One Rocking System - You Will Not Be Disappointed
Written: Nov 11 '02 (Updated Nov 11 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Awesome sound. Many Features. Receiver Looks Good. Many connections on back.
Cons: Speaker Size. Remote none too pretty. DVD player not included.
The Bottom Line: If you are looking to spend about $500 for a system, and don't mind buying your own DVD player, you can't go wrong with the HT-S650
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| benminer's Full Review: Onkyo HT-S650 Theater System |
IMPORTANT:
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No matter what system you ultimately buy, make sure you buy it from an AUTHORIZED dealer or your warranty might be worthless. And just because a merchant says they are authorized on their website does not automatically not make it so! If their price is too low to believe it probably means they are not legit. Check with the manufacturer before you buy or you may be sorry if you ever need warrenty repairs.
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I was in the market for a new home theater system. I wanted to spend about $600 total. At first I got a Sony DAV-C900 but I was very disappointed and returned it. (check out my review to find out why).
If I was going to spend this much of my hard-earned money I wanted to do a lot of research, both online at various review sites and discussion forums, and in person. At first I was mostly researching brands I had owned before, like Sony, Panasonic, Phillips, and Kenwood. I had just about decided on a Kenwood HTB-505. But the name "Onkyo" kept coming up again and again, specifically the Onkyo HT-S650. It won the editors choice award at a recent home theater round-up at cnet.com, and the posters at ecoustics.com couldn't say enough good things. I found a demo unit set up at Circuit City and I was very impressed. (Best Buy does NOT sell any Onkyo products).
The HT-S650 comes with the HT-R500 receiver and the SKS-HT500 speaker system. (1 center, 2 front, 2 surround, 1 powered sub). The speakers are a little on the large size but it's worth it because of the sound they put out. However if you are looking for a system that takes up a minimum of space the HT-S650 may not be right for you. It does not come with a DVD player, so the total cost for this system might be a little higher than systems that come with everything you need right in the box. (but it's worth the extra money!). The receiver puts out 100 watts per channel and can do DTS, Dolby 5.1, and Dolby Pro Logic II. As far as looks go, the receiver is pretty standard fare. The remote control is not the most ergonomic remote in the world, but once you get the hang of it and learn where the buttons are it will work just fine. Onkyo is pretty generous with connections on the back. although the receiver does not have component video input. (although to most people this won't be an issue because they will just plug their DVD player video directly into their TV and not run any video through the receiver). I believe there are a total of 4 audio and 3 video inputs, not counting the radio antenna. The owners manual is also pretty standard fare, but it does a good job of explaining how to setup your new system. Like most home theater kits, the speaker wire you get in the box should be upgraded to something more substantial (like 14 or 16 gauge monster cable) and you should use banana plugs on the receiver and pin connectors on the speakers for a more secure connection. You should also upgrade the subwoofer cable to one made by Monster or Acoustic Research.
Unlike some home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) kits, you don't get a DVD player with the HT-S650. I didn't mind, because I already knew ahead of time exactly which DVD player I wanted to get. (A Philips DVD793CH).
The HT-S650 sounds fantastic! It's got plenty of power to pump on the volume on music, but it's also sensitive enough to bring out a lot of detail in quiet music or dialog in movies. The subwoofer can shake your foundation if you want it to, but it doesn't sound boomy or muddy except at very high volume levels. According to Cnet.com this system sounds as good as some costing twice as much. It blows the Sony DAV-C900 completely out of the water.
I'm sure there are many people who are perfectly happy with their $300 HTIB that they got at Target or Wal-Mart, but if you are shopping higher then the very low-end you should check out the HT-S650. You can find them online all over the place and Onkyo's official website sells new and refurbished units. (www.onkyousa.com)
But the best advice for any audio equipment is to find one in a store, or make a new friend that has one, and listen to it yourself. There is no substitute for your own ears.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
benminer
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Member: Ben Miner
Location: Alexandria, VA
Reviews written: 19
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