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GROUP TEST
DOLBY PRO-LOGIC HI-FI SYSTEMS
INTRODUCTION
The long and often uneasy
marriage between video and audio has taken an ridiculously long time to
consummate, but it looks as though it has finally happened. The fruit of this
union is new breed of hi-fi system, providing the easiest route so far into AV
integration and home cinema. So what’s new? The difference this time is they’re
designed from the ground up as multi-media entertainment centres, with Dolby
Pro Logic surround-sound processors built-in, not tacked on as an afterthought.
A few even include specially designed AV speakers and they’re all at least on
nodding terms with TVs and VCRs, one or two are almost video-friendly...
The systems we’ve been
looking at represent a broad cross-section of what is available in terms of
performance, facilities and price, though regard this and any other survey of
Pro Logic hi-fi systems as a snapshot of a rapidly developing market. The rate
of change is almost unprecedented with new systems being launched almost every
month. At least two packages we’d earmarked for this feature were unavailable
to us as they were in the process of being updated. Changes were even being
made on the hoof, and a couple of the systems we’ve looked at were early
production samples, and still liable to alteration.
Nevertheless, their arrival
in such numbers rubber-stamps the major shift in attitude that has been taking
place in many sections of the hi-fi industry, and marks a belated recognition
that the future of audio and video technologies are now inextricably linked to
each other.
AIWA NSX-D939
At the time of writing this
was the most recent arrival, in fact the sample we reviewed was the first one
in the country and still awaiting the arrival of its matching rear speakers.
The system is a two-piece affair with a three-disc CD auto-changer and twin
cassette deck in one box, and the amp/tuner and graphic equaliser/Dolby/Digital
Signal Processor gubbins in the other. It comes with a set of four speakers,
two magnetically shielded front channel enclosures for the main stereo channels
and a pair of rear surround units. There’s a powered output for a
centre-channel speaker, and line-output, for an amplified sub-woofer. It all
looks very neat and tidy, especially round the back as there’s only one ribbon
cable to link the two units together. The front panels have an unusually low
button count, that’s because most of the secondary controls have been hidden
away on a little motorised drawer that slides out from the amp section.
Needless to say CD to tape
and tape to tape copying is well supported with advanced editing facilities, to
help organise recordings more efficiently. The DSP and graphic equaliser offer
a variety of sound contorting options, from the usual array of spatial
simulations (hall, church, disco, arena, like
and movie) and tonal presets (rock, pop, jazz, classic, headphone and
car), to a set of manually stored settings. The Dolby Surround processor
has Pro Logic, and 3-channel logic
modes, with wide, normal or phantom centre-front channel settings.
PERFORMANCE
A bit of a mixed bag this
one, at its happiest as a home cinema system first, serious hi-fi second. The
CD is fairly average but against that you have to weigh the undoubted
convenience of the auto-changer and maybe the karoke facility, it’s a great
party machine but music buffs might find it a trifle laid back. The same
applies to the tape section, a bright, lively sound but thin on substance. The
fancy digital signal processor options are there if you need them; to be honest
the effects are interesting rather than useful and do little to improve most
types of recorded music or soundtrack, but there’s hours of endless fun for
gadget freaks. However, Pro Logic is what
this package is all about -- with a full set of speakers -- and Aiwa have come
up with just the right combination of power and flexibility, that is at
its best with dynamic blockbuster movie soundtracks. However, the decoder is
equally capable of resolving the small, almost subliminal sounds, as well as
the gut-rumbling explosions.
VERDICT AIWA NSX-D939 £750
Plus: The price is well below average for Dolby Pro-Logic
equipped hi-fis, and considering the range of facilities, and the fact that it
comes with a CD auto-changer, plus speakers, it looks and sounds like rather
good value for money. Pro Logic performance is excellent, gadget fans and small
children will find plenty to keep them amused.
Minus: despite the chunky looking speakers the main stereo
channels are rather thin and lack impact, even with all the bass-enhancement
systems at full blast. The cassette deck is a bit of a clunker and the antics
of the main display panel can become tiresome after a while. The remote control
handset has been designed by some sort of button-fetishist with sadistic
tendencies!
Value for money 90%
Sound quality ***
Build quality ***
Features & facilities ****
Ease of use ***
SPEC BOX
Features: digital sound processor (hall, church, disco,
arena, live, movie), 6-mode sound presets (rock, pop, jazz, classic, car,
headphone), three CD auto-changer, 30-track memory; twin tape deck, music
search, Dolby B & C NR; AM/FM tuner with 36-channel presets;
event/sleep/wake-up timer, vocal fader (karoke)
Power handling: 2 x 35 & 2 x 15 watts
Dimensions (mm): 520 x 400 x 660
Captions:
Full width CD drawer, it’s big because there’s space for
three CDs inside, on a revolving platter
Cunningly concealed controls. They’re hidden away on a
motorised tray that slides out from the bottom of the stack
It looks like a regular 4-box stack but there’s only two
sections
Remote nightmare! Fifty six identical buttons -- count ’em
-- on a shiny background with barely legible labelling
The graphic equaliser display panel is almost as
entertaining as some TV programmes, thankfully it can be muted
AIWA UK Ltd, Unit 5, Heathrow Summit Centre, Skyport Drive,
West Drayton,
Middlesex UB7 OLY.
Telephone 081-897 7000
JVC XT-MXG9
The centrepiece of JVC’s G9
Adagio system is a pair of speakers with motorised drivers that move around
under control from a digital audio processor. The moving speakers face forward
for normal sound, and inwards, when carrying centre-channel (dialogue) information
in the Dolby Pro Logic mode. Selecting any of the various DAP effects (club,
live, dome, hall & church) shifts the speakers outwards by up to 20
degrees, creating a wider sound-field. Additional preset programs tailor the
shape of the sound, (‘soothing’, ‘relaxing’ & ‘exciting’) and there’s a set
of effects, including squeeze, vocal masking (karaoke mode...), key control
(weird tone contortions), flanger and scratch; the latter superimposes a
plausible turntable ‘scratching’ sound
on the output.
The system comprises four
mini-sized components, including a well-specified twin tape deck with
soft-touch controls, CD player with 32 track memory, tuner-amp and graphic
equaliser module. The curvy cosmetics are quite appealing though the control
layout is rather haphazard and a tad fussy; the very busy displays can be
distracting. It’s relatively easy to set up, with captive ribbon cables linking
the components together, the big problem though is the speakers. There’s two
cables going to each enclosure, one with six strands, carrying high, mid and low
range audio, the other, a 7-way flat ribbon carries power and control signals
for the speaker motors. In short speaker placement is severely limited by the
length of these cables which are only about 2-metres long. There are amplified
outputs for rear surround and centre-front speakers, though these are not
supplied.
PERFORMANCE
The panoramic speakers are
surprisingly effective, provided of course you can live with the shortish
leads. With all of the effects options switched out it provides a gutsy
full-bodied sound, always with plenty of power in reserve. The various digital
processors can be amusing to play around with, there’s plenty of exotic avenues
to explore, and you may even stumble across one or two permutations that
actually enhance some types of music, though in general they add or subtract
rather too much from the original to be taken too seriously. The CD and tape
decks are both reasonably efficient with minimal noise and clean, evenly
balanced outputs. Dolby 3-channel Logic, using just the supplied speakers
provides breaths a little life in movie soundtracks but it’s no substitute for
the real thing and we suspect most owners will choose to add rear and
centre-front speakers to get the full Pro Logic effect. The decoder works well,
with good localisation of sounds and effects though set-up takes a little
longer than normal as a result of having to locate the rear speakers more
carefully to fit in with the main channel speakers.
VERDICT JVC XT-MXG9
‘ADAGIO’ £999.99
Plus: integrated speaker systems will appeal to those
troubled by the thought of lots of little boxes around the living room and
considering the limitations such an arrangement imposes, are surprisingly
effective. Lot’s of unusual facilities and fun to play with, up to a point. An
appealing, well-specified system, uncontroversial sound for the price and built
to JVCs usual high standards.
Minus: its strengths are also its weakness, and the speaker
cabling imposes considerable limitations on placement. The basic configuration,
without centre-channel and rear effects speakers produces a fairly bland
sound-field and it can lack drama. A bit too much naff gadgetry, and
over-complicated controls which distort the ease of use argument for AV system
integration.
Value for money 85%
Sound quality ****
Build quality ****
Features & facilities ****
Ease of use ***
SPEC BOX
Features: Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby 3-channel, digital acoustic processor (club, live,
dome, hall, church); digital special effects processor (squeeze, vocal mask
(karaoke), key control, scratch, flanger); special sound adjustment (exciting,
relaxing, individual); tape music scan, continuous play, high-speed dubbing; CD
auto edit, 32-track memory; tuner 10 station memory; recording/sleep/wake-up
timers
Power handling: 2 x 18 watts, 2 x 13.5 watts
Dimensions (mm): 425 x 265 x 275
Captions:
Clean, uncluttered styling though with more than its fair
share of winking lights
The display on the system control unit is very busy and
greets you with good morning, afternoon or evening when it’s switched on
The amp/tuner features a versatile clock timer, to wake you
up, or send you to sleep, it can also be programmed to make timed recordings
No, the buttons one the handset aren’t skew-whiff, it’s
meant to look like that
Reasonably uncluttered back panel, interconnections are
handled by captive ribbon cables
JVC UK LTD, JVC House, 6-8 Priestley Way, Eldonwall Trading
Estate,
Staples Corner, London NW2 7AS.
Telephone 081-450 3282
PIONEER JV600LD
This is AV integration from
the old school, a system for vinyl die-hards as it’s the only one in this
roundup to feature a turntable -- remember them? Pioneer are showing their true colours by including a laser disc
player in the stack but it’s quite a good one, with NTSC playback and a clever
split loading draw where only the centre-section opens, for audio CDs. There’s
five boxes in all, with the turntable on top of the pile, below that there’s
the CD/LD player, a well-appointed twin cassette deck, graphic equaliser and
sound-field processor, and the amplifier/tuner at the bottom.
Pioneer have been fairly
restrained and the sound-field processor is quite basic by comparison with some
of the others we’ve looked at. The graphic equaliser is a nifty-looking design
with adjustments made using a rotary dial. Unfortunately this can only be done
from the front panel which means an unwelcome game of musical chairs every time
you want to change the settings. They’ve been quite economical with the rest of
the buttons too, and mode selection is sequential, which can be a pain when you
want it to do something fast, like switch from normal sound to Pro Logic.
Function selection is the same, and you can find yourself stepping through up
to eight options to get to the one you want.
Most operations can be
controlled form the remote handset, though it’s as well to keep the instruction
manual close at hand as some functions are quite well hidden, or awkward to
access, unless you can remember the correct switch and button combinations.
PERFORMANCE
No fancy speakers this
time, the system is supplied with a pair of fairly unexciting boxes containing
three drivers. There’s powered outputs for centre-front and rear effects
channels, but it’s not quite as well equipped as the competition though it does
leave the user free to make their own speaker arrangements. The turntable is a
fairly basic item but it works well enough. The cassette deck works fine as
well, it’s not especially exciting but you would have to listen quite hard to
pick fault with it. The Dolby processor has Pro-Logic and 3-channel operating
modes and all channels are independently adjustable, for balancing the system.
There’s a Jack-of-all-trades feel to the CD/LD player with the predictable
consequence that it plays all kind of discs adequately well but isn’t going to
break any performance records for either format, if anything video does
slightly better out of the deal.
Surround sound performance
is commendable with effects accurately positioned within the sound-field, it
also scored well with some of the more subtle Dolby tricks, including ones
where a particular sound is heard though all channels. The amp needs to be
pushed quite hard to make it give its best, the bass synth function helps flesh
it out otherwise it sounds a little bland and unexciting.
VERDICT 800 PIONEER JV600LD, £1200
Plus: classic stack system brought up to date to head off
the competition from the newcomers. Pioneer have led the way in AV integration
and this is a competent ensemble, designed to appeal to the widest audience,
including laser disc fans and those still clinging to their vinyl collections.
Minus: It’s a fair sized lump, so if space is at a premium
you might find it a bit of a squeeze. Minor style differences make the CD/LD
player and turntable look and feel like late additions and the CD players
controls are not fully integrated into the system. Slightly woolly sound from
the big speakers which need to be driven quite hard to make their presence felt
Value for money 82%
Sound quality ***
Build quality ***
Features & facilities ***
Ease of use ***
SPEC BOX
Features: combined laser disc/CD player with NTSC playback,
24 track memory, sound-field processor (disco, hall, stadium), twin-tape
deck,
Power handling: 2 x 65, 2 x 22 watts
Dimensions (mm): 530 x 340 x 355mm
Captions:
For those unfamiliar with the object on the top of the stack
it’s a turntable, used to play old-fashioned records
AV integration, but only so far, you still have to switch
the CL/LP player on and off manually
The full-width loading draw is divided into two and only the
small centre section pops out when replaying CDs
Not so many buttons, but control and switching can be
cumbersome as the various selections have to be accessed sequentially
Setting the equaliser manually, via the sound jog dial, is a
bit long-winded and it can’t be done remotely
PIONEER HI-FI GB LTD, Pioneer Huse Hollybush Hill, Stoke
Poges,
Slough, Berks SL2 4QP
Telephone (0753) 789789
SANYO SYS 994
Another very recent
arrival, so recent in fact that our sample was an early pre-production unit and
Sanyo cautioned us that sound performance was subject to some improvement. When
all said and done it didn’t sound too bad, shame they couldn’t do anything
about the cosmetics and one or two other items which we’ll come to in a moment.
This is a one-box affair but Sanyo have gone to a lot of trouble to try and
convince would-be purchasers otherwise, to the extent of moulding dummy feet
between the three sections, who do they think they’re kidding?
The top third is taken up
by the amp section, Dolby decoder, and graphic equaliser, and a manual one at
that. This is one very odd mixture of technologies, no fancy digital processors
here, just the usual Dolby Surround options (normal, 3-channel logic, and
phantom). In the middle there’s the twin cassette deck with another reminder of
times past -- mechanical transport keys. The lower third is taken up by a
24-disc CD auto-changer with a 48-track memory and disc management system which
categorises and stores the name of each disc.
The auto-changer mechanism
is on its side, so to speak, and discs have to be loaded through a vertical
slot in the front panel, making sure they’re the right way around; it’s most
disconcerting, as unseen fingers whip the discs away to do heaven knows what
with them; let’s just hope it’s reliable... The system comes with two 3-way
speakers for the main stereo channels, two small speakers for the rear surround
channel, and a matching, magnetically shielded centre-front speaker.
PERFORMANCE
In spite of Sanyo’s
warnings the system sounded reasonable, maybe a little thin on top and the CD
on our sample didn’t seem to be firing on all cylinders but given the status of
the unit we can’t read too much into that at this stage. Although the tape deck
is a bit past its sell by date it also works well enough, though it seems a
little incongruous besides the CD auto-changer, and without logic controls it
misses out by having only rudimentary copying and editing facilities. The Dolby
processor worked well, and it was a great relief to have five separate speakers
that could be placed where they could be most effective. In the Pro Logic mode
the decoder fared well with our noisiest test recordings, definitely one for
action blockbuster fans; it did less well with the ambience and atmospheric
effects, which need careful extraction if they’re not to be lost in the
background.
However, the biggest
problem with this system is Sanyo’s unaccountable decision to skimp on the
sockets There’s provision for only one external AV input. That’s crazy, at the
very least most users will have a VCR and satellite receiver, providing Dolby
encoded source material, otherwise why would anyone want to buy a Dolby hi-fi
system?
VERDICT SANYO SYSTEM 994 £800
Plus: Another system that should prove popular with
partygoers, and the terminally lazy, who simply can’t be bothered to keep
getting up to change discs. The full set of speakers are a bonus and it’s ready
to go out of the box. We’ll have to reserve judgement on sound quality until we
hear a full production unit, though on current evidence it should okay.
Minus: The solitary AV input is a big problem and that alone
would be enough to put us off buying one, unless we were utterly convinced that
we would never want to add an STV receiver or laser disc player to the system.
The cosmetics are decidedly iffy, you can get away with phoney box fronts on
nasty £99.99 mini systems but it’s definitely out of place on one costing £800.
Value for money 75%
Sound quality ***
Build quality **
Features & facilities ***
Ease of use ****
SPEC BOX
Features: 24 disc CD auto-changer, 48-track memory, twin cassette deck, auto tape selection,
high-speed dubbing, Dolby B NR;
36-channel tuner, sleep timer, dynamic bass
Power handling: 2 x 50, 2 x 15
Dimensions (mm): 405 x 425 x 369
Captions:
No, it’s just one box, take a closer look, those feet are
fakes
The CD auto-changer is at the bottom, discs are loaded
vertically through the slot in the middle
A hark back to the olden days -- a manual graphic equaliser with no winking lights?
More reminders of times past, mechanical tape transport
controls, mind you, at least you know they’re working...
Simple, straightforward three-way speakers for the main
stereo channels, and adequate, if uninspiring little black boxes for the
centre-front and surround channels
SANYO UK LTD., Sanyo House, Otterspool Way, Watford, Herts WD2 8JX.
Telephone (0923) 246363
SONY MHC-5900
One of the commonest
objections to home cinema is the need for up to five separate speakers. Sony’s
somewhat radical solution is called Tri-Surround and involves putting them all
together into just two boxes, with the rear channel drivers radiating sideways,
and the centre-front speakers facing in. The rest of the system is more down to
earth, though it too reveals some unusual thinking. There’s four boxes in all,
a twin cassette deck, amp, processor cum equaliser and a combined tuner/CD
deck. They haven’t gone over the top with the gimmicks, just a fairly
restrained 5-mode digital processor with the familiar spatial effects (hall,
stadium, studio), plus a couple of modes for contouring the sound for headphone
listening or making tapes for in-car use. There’s also a voice-cancelling
facility, so the system can be used as a karoke with an optional microphone.
Installation and set-up is
relatively straightforward with one ribbon cable connecting all the components
together. They’ve been fairly generous with the two sets of speaker cables and
there shouldn’t been any need to lengthen them, in any case this would put them
too far away from the screen and the surround effect would loose coherence.
PERFORMANCE
It’s a neat idea but
there’s no way you’re going to get an authentic surround effect with all of the
speakers in front of the listening position. Worse still, placing a speaker too
close to a wall produces all kinds of odd
reflections which distorts the sound-field and upsets any attempt by the
Dolby decoder to localise individual sounds. The actual sound output is very
clean, treble output is a little lightweight but all of the components give a
good account of themselves, with a couple of extra brownie points going to the
CD and tape decks which have a very crisp sound. The centre-front speaker
arrangement works very well, a separate centre channel speakers yields little
improvement. Dolby Pro Logic comes alive when a pair of extra rear speakers are
added, but in its most basic configuration it gives only a tantalising taste of
the real thing.
VERDICT SONY MHC-5900, £1000
Plus: a stylish looking system with a useful, rather than
extravagant assortment of features and Sony’s usual attention to detail. The
all in one surround/centre/rear effects speakers are a tidy arrangement for
those who do not want the bother of a load of wires and boxes. Controlled
sound, perky CD performance and very convenient for those with Sony TVs and
VCRs.
Minus: whilst the combined speakers do their best the
surround effect is confined and many of the most dramatic movie soundtrack
effects can be lost or muted in the confusion.
Value for money 88%
Sound quality ****
Build quality ***
Features & facilities ****
Ease of use ****
SPEC BOX
Features: digital sound field processor (hall, stadium,
studio, headphone, car), acoustic
processor (rock, pops, classic, night, background), karoke; CD 24-track memory;
20 AM/FM station presets; twin tape, track editing, auto tape selection, auto
music search, Dolby B/C/HX Pro NR
Power handling: 2 x 70 & 2 x 25 watts
Dimensions (mm): 395 x 260 x 225
Captions:
Simple, unfussy cosmetics and reasonably easy to use
controls
Uncluttered back panel, though the connections for the rear
and centre speaker channels are a little confused
Depending on your point of view the speakers are as ugly as
sin, or an elegant piece of contemporary design, not much use as plant
stands...
Good news if you’ve got a Sony telly or VCR, the remote
handset can control them all
The controls on the unusual combined tuner/CD takes some
getting used to
SONY UK LTD Sony House, South Street, Staines, Middlesex
TW15 4AT.
Telephone (0784) 467000
SONY MHC-7900AV
This is the 5900AV’s big
brother, in all respects, including facilities, performance and at £1500, price
as well. Much of this is due to the pair of rather imposing speaker enclosures,
topped by futuristic-looking electrostatic tweeters. All of the mini-sized
components, (with the exception of the twin cassette deck), have been upgraded
from the 5900, and the tuner shifted out of the CD deck into a box of its own.
The amplifier module contains a very sophisticated digital signal processor
with something like 20 pre-set effects (though it’s difficult to be
precise...), a graphic equaliser and one hyper-active display panel that shows
the manufacturers name every time it’s switched on, cute! It does a dozen other
things besides, including showing little icons that are meant to represent the
various DSP options, it’s even got a screen-saver, to prevent the display
elements ‘burning in’ if it stays static for too long, fat chance!
The speakers are mains
powered, so in addition to a shielded coaxial cable there’s a separate mains
lead going to each enclosure, it’s a shame Sony didn’t see fit to make them
equal lengths... Otherwise installation is very simple, it comes with centre
channel and rear effects speakers and one ribbon cable (and a couple of phono
leads) connects all the units together. Most operations are fairly
straightforward, until you get to the DSP and it’s multitude of options.
They’re accessed and adjusted using a combination of buttons and a four-way
cursor control; suffice it to say all this fancy technology means the simplest
operation takes ages, but if there’s nothing on telly you could always pass an
interesting hour or two working your way through all the effects options...
PERFORMANCE
Providing you don’t stray
too far from the pre-set norms the system is generally very easy to live with,
and like its stablemate, the 5900, it comes with a versatile remote handset
featuring basic function controls for Sony TVs and VCRs. So what about sound
quality? It’s outstanding! The speakers produce a crisp, natural sound that
leaves most of the other systems standing. The power is there, you can feel it,
but it’s always held in check and only comes through when it is needed. The CD
and tape decks are heard to their best advantage; old, familiar recordings come
alive with new, unheard sounds and nuances that you never realised were there.
The Dolby surround processor benefits too, and dynamic sound effects come into
sharp focus, this is the sort of home cinema system that has you ducking for
cover as a Tomcat fighter aircraft screams overhead!
VERDICT SONY MHC-7900AV £1500A
Plus: excellent sound, with no apparent compromises that
favour either audio-only or AV material. Much of the credit for the sound must
go to the electrostatic speakers but they have to work with the rest of the
system which has been built to a very high standard. If you can afford it, the
most proficient all-rounder, for those who want the best of all worlds.
Minus: the price -- £1500 is a helluva lot to pay for a mini
system, even one as good as this. In the end you’re paying a premium for those
electrostatic speakers and some fancy digital processing. Maybe a little
over-qualified, if used solely for home cinema applications.
Value for money 85%
Sound quality *****
Build quality ****
Features & facilities ****
Ease of use ***
SPEC BOX
Features: 20-mode digital sound processor, twin cassette
deck Dolby B/C/HX Pro, AM/FM tuner with 40 channel presets, electro-static
speakers, karaoke
Power handling: 2 x 65, 2 x 10 watts
Dimensions (mm): 225 x 430 x 950
Captions:
The electrostatic speakers sit behind the grilles on the top
of the enclosure, they’re part of the reason this system costs £1500
A similar-looking CD to the 5900 system, though this time
the tuner is a separate item
Simple, uncluttered controls and unfussy cosmetics make this
system easy on the eye, as well as the ear
Unusual cursor control for setting sound field parameters
Speakers are magnetically shielded, to prevent colour
staining if they’re placed too close to the TV screen
SONY UK LTD Sony House, South Street, Staines, Middlesex
TW15 4AT.
Telephone (0784) 467000
CONCLUSION
A brave try Sanyo but the
SYS 994 is a couple of sockets short of
a system and will be struggling with any home cinema set up more ambitious than
a TV and VCR. In spite of a facelift the Pioneer JV600 is getting on a bit and
some of the components are looking and sounding a little tired, though the
laser disc player definitely has its attractions. Sadly the Sony 5900 could do
better, a lot better if it wasn’t for those combined speakers which sound
muddled. JVC’s G9 Adagio suffers to a less extent with speaker overcrowding but
it’s a brilliant design that should be on any shortlist. The Aiwa NSX D939 was
a real surprise, a little rough around the edges but very competent and great
value too. However, the outright winner was not difficult to spot, or rather
hear, the Sony 7900 is the one to listen to first.
BOX 1 -- HOW TO BUY A PRO-LOGIC SYSTEM
1. Whilst systems with
combined surround and/or centre channel speakers are very convenient the full
impact of Dolby Surround can really only be heard through a set of speakers
arranged around the listening/viewing position. It’s important to have this
option, and preferably provision for driving a separate sub-woofer as well.
2. If the system has a
centre-channel speaker make sure it’s magnetically shielded otherwise it could
cause colour staining if sited too close to the screen. If staining does occur
don’t worry, move the speaker further from the screen, the TV will
automatically de-magnetise the tube when it is switched on and it should
disappear fairly quickly.
3. If possible check the
system with as many components switched on and running as possible, to check
for any ‘bleed-over’ from other audio sources. If this happens there could be
an isolation problem, which might indicate careless design in the switching arrangements
or cabling. If the system handles video signals as well check to see if there
is any patterning or interference, caused by AV signal interaction. If it’s
going to be sited close to the TV listen carefully to the tuner output for
whistles.
4. How easy is it to get in
and out of Dolby Surround mode? It can be a real nuisance having to press lots
of buttons to re-configure the system back to normal hi-fi operation, and it’s
important for the main amp or processor to clearly show what mode it is in,
ideally from across the living room.
5. How many AV inputs does
the system have? Remember the number of possible sources are growing all the
time and it should, at the very least, be able to cope with a VCR, laser disc
player and satellite tuner. In the future you may also want to use it with a
video game and camcorder, will there be enough spare sockets, or will you have
to mess around the back, plugging and unplugging components?
BOX 2 -- SPECIFICATIONS
Price Score Power
System
AIWA NSX-D939 £750 13 2
x 35, 2 x 15 2C, CDA, T
JVC XT-MXG9 £1000 15 2
x 18, 2x 13.5 2C, CD, T
PIONEER JV600LD £1200 12 2
x 65, 2 x 22 2C, LD, T,TT
SANYO SYSTEM 994 £800 12 2
x 50, 2x 15 2C, CDA, T
SONY MHC-5900 £1000 15 2
x 70, 2 x 15 2C, T, CD
SONY MHC-7900AV £1500 16 2
x 65, 2 x 10 2C, T, CD
Key: 2C = twin cassette, CD = compact disc, CDA = CD
auto-changer, T = tuner, TT = turntable, LD = laser disc/CD player
BOX 3 -- THE BEST ROUTE TO AV?
Home cinema and AV
integration has come a long way in the past five years but there is still no
ideal one-stop solution. Dolby Surround decoders are popping up all over the
place and they’re fitted inside TVs, VCRs even satellite tuners, as well as
stand-alone components, AV amplifiers and complete systems like the ones we’ve
been looking at here. So how do the alternatives stack up?
Dolby-equipped TV are
generally the simplest option but they tend to be the least effective and can
be inflexible, using the supplied speaker packages. Moreover, they tend to have
limited opportunity for expansion and do not, in any case, function as hi-fi
systems. However, for those looking for a simple one-box home cinema package,
primarily for watching movies on tape, disc or from satellite, they’re well
worth considering.
VCRs with on-board Dolby
decoders were a passing fad and now that Akai are pulling out of the market the
choice of equipment is very restricted. Satellite receivers with surround sound
facilities are very thin on the ground too and don’t forget that these devices
do not normally come with amplifiers or speakers for the main stereo channels,
which makes them less cost effective than they might at first appear.
Stand-alone decoders can
deliver the best performance and are usually the quickest way of integrating
surround sound into an existing hi-fi system. Against that you have to weigh
the disadvantages of dedicating the hi-fi system to AV use, which may not always
be convenient when it comes to speaker placement, or indeed having both systems
in the same room together.
Building a system from
scratch, using separate components is arguably the only course for those
seeking the ultimate performance, with the money to match their aspirations,
but the lack of system integration is likely to be a headache, to frustrate
even the most enthusiastic button-pusher.
Given the choice, AV
amplifiers with built-in Dolby decoder and acoustic processors are the most
practical and efficient alternative to an off the shelf AV package, especially for those wanting to assemble their own
systems, on a limited budget, it also allows the user to choose the most
appropriate speakers. They reduce the box-count considerably and the better
ones provide a wide range of switching functions for various other components,
up to and including a complete hi-fi system.
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1994 1306
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