Solid Good Reliable Sony
Written: Jun 02 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Budget-priced, complete package, good sound for movies and music
Cons: Low-quality wiring in the box, won't rock the house
The Bottom Line: This is the home theater system to get in the $500 to $800 price range, especially if you like Sony products. And unlike most Sony products, it's priced well.
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| syc's Full Review: Sony HT-1300D Theater System |
I actually have the HT-5100D which I believe is the exact same thing except it comes with a 5 DVD/CD disk player, and can decode DTS. I have a primary home system already (I've done a review for it...the Harman Kardon AVR 500) but was looking for something cheaper for my loft for light movie watching and casual music listening. I started by looking for bookshelf systems and was really focusing on music, but came across this little beauty at Circuit City. Yes, I know any audiophile would wince at the idea, but I'm not an audiophile, nor do I ever aspire to become one.
I listened to the HT-5100D at the store - cranked it up to be obnoxious, and was happy with what I heard. It handled music and movies well, and it got pretty loud, unlike some of the earlier Sony entry-level home theatre packages I had tried out. I'm also a big Sony fan so the aesthetics appealed to me and it matches my loft TV (a Sony Wega). The speakers are small and could be neatly tucked away. The AV unit is not so small but luckily fits right into my bookshelf by the TV so it's not very intrusive. The DVD player went right under the TV and the sub-woofer hid perfectly behind a corner shelf. It's all hidden away so I'm a happy camper. Setup was quick and easy (it took me less than 2 hours to set everything up). Configuration was also fast and straightforward.
So how's the sound? First off, let me suggest you get rid of the wiring that comes with the package and get something higher quality. It's well worth it. I ran some extra Monster cable that I had from my primary system, and it really improved the sound quality. Although the sub-woofer won't cause your heart to skip a beat or cause nausea over time, it's powerful enough for practical purposes. My traditional test DVD (The Matrix) sounded great with the Monster cable although a bit tinnier than I like with the default cabling. Dolby Digital and DTS work like a charm. The front speaker (which is the same as all the others) is very crisp and dialogue is very easy to hear. DVD sound is good enough that I usually just stay in the loft unless I'm specifically listening for surround sound (as in someone told me the only redeeming quality for some movie is excellent surround sound).
For music, the sound is suprisingly good coming from such tiny little speakers and low-cost package. Again, the bass isn't going to cause you to fall out of your chair, but since I like normal levels of bass, I'm perfectly happy with it. Most of my music is alternative, retro, classical, or (I hate to say it) pop and it easily handles the range of sound well. Since I live in a townhouse, I can't really crank it up so your experience may vary.
The 5-disc player is suprisingly nice although I'd be just as happy with a single one (if I had seen the 1300D when I brought the 5100D I may have brought it except for the lack of DTS). I didn't really think 5 discs would be all that convenient but it really does make things easier. Obviously, for music, I can line up a bunch of CD's and let it go for hours; although I've got an MP3 player going through it with all of my CD converted to MP3 (yes, I know...another audiophile no-no). But even movies...I tend to buy them and not watch them. With the 5 discs, I can just queue them up. But more than anything, it supports my natural laziness for changing discs without getting overwhelming like a DVD/CD jukebox. It is a bit annoying having to have to wait the extra 5 seconds to rotate to the right slot, but I guess you can't have it all.
Overall, the Sony HT-5100D and HT-1300D are excellent products and a great budget-minded purchase. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg yet I wanted at least decent sound. With this Sony package, I feel that I got more than I could have expected, and all in a nice-looking, easy-to-use unit.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
syc
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Member: Sean Chou
Location: Chicago, IL
Reviews written: 21
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Half-heartedly recovering gadget geek.
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