressive.
The DVD/CD changer does a very good job of playing DVDs in both their native 480p format and in the 720p/1080i upscaled format. With a suitable 720p/1080i display, the resulting picture quality will rival that of true HD source content. While you would be able to tell the difference in quality if you compared the two side by side, it is easy to mistake an upscaled DVD for HD content from cable or satellite broadcasts.
The Verdict
The excellent features offered by Sony's HT-7000DH Home Theater System -- such as auto calibration, XM radio capability, and DVD upscaling -- are marred by disappointing sound quality. This HTIB system fails to impress.
Sony HT-7000DH Home Theater System
Specs: Five-disc DVD/CD changer with upscaling and HDMI pass-through; 900-watt AV receiver; XM-ready with use of the optional XM Connect-and-Play antenna; Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS, Digital Cinema Sound decoding.
Pros: Plenty of power; easy setup and installation; DVDs can upscale to 720p or 1080i resolution.
Cons: Uninspiring sound quality; drab appearance.
Verdict: Excellent features are ultimately marred by disappointing sound.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Price: $499
www.sony.com
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