Product reviews: Home cinema systems

The latest systems have fewer, smaller speakers than previous kits. We immerse ourselves in the action on five of the best
BEST FOR: SURROUND SOUND

PIONEER LX01 £1,300.Despite having no centre speaker and just four tiny satellites plus the sub, the LX01 sounds impressive. Two drivers in each front speaker emulate the centre speaker, providing clear movie dialogue. The upscaling DVD drive gives a crisp image and records and plays almost all disc formats. There’s a 250GB hard-disk and a Freeview tuner, and HD audio is handled when you run a Blu-ray player through one of three HDMI sockets.Verdict:The very best all-in-one home cinema

BEST FOR: CLASSY DESIGN

SONY DAV-F200 £265

The F200’s glittery blue finish together with the flat speakers, wall-mountable DVD player and the sub’s slimline design make for a stylish system. In addition to USB and HDMI-in sockets, there’s a Digital Media Port that lets you connect via a cable to Sony mobile phones and MP3 players. Upscaled video is clear and detailed, and the sub adds excellent bass. Don’t expect surround sound, though, as this loud, proud system is purely 2.1.Verdict: As powerful as it is stylish
www.sony.co.ukBEST FOR: SAVING SPACE

SAMSUNG HT-X810 £360

Soundbars (long cabinets with multiple speakers), are good for minimalist home cinema, and with a wireless subwoofer and built-in DVD player the HT-X810 soundbar system mostly eliminates wiring. At 4ft long, the bar may be wider than your TV, so the wall-mounting kit is a blessing. The length helps create a 2.1 sound, and the audio, whether action soundtrack or subtle dialogue, is excellent, as is the upscaling DVD player.Verdict: A tidy system with few audio compromises.www.samsung.co.uk.BEST FOR: VIDEO iPODS

HARMAN-KARDON HS250 £650

The HS250 has a recharging iPod dock and can upscale video stored on the Apple player to 1080i as it feeds to a television via HDMI. DVD playback gives stable images with well-handled blacks and low-light detail. A big subwoofer and two small satellites produce a solid, cohesive soundscape (not full surround sound), but action movies are favoured as the powerful audio lacks refinement. Demerits are the complicated remote control and onscreen menus that are hard to navigate.Verdict: One for video downloaders.www.harman kardon.com


PHILIPS HTS6510 £250

This setup uses Philips Ambisound and claims to replicate 5.1 surround sound with just two satellite speakers and a subwoofer, emulating central and rear speakers by bouncing sound off walls. The HTS6510 works well – you feel as if you’re in a “cage” of sound, but subwoofer boom overpowers the speakers on loud soundtracks. The DVD player is a solid performer, upscaling standard video to high-definition 1080i.
Verdict: Great value for money, but not recommended for banging blockbusters
.www.philips.co.uk

JARGON BUSTER

SUBWOOFER A bass-only speaker unit, typically housing one or two large, downward-firing drivers. As subs require a large case, home-cinema systems often pack the audio amplifier into it, so keeping the DVD-playing unit slim. The bass is bounced off the floor and walls, so subwoofers are best placed in a corner.
2.1 SOUND SYSTEM A setup with a pair of satellite speakers to provide sound detail, and a subwoofer for bass. The result is usually stereo sound.5.1 SOUND SYSTEM True surround sound. For films, a central speaker relays much of the dialogue, a further four satellites circle the listener, and a subwoofer once again provides the guts. For lovers of wiring, the latest HD players now support 7.1 sound.What Hi-Fi? Sound & Vision’s Ultimate Guide to Blu-ray is out next month.