Supersonic solutions: Three great entry-level home theater in a box systems from Onkyo
Onkyo's HT-S5100 home theater in a box system.
(Credit: Onkyo)
Onkyo's home theater in a box systems have always been among our favorites, and now they've introduced three new entry-level home theater systems. Unlike some HTIBs that rely on underpowered DVD player/A/V receivers, these Onlyos come with bona-fide HDTV-capable receivers.
HTIB speakers, even some of the ones packed with upper end Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony systems don't always have tweeters on all of the speakers, but the Onkyo speakers are two-way, tweeter and woofer designs. If my past experiences with previous generations of Onkyo HTIBs apply, the new HT-S5100 ($579 SRP) 290 watt subwoofer will be vastly more capable than the subs packed with the competitor's systems.
The HT-S5100's seven-channel receiver has three 1080p compatible HDMI inputs and one output, and something rarely seen in HTIBs, a highly accurate auto speaker setup and calibration system--Audyssey's 2EQ. The receiver is also Sirius Satellite Radio ready; the HT-S5100 system also comes with an Onkyo iPod dock.
The more affordable Onkyo HT-S4100 and HT-S3100 are 5.1-channel systems with HDTV-capable component video switching.
Look for full CNET reviews soon.
Steve Guttenberg is a frequent contributor to magazines and Web sites including Home Entertainment, Playback, and Ultimate AV. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. 
- by SantaJim May 5, 2008 1:42 PM PDT
- Well....just bought this last week for my personal viewing space. Easy to setup, sound much better than it cost and I'm very pleased with my purchase. Sure, it's a HTIB, but it could really be considered a prepackaged component system. I didn't have the time or inclination to go out and spend a great deal of time or money, but still wanted something better than the run of the mill box solutions. It works for me.
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