I want to buy a Home Cinema System in the £300-£350 price bracket.

I first started to look at the Sony DAV-S550. (£339) I've read that this is a good buy apart from one thing. It only has an S-Video out. Okay, it also has a Component out but my TV won't accept that. Everything, I've read so far states that Scart (RGB) out is better by a long way to S-Video. (Comments please).

I'm now thinking of purchasing a Toshiba 330E DVD (£99) and the Sony HK25 Surround Sound Kit. (£199) I can use the digital out from the Toshiba into the Sony for 5.1 sound and use the phono out on my TV to the Sony to simulate 5.1 for all my other devices. (TV, Video & Sky Digital). I also get an active not passive sub-woofer.

Am I thinking correctly, your comments would be appreciated?

Hi,

I was just about to reply to your question in the other thread

I've had an HT-K25 for a few weeks. Prior to that I had a brief encounter with a Philips LX7000SA system (which went back because it couldn't play some DVD's). After this experience I decided that keeping things separate was a good thing.

So, I've now got the Sony system with a Samsung DVD player (E325D).

How does the Sony HT-K25 shape up?

The Philips system had nicer speakers in theory - each satellite had a two-way arrangement with a tiny tweeter, plus the centre was 3-way. However, subjectively, I think the sound of the Sony is far better. The bass is definitely improved over the Philips, and the tiny satellites produce a remarkable sound. DVDs sound wonderful. Music CD's sound very good too - I've mainly listed to classical so far (stick to basic stereo and ignore the surround sound for music, in my opinion).

Sounds good when watching the TV using ProLogic II.

Plenty of input connections: two optical, one coax, two phono.

Nice long leads for everything, including the special connector between the control unit and the sub-woofer.

Remote control is very complicated

Setup is easy, even without on-screen graphics. Easy to fine tune the speakers by setting distance for each one. Balance of everything can be tweaked endlessly if you want to play rather than listen

Hope this helps.

If you only use the stereo sound when playing music do you get much base.

I had a demo of the kit the other day and they only wired up the two front speakers. To be honest it didn't sound that good.

Have you any views on the Toshiba DVD player as well.

It's a very personal choice at the end of the day. The bass seems fine to me. I wouldn't describe myself as a hi-fi critic, but I am musical.

A demo of a 5.1 system with only 2.0 of it wired up is a little unfair.

Can't comment on the DVD player. Sorry.

Let us know what you buy & what you think of it!

If they only wired up the front two speakers, you shouldn't get any bass at all!

These systems filter the bass response from all channels and feed it to the sub woofer.

It then sends the bass in mono across the room and you are (usually) none the wiser what's going on.

My Sony Cinema system can shake the furniture no bother at all...

I've read on some web sites that the sub-woofer is 50Watts and on other sites it's 70Watts. Can someone confirm which is correct.

Thanks guys.

5 * 40W satellites, plus 70W sub-woofer (according to the printing on the box - the only place that states it).

I went to a friend's house the other day and he showed off his new Sony Home Cinema system with a plasma TV and the sound was appalling.

I was puzzled as my Sony system is the bees' knees...

I went into the menu and found it set up for stereo only, no bass response, no front or rear balance etc etc - ie the "engineer" who installed it (a £3,000 system including plasma etc) hadn't a clue.

After 20 minutes and a test disc, it now sounds great and friend is v. pleased.

How many times is this replicated across the UK and beyond?

Answers on a post card...

Can anybody help. Ive just purchased a Sony HK25 Home Cinema System with a new Sony TV (KV 28FX68U). Ive got it all connected up but only two of the six speakers work. Ive tried everything but to no avail. There is a 'Test' button on the remote control and they all work when I press that.

Any ideas anybody?

What is feeding the sound system - ie is it a DVD or the TV?

Is it a SCART lead between them?

Have you got it set to "Surround" in the menu?

If it's a feed from the TV it will only be stereo unless you set it to Dolby ProLogic.

The sub woofer however should work with all sources - is it turned up high enough?

The fact that the speakers are working in the test mode suggests a wrong setting or connection somewhere...

DVDs should mostly be in surround sound and be set to Dolby Digital or DTS if they have it.

It's really a process of elimination to find the problem.

Let us know how you get on...

Cheers for the advice, It is rigged through the TV (Red and White audio cables sorry dont know what there called) as there is no Smart lead option on the control box.

I have set it to 'Normal Surround' on the Control box and although I appear to have sound from all speakers, the sound from some of the speakers is still poor.

Thanks again

Adam

Lets try to clarify things then...

If you are using two phono leads from the TV to the surround system, you'll only get NICAM stereo sound - ie two speakers left and right, plus the subwoofer giving bass response.

However if there is a recent movie on TV, or for example a programme like the Simpsons which has Dolby ProLogic Surround Sound, that should appear as surround on your system.

But you'll only get full Dolby Digital surround or DTS from a DVD which is suitably coded.

Dolby ProLogic is front left and right stereo, rear mono, plus dialogue in the centre and sub woofer.

Dolby Digital is the same except the rear is in stereo too.

DTS is also similar but has a more detated and lively sound.

In any event you should be getting good quality sound if it's set up properly.

Reading the instructions is a must I'm afraid...

and cvan I ask whats the best way to connect the DVD to the Control Box. The input on the control box underneath the DVD label has a connection for a 'Optical digital cord' which they supply but my DVD (Philips DVDR 880) does not have that connection.

Should I therefore just connect the DVD through the 'AUX' input on thje control box using a coaxial digital cord?