Buy Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Subwoofer
November 17th, 2009 | Sound Bar Subwoofer Home Theater | 5 Comments »
Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Subwoofer – Black
I tried several 2.1 speaker systems to enhance the sound from our LCD HDTV. The 2.1 speaker systems used the RCA audio output from the TV but I was never satisfied with the quality of the sound, even from the Bose Companion system. I think part of the problem is with the low-level output of the TV’s RCA audio connection and for this reason I decided to look for a speaker system that could take advantage of my HDTV’s digital optical audio output connection. I also didn’t want to have a five-speaker system all around the room and so I focused my search on soundbar-type systems. The Sony HT-CT100, just recently introduced, fit the bill perfectly and comes at a price much lower than the Yamaha and Philips soundbar systems with optical inputs.
The Sony HT-CT100 produces great sound. The speaker bar is very low profile and takes up very little space whether you sit it in front of the TV or hang it on the wall. The subwoofer is large (about the size of a desktop PC) and sits on the floor. The subwoofer has a nice display along the top edge of the box to tell you the various system settings. Best of all, the 200 watt amplifier (built-in to the subwoofer) has multiple HDMI and optical audio inputs and acts as the control center for a complete home theater/sound system. This was an unexpected bonus -no need for a separate home theater receiver. Just plug your satellite system, DVD player(s), game consoles, etc. right into the HT-CT100 and control everything from the remote. It’s an elegant solution and I haven’t seen anything else quite like it. Since the system takes in digital video/audio directly, you get to enjoy full Dolby Digital surround sound. The system can belt out remarkable volume levels and rich, deep bass. The speaker bar has left, right, and center channel speakers along with the remote control IR sensor. The Sony remote supplied with the system will control all your Sony components; however, if your HDTV, DVD player(s), etc. are not Sony brand (like mine), then be prepared to buy a universal learning remote in order to program the HT-CT100 commands. While I can decipher having several remote controls, I prefer to use a single remote control so that my family has an easier time turning on the TV or watching DVDs.
The price of the Sony soundbar system is very reasonable considering its power output and multiple digital video/audio inputs to control your home theater. The quality is impressive (though I did have to return my first system due to a soundbar speaker buzz -my second system is flawless) and it looks and sounds like high-end gear. When I shop for items like this, I look at features, quality, and price without regard to the brand. In this case, Sony simply has a product that works great and provides an elegant solution for those wanting home theater sound in a low-profile package. It’s a winner.
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For my needs, this pseudo surround sound solution is perfect. I did not want to run wires all over my house, or feed them through the walls or floor, etc. Nor did I want some flaky wireless rear speaker 5.1 solution.
I wanted something simple, elegant, with as few wires as possible. I have the Samsung LN52A550 television, and wanted something to complement it well. I looked at the Samsung HT-X810 2.1 soundbar with the integrated upscaling DVD player for compatibility sake, but it was too large and way to expensive ($600 and no blu-ray?!).
The Sony CT-100 works great so far. The small, unassuming speaker fits perfectly under my LCD panel and it complements it well. The subwoofer reminds me of a PC tower, but I love the fact that it includes three (3) HDMI inputs. I routed my HD cable box and an upscaling Sony DVD player into it.
At first, I found some of the vocal dialogue sound from 5.1 sources a bit muted, but I tweaked the system to my liking (+4 center speaker; -3 subwoofer; Movie soundfield), and this seems to fix the problem right up.
All in all, this won’t replace a true 5.1 system, but the right and left simulated surround sound works surprisingly well. Then again, I have a family room on the average to small side, and this system might work better in these types of environments.
All in all, this is exactly the system I was looking for – it’s simple, sounds good, and looks good.
***** UPDATE: July 29, 2008 *****
I still enjoy the system, and think it was worth the $299, but I have found that to really enjoy the system, you must be directly in front of the speaker. If you are off the the side, it sometimes gets a bit hard to hear dialogue. In fact, I still think the dialogue gets a bit muted through these speakers. If there is any ambient noise aruond you (e.g. a fan, a/c unit, etc.) it can really affect the sound output quality.
Just my 2 cents, but I would rank this 3.5 stars.
Product Specifications
| Brand Name: | Sony |
| Color Name: | Black |
| Cabinet Material Type: | Plastic |
| RMS Power Range – Amplifiers: | 50 watts |
Technical Details
* 250 Watts (RMS) (50W x 3 + subwoofer 100W)
* 1080p HDMI Active Intelligence – (3 in/1 out)
* Digital Cinema Auto Calibration
* S-Force PRO Front Surround Sound
* HDMI Repeater
Product Description
This amazing system brings simplicity and performance together by pairing a Center speaker that recreates a surround sound experience all by its self. Now add a powerful external subwoofer and you are ready to bring your Movies to life with the HT-CT100. With three HDMI inputs on tap, this system is tailor made for the Gamer looking for an easy, quick and great sounding solution for their Next Gen gaming system . It can playback LPCM from the HDMI connection, plus you can listen to your favorite music from the DIGITAL MEDIA PORT that works with various accessories (sold separately). The HT-CT100 can also control a select number of BRAVIA televisions with BRAVIA Sync via the HDMI interface. With “One Touch Play,” operations that took several steps have been reduced to one.
