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- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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4.0 stars
"A cheap alternative to boost your TVs sound."
Pros: Easy to use. Independent bass control. Nice sound.
Cons: The main unit is a bit bulky. Voices can sound a bit muddy. Notoriously difficult to find.
Summary: For some reason I was able to get my hands on one of these from Tigerdirect for only $130.00 (shipping included). When I got it out of the box I had a hard time figuring out where to put the main unit as it is about the size of a standard VCR. My entertainment center is very pressed for space. After I figured that out, setup was a snap.
Once I turned it on, I was pretty happy with what I heard. Once my elation wore off though, I realized that the actors' voices were a bit muddy. While the system does increase the soundspace and adds some nice base, it does so at a cost to your highs and midtones. I'm sure there are some folks out there who could live with it the way it is. I, on the otherhand, was having trouble enjoying it. I need to hear what the actors say and I like everything to be crisp.
I did find a solution which any audiophile would disagree with. I use the volume on my TV for voices and highs and I use the SD-SP10 to increase the soundstage and for adding base. At first this was hugely problematic as I could not get the two to mesh and the actors' voices would be full of echo. Then I realized I had my TV set to virutual surround. It was as if the TV was in a battle with the SD-SP10. Once I set my TV to normal stereo, everything sounded great. Now that I have both the TV and SD-SP10 configured to my Harmony One Remote, my Home Entertainment System is a snap to use.
As everyone says, it will not give you true surround sound. I have yet to hear anything that sounds like it is coming from behind me. It does add oomph to your movies with modestly nice bass and opening up the soundstage. This thing is very hard to find. If you can't get your hands on one, try a Sony HTCT-100. I heard one in the store and it sounded great.
