Home Theater Systems

CNET is continually reviewing and rating home theater systems. In addition to an overall rating, subratings are provided for design, features and performance. Writeups are not particularly long but cover… all the important points. The Onkyo HT-S9100THX is singled out for offering the best sound of any all-in-one system the site has tested. The Samsung HT-BD1250 is the best system with a built-in Blu-ray player. The Onkyo HT-S3200 lacks some features, but delivers solid sound quality at a bargain price.

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Although Home Theater magazine defines home theater systems rather broadly, including a wide variety of Dolby 2.1, tabletop and virtual surround systems in its coverage, it also reports on more traditional… setups. Among those, the Onkyo HT-S9100THX is singled out for Top Pick recognition for delivering sound that exceeds its price tag. The Yamaha YHT-591 gets a less enthusiastic recommendation, but it is said to deliver what's expected of it. Coverage is well-detailed and backed by extensive testing.

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Despite this site's title, there aren't a ton of reviews of home theater in a box systems here, though the few that we found are a good read. No serious bench testing is done, but systems are put through… their paces in a way that closely resembles what a user would experience. A star rating is provided, but it is fairly meaningless given the few reviews posted. One home theater system, the Yamaha YTH-591, is liked well enough to be named the site's Editor's Choice. for those on a tight budget, the JVC TH-G41 "easily outperforms generic units found at big box and department stores."

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The reviews here are a mixed bag. Some are no longer than a paragraph, and others offer a fair amount of detail. Most center on features and manufacturer-supplied data, but a few include some serious… testing. If nothing else, this listing by Robert Silva, About.com's guide to home theater, is worth a look for an overview of available HTIBs, though some discontinued models are included. (Note that ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

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Walmart.com might not be the first place you think of when it comes to buying a home theater system, but the site lists more than 30 models, including more inexpensive ones than most other retailers.… Bargain-basement HTIBs fare about as well as expected for the most part, drawing mixed to awful ratings after lots of reviews. One notable exception is the Philips HTS3011/37, an older but still available home theater system that does surprisingly well with its owners -- at least those who keep their expectations reasonable.

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