Sony HT-7000DH Home Theater System Conclusion

Performance

As impressive as the list of features is, the resulting listening experience is mediocre at best. In our surround sound and music tests, effects were produced accurately but the experience left a lot to be desired.

Mid-bass frequencies were skimpy and did not bring out the full sound effects when watching DVDs and listening to CDs. High frequencies were equally lackluster and were not as smooth-sounding as other competing models.

Listening to a few songs from a mix CD, we felt that the beats were not very punchy and the lyrical accompaniment sounded overly flat. The bass was powerful and could easily be heard and felt during movie action sequences, but, for the most part, the speakers were simply unimpressive.

The DVD/CD changer does a very good job of playing DVDs in both their native 480p format and in the 720p/1080i upscaled format. With a suitable 720p/1080i display, the resulting picture quality will rival that of true HD source content. While you would be able to tell the difference in quality if you compared the two side by side, it is easy to mistake an upscaled DVD for HD content from cable or satellite broadcasts.

The Verdict

The excellent features offered by Sony's HT-7000DH Home Theater System -- such as auto calibration, XM radio capability, and DVD upscaling -- are marred by disappointing sound quality. This HTIB system fails to impress.

Sony HT-7000DH Home Theater System

Specs: Five-disc DVD/CD changer with upscaling and HDMI pass-through; 900-watt AV receiver; XM-ready with use of the optional XM Connect-and-Play antenna; Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS, Digital Cinema Sound decoding.

Pros: Plenty of power; easy setup and installation; DVDs can upscale to 720p or 1080i resolution.

Cons: Uninspiring sound quality; drab appearance.

The Verdict: Excellent features are ultimately marred by disappointing sound.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Price: $499