Comments on: Holidays 2006: The Season’s Best Home-Theater-In-A-Box Systems

By: Ron Wilson

Ron Wilson — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 02:05:53 +0000

I have Sony surround sound and I love it. Sony makes the best electronics.

By: Josh Goldman

Josh Goldman — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 23:48:20 +0000

Kevin, you’re right. I should have been clearer about that. This set is all about the sound, which is incredible for the money.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 23:20:36 +0000

As far as the lack of HDMI on the Onkyo, that’s sort of irrelevant since it doesn’t include a DVD player. At this price, you can’t expect an HDMI switching receiver(the cheapest HDMI switching receivers start at what the complete Onkyo system is selling for…), which would be the only only point for an HDMI connnector. HDMI, for all the hype about integrated audio and video, is still really more about video than audio. (In fact, on my year old Panasonic HDTV, I can connect an HDMI source directly to the TV, but the TV can’t route 5.1 audio back out to my receiver.) And any new progressive scan DVD player you’re likely to buy today will have an HDMI connection. Onkyo was pretty smart: they put their money into the audio.

By: Josh Goldman

Josh Goldman — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 22:20:24 +0000

Thanks Ayan, that’s great to hear you can get them so cheap.

And Richard, it all depends what you think up to par it. Their are a couple other good ones on the market from Yamaha and Pioneer, but those require a receiver. The Mainstage is a tidy all-in-one package that can really crank and sounds good with movies and music. If you don’t have room for a full 6 speaker setup, or live with someone who doesn’t want to see a bunch of speakers in the livingroom, I recommend the Soundmatters set.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 22:04:56 +0000

Are the all-in-one speakers like Mainstage up to par yet? In the olden days (i.e. 5 yrs ago) most of the one speaker systems I saw were pretty poor.

By: Ayan

Ayan — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 21:59:48 +0000

Costco carries the Samsung model for $399, and the Panasonic HT-743 for $299. The HT-743 is identical to the HT-940. Only 2 differences:
- the height of the front speakers in 940 can be adjusted, not in 743
- 940 allows full control of compatible Panasonic HDTVs with HDMI connection.