Purchased this system for our family room which is a little on the smaller side. The sound is rich and full, the subwoofer is better than expected, and overall we're very pleased. Good TV sound and excellent DVD and iPod sound. Moderately priced as well, which is a bonus. *NOTE: Fiber Optic audio and HDMI video cables are NOT included and must be purchased separately.* The system does include a cable for basic video connection. The Fiber Optic audio cable (recommended for best quality audio) is about $20-25 retail. [If purchasing the fiber optic cable, make sure to remove the small clear covers at each end of the cable before trying to connect it to the receiver and cable box or TV. Otherwise...yikes, you've plugged the jacks]. The remote is small, very handy and easy to use. Front connection for an iPod, which works great. There's an antennae for FM radio which we haven't connected yet so I can't comment on that.
Set up is easy but time consuming, so as with most electronic set ups buyers should allow enough time to run the wires, position the rear speakers, attach everything and run the tests. There's fairly generous amount of speaker wire [wish they could have included about 5' more for the back speakers]; depending on how the room is arranged buyers might need to figure out creative ways to run the speaker wires for the back speakers. If it's impossible to properly place two speakers in the back of the room there is a setting which adjusts the sound for a set up where all speakers are located in the front.
The system comes with a 1-2-3 Step easy set up guide and also the more detailed instruction booklet. Speaker cords, input jacks, and speakers are color coded and clearly labeled. There's a disc included to run as part of setting up the speakers and testing the system. For the most part the instructions are self explanatory and easy to follow. However, some of the steps are slightly more confusing than necessary because the drawings of various components [e.g. TV, Cable Box, Sony Receiver] aren't labeled. The person setting the system up can clearly see what needs to be connected, but it's not always clear to what component [cable box or TV].
We now use this system exclusively and keep the speakers on our TV turned down. We will probably purchase this system for use with our basement TV as well. Sony BRAVIA DAV-DZ170 Home Theater System
Sony's Bravia line has yet to disappoint me. This home theater in a box is a really nice setup. It doesn't have the flexibility of a high-end receiver like a Denon or Onkyo, but that's not really what a home theater in a box setup is supposed to do. It has one HDMI output, but no HDMI inputs, and only one optical input. If you've got a newer model tv, that's all you need most of the time. If you can run all of your HDMI sources into your tv, you can just run the one optical cable to this receiver and you're ready to go. It's plenty powerful for most living rooms and gets loud without losing much resolution. The subwoofer the weakest aspect of this set, but it's not that bad. You can turn it up in the settings if you want a little more bottom end. I take it back, the weakest aspect of this set is the proprietary input system for the speaker wires. Sony isn't the only company to do this, so it's hard to single them out here, but it's still annoying. I prefer to use lower gauge speaker wires, but the proprietary speaker plugs make that almost impossible.
Overall, I prefer this setup to most component systems because A) it doesn't take up much space B) it reproduces sounds evenly and accurately C) the DVD upconversion is pretty good and D) the price is very nice. I down-sized from a 7.1 component setup and don't regret it for a second.
I was torn between this unit and a similar Samsung unit, and I decided to go with this Sony because I have alway6s been pleased with Sony products. Well, Sony definitely let me down on this one. First off this unit was easy to set up. It took longer to run the wires across the room than it did to actually hook it up. But the volume on this was sub-par. Even on the max level volume (35) it still wasn't that loud. The main problem was the amount of bass that it produces. The bass is so overpowering that you can barely even hear people talking in the movie, and there is no way to adjust the levels at all.
I would recommend this product to anyone because this system has a very clear, sharp, and crisp sound which you may not receive in some of the more expensive theater systems. If you are looking for a system with a nice bargain and a great sound, this is definitely the one you may be looking for. This system has no distortion playing the dvd player and the subwoofer will literally blow you out of the room whether you are sitting or standing! Every sound and instrument is heard through this one, depending on your personal settings. You are getting more than what you are paying for and it has an outlet for an ipod or mp3 player.
I purchased this surround sound set for my fiance for christmas. He had been asking for one for several months, and nearly bought his own on several occasions. When he opened this one, he was thrilled because we always find that Sony products are of a high quality. This was no exception. The set up was quick and easy, and all the necessary cables (except HDMI which we already had) were included. Each speaker had excellent sound quality, and the set lived up to the Sony name. The subwoofer is more powerful than either of us expected, and since we live in an apartment complex, we often don't use it to its potential so as not to bother other residents. Overall, the money spent on this system is well worth the experience, and I would even say I feel like we got a bargain. Other sets that I've heard in electronics stores that are comparable in price don't seem to stand up. Good Job Sony!'
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