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Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1-channel sound system impressions

by Darren Murph posted Mar 29th 2009 at 10:49AM Featured Story


Klipsch won our hearts over years ago with its ProMedia 4.1 setup, and we're happy to say that the winning formula hasn't been significantly altered in the HD Theater 500. Honestly, the satellites presented here look an awful lot like those bundled in with the ProMedia kit, but these do check in with a bit less bulk and a bit more gloss. Upon unboxing the 5.1 system, we were actually pretty astounded by how light each of the speakers were, with even the subwoofer not being painfully heavy. All the small talk aside, we know you're here to see if these suckers are worth your hard-earned dollars -- follow us on past the break for a breakdown of the pros and cons.

Continue reading Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1-channel sound system impressions

Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1-channel sound system hands-on

by Darren Murph posted Mar 27th 2009 at 2:49PM Featured Story


Klipsch stunned the boxed surround sound world back in late January with the announcement of three relatively affordable 5.1 sound systems. The middle guy (yeah, the HD Theater 500) just started shipping out to the earliest of adopters, and we just so happened to get our set in today. For $599.99 (MSRP), you get four surrounds, a center channel and a powered (100 watt) 8-inch subwoofer. Each satellite is a sealed enclosure finished in a high-gloss piano black, with a 2.5-inch IMG woofer (center channel has two) and a MicroTractrix horn-loaded aluminum dome tweeter (0.75-inches) packed within. We can say with certainty that these drivers are delightfully small, but if you're looking specifics, here goes: the satellites are 6- x 3.6- x 3.85-inches, while the center channel measures in at 3.6- x 9- x 3.85-inches. As for the subbie? 13.9- x 12.5- x 12.5-inches. We're setting this rig up as we speak to give it a listen and report back, but till then, feel free to peruse the unboxing gallery below.

Gallery: Klipsch HD Theater 500 5.1-channel sound system hands-on

SRS TruMedia brings "5.1" surround sound to your cellphone... again

by Darren Murph posted Jan 20th 2009 at 10:16AM


Ah, nothing like preying on the forgetfulness of the human brain. Nearly a full year after SRS Labs outed its SRS CS Headphone technology -- which supposedly takes 2-channel audio and creates the effect of surround sound -- the company is introducing a solution that sounds mighty similar, just with more channels. TruMedia, as it's so affectionately dubbed, is expected to make mobile phones, PMPs, Bluetooth headphones and "gaming consoles" (saywha?) emit "engaging, theater-like 5.1 surround sound" when multichannel video content is viewed. Kind of sounds like drawing blood from a stone to us, but who knows, maybe six bona fide channels of audio really can flow from a single set of earbuds.

THX throws its weight in behind Radiient for wireless audio

by Steven Kim posted Jan 8th 2009 at 6:38AM

Radiient and THX
Very few folks enjoy the installation of multichannel wired speaker setups, let alone the appearance of cables snaking through the living room. Radiient's UWB-based Roomcaster technology for sending audio bits to and fro might just gain a foothold thanks to its new partner, THX. That THX name is a kind of benchmark for quality and definitely resonates with consumers, and with the ability to deliver 8-channels of 24-bit uncompressed audio should make for happy users. Now if only something can be done about the high price of entry, this might have a chance at catching on.

Four speaker Panasonic wireless sound system creates virtual 7.1 experience

by Darren Murph posted Jan 8th 2009 at 4:05AM

Forget making your existing multi-channel system wireless; why not just get a whole new one that's built from the ground-up to operate sans wires. The system consists of four wireless speaker poles with inbuilt subwoofers (or so they say...), which send audio over a 2.4GHz wave. Supposedly, you'll get a 7.1-channel experience from the setup, but you won't be able to confirm or deny that allegation till it ships this Spring.

Sony intros BRAVIA HTP-BD3iS / BDV-FS350 Blu-ray HTIB systems in UK

by Darren Murph posted Dec 18th 2008 at 6:27PM

Just in case you needed some new kit to throw on and around your BRAVIA RHT-G500 home theater stand, Sony's got two new bundles that ought to fit the bill -- so long as you're in the UK, that is. The BRAVIA BDV-FS350 (pictured) gets things going with a compact 2.1-channel sound system paired with an undisclosed Blu-ray deck (likely the BDP-S350) and an active subwoofer. The package also promises DVD upscaling over HDMI, BRAVIA Sync, a DIGITAL MEDIA PORT for hooking up your portable music device and S-Force PRO Front Surround technology. Moving on, we've got the HTP-BD3IS, hailed as Sony's "most advanced home theater setup yet." This one includes 450-watts spread over 5.1-channels, three HDMI inputs (one output) and inbuilt Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD decoding. You can add either to your basket right now for £489.00 ($751) / £678.99 ($1,043), respectively.

How-to guide breaks down 7.1-channel audio setup procedure

by Darren Murph posted Dec 16th 2008 at 9:14AM


Blu-ray player? Check. An AV receiver? Check. Loads of cables? Check. Knowledge of how to hook everything up for maximum impact? Uh, not so much. BigPictureBigSound has hosted up a nice how-to guide for making the most of the multi-channel audio that's just waiting to ooze out of your Blu-ray player. The writeup covers both HDMI and analog approaches, and it breaks it down in five easy-to-digest steps so that you don't get all overwhelmed. Go 'head, give it a look -- it's not that difficult, we promise.

IOSONO installs first 308-channel surround system in the US

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2008 at 9:05PM


Remember that patently insane IOSONO holographic audio system that was demonstrated last month? The very first one has been installed in the US of A. As part of the multi-million dollar renovation of the Museum of Tolerance / Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, a 308-channel IOSONO sound system was installed in the Peltz Theater. According to Electrosonic project manager Steve Calver, said system is the "crown jewel" of the place, as it adds "308 independent audio channels and five subwoofer channels, which are entirely hidden within the architectural elements of the theater." The purpose? To distribute sound as perfectly as possible to every seat in the house. Additionally, HD video capabilities were added courtesy of a Christie high-def projector, and there was even an undisclosed Blu-ray player tossed in for good measure. So, when's the next showing of, um, anything at this place?

HTIB shootout picks the best at a variety of price points

by Darren Murph posted Dec 4th 2008 at 7:20AM


We've already seen one speaker guide pop up this fall / winter, but for those not so keen on piecing together a multi-channel setup themselves, PC World has a solid alternative. It has taken a cold, hard look at seven home-theater-in-box (HTIB) setups ranging from $500 to $3,000 and picked the best one at each price level. We won't spoil anything here, but if you've been looking for some assistance in choosing from the plethora of options out there, this ain't a bad place to get educated.

IOSONO showcases 380-speaker holographic audio solution

by Darren Murph posted Nov 5th 2008 at 7:09AM

We've seen some pretty intense multi-channel audio rigs, but 380 speakers? At the SMPTE 2008 Tech Conference and Expo in Hollywood, IOSONO introduced its holographic audio solution for cinemas -- a fitting complement to the bevy of 3D films just around the bend. Reportedly, the system can be adjusted on a per-room basis and expanded between 200 and 500 drivers; the location of each speaker is "measured with a laser and used to calibrate the exhibition player software." The drivers are arranged in three rows, with the top and bottom being woofers and the middle consisting of tweeters. As you'd expect, the solution envelops the auditorium completely, and up to 32 unique sound objects can be placed within the 3D virtual sound space. There's no mention of how costly this will be to theaters (or exceptionally weather home theater owners), but we can only hope to hear it in more cinemas shortly.

High-def audio wiring guide removes the mystery

by Darren Murph posted Oct 31st 2008 at 1:45PM


Granted, we've already shown you how to actually take advantage of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, but if you're looking for a quick and dirty breakdown of what each audio codec means, what it can / can't do and how to wire things up with your current setup, Missing Remote's latest guide is for you. For starters, it hones in on Blu-ray audio format support -- quite relevant given the state of the format war these days -- and it continues on by explaining how to wire things up for superior results with S/PDIF, HDMI, analog, etc. There's even a special section dedicated to HTPC playback, which ought to help you folks not using a pre-fab deck. If you've been spinning your wheels of late in the wide world of multi-channel audio, have a look at the read link and see if things don't clear up.

SPEED adds Neural-THX Surround to HD broadcasts

by Darren Murph posted Jul 21st 2008 at 2:34PM

After Neural-THX Surround got around 14.5 minutes in the limelight with its Super Bowl XLII showing earlier this year, the technology has remained far, far away from the press. Now, however, SPEED is vowing to integrate Neural-THX Surround professional products "for its HD programming schedule covering NASCAR, Grand Am, IndyCar, etc." For those unfamiliar with the technology, it goes a little something like this: 5.1 sound from the track is taken in, beamed over stereo channels to minimize bandwidth usage and then decoded by specially equipped receivers for "5.1 surround" in the living room. From what we can tell, the tech should be ready to roll right now, so it's up to you to snatch up an AVR in order to take advantage.

Onkyo's TX-SA706X 7.1 receiver is beastly, Mr. T approved

by Darren Murph posted Jun 30th 2008 at 11:44AM


It's too early to tell if gold-colored components really are making a comeback, but you better believe Onkyo's at the forefront of the gilded parade. Shortly after pumping out the TX-SA606X in Japan (and the TX-SA606 in America), the TX-SA706X has arrived to take things one step further. This 7.1-channel receiver delivers a potent 200-watts of juice to each channel and includes five HDMI 1.3 inputs (alongside one output), a frequency response of 5Hz to 100,000Hz, Audyssey Dynamic EQ processing and built-in decoding for Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio formats. Granted, such a monster of an AVR won't become your very own with putting a nice size dent in your wallet, but those in Japan can treat themselves on July 19th when it lands for ¥189,000 ($1,781).

[Via HDTV Space]

Pioneer reveals four new HTIB systems, three with Blu-ray players

by Darren Murph posted Jun 25th 2008 at 4:18PM


We've seen a few HTIB systems trickle out from the Pioneer labs of late, but never four at once. Today, the firm has made official a foursome of home cinema systems slated to hit Europe in the fall, so we'll cut right to the chase. The LX03 is the lone system with a DVD / SACD player and USB port, while the others thoughtfully include Blu-ray decks. The LX03BD (satellite speakers included) and LX08BD (no satellites included) feature 500-watts of power, HDMI 1.3 sockets (2 in / 1 out), KURO LINK, an iPod connection and a 7-band equalizer. The LX01BD includes omni-direction speakers, 400-watts of power and pretty much everything else found on the LX08BD. For complete specifications, be sure to give the read link a visit; as for availability, you'll find the LX03, LX03BD and LX08BD systems in October while the LX01BD arrives in November.

Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 HDMI sound card does bitstream output from your HTPC

by Darren Murph posted Jun 20th 2008 at 11:33AM

Earlier this month, ASUS introduced the "world's first HDMI 1.3a compliant audio / video enhancement combo card." Who knew numero dos was so close behind? Auzentech has just announced its very own HDMI 1.3-native PCIe audio combo card, which is built around Creative's X-Fi processor and enables PC users to easily output 7.1-channel audio with no downsampling. Essentially, the Auzen X-Fi HomeTheater 7.1 "accepts video from either an internal or external connection, mixes it with digital audio, and outputs the combined video and lossless multichannel audio via a single HDMI 1.3 port." Yep, that means Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio codecs are fully supported. The only digs? For one, pricing remains a mystery, but the real kicker is the September release -- talk about a long wait.




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