Ask Engadget HD: What's the best HTIB system?
"I'm currently stuck in a small apartment with a need for surround sound, but I can't go buy a bunch of separates and create a system. I'm obviously in the market for a small but great sounding HTIB. I already own a Blu-ray player, so I'm not too concerned with any built-in DVD / BD players. Which 5.1 (or greater) set out there today offers the best bang for my buck?"
There's no shame in buying your surround sound in a box, so puff out your chest and give this man an answer. Are you pleased with the sound quality / volume / overall performance of your boxed rig? Does your friend's unit sound better? Turn it to 11 and speak up!
Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
daaper @ Aug 7th 2008 12:23PM
I really like my Logitech Z-5500. It's an older system, so it doesn't have the latest audio formats. However, it does have Dolby Digital DTS, DTS 96/24
,and PCM . The SQ is more than adequate for me and it has plenty of kick with the sub (188w RMS). For the $200 I paid for it, it's a very tough deal to beat and it has lasted me about 5 years already. So that's my vote for the "frugal" out there.
Eric Meadows @ Aug 7th 2008 4:41PM
Okay, here's the easiest response to liking the Z-5500. The speakers are CRAP! I owned 2 sets of them (i.e., Logitech replaced the set once, and argued for hours). I am an electrical engineer and began realizing the problem with their circuitry design instantly when an electronic device shuts off on the same circuit as the speakers. The excuse given was that the speakers were supposed to be on a different circuit in the house. However, my current home theater system is on the same circuit and does not POP, like the Z-5500's do. DO NOT PURCHASE THE Z-5500's because, bottom line, you will be upset when you turn on or off the lights in your house, turn off your tv, etc. The speakers pop...this is not an isolated case because I swapped speakers, subwoofers, switched circuits, and even contacted two of my friends who owned the same sets (and their frustrations was also expressed). If you purchase these and are upset, you won't get anywhere with customer service unless you explain the technical aspects (which the customer service agents do not understand at all). You will need to ask for your money back, and they will say they will refund shipping up to $25, but fail to mention that it is your original company's shipping costs, not the $40 to ship them back to Logitech. Remember, DO NOT BUY THE LOGITECH Z-5500'S!
Chris @ Aug 7th 2008 12:26PM
The SONY HT-DDWG800 is quite a good choice, the speakers aren't flat and the amp will deal with True-HD over HDMI for the Bluray player.
Byrdman @ Aug 7th 2008 12:26PM
I have an insignia HTIB that i got for my dorm room and it works pretty well, but it isn't perfect. my parents have a panasonic system with floorstanding speakers and it sounds great. I have also seen the new LG stuff and that look spretty good as well and is priced nicely too.
lakersin2025 @ Aug 7th 2008 12:27PM
I have the Sony DAV-HDX500 and have no complaints. I only wish I had wireless rear speakers so I didn't have to jump over the cables to get to the kitchen. I just move them up near the set when I'm not watching a good movie, otherwise I just leave all 5.1 up front near the set.
Todd @ Aug 7th 2008 12:38PM
You have gotta give us a price range man!
I would go for a Klipsch Quintet system - while its not technically a HTIB - it’s the size of one and has the sound to back it up. You should be able to assemble a system for under $1K if you look in the right places.
As far as the cheapo HTIB packages already out there with one price tag (which you won't be doing your Bluray justice with).
I would recommend something by Yamaha - no tinny sonys for me.
I started w/Quintets and got hooked - now have a fully built Yamaha powered RF-82 setup that I love!
rp @ Aug 7th 2008 12:29PM
I'm a big fan of the Onkyo HTIB systems, because if you ever want to upgrade yourspeakers, it's easy as pie, because you get a decent receiver in the box.
Andy @ Aug 7th 2008 2:45PM
Ditto on this.
They come with real receivers, and pretty good speakers to boot.
Miggity @ Aug 7th 2008 3:49PM
Onkyo HT-SR800 for the win.
I like it a lot. Bought it on the cheap off Amazon to boot.
AMFS @ Aug 7th 2008 4:54PM
Onkyo HTS5100...especially if you have a lot of peripherals that use HDMI cables(like your BD player).
Miggity @ Aug 8th 2008 2:58AM
With an Onkyo system though, be prepared to purchase replacement 14 or 16 gauge speaker wire and use that instead. It comes with some real hilariously thin stuff.
Sean @ Aug 7th 2008 12:52PM
Thought its really expensive, id have to say the Panasonic BD HTIB. It supports all next gen audio, comes with all speakers, and it plays CD/DVD/BDs all in one with your receiver.
It may not perform better then a component based home theater, but for 1K$, its a deal for the person who has no home theater at all and wants everything at 1 time.
Dennis @ Aug 7th 2008 1:01PM
i currently have the Sony HT-SF2000 which I am very happy with. It's a 5.1 system with 3 HDMI in's, accepts 1080p/24 signal and LPCM via HDMI.
Glavasich @ Aug 7th 2008 1:05PM
I have the Samsung As 720 and the sound quality is great and can really crank. It's a little lite on Connection options though:
No regular RCA (yellow, White, Red), but you do get two HDMI, 2 Optical, and Component.
Another complaint...if your bluray player is a PS3 then stay away from this system. For some reason they don't play nice and I have to reset the reciever multiple times during playing a game or watching a movie because my tv says "Mode Not Supported"
So I guess after all that I am saying that you can find something in the same price range that is less of a pain to use.
steedums @ Aug 7th 2008 1:08PM
bose has some good ones
(jk)
Colin Davis @ Aug 7th 2008 2:41PM
I have to concur - I have a Bose set up and it is terrible compared to my Klipsch (best) and one a did a while ago that is piecemeal.
Fuzzball @ Aug 7th 2008 11:03PM
Yes. Please stay away from Bose. It's overpriced crap and their store demo setups do not give you close to an accurate portrayal of what it will sound like in your living room. Spend some time and read this article:
http://intellexual.net/bose.html
And a little story from my past:
My father was really big in the A/V (mostly audio) market in Hawai`i. Dr. Bose himself was actually at my parents' wedding where he gave them a pair of 901s as a wedding gift. I think my dad added it to his store's stock since he was rocking Magnepans at the house. A couple of years later my dad was having a party at his house and on short notice found out that Dr. Bose was going to drop by. He rushed to his store and grabbed a pair of 901s off the shelf, came back home, stashed the Magnepans in the master bedroom and plopped down the 901s.
Any person that's into quality audio equipment knows that Bose is just a big brand name that sells crap. My dad had better quality stuff at his stores for people that knew better or would listen to reason. If you don't believe the story, ask Dr. Bose if he remembers a the guy in Hawai`i that ran Ward Audio and Tim's Electronics back in the 70s and 80s.
tama @ Aug 7th 2008 1:20PM
I got the sam as720 too for around 500. But it has some annoying hdmi glitches. Maybe a lot of the hdmi receivers do? It might be better to get a receiver and speaker kit seperately.
nathan @ Aug 7th 2008 1:36PM
I'm gonna vote for the KEF KIT 550. Everything you need to get started, including a DVD player, except a display and an HD source.
http://www.kefinstanttheatre.com/products/kit/product-range/5-speaker/kit550hd/default.aspx
zargon @ Aug 7th 2008 1:47PM
I know you said you can't buy seperates, but I think you can and it isn't as hard as you may think.
I would highly recommend anything HTB that Denon or Onkyo put out, both make out standing receivers and for the price range, the speakers are perfectly fine. If you are on a tighter budget, Kenwood is known for making good entry level HTBs.
If you are a little more daring and willing to do a little more work, check out speaker packages from companies like Energy (their Take 5 system is a great package), PSB, Paradigm (my personal favorite) and Axiom to name a few that I know surround sound speaker packages and/or smaller speakers. Combine it with a receiver from Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, marantz or Harmon Kardon and you will have a nice setup at a reasonable price.
You may also want to check around, I know in the past OneCall.com and other sites (stores included) have surround sound packages that you can buy and usually will save you a little money. They usually would be something that you can buy seperatly, but they just packaged it together in a deal for you.
I personally would not recommend HTBs by Sony. Their speakers are not good at all and their receivers fall short of the other leading brands listed above at the same price. I also do not recommend the Logitech systems, they may make good computer systems, but when compared to real home theater systems, they just can't hold a candle. I am also personally not a fan of sound bars, while nice and compact, they are more gimmick than anything. I am from the old school of thought where to get true surround sound, you actually need sound source all around you. I have heard a few and they just are not that impressive. Especially since I feel that you can get better sound and imaging from even a descent 2 speaker setup if you are looking save space.
Bob @ Aug 7th 2008 1:58PM
I have the Sony HT-CT100 and it is a great 3.1 soundbar system. The subwoofer fills a medium sized-room with bass and the whole system is low profile. It includes 3 HDMI inputs, optical, spdif, and rca audio inputs, and a DM port. You can find it for around $250 if you look around on the internet.
Bob @ Aug 7th 2008 2:01PM
Here is CNET's review: http://reviews.cnet.com/home-theater-systems/sony-ht-ct100/4505-6740_7-32923460.html
=oppurtunityfanboy @ Aug 7th 2008 7:17PM
how is the virtual surround on the HT-CT100?
fshagan @ Aug 7th 2008 2:01PM
I've heard good things about the Onkyo HT-S790 and related "high end" systems from them ... read a Cnet review at http://reviews.cnet.com/home-theater-systems/onkyo-ht-s790-black/4505-6740_7-31930511.html
You can pick up refurbished Onkyo systems from http://shoponkyo.com for $300 to $900.
You can build a component system for not too much more using careful shopping. Choosing a refurbished Onkyo a/v receiver from the site above for under $200, then a pair of Polk R50's for the fronts for about $160 from frys.com, a matching Polk CS1 center speaker (est. $200) and something like a Velodyne Vx-10 sub ($200) from on-line sources could make a very nice 3.1 system. Adding surrounds later is an option, when frys.com has the Polk R150 on sale again for $49 a pair.
tj @ Aug 7th 2008 2:12PM
Get a Yamaha Receiver with Klipsch Quintet speakers and 10" sub. If your BD Player has Dolby True HD/DTS HD decoders, I recommend the Yamaha 463. If not, look at the 663. Either way should be under $1000, and Best Buy usually offers a discount when you buy Yamaha with Klipsch.
Will @ Aug 7th 2008 2:17PM
Onkyo makes some great HTIB. I pickup one up for my parents for under $150. Check out their refurb store @ shoponkyo for some killer deals.
-Will
dreadmuppet @ Aug 7th 2008 2:24PM
I gotta add another vote for the Logitech Z-5500. I had had it for a few years now connected to my PC, DVD player and multiple TV's and cable boxes. I love it very much.
James T @ Aug 7th 2008 2:28PM
Build your own, the DIY section on http://www.partsexpress.com/ shows just how easy (or complex) it can be. And they have everything you would need at a good price on their site.
PeterB @ Aug 7th 2008 2:30PM
Hands down, Onkyo HT-SR700.
http://www.shoponkyo.com/detail.cfm?productid=HT-SR700&modelid=158&group_id=1&detail=1&ext_war=1
Can get it refurb direct from Onkyo for $299. MIssed the boat on the big sale though, refurbs were going for $159.99 around the 4th last month.
Loban @ Aug 7th 2008 2:54PM
Any Onkyo system. Best bang for the buck I say.
Chad @ Aug 7th 2008 3:50PM
I'd highly recommend the LG LHT874 HTIB. It has wireless rear speakers, a decent subwoofer, 1 HDMI In/1 HDMI out (works great with my Accell 4-1 HDMI switch), 5 disc upconverting DVD player that puts out a great picture, and a lot of other nice features. Here is more info on it :
http://reviews.cnet.com/home-theater-systems/lg-lht874-home-theater/4505-6740_7-32976335.html
Chad @ Aug 7th 2008 4:05PM
I just wanted to add that I'd stay away from the LG LHT764 if you run across one. I had nothing but problems out of the touch volume control on mine, and actually returned it to get the LHT874. The LHT764 did sound good for the price though. If you're looking for something a little cheaper than the LHT874, the LHT754 is the same setup as the LHT764 except it doesn't have the touch volume control on the reciever. Here is some info on it:
http://reviews.cnet.com/audio-system-components/lg-lht754-home-theater/4505-6462_7-32575850.html
Todd @ Aug 7th 2008 5:47PM
I really like the yamaha rxv663 reciever. BAng for the buck it is great. bur-brown DAC's on the front left and right, dts master and dolbly trueHD decoding, it upconvers so you can run only one HDMI to the tv. Pick that with a set of speakers like the infinty tss500's and you have a very good system at well below 1k. The new Denon AVR1909 is great as well. Perfect for a small room, same basic specs as the yamaha but it scales and as a sweet new feature that keeps the rear chanel data at a higher volume when you are not at reference level. So you can listen to a movie with out bugging your neighbors and still hear everything the recording engineer wanted you too.
As far as a HTIB all in one box I would only by one witha reciever in it. Over all much more bang fo rthe buck.
go4broke @ Aug 7th 2008 6:47PM
It's funny, I always see people pushing one brand of speakers or HTIB over another. Especially when questions like this are posed.. "what is the best...?"
Well whats the definition of best here? Sound fidelity? Peak Volume? Sustained Volume? Frequency response? Ease of use? Cost? Best value(giving up the least for the compromises needed)?
I notice that we have a few facts to work from, He already has a blu-ray player so any solution that includes that is unnecessary. He lives in an apartment so space is a large consideration. The big question here to me is what is his budget?
You can get HTIB systems from just over $100 to over $2000. Frankly like anything else you get what you pay for. Cnet is a good resource for doing basic research to filter out most of the models. You can then decide on a price range from there and then (oh my god get this.. go OUT AND LISTEN) So many people are very quick to recommend a brand but rarely recognize that people hear sounds differently and a system that sounds bright and full can sound muddled to someone else.
I will say this much, when you go out, take a CD (not a MP3 player) but a CD with songs that you are extremely familiar with. You may be surprised, the higher end systems may play parts of the music you've never heard before. Conversely, some systems may play songs where part of the music appears to be missing. Cnet will also let you compare features so you can see that the audio Codecs are all coveres. (DTS, etc)
Frankly the best system is that which you can afford and sounds good to YOUR ears. So do a search on a place like CNET and get about 4-6 systems in your price range and then go listen to them. Just be aware that the location your listening to them won't be ideal. Oh and listen to all the systems at flat settings, don't boost the base and treble, those are there to compensate for distortions in your listening environment. (and too many people boost the highs and the bass forgetting that much of the richness of music comes from the mid range, not to mention that voices are all midrange)
Ryan @ Aug 7th 2008 6:55PM
Onkyo HT-SP908
only HTIB currently that decodes and outputs Dolby TrueHD, pretty simple choice.
Burrens @ Aug 7th 2008 7:30PM
Are there any HTIBs that come with a BD player instead of a DVD player?
Lee7n @ Aug 7th 2008 8:21PM
I agree and own Onkyo HT-SP908. 7.1, Dolby and DTS HD decoding, Upoconverting 1080p DVD player, huge subwoofer, IPod Doc, I don't no what else you would want in a HTIB and only around $700.00
Spiza @ Aug 7th 2008 9:43PM
I'm looking at getting:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XXO6GS/ref=s9subs_c2_at1-rfc_g1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0CW9ZX8AHZEV87B5JNG1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=278240301&pf_rd_i=507846
and
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0015S8PGW/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ALAQLAKJ574UN&v=glance
Comes out to about $800.
AbbadonTD @ Aug 7th 2008 11:17PM
HTIBs will in no way be the same as a bigger, segmented system. But they cost so little $$. Especially when you consider that 'good' speakers are not cheap - and you need 5 of them. And a sub. And some cable. And install will suck/you will pay too much for it. Lets face it, if your in the $500 range to $1000, it could cost $300+ to get it installed. Better to get features and live.
One Major Brand has all the features, but sound like headphones. They are small and provide no clarity. They are really small. REALLY small. The major thing here is Bass is huge, treble is blured, and you'll get highs! Hard to watch dialog on. Music can have a hard time hearing vocals.
Another Major Brand are cheap. Its gonna fall apart. Consider the warranty if you can get 5 years for less than 10%. Usually they are cheap on systems $499 or less. Speakers sound like cell phones. Bass is non-existent.
Other Major Brands offer 'Real' amplifiers or receivers, with a brand of speakers. They are usually pretty identical, but nice if you want to upgrade. If you care about upgrading - you know how to install it right? Exactly, these are really for people looking to put off system purchases, but needed a fix.
My first system was a sherwood 'component' system bought some years ago. It was a steal, but I quickly got better speakers as I could save. It was college, as I got more space, my stack got taller.
If you want Surround sound - for Movies and Games - You will enjoy your HTIB. Music will need better speakers, and TV will either be awesome (broadcast well - HD stuff can sound as good as movies), or kinda muffled, you will turn it up a lot, and get blasted by commercials.
Good luck world.
MonkeyMagic @ Aug 8th 2008 9:47AM
For a nice HTIB set up with out breaking the bank I would go with the Harman Kardon 5.1 HKTS-18. I bought my girlfriend the Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 speaker set and though they do sound good for the money ($270) the sound just can't beat the HKTS-18 speakers I bought for my house, although the HKTS-18 set cost more $400, it's worth every penny :D
And for the Receiver you can go with the entry level stuff from Onkyo or HK. I personally like the deep rich sound the HK receiver puts out compared to the Onkyo. You can get the Onkyo TX-SR606 for under $400 which is a great value or you can get the HK AVR 254 for a little bit above $400.
Then you can go to Monoprice.com and buy all your A/V cables for a lot cheaper than what the stores charge. I still laugh to this day when I got to BestBuy and see HDMI cables going for $100.
TimothyP @ Aug 8th 2008 11:06AM
Just purchased the Onkyo HT S6100. I just received it yesterday, so I will be setting it up this weekend.
Schwinn @ Aug 8th 2008 11:44AM
Onkyo for sure. Excellent receivers. I don't know about the speakers myself (have separates) but I have heard a few in-store and they are pretty good.
If you want, you can get an Onkyo receiver, then a surround-set of speakers. For space constrained reasons, beware of the crappy Bose setups... on the other hand, you can get pretty decent with a setup from Cambridge Soundworks - MUCH better quality than Bose. They carry Onkyo, too, if you needed it all from one place.
hurleygirl @ Aug 8th 2008 1:45PM
try the panasonic scbt 100 , Bluray, both new audio formats , wirless rears and option for 7.1 wireless too. best htib ive seen. and im not usually a fan of any htib.
Thomas @ Aug 8th 2008 8:59PM
I just recently bought a new home theater today, I wasnt sure what to get. A really good friend has always owned bose systems, so I was leaning towards that. The fiancee and I liked the lifestyle v20 system, thank God I read this post and found out about the hype over bose. I noticed the Onkyo HT-SP908 caught my eye, the salesman went to pull it from the back when I started thinking how much it be to put a system together piece by piece. As I was pricing it, I realized that for a few hundred more I can get my dream system: Klipsch QUINTET III 5.1 speakers, the 10in Klipsch sub and the same exact Onkyo receiver found in the HT-SP908. All for 12mos 0% interest. Smashing Baby!!
Thanks Engadget
Edward DeGraaf @ Aug 9th 2008 6:13PM
I have the SONY HT-DDW700 system I think it sounds GREAT!!!
go4broke @ Aug 12th 2008 3:15AM
Going back to what I said earlier, how about you try something like this.
www.roundsound.com/adiva-home-theater.htm
www.energy-speakers.com/v2/products/product-line.php?id=337
www.kef.com/ht3000/index.htm
www.orbaudio.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=32
Incredibly small speakers but with great fidelity.
To everyone recommending the Onkyo, I'm sorry I've had one of their 7.1 systems, while the receiver was ok (good lord did it run hot though), the speakers themselves were awful. The bass was muddled and muted, the bookshelves were either dull and mushy or outright awful. In fact in many cases there were places where the guitar was outright missing in their sound reproduction.
Energy, Anthony Gallo, KEF, Paradigm and others offer much better speakers for not much more money and are certainly much more compact and stylish.
I realize not everyone has the budgets for these systems but many people I know who purchase the Onkyo or similiar HTIB systems end up replacing their systems within 3-5 years. On the other hand people who have spent the money to purchase the higher end speakers (read that as above normal consumer level, not the high end reference systems), end up owning them for 10-40 years. So again who is saving money on these systems?
Buy smart, go listen to the good systems and decide from there.
b!t 5yk0 @ Aug 15th 2008 8:57AM
Hello to all reading this thread. I hope I did this right. O.K. Don't know who he is or where he comes from and personally don't care. But, let me say this,... loudly. LISTEN TO THIS GUY! go4broke knows what he is talking about. No BS and makes more sense than most here. Not that others had bad advice. Just mostly opinions. Growing up with and owning good gear since early 80's plus having friends that work in upper end hi-fi retail, I can tell you one thing is for sure. BOSE IS C-R-A-P!! Old, outdated technology, not to even mention, WAY over priced! Their all-in-one systems use a technique called "smearing". The high frequncies (satellites) overlap too much with the lows (subwoofer) to create a "pseudo-midrange". This is not quality. Old hi-fi adage: "All Highs and All Lows,... It Must Be BOSE!" It's possible to piece together a quality system, even slowly, a piece at a time, due to say budget constraints. Just do your homework. Read a lot of threads. Go Listen. And remember lots of watts isn't always better, it takes approx.10 times the wattage to make it about twice as loud. I know this sounds counter-intuitive. It will just sound better at lower volume levels. I could go on n on, but gotta go do my *homework*. In the same market as you. I hope this helps someone. Thanks for reading. .............and don't let the nickname fool ya.