Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Subwoofer - Black by Sony
|
List Price: Our Price: $129.99 You Save: $170.00 (57%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Speakers See more digital camera details and other models |
|---|
Digital camera reviews of Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Subwoofer - Black
Digital camera Review: Better than TV sound
Summary: 4 Stars
This is real simple to set up, but I miss the lack of control of the sound I had with the TV. i.e. base, treb and balance. Can't beat the price and the space saving features. I also can't toggle between the TV sound and the amp sound...am I missind something? I recomend this unit for smaller rooms. Good sound.Digital camera Review: Better than TV, but less than audiophile
Summary: 2 Stars
I purchased the HTCT100 Soundbar with Sub-Woofer mainly on the basis of price and the Sony name. Alas, you get what you pay for, and the Sony name is not all it used to be.
I'm mainly interested in sound quality, and while the HTCT100's sound is better than that coming from my HDTV, it's not $300 better. It was relatively easy to set up, and offers the convenience of HDMI connections. However, the subwoofer is easily overloaded even at modest volume levels, and the fi is not all that hi. If someone were looking for an inexpensive way to get semi-surround sound, the HTCT100 is not all that inexpensive.
I'll be looking to step up in the near future, having learned my lesson, as usual, the hard way.
Digital camera Review: Better than my TV sound BUT
Summary: 2 Stars
There is no doubt that this system is going to sound better than most of your TV sound systems but the cons out weigh the pros.
Pros:
1. Good Sound
2. 3 HMDI inputs 1 HMDI output
3. Nice bass; not the greatest but decent.
Cons:
1. Any mention of these speakers having any thing close to surround sound is a joke.
2. Specs say this has 100 watts total which is another joke; it is louder than my 6 watt TV but barely.
3. At first glance looks like you have a lot of choices for inputting multiple audio sources but you definitely do not. You have a total of 3 inputs. No composite or component inputs. It is possible to plug in a non-HDMI audio source but that will override one of your HDMI inputs.
Final line for me is because of my very limited space I do not see a better solution at this point so will be keeping it but will always be on the lookout for something better.
Digital camera Review: Beware cable box connection issues...
Summary: 3 Stars
After reading all the favorable reviews here and at CNET, I bought the Sony HT-CT100 thinking it would be plenty powerful for watching TV and DVD movies in my 20' by 18' family room. At maximum volume, I have found this system is just adequate to give me that "full sound with subwoofer" feeling. I am impressed with the separated surround sound effects it produces. And I found that the sound volume and surround quality improved greatly when I adjusted my Sony DVD player to output its signal to Dolby and DTS signal decoder devices, which the HT-100 is.
Reading that the HT-100 doubled as a central component switching device with 3 HDMI connections and that it also had an optical input for connecting to a TV, I was confident that it would work perfectly for me since my TV, DVD player, and HT-CT100 are all recent Sony brand units that are set at the factory to work with each other. On that point, I was sorely disappointed.
The DVD player setup worked fine running the HDMI cable from the player to the HT-CT100, and then another HDMI cable to the TV. However, I had a TV cable box connection problem. The HT-CT100 manual says to connect its included optical audio cord from your TV optical output to the CT-100. I use a Cox Cable HD box (no HDMI connection available) that connects to my Sony TV on one of its video channels that is separate from the "TV" channel which only recognizes broadcasts from an antenna. When I ran the optical cable from my TV optical output to the HT-CT100, there was no sound at all. When I repeatedly switched the HT-CT100 to its designated "TV" connection, it automatically switched my TV to the non-connected "TV" channel that produces only fuzz and hiss. So I believed there was no way to connect my TV sound to the input ports on the HT-CT100. Obviously, I was very unhappy because listening to TV is half the reason I purchased the CT-100.
After searching the internet and wracking my brain for a few days trying to find a way to make the CT-100 work, I finally disassembled my A/V system to closely inspect the back of all the components. I was lucky to discover an optical out port on my Cox cable box hidden next to the component A/V connections to my TV, so I tried connecting that to the SAT optical input on the CT-100. It worked! Now I can finally use my TV with the CT-100 as intended. But I do it using the SAT connection from my cable box, not the direct TV connection as Sony instructed. Why should hooking up basic Sony components require such effort and luck to make it work as advertised?
I hate it that Sony forces its connection choices on the customer instead of having open connections, including the optical input, that will work with whatever is connected. The primary purpose of the HT-CT100 is to be a surround sound system for various A/V components, not to be a hub where Sony decides that TV sound can only be heard from a TV using its own antenna. Surely, Sony must realize that most of us must use cable boxes without HDMI connections to get TV reception and premium channels. Some information and instructions about how to connect optical audio cables to alternative inputs would have been very helpful to a normal customer like me.
Overall, I can recommend the Sony HT-CT100 as an affordable surround sound alternative for rooms no larger than mine. But I am disappointed that Sony controls how you use CT-100 inputs. The designated TV input only works with an antenna connection. The instructions were misleading about connecting your TV with a cable box like Cox, which is a major service provider. I arrived at a solution only after a couple days of personal sleuthing about how to connect simple A/V components. I'm passing on what I learned about how to make it work for the benefit of other customers. But my luck in finding a solution does not excuse Sony from its poor design and misleading instructions.
I originally rated the HT-CT100 with three stars, which Amazon won't let me change. After finding a work-around solution, I would now rate it at 4 stars. You can read more about my frustrating experience in the posted comments to this review.
Digital camera Review: Big Sound little strip
Summary: 5 Stars
Sound quality is great. Not a full blown surround sound system but works great in my bedroom with my 32 in LG. Simulates surround with a big bass delivery. The strip fits perfect under the LG giving it a low profile: almost disappears into the LG. The HDMI plug inputs are a great way to add new additions to the system. Overall a great system for the low price.