Sony DAV-S500 Theater System
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- Front Speaker: 2 Way
- Main Speakers Power Output: 40 Watts
- Included Components: DVD Player
- Number Of Speakers: 5 Speakers and Subwoofer
- Subwoofer Power Output: 80 Watts
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Still Fantastic all-in-one solution, now w/ CDRs!!!
Pros
Price, performance, features, picks up where DAV-S300 left off
Cons
Still a passive sub, still small and bedroom oriented, no MP3s
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you're looking for a compact all-in-one solution, there's not too much out there in this price range that even comes close!
Once upon a time, just a bit more than a year ago actually, I was looking for a solid plug-n-play DVD solution which wouldn't break the bank and would take up the whole living room...Enter the DAV-S300. The new generation sibling the to S300 is out, and it is still a great all-in-one solution, it still won't break the bank, it is still loaded with great features, smoot playback and solid sound and NOW it WILL play CDRs -- A much welcome improvement, in fact, my only real complaint about the S300!
The S500 begins with a one-unit DVD player/Receiver just like the S300. The unit is fairly small in size, especially considering its ample just sub-300 watt power output. Just like when I was shopping for my original all-in-one, the new unit maintains it's great compact build and will fit just about anywhere. The satelites are almost identical to the originals, small and unobtrusive, they can be placed anywhere as well, on a desk, table, or best yet, wall mounted with any inexpensive wall mount kit available at radio shack or any similar retailer.
The performance of the unit is certainly above snuff over the original - the high-end and mid-range seem to a have a bit more punch, and vocals are more more assertive, both when playing music or movies. It still has DTS and Dolby Pro-logic compatibility of course, so you are in good shape for te 5.1 encoded DVD's out there -- 12 Monkeys and Gladiator are two of my preferred "test" DVD's for determining how "believable" the surround effect is. The S500 passes with flying colors, and certainly the new satelites help alot, giving a vit more color and potency to the surround accents. If you recall, from my original review of the S300, the low wattage and passive sub were a possible deterent with the unit - and ultimately, I ended up buying a stronger unit for my living room (the HT 5000D) but the S300 was a perfect bedroom fit... Still, make no mistake - the S500 is perfect for applications where the living room isn't tremendous, especially where you are looking to conserve a little room or have a slightly more stealthy surround unit, rather than having two huge floor standing speakers intruding on your space. Obviously, if you have a living or viewing room where space isn't a consideration, you're probably not looking at this unit - so let's assume your room is already the appropraite size for this class of surround solution: The DAV-S500 will perform very well, and fill the room with great clarity and surround-perception.
The sub woofer is still passive, however the redesigned port seems to add a bit of oomph and it has a great low-end thump great for movies and still good for bass-heavy musical applications. What is also ideal about this unit is even at high volumes, you won't be upsetting any of your niehgbors, since the sub just doesn't have quite enough boom to really rattle the building! This to me is a great feature, espeically for those apartment dwellers (like myself in NYC) where sometimes it seems like apartment walls can be semi-transparent for stereos.
Adjustability is excellent in this unit, and you can certainl tailor your sound to fit less-than-perfect rooms. As always, no Sony equipment is designed or even targeted at audiophile consumers, so don't expect a B&W performance, or you're setting yourself up for dissapointment...However despite the small size, the satelites have a great transient response, and a few progressive or fusion discs will certainly demonstrate the sharp response of the speakers. Crossover frequencies to the sub are handled pretty smoothly, and unless you are a living breathing RTA, you won't notice too many valleys in the Sat-to-Sub transition, however this obviously becomes more a function of the room before a function of the actual unit...Nevertheless, with plenty of amp-profile presets you can be assured you won't have a problem compensating for room-deficiencies, which is an especially handy feature inherent in such small satelite speakers -- Compare to some of the Denon or Pioneer units, and you'll see a big difference - smaller can truly be better!
On the other hand, where smaller is NOT better is when you play some serious jazz or classical - certain nuances are bound not to come through, or at least, this is where having a bigger midrange driver is a huge asset - joe Sample's "Nightflight" is a great piano piece which can really run your stereo through its paces...Shortcomings in the drivers will become apparent so this would be a good starting point for testing your audio. It's always wise to thouroughly audition these type of units for specifically this reason - before you think you're getting godzilla in a half-pint package, visit your retailer with a few of your favorites discs to make sure your prepared for what you'll get!
In the input department the layout is still similar with 2 RCA ins, 1 optical in AND out (out is a nice touch BTW) Video outs consist of 2 composites, 1 component and an S-vid connection...This lends itself to a bit more flexibility than the S300- where there I found worhtwhile improvement. The other reason for my upgrade was the CDR compatibility...Honestly, the lack of CDR playback was something that really irritated me with the first one. Now I can play whatever disc I prefer, burned or original, and this is a great feature. Sony has also built in its proprietary SACD decoding which is a nice touch, and in addition the reader can handle VCD's which is awesome for anime fans! The remote is laid out in a much "cooler" fashion than the original, though it seems to be more form than function...Te buttons are just too small and tight! Still, there isn't too much else to complain about and with prices approaching 400 flat, I don't know what else is out there that can top this in performance for this kind of price!
Again, if you are in the market for this class of DVD/Stereo all-in-one solution, the Sony is still the way to go - so much so in fact, that I bought a replacement to my S300 because of the CDR capability and the slightly more assertive sound characteristics. There are great deals to be had on these packages, and the prices are still decreasing such that soon, we'll see sub-400 dollar price tags! The S500 is well worth a listen, and like it's older brother, the S300, is an excellent plug&play unit. I can guarentee that if you're looking for a great compact way to handle all your DVD/theatre, stereo and gaming-audio needs, you'll probably find the DAV-S500 is an ideal solution.
The S500 begins with a one-unit DVD player/Receiver just like the S300. The unit is fairly small in size, especially considering its ample just sub-300 watt power output. Just like when I was shopping for my original all-in-one, the new unit maintains it's great compact build and will fit just about anywhere. The satelites are almost identical to the originals, small and unobtrusive, they can be placed anywhere as well, on a desk, table, or best yet, wall mounted with any inexpensive wall mount kit available at radio shack or any similar retailer.
The performance of the unit is certainly above snuff over the original - the high-end and mid-range seem to a have a bit more punch, and vocals are more more assertive, both when playing music or movies. It still has DTS and Dolby Pro-logic compatibility of course, so you are in good shape for te 5.1 encoded DVD's out there -- 12 Monkeys and Gladiator are two of my preferred "test" DVD's for determining how "believable" the surround effect is. The S500 passes with flying colors, and certainly the new satelites help alot, giving a vit more color and potency to the surround accents. If you recall, from my original review of the S300, the low wattage and passive sub were a possible deterent with the unit - and ultimately, I ended up buying a stronger unit for my living room (the HT 5000D) but the S300 was a perfect bedroom fit... Still, make no mistake - the S500 is perfect for applications where the living room isn't tremendous, especially where you are looking to conserve a little room or have a slightly more stealthy surround unit, rather than having two huge floor standing speakers intruding on your space. Obviously, if you have a living or viewing room where space isn't a consideration, you're probably not looking at this unit - so let's assume your room is already the appropraite size for this class of surround solution: The DAV-S500 will perform very well, and fill the room with great clarity and surround-perception.
The sub woofer is still passive, however the redesigned port seems to add a bit of oomph and it has a great low-end thump great for movies and still good for bass-heavy musical applications. What is also ideal about this unit is even at high volumes, you won't be upsetting any of your niehgbors, since the sub just doesn't have quite enough boom to really rattle the building! This to me is a great feature, espeically for those apartment dwellers (like myself in NYC) where sometimes it seems like apartment walls can be semi-transparent for stereos.
Adjustability is excellent in this unit, and you can certainl tailor your sound to fit less-than-perfect rooms. As always, no Sony equipment is designed or even targeted at audiophile consumers, so don't expect a B&W performance, or you're setting yourself up for dissapointment...However despite the small size, the satelites have a great transient response, and a few progressive or fusion discs will certainly demonstrate the sharp response of the speakers. Crossover frequencies to the sub are handled pretty smoothly, and unless you are a living breathing RTA, you won't notice too many valleys in the Sat-to-Sub transition, however this obviously becomes more a function of the room before a function of the actual unit...Nevertheless, with plenty of amp-profile presets you can be assured you won't have a problem compensating for room-deficiencies, which is an especially handy feature inherent in such small satelite speakers -- Compare to some of the Denon or Pioneer units, and you'll see a big difference - smaller can truly be better!
On the other hand, where smaller is NOT better is when you play some serious jazz or classical - certain nuances are bound not to come through, or at least, this is where having a bigger midrange driver is a huge asset - joe Sample's "Nightflight" is a great piano piece which can really run your stereo through its paces...Shortcomings in the drivers will become apparent so this would be a good starting point for testing your audio. It's always wise to thouroughly audition these type of units for specifically this reason - before you think you're getting godzilla in a half-pint package, visit your retailer with a few of your favorites discs to make sure your prepared for what you'll get!
In the input department the layout is still similar with 2 RCA ins, 1 optical in AND out (out is a nice touch BTW) Video outs consist of 2 composites, 1 component and an S-vid connection...This lends itself to a bit more flexibility than the S300- where there I found worhtwhile improvement. The other reason for my upgrade was the CDR compatibility...Honestly, the lack of CDR playback was something that really irritated me with the first one. Now I can play whatever disc I prefer, burned or original, and this is a great feature. Sony has also built in its proprietary SACD decoding which is a nice touch, and in addition the reader can handle VCD's which is awesome for anime fans! The remote is laid out in a much "cooler" fashion than the original, though it seems to be more form than function...Te buttons are just too small and tight! Still, there isn't too much else to complain about and with prices approaching 400 flat, I don't know what else is out there that can top this in performance for this kind of price!
Again, if you are in the market for this class of DVD/Stereo all-in-one solution, the Sony is still the way to go - so much so in fact, that I bought a replacement to my S300 because of the CDR capability and the slightly more assertive sound characteristics. There are great deals to be had on these packages, and the prices are still decreasing such that soon, we'll see sub-400 dollar price tags! The S500 is well worth a listen, and like it's older brother, the S300, is an excellent plug&play unit. I can guarentee that if you're looking for a great compact way to handle all your DVD/theatre, stereo and gaming-audio needs, you'll probably find the DAV-S500 is an ideal solution.
