Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I shopped and priced around extensively, and the Pioneer HTIB system was the clear choice to add on to my Xbox 360.First, and foremost, this is a well designed "compact" home theater system that goes very well with a 360.It's color scheme blends right in with the Microsoft game sytem.Pioneer got all the details right, even down to the XBOX-like "univeral" remote control.
The nearest competitor to Pioneer's HTS-GS1 is the Spherex 51000 HTIB 5.1 Channel surround system, also license by Microsoft specifically for the Xbox 360.In a head to head comparison, to me, the Pioneer integrates best, mainly because it "looks" like it belongs with the Xbox and alsohas more user friendly system controls and by far is more flexible to set up whether used with the Xbox or not.I cannot comment on differences in terms of purely audio performance, but the Spherex is only rated for 300 watts total output.The latter may not be a fair comparison - read on for more on this.
These two systems are currently selling in retail stores close to the same price point (around $200).Since there introduction, both have been deeply discounted from original list price of $499.Overall, I feel the HTS-GS1 offers the most bang for the buck.
The surround speakers are uniquely and cleverly designed.The front and rear speaker are actually "stackable" which allows a front surround stage 5 channel sound speaker placement arrangement.This stacking feature is not possible on Spherex system with its omni surround satellite speakers which must have free air space above each speaker to work properly.
Front speaker stacking is an extremely useful feature for the non-purist audiophile.It lends itself to a much faster and simpler system set up, eliminating need for long(er) - hard to disguise - routing of speaker wires to the back of your listening room area.However, this diminishes the full effectiveness of a surround sound system, yet in the case of the HS-GS1, I did not find it overly detracting from the system's "virtual" surround or front-only sound stage experience.Furthermore, I appreciate having a CHOICE in satellite speaker placement and opted to go this route for obvious advantages offered in eliminating the hassle of locating and mounting separate rear speakers and wiring complications.
The surround sound "effects" are still quite evident in this front only arrangement, because the unique stackable left and right double decker speakers can be rotated independently rotated to aim them in different dirrections.This design does an adequate job of simulating a four corner surround sound, if not fully "immersive" listening experience.
I may eventually take the additional time to separate and relocate the rear satellite speaker to the back of my listening area.Pioneer provides plenty of speaker wire for that purpose if so desired.But for now, I am enjoying the system in the front surround mode only, and saved at least another couple of hours of tedious installation work routing the rear speaker wires far away from the audio amplifier (subwoofer) origination connections.
One thing that the average consumer should know is that most comparable HTIB systems are "hyped" in terms of their true (<1% THD) audio output power rating per channel per the FTC.In actuality this Pioneer system has a total of 155 watts output power; 25W each for the four satelites, 30W for the somewhat larger size center speaker and only 25W for the subwoofer.Nevertheless, this is more than enough power for a small to medium size room and if you crank up the volume you can be prepared to damage your eardrums.
The audio amplifier built into the bottom of the subwoofer enclosure has four audio inputs, 3 digital (2 of which are for TOSLINK fiber optic cable ready inputs and 1 coaxial input), plus one tradional (wire pair) of analog audio inputs.Pioneer, generously, includes a fiber optic cable but no other audio input cables.For 5.1 channel sound decoders, such as built-in to Xbox 360, or sometimes passively outputed from a HDTV, this cable comes in handy.(Don't forget to remove the protective dust covers on both ends of this cable before attaching to your Xbox 360 (or other output device) to the digital audio input on the back of the single enclosure, 5.1 channel audio amplifier - AM/FM stereo receiver -subwoofer.The latter has a built-in power supply and AC line cord is included with the product.
All five, individual (supplied) speaker wires are color coded to make a do-it-yourself installation that much easier to get right the first time, although bare wire attachments are still need to be properly connect the back of each standalone speaker.Unlike other HTIB system, that are permanently pre-wired, Pioneer uses standard "quick-connect" speaker wire color coded connectors to further aid in ease of installation.The subwoofer has a short pre-wired "jumper" on the back panel to quick connect to the amplifier.
As I said the remote control for this system is especially well suited for Xbox 360, TV, and home theater integration.It supports all three!In addition to buttons for controlling the 5.1 channel audio sound, it also has another set of buttons to operate the Xbox 360 and optional HD-DVD player, Media Center PC, and also can be programmed to support most TVs.
The remote buttons dedicated to 360 control are segregated, and stylized to closely mimic the same buttons on Xbox 360 game controller as well as Microsoft's (sold separately) Universal Media Remote.On the down side, unfortunately the remote is not backlighted and none of the buttons glow in the dark when pressed.However, the Xbox Guide button is raised and larger than all the others, and the green, red, blue, yellow, color coded button that correspond to game controllers A-B-X-Y buttons,all in one row, are easy to use.
The remote control operates a nicely designed system controller with a digital readout display, with its own set of basic control buttons.Btw, a big disadvantage with the competing Spherex system is that it can ONLY be operated by remote control; undoubtedly a cost cutting tradeoff.
The bottom line, this Pioneer system is a very high quality product that WILL EXCEED the average electronic consumers expectations, and therefore is worth every penny of the purchase price.
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Product Description:
A complete digital entertainment center designed with the same sleek finish as the Xbox 360 video game console; the HTS-GS1 delivers a lot of power and sound processing without taking up a lot of space. By placing the amplifier and electronics in the base of the subwoofer, this system delivers all of the power and features of a traditional surround sound system - without cluttering your space. And, all of the connections you'll need are integrated into the subwoofer and color-coded , allowing quick and easy installation and set-up. With three digital inputs, this system is ready for DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound audio tracks found in games, video and music. Using the Front Stage Surround Sound option, you can get a realistic surround sound experience even though all of the speakers are placed in the front of the room. Through sophisticated digital sound processing and directional speakers, the HTS-Gs1 delivers room-filling surround sound without the hassle of running wires to additional rear speakers. Just place the ultra high-end calibration microphone in your favorie gaming position and the system will automatically adjust the sound for distance, volume, speakers size and equalization. It actaually listens to how the sound responds to elements in the room and alters it for maximum reporduction accuracy. Once you hear balanced and precise sound, you'll have a whole new listening experience for all your games, videos and music. And speakeing of music, the HTS-GS1 has new Sound Retriever DSP technology designed to replace lost information and dynamics in compressed music fles like MP3, WMA, AAC. The universal remote is Xbox 360 compatible and allows the flexibility to switch between gaming and the extensive Xbox 360 mulitmedia capabilities. With its Windows? Media Center* and powerful Xbox Guide Buttons, the universal remote provides easy and intuitive control of your complete system - all at your fingertips.
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