:D Klas~

Please post a review regardless. I haven't heard anything negative about this unit besides it being impossible to find. I am curious to how well it sounds and fits with you.

I got the unit yesterday, but didn't have time to play with it much. We just watched the DivX movie which didn't have surround sound. The sound was fine, but I didn't turn it all the way up (I am trying to be a good neighbour ;) )

My setup:
Acer 5920G laptop that I use as Media Center connected via HDMI-HDMI to Sharp 46" 1080P LCD tv and SPDIF optical out from TV to Sharp unit.

I am not sure yet if it's a keeper not because of the sound, but because of the size of the unit. I can't really put it in front of TV because it takes too much space and being silver on black tv stand and black tv it stands out too much (which doesn't have WAF)
So my only option is to put it on tv shelf (underneath the tv) which is below ear level. I will have to set it at about 30 degrees and see how it performs. Stand by for that...

As far as everything else, it looks like a solid unit, I like that remote has a lot of options for controling the unit. (especially the sub 0-6 levels)

So the only thing that kinda disappoints me is form factor, Sound bar with subwoofer would've been a better option, but I don't see any good alternatives at affordable price

Yeah those sound bars get expensive for the good ones, yamah ~1000 bucks. Thanks for the review Klas and it sounds like it makes good sound. If you ever decide to part with it, please keep me in mind. I would be happy to take it off your hands seeing how hard these things are to find. Good luck and happy listening.

btw, don't count on "Email when it's available" at Sears. I had it set before I bought it and never got email. I was just randomly checking until it showed up as In stock one day. (except now I get almost daily emails from Sears about current offers... arg!) I only been looking for it two days though.

Thanks for the tip Klas. I got it bookmarked on my computer at many websites, but you should feel lucky to grab one. I hear great things about it and its a shame Sharp stopped production on these units. The only ones avaible come in 3,000 bundles with big LCD TV's. I all ready have a 42" westinghouse so I cannot do that, my wife would kill me. When you try out surround more with movies and play around with it, please post more.

TJ

ok, I have good and bad news.

the good news is that it's a great little system for playing music as well. It even has enough kick for playing music loud.

Also, I discovered there are 2 popup stands on the bottom to allow setting the speaker at an angle (like some PC keyboards have it)

the bad news is that I am keeping it :) There isn't anything else that would be good enough at that price. ($327 after tax)

That sounds like good news all around. I will keep up my search for it.

I am yet to try out "virtual surround", but I don't expect it to be the same as REAL 5.1 setup, but SDSP10 s a great improvement over stock TV speakers.

I really has nothing negative to say about it besides being silver color and having a fan in the back.

Here is my setup in the living room.
The room is 12 feet by 16.5 feet. I sit about 8 feet from the t.v.
42" Plasma
Upconvert DVD
Soon to get HD Direct TV

Looking for "2.1 Surround Sound" for around $500-$600. Looked at YSP-800 and 1100 (Sounds great but $$$), Niro 420 and 620 (420 may be too small for my room but $ is ok. 620 a bit $$ but may sound better) , Bose 321 and Bose Cinemate (actually used 321 in a cabin we rented didn't give me warm fuzzies (maybe the owner didn't have it set up right) Cinemete haven't heard all that great reviews). So far leaning toward Niro, but I live in NC. Company out of Canada, they don't do any retail store sales. So I can't demo it before I buy. Doing a trade show in Colorado and Vegas, but I can't make it. Have I overlooked anything?

Here is my setup in the living room.
The room is 12 feet by 16.5 feet. I sit about 8 feet from the t.v.
42" Plasma
Upconvert DVD
Soon to get HD Direct TV

Looking for "2.1 Surround Sound" for around $500-$600. Looked at YSP-800 and 1100 (Sounds great but $$$), Niro 420 and 620 (420 may be too small for my room but $ is ok. 620 a bit $$ but may sound better) , Bose 321 and Bose Cinemate (actually used 321 in a cabin we rented didn't give me warm fuzzies (maybe the owner didn't have it set up right) Cinemete haven't heard all that great reviews). So far leaning toward Niro, but I live in NC. Company out of Canada, they don't do any retail store sales. So I can't demo it before I buy. Doing a trade show in Colorado and Vegas, but I can't make it. Have I overlooked anything?


Yamaha YSP-800 prices have dropped down to your price range.....Amazon, Crutchfield, Vanns has these at below $600.

Got the 800 @ Best Buy $498. price matched Tweeter. sounds great. in process of building a shelf for it. will update soon......

Built the shelf for the YSP. Ran Auto. Calibration. Episode I pod racing scene. I hear the pod racers going from left to right. Regular tv good. haven't watched anything in 5.1 yet. Maybe once the new season of shows start. Incredible for just one unit and a sub.

Looks like Sears removed the Sharp 2.1 sd sp10 from the website. I guess there goes that hope. :mad:

Trying to improve my sound, however I am limited as to what I can do, by cost, room layout, and desire to minimize wires. So I got the Zvox 325. It sounds nice, I know I can do better, but for the money it's a good unit. Unfortunately the only place I can put it is underneath the HR20 which is under a DVD player. Not good, too much heat. I could probably fit a Zvox Mini on top, sitting in front of the TV, but at what sacrifice of sound quality? The TV is an LG plasma, 50". Picture attached. Comments?

sorry to hear that Sears no longer carrying it.

on the other hand, It's a great little unit and I love it. I did notice some issue related to Virtual Surround in one of the movies. I was watching Distirbia HD-DVD movie and with VS on I heard some noise artifacts in quiet dialog scenes that really bothered my hearing. Disabling eliminated the issue, but I will do more tests to see if there is really an issue with VS.

Anyone else who owns the unit can confirm this issue?

Anyone know anything about the Soundmatters "Slimstage".
http://www.soundmatters.com/

I really like the look of it... much lower profile than the Yamaha sound-bars. But I haven't yet seen an actual review.

Pretty high MSRP ($899 for the size I'd be buying), but I haven't seen it for sale anywhere to get an idea of the street price.

Anyone seen any sd-sp10s in the wild? I cant find them anywhere anymore and it would fit what I need perfectly, sigh...............

Anyone seen any sd-sp10s in the wild? I cant find them anywhere anymore and it would fit what I need perfectly, sigh...............

I've been looking at the SD-SP10 for a while like my buddy tjmontano, but am opting to tryout a new for 2007 Pioneer HTS-570 system via a current promo:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/shop/product/details/0,,2076_310069643_432408694,00.html

It does spec out nicely:

Black Color

2.1/5.1 Flexibility

Pioneer's 2.1 DSP version of Sharp's "Dolby Virtual Surround/Audistry" called "Front Stage Surround Advanced"

FM Tuner!

Small footprint for Controller

4 Inputs: 1 Coaxial, 2 Optical, 1 Composite (For Wii users like me)

Discrete codes on remote for inputs for programmable universal remote users

DD/DTS/DPL II Audio

Does have bare wire speaker connectors on speaker end for adding to longer runs and to use other 4/8 ohm speakers

Pioneer Plasma Compatibility

I do like the 2.1/5.1 flexibility and not being limited to the narrow soundstage of the SD-SP10. Footprint of the controller (as well as the speakers) is very small for placement as the amp/surround decoder is located in the sub. Not many reviews available so, two questions remain, how does it sound given the 3" drivers? The discrete inputs codes are a huge plus, but will I be able to find discrete power codes to use with my MX-850 universal remote?

Reviews anyone?

Yeah, me and HansB have been looking for a long time for the SD sp10 from Sharp. Everything I have heard says it has been discontinued. Good news from some sources says that they will have a newer model out sometime this year called the SD sp100. But I cannot find anything anywhere regarding this rumor. This was told to me buy a distributor who used to sell the Sp10 units. Anyways, I will be interested in hearing reviews from HansB regarding the quality of the Pioneer.

I just found this Pioneer HTS-570 myself. It looks to be a solution for me as I was looking at the Virtual Surround systems and just don't care for any of them. I tried a few of them myself. The Sharp sp10 is ok but just did not have that great of a surround sound effect. I tried the SoundMatters FullStage HD and it was better but still not that great for surround. The effect is only good if you are direclty in front of the unit. My Panasonic Plasma is wall mounted in a corner above a fireplace and these virtual surround solutions just did not work for me.

I am looking for reviews of this but I may just buy one and give it a go.

ok I know, take these with a grain of salt, but it gets 2 reviews of 5/5 on newegg. Both people enjoyed the autocalibration feature with the microphone, and one at least commented that the quality is good and the sub can be a floor shaker

Well I went ahead and bought one. It ships on Monday. I will report back with how it works out.

keep us informed how it is compared to the others

It seems at this time (2 1/2 years after this thread started) technology has changed somewhat and we are looking at a new market for all -in-one speaker setups.

Where we were looking at ZVOX and Bose 123's we now see products from some of the bigger players in the indusrty.

Can anyone provide real life experiences with :

Phillips Soundbar
any of the Yamaha YSP's
or even the new Niro Nakamichi Niro1000?

It seems at this time (2 1/2 years after this thread started) technology has changed somewhat and we are looking at a new market for all -in-one speaker setups.

Where we were looking at ZVOX and Bose 123's we now see products from some of the bigger players in the indusrty.

Can anyone provide real life experiences with :

Phillips Soundbar
any of the Yamaha YSP's
or even the new Niro Nakamichi Niro1000?


Yes, it's nice to see some products worth a look for those locked into a front source.

The Niro 420/620/800/1000 look interesting. Look like big brothers to their older Niro 1.1 Pro. Priced from $695 - $1495 on their website.

Denon also has a new DHT-FS3 X-Sound Soundbar which is priced at $1199 on the street.

Nice to see more choices though most of these are pricey. If you're locked into a front source for sound, then one might be willing to spend that much.

The Pioneer unit is to be delivered today. Not expecting much considering it's cost...

Just a heads up that those Sharp sd-sp10 units have been selling on ebay lately. I got one for more than it cost brand new though. So, take your gamble if you are crazy to find one like me. There is one currently listed on ebay going for a lot. Good luck.

Just a heads up that those Sharp sd-sp10 units have been selling on ebay lately. I got one for more than it cost brand new though. So, take your gamble if you are crazy to find one like me. There is one currently listed on ebay going for a lot. Good luck.

Honestly, I would not buy one. I was not impressed with the one I bought and I returned it. Just my 2 cents.

I set up the Pioneer HTS-570 last night. Here are some initial impressions. I will live with this for a few weeks and see how it performs. At least I didn't pack it up right away and want to ship it back so that's a positive....

Unit was boxed nicely, two seperate boxes in the shipped box. One with the speakers, the other with the sub/amp.

Initial opinion was mixed….Fit and finish are great, all in a nice gloss black, and it better be since they advertise this as an accessory to their awesome Plasma Displays. But when I first looked at the speaker wires that came with this unit, I thought this has to be a piece of junk…..looks like 22AWG at most, the kind of speaker wire that comes with the lowest end of audio boom boxes.

There is sufficient speaker wire if you are doing a 2.1 system where one would consider cutting it so don’t worry about them being too short. The connectors to the sub/amp are proprietary, but the speaker end are bare wire.

I went ahead and connected all the speaker wires and the coaxial, two optical, and RCA jacks (to the Wii), set up the nifty little control box and powered it up.

Lo and behold it doesn’t sound too bad in the 2.1 mode once you tweak it a little. I have them set with all the speakers up front in a 42” wide HT armoire in a 12’ x 12” bedroom. LFE was a little pronounced out of the box and I ran their EQ analyzer using the enclosed mic and it smoothed out the LFE as I am assuming it set the sub’s volume to match the separates.

I listened to a couple of Tracy Chapman CD’s and they sounded okay in both 2 CH and surround modes. I then put it through some paces with some DVD’s I had lying around, Stealth and 300. Acoustically, I would put it up there with a mid to high end computer sound system, and comparable with the $500 HTIB 5.1 systems by Sony, Samsung, etc. There just wasn’t the depth that you would expect to hear with higher end components and speakers that have more frequency response, but what do you expect for $299? I don’t know where the crossover is with this set, and if the crossover can be changed, I would set it up a little higher. I’ll check into it later.

As far as the DSP, using the 2.1 Front Surround Mode in Focused and Wide field settings, with the speakers set in a stack 3 high……the sound field didn’t sound that great. Not surprisingly, it sounded more like a 2CH system and not the balanced front soundstage one would expect with movie watching with more separation between the sound sources. When I moved the Centers more towards the middle of the shelf, that made a significant difference in the balance of the front sound stage with the discrete center voicing and effects with L/R fill in.

The DSP surround effects on a two stack or three stack were not that great, but in a front source, that is to be expected. It was more of a wide surround, where the L/R surrounds seemed not to be coming from behind or directly to the side of your seated position but from the side halfway between your seated position and what you are viewing…..

I placed just the surrounds on top of the armoire and angled them outwards about 30 degrees and attempted to bounce the signal from those speakers of the side wall and actually got a better surround experience. That’s what the soundbars do, but it does require a symmetrical room.

Few notes:
When setting this up, after using the EQ analyzer that sets the system, I would increase the LFE a little, I like to run my sub a little hot, I like the feel and hear those explosions….

The limitation in the system are the 3” drivers. If one were to change out the speakers for others that are 4 ohm spec, especially the Center, it would sound better for sure….

There is a fan noise from the sub/amp unit, not too noisy but it’s there. Hopefully adds to the longevity of the unit….

Supplied remote functions flawlessly from a pretty wide angle, which would allow you to hide the small 2" x 6" control unit if you're going to use the supplied remote. But, I can’t find a discrete power on/off for my universal remote…..bummer. All other commands are great as they are learnable, there are discrete inputs on the remote so it’s almost a one button push to coordinate all my devices.

In a smaller room, this will do the job…….at this $300 price point, not much better out there.

HansB, Thanks for the detailed review. The Pioneer HTS-570 sounds like just what I am looking for to fill my small space with surround sound. You mentioned a price of $299. Is there some sort of coupon necessary to purchase at that price?

It seems at this time (2 1/2 years after this thread started) technology has changed somewhat

Hey, hey who are you calling old?

I am getting lax on updating post #3, but do check on it from time to time.

But to your point, the yamaha and the Niro had precursor products back then. Each was then characterized by having more accurate surround in the right room (yamaha) and a richer, fuller sound (niro). I haven't seen much to suggest these product lines have changed their focus in the newer lines.

I like (not love) my yamaha ysp-800.

HansB, Thanks for the detailed review. The Pioneer HTS-570 sounds like just what I am looking for to fill my small space with surround sound. You mentioned a price of $299. Is there some sort of coupon necessary to purchase at that price?


Check your PM...

Hey anyone with a YSP-800 did you get the Yamaha Sub or are you hooking up any old sub you have around? Would it make a big difference?

The sub is one of the bigger differences. I used a HSU STF-2 - although I am running it w/o it now that I moved the Hsu downstairs. I hear the yamaha sub is pretty mediocre. I am on the market for a replacement for the den.

Hey anyone with a YSP-800 did you get the Yamaha Sub or are you hooking up any old sub you have around? Would it make a big difference?


Got a Sony sub hooked up to my YSP-800, think I paid about $100.00 for the sub at C.City, sounds really good for a cheepie sub.

Davyo

Davyo, you dont feel like you lost anything with a non yamaha? Looks from the manual that the yamaha has a second connection so the YSP can set it up with the postioning setup, is that not worth worrying about?

Check your PM...

Hans,

I appreciate the detailed review as well. I'm looking into getting this. If there's a promotion you wouldn't mind sharing, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks!

Brgds

Evan

Davyo, you dont feel like you lost anything with a non yamaha? Looks from the manual that the yamaha has a second connection so the YSP can set it up with the postioning setup, is that not worth worrying about?

LFE is non-directional. Use whichever sub you like.

Davyo, you dont feel like you lost anything with a non yamaha? Looks from the manual that the yamaha has a second connection so the YSP can set it up with the postioning setup, is that not worth worrying about?

Using a non-Yamaha sub will not make any difference, the YSP will set up just fine with any brand of sub.

Davyo

I did an install in entertainment armoire with a new 37" LCD and a Pioneer HTS-570 system.

It turned out nicely. The system will go louder than anyone would ever want to.

I put the details in the HTS-570 specific thread.

Like most of you, I'm looking for an alternative to the traditional 5.1 due to space
constraints. The one-box and surround-bar solutions by Niro, Zvox, etc, look interesting.
However, something I have not seen discussed is the desireability/acceptability of
various DSP modes on an A/V receiver driving conventional speakers in a 2.1 or 3.1 setup.
This would allow one to avoid the wiring issues while enjoying the drawbacks of
"pseudo-surround", but allow one to utilize existing speakers, subs, DVD players,
CD changers, especially since many of these "one-box" solutions do not allow that
many input options. Also, using a modern A/V receiver allows one to use it in the
future should it become possible to add surround speakers.

Rick

Ok, I own the sharp sd sp10 and I think it is a great system, especially for the price. My question is there a way I can connect my surround sound headphones to the sharp reciever? Is there any outputs for sound connections on this thing. I saw one that says "subwoofer out", would this work. Right now I have to keep unpluging and replugging back in the sound cable depending if my wife is asleep or not. Any help would be great.

tjmontano,
I don't think you can directly b.c there are no audio outs. You'll prolly have to use a receiver if you want to use the headphones. I've heard great things about this system. How does it sound to you specifically?

There are 3 on eBay currently for sale so wondering how much you like the sound.

Thx.

I like the sound. I think it is great for sound. i can hear footsteps and soft sounds in movies. I like that. The surround effect is minimal for me. I don't really notice things coming from behind me, but it more like it sounds like it comes at you from the sides. Which is pretty good considering the price of these things. I would buy it again with no regrets.

I'd like to pick up the Yamaha YAS-70, but it's only got two digital inputs: one coax, one optical. Does anyone know if I can pickup a receiver with lots of inputs, run my htpc, xbox 360, wii and ps3 into that, and have it output to the soundbar? Does this work? Is there quality loss?

I've had the Niro 1000 in my home for a week now and I've decided to share my thoughts:

I 'd purchased the Niro system to compliment a 60" Sony KDS-602000 that is situated in the living room. The Sony's internal sound system is seriously lacking, but I didn't want to start adding speakers all over this particular room, as I already have a dedicated theater room downstairs (1080p Front Projector, 120" Stewart Firehawk Screen, McIntosh Components with an array of Magnepan speakers).

I'd first tried some of the usual suspects in the canned surround sound arena, but they all fell short of their claims. I will admit that I'm somewhat spoiled by the natural-sounding base inherent to ribbon speakers, and most of the boxed surround units I'd tried really fell short in this area. I was ready to give up on the one-box solution until a friend (an audio engineer) suggested I give the Niro 1000 an audition. He went on to say that Niro offered a 30 day trial period, so it seemed to be a no brainer.

After hooking the system up (one compact 5-channel amp, a compact sub and one main speaker housing that contains five speakers), I tried the HD-DVD edition of Firefly. Not knowing what to expect, I was somewhat shocked when the Universal Logo flew towards me, as I could feel it's rumble steadily growing in my chest. My wife and I exchanged a smile and then carefully watched the opening scene. The sound effects seemed right on the money, but the biggest surprise was the clarity of dialogue. The young female star, who has a tendency to speak quite softly, came across very clearly. Every word was apparent, even during background music and effects. And the bass is very smooth; you won't find yourself reaching for the remote during a sudden outbreak of explosions or crashing metal.


The Amp has three optical, one coaxial and two analog inputs. Digital 5.1 sounds extremely spacious and pleasantly fills the room. This system does not rely on bouncing sound off the walls, such as the Yamaha, which IMO makes the Niro much more versatile.

Another nice feature is that the Dolby Digital Pro Logic II option, which has numerous settings, can really help to bring a dull cable broadcast back to life.

The Niro does a very nice job with music when watching movies or playing background music, but of course an audiophile will still want his/her dedicated system for serious listening.

My conclusion: anyone looking for a great improvement in sound quality while watching a 40 thru 60 inch display in an average size room will greatly appreciate the Niro 1000. IMO, it's really worth the price for what it does.

Received PM from someone else about to try replacing bad caps in their Binaura. Aroused my curiosity, so I did some googles and came across

http://forum.ncix.com/forums/index.php?mode=showthread&msg_id=1463421&threadid=1463421&forum=110&product_id=26512&msgcount=2&overclockid=0

Apparently there is still stock being sold, and they are still dying :(

I've had the Niro 1000 in my home for a week now and I've decided to share my thoughts:

I 'd purchased the Niro system to compliment a 60" Sony KDS-602000 that is situated in the living room. The Sony's internal sound system is seriously lacking, but I didn't want to start adding speakers all over this particular room, as I already have a dedicated theater room downstairs (1080p Front Projector, 120" Stewart Firehawk Screen, McIntosh Components with an array of Magnepan speakers).

I'd first tried some of the usual suspects in the canned surround sound arena, but they all fell short of their claims. I will admit that I'm somewhat spoiled by the natural-sounding base inherent to ribbon speakers, and most of the boxed surround units I'd tried really fell short in this area. I was ready to give up on the one-box solution until a friend (an audio engineer) suggested I give the Niro 1000 an audition. He went on to say that Niro offered a 30 day trial period, so it seemed to be a no brainer.

After hooking the system up (one compact 5-channel amp, a compact sub and one main speaker housing that contains five speakers), I tried the HD-DVD edition of Firefly. Not knowing what to expect, I was somewhat shocked when the Universal Logo flew towards me, as I could feel it's rumble steadily growing in my chest. My wife and I exchanged a smile and then carefully watched the opening scene. The sound effects seemed right on the money, but the biggest surprise was the clarity of dialogue. The young female star, who has a tendency to speak quite softly, came across very clearly. Every word was apparent, even during background music and effects. And the bass is very smooth; you won't find yourself reaching for the remote during a sudden outbreak of explosions or crashing metal.


The Amp has three optical, one coaxial and two analog inputs. Digital 5.1 sounds extremely spacious and pleasantly fills the room. This system does not rely on bouncing sound off the walls, such as the Yamaha, which IMO makes the Niro much more versatile.

Another nice feature is that the Dolby Digital Pro Logic II option, which has numerous settings, can really help to bring a dull cable broadcast back to life.

The Niro does a very nice job with music when watching movies or playing background music, but of course an audiophile will still want his/her dedicated system for serious listening.

My conclusion: anyone looking for a great improvement in sound quality while watching a 40 thru 60 inch display in an average size room will greatly appreciate the Niro 1000. IMO, it's really worth the price for what it does.

Thank you Videonut! Finally a review of the new Niro systems. On that note, now I have some questions for you :) I have a small place (bachelor suite) and am looking for a theater system (htib or otherwise) without a DVD player and stumbled across the Niros.

My viewing space is quite small, with the viewing distance of about 7 - 8 feet, originally I was looking at Yamaha's YSPs but the lack of walls in my room wouldn't allow for great sound reflection. Since my room is quite smaller than an "average" side room do you think the 1000 would be a little too "big" for my space? I haven't found any reviews for the 800, 6 or 420's.

That 30day trial certainly makes decision making easier!

Joel

I haven't been following this thread closely since buying my Niro 1000 almost a year ago, but I thought I would offer my opinions.

For a short time, I had both a Niro 1.1Pro II and a Niro 1000 side by side to compare. I ordered the Pro and then a week later, the 1000 was announced. They were nice enough to let me order the new one and return the old one when the 1000 arrived. I did back to back comparisons, concentrating on the quality of the surround effects between the two.

First, I would say the two sounded similar at their core. Good sound across the range, but the 1000 had a more defined mid-bass and with the extra subwoofer amp, the bass was significantly more powerful. However, my living room is not that large, and the seating distance is about 9-10 feet. This slightly closer than the ideal range of 10-13 feet for the 1000, and I noticed this as less distinct rear channels as compared to the 1.1Pro. I also noticed (with both units) that the nearby wall about 4-5 feet to the left of the TV affects the surround channel on the left. The right channel surround sounds better because my living room is connected to the kitchen on that side, which provides a very large space and avoids the reflections from that direction. I plan on adding one of the sound diffuser panels to the left wall and seeing if that helps.

For those with shortened viewing distances, I would get the "correct" Niro model, as opposed to getting the "best" one like I did. Your results will probably be best if you choose the model that matches your room size and viewing distance. I am hanging onto my 1000 since I know I will move into a bigger place...eventually. :)

Overall, I've been very happy with the 1000. It certainly provides convincing and tactically useful surround effects when playing games on my ps3. The effect with movies is less pronounced, but for those of us who don't have the room for a full complement of speakers, it's an excellent package that gets the job done with minimum fuss.

Thanks for the advice gansan!

Now that you've had the 1000 in place for quite some time, do you think you'd be able to use the speaker(s) in conjunction with a surround sound system?

For example, right now I have a Yamaha 2.1 system and the speakers are fantastic hooked up to a cheap 10" Sony sub (which I'm going to replace eventually). For my room size it sounds great, albeit not surround but crystal clear. Now, in the coming months I plan on getting a full 5.1/7.1 surround receiver with potentially some floor standing KEF speakers.

My thoughts would be that the Niro audio processor would no longer be useful given the receiver, however, do you think I'd be able to continue to use the Niro Speakers with the new speakers I plan on buying? IE: using the Niro speakers as a center channel.

At this point I haven't researched timbre matching thoroughly yet, and it's more of a pipe dream right now, but technologically speaking, think it could work?

Joel

Thanks for the advice gansan!

Now that you've had the 1000 in place for quite some time, do you think you'd be able to use the speaker(s) in conjunction with a surround sound system?

For example, right now I have a Yamaha 2.1 system and the speakers are fantastic hooked up to a cheap 10" Sony sub (which I'm going to replace eventually). For my room size it sounds great, albeit not surround but crystal clear. Now, in the coming months I plan on getting a full 5.1/7.1 surround receiver with potentially some floor standing KEF speakers.

My thoughts would be that the Niro audio processor would no longer be useful given the receiver, however, do you think I'd be able to continue to use the Niro Speakers with the new speakers I plan on buying? IE: using the Niro speakers as a center channel.

At this point I haven't researched timbre matching thoroughly yet, and it's more of a pipe dream right now, but technologically speaking, think it could work?

Joel

I would say no. The Niro speaker is specifically designed to work with the processing in the matching amplifier. For example, if you play a test tone out of the right channel, you can put your ear next to the speaker enclosure and notice that multiple speakers are playing sound--but some of them sound like they are out of phase or otherwise processed. From your seat, the sound appears to come from a few feet to the right of the speaker. This makes it fairly incompatible with a standard receiver. Even if you figured out the wiring to just the use the center speaker, you are not going to be putting the other four drivers to good use.

So the Niro is right for you only if you plan on sticking with it as a complete system. There is some hope for future upgrades, however, because the Niro company provides hardware and firmware upgrades over time. So my hope is they will someday support HDMI and the newer HD sound formats as an upgrade.

Altec Lansing PT7031 MSRP $600-ish - sorry no link


FYI, I picked up the PT8051 (same as the 7031, but with a wireless rear speaker bar for surround) this week, and so far, I'm liking it. I replied in more detail on this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12626726#post12626726).

Here are the product pages:

PT7031 (http://www.alteclansing.com/index.php?file=north_product_detail&iproduct_id=95)

PT8051 (http://www.alteclansing.com/index.php?file=north_product_detail&iproduct_id=96)

Short version...really easy to set up, great for eliminating wires. So far, the sound's pretty good to these non-audiophile ears, although it depends on the source. So far, the best has been the HD DVD version of Serenity, played through my XBOX 360 HD DVD Drive, using optical digital output. FiOS TV varies from channel to channel, and standard DVD is reasonably good.

I bought the Binaura B102 with an amazing price of 150$ (new). It looks like the Canadian distributor is trying to clear the inventory (hope it will not die in the next 6-12 months).
The sound is very good for music and movies. I tried to use it for TV but I have to increase the sound to 50 to hear something. Nevertheless, when I listen to music channels on my digital box I have excellent quality. Is there anyone on this forum that had the Binaura for more than 2 years? Does it still work?

Future Shop has Sony DAVX1 on sale for 300$. Anyone tried both?

I bought the Binaura B102 with an amazing price of 150$ (new). It looks like the Canadian distributor is trying to clear the inventory (hope it will not die in the next 6-12 months).
The sound is very good for music and movies. I tried to use it for TV but I have to increase the sound to 50 to hear something. Nevertheless, when I listen to music channels on my digital box I have excellent quality. Is there anyone on this forum that had the Binaura for more than 2 years? Does it still work?

Future Shop has Sony DAVX1 on sale for 300$. Anyone tried both?

I would return those speakers immediately if I was you.

I purchased from NCIX. They broke in 40 days.
NCIX will not take it back.

They only have a 90 day return policy. To ship to them would cost too much.
A load of BS if you ask me.

Is there anyone on this forum that had the Binaura for more than 2 years? Does it still work?

I have had the B102s for at least two years, and I have just begun to hear some buzzing that's obviously not supposed to be there. I have heard that these Binauras have capicitor problems after awhile. But like I said, they have lasted over two years.

Jim

I would return those speakers immediately if I was you.

I purchased from NCIX. They broke in 40 days.
NCIX will not take it back.

They only have a 90 day return policy. To ship to them would cost too much.
A load of BS if you ask me.
What happened to it? Is it the same problem everyone mentioned (capacitors)? I really like the sound quality and I am using it just for watching DVDs, with the sound level never exceeding 40. How often and how loud have you used it?
Was it brand new or refurbished. I am thinking refurbished are better since they only need new capacitors.

I have had the B102s for at least two years, and I have just begun to hear some buzzing that's obviously not supposed to be there. I have heard that these Binauras have capicitor problems after awhile. But like I said, they have lasted over two years.

Jim
How often and how loud have you used it? Was it for daily TV or for DVDs?

How often and how loud have you used it? Was it for daily TV or for DVDs?

It was not used daily. Generally just for DVDs. When we did use it it was loud enough for a fairly good sized family room. I have used it cranked all the way up on occasion as well. The non-daily use probably had something to do with it lasting for over two years.

Jim

Does anyone own the Mainstagehd? If so do they own an LG BH200 as well???

I bought the Binaura 102ac and experienced the same problem reported by other AVSers -- blown capacitors after less than a year's very light use. Binaura basically told me to buzz off when I contacted them. This problem is so consistent over so many users, I'd stay away from their products no matter how attractive the price seems.

I see that the YSP-800 inventory at Amazon (and elsewhere) is being dumped to make room for the -900. Prices are now well below $500; seems like a good deal?

I pieced together a YSP-800 and a YST-FSW100 for 520.00 shipped to my door. $400.00 shipped for the YSP and $120.00 ish for the sub..both via ebay sellers.

Has anyone tried the Niro 800/1000, the Yamaha YSP 4000 and the Binaura 202?

Just wondering how different they all are.

Most folks only try a couple of these. You can read through the thread for reviews of older models. I would avoid the Binaura, it has a history of failures.

I will be setting up an LCD over a fireplace (heat checked - it's fine) and all the cables will be running there via some conduit in the walls. Connections to cable box/DVR, ReplayTV, DVD player, and Xbox. My problem - my family doesn't want a HT speaker set up, and even a center channel & two side mounted speakers have been rejected. A single speaker like the YSP-4000 w/amp seems like a great solution - I would use the TV as the switch and just send an audio signal to the speaker/amp.

But that means I don't need any fancy processing or throughput capability - just good sound (given the limitation) from the speaker/amp combo. Does anyone have a recommendation for this setup? Price is an issue, but given what I might expect to pay for a 52" Sony (W3000 or one of the new models), I'd rather install once and have something I can live with for years.

Thank you.

Due to space and budget concerns, I'm not in the market for a five-speaker system, so seeing the NIRO at Magnolia in Bellevue, WA today was a real "ear-opener."

One speaker on top of the TV and a subwoofer created OUTSTANDING sound and with "phasing" plus other techno-nuclear advancements, this one box (with five internal speakers) produced a wonderful stereo-plus effect that had planes from "Pearl Harbor" flying OVER MY HEAD. Solid bass from the woofer too. Very clear and crisp speech from whispered voices during "Jurrasic Park."

What's more, the small 800 system was nearly as good, just slightly less bass from what my ears could tell, but still plenty for a smaller listening/viewing area.

If it was up to me right now, I'd buy the 1000 model for the living room and the 800 for the bedroom. $1,600 and $1,200 respectively.

True: I haven't heard everything, but the Niro systems will more than work.

Due to space and budget concerns, I'm not in the market for a five-speaker system, so seeing the NIRO at Magnolia in Bellevue, WA today was a real "ear-opener."

I've had a Niro 800 in the media room for a few years now. It's very clear and detailed (even great for music). The subwoofer can really pound out the LF without drawing attention to itself. Watching "Polar Express", my wife and I both felt like the train was right in the room, incredible.

I wonder if they'll put out a version with HDMI input someday? For now, SPDIF works great.

Lots of great info here, I think I've decided to wait awhile for a sale (or hopefully a unit on eBay) and get a Zvox Z-Base 550. Looks like its a newer unit and according to their website it's perfect for flat panel TVs such as mine. Here is the link:

http://www.zvoxaudio.com/cgi-bin/item/4005501

zvox 550 is also in my interest list. But don't hold your breath waiting for the price to go lower anytime soon or ever. If you notice their older models, their price have been the same since they came out for years..


Niro 800/1000 seems like droolingly good, but they are so much more expensive..wish i had the cash..

...just not on the 550. On their web page, most (if not all) of their other units are on sale - I believe through the end of this month (January 2009). I am also interested in the 550, but I think because it was recently introduced it is not included in this sale. And they have free shipping as well. Now, if I can just convince my DW we need one ;).

I just purchased the Niro 800 system the other day. What's a good price for that system? I paid $1399CDN plus tax shipped. I was able to talk the sales rep down $50, and get free shipping. I'm just wondering if I was fleeced, since it seems like Niro is discontinuing that system.

WG

I just purchased the Niro 800 system the other day. What's a good price for that system? I paid $1399CDN plus tax shipped. I was able to talk the sales rep down $50, and get free shipping. I'm just wondering if I was fleeced, since it seems like Niro is discontinuing that system.

WG

It's tough to say what's a fair price today - I haven't seen one offered in a long time. But I would sat that $1400 CDN is at the upper end of the spectrum. On the other hand, the Niro is a good system and you do get what you pay for.

Jim

It's tough to say what's a fair price today - I haven't seen one offered in a long time. But I would sat that $1400 CDN is at the upper end of the spectrum. On the other hand, the Niro is a good system and you do get what you pay for.

Jim

I'm thinkin I got a decent deal since the price on the US site for the Niro 800 is $1399USD, and the price of the Niro 620 on the Canadian site is $1399CDN. I guess you're also right in saying that you do get what you pay for, considering Niro has a reputation for making a great sound bar.

WG

Lots of great info here, I think I've decided to wait awhile for a sale (or hopefully a unit on eBay) and get a Zvox Z-Base 550. Looks like its a newer unit and according to their website it's perfect for flat panel TVs such as mine. Here is the link:

http://www.zvoxaudio.com/cgi-bin/item/4005501


I purchased a Zvox Z-base 550 on ebay. I have it paired with a 40" Toshiba lcd in the bedroom. I have to say I'm impressed. It sounds far superior to the tv speakers. While it would never replace a proper surround system, I have already recommended it to friends that are using tv speakers and are content because they either don't know any better or don't want to tackle a true surround sound system with multiple speakers.

Where this unit excells is with music. It sounds lively and natural. If you were going to make this the focal point in your living room, you would probably want to add a sub. It cannot produce the wide dynamics of an action movie, but it will flesh out the sound of most scenes and add a sense of presence.

I did not have the opportunity to audition before purchasing, I only found info through this forum and online reviews. I can say I will not be returning the unit during the 30 day trial period.

Hi,

I had some questions for those of you that own a Niro system. I have the Niro 800 System.

1) Do you have the LOUD setting turned on? (Mine is set to enabled)
2) What do you have the Surround Mode set on? Do you change it based on what you're watching? (I set mine to PLII Auto for everything)
3) What is the preferred setting for Surround Channel Listening Mode? (I set mine to enhanced instead of natural)
4) How is your speaker setup? Does it sit on top of your TV, below your TV, etc... What is the preferred way to set it up? (Mine is currently resting below the TV on the stand facing straight out)

Please advise. BTW, the system sounds great, I just don't want to limit the it because I set something up incorrectly.

TIA,
WG

For those of you using Niro systems with a PS3, make sure you set your optical audio output setting to Bitstream instead of LPCM. Initially, when I purchased my Niro 800, the guy told me to set my PS3 to LPCM and let the Niro do the rest.... wrong!

I finally did some digging around recently, and learned the following.

Optical audio
- Can't output lossless audio tracks(i.e. TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc.).
- When a lossless track is selected, the receiver will cut the extra parts and drop the audio back down to non-lossless audio(i.e. DD, DTS, etc.).
- Bitstream is the better choice for audio output.

HDMI audio
- Can output all types of audio tracks, including lossless.
- LPCM is the preferred audio output choice.
- For PS3 slims, LPCM and Bitstream will work for lossless audio tracks.
- Older PS3s will properly output lossless audio tracks ONLY if LPCM is selected.

Unless Niro has changed the connectors on their newer amps to allow HDMI audio input(doubtful), bitstream should be selected as the audio output on your PS3 or blu-ray player whenever possible. This is because the Niro systems only accept optical input.

Hope this helps.

WG

I am experimenting with a Zvox 550. Has anyone been able to program their UR5U-8400 universal remote (time warner scientific american 8300 DVR) to control the zvox volume. My Panny TCP46G10 does not have adjustable external volume outputs-that i can tell

Zevox offers 4 digit remote codes in their manual but this remote, to my knowledge only offers three digit codes.

Thanks all for the help from a newbie.

Full disclosure - this is Tom from ZVOXAudio.com. I've used a Mini with an iPod for years. Sounds great. Dan Frakes at MacWorld liked it too -- http://www.macworld.com/article/51727/2006/07/zvoxmini.html
Check Ebay -- we often have refurb Minis at good prices.

Tom, what subwoofer would you recommend for the zvox 325? Any of the wireless subs (polk) compatible?

I think the whole HDMI/lossless codec goal for soundbars may well be overblown. It is unclear whether most folks under double-blind conditions with much higher quality equipment can consistently identify lossless compared to lossy. Now everyone's ears and perception are different, so perhaps if you have golden ears, you truly can. However, a soundbar likely doesn't have the quality and sensitivity to truly tell from an abx/double blind study of lossless vs. lossy.
Now it's always nice to know you have the lossless, but if you have a soundbar or a much higher level system, you're likely doing just fine if you don't have hdmi and use lossless codecs.

Hi,

I was stumbling past the Niro website and I happened to notice that there is a closeout sale happening.

I'm a big fan of Mr. Nakamichi and his line of products are simple and effective.

They are expensive, but you get what you pay for.

I have two of his systems and find them extremely satisfying. Your mileage may vary, as they say.

http://us.niro1.com/

Thanks