Samsung HW-C560S Home Theater System

You may want to inquire in the Home Theater In A Box forum, as well:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=109

One particularly interesting question is whether the receiver in this set is worth keeping in the long run, in case you decide to upgrade in the near future (because that's how we here in the Speakers forum tend to think--always looking for better speakers ).


Well, a digital audio connection will preserve the quality of the audio signal, but any mass-market HTIB (home theater in a box) will be the real limiting factor regarding audio quality, particularly the speakers. A system like the HW-C560S will give you true 5.1 audio, but it's not going to sound nearly as good as systems you could assemble yourself from higher quality components, although obviously this would cost significantly more.

How good the audio needs to be depends on your standards, of course. If you'd be satisfied with the audio quality of typical "computer" speakers, only in 5.1 instead of two-channel stereo, then at $100 the HW-C560S looks like a darn good deal--especially if the receiver is a decent one, because even low-end receivers usually cost more than this system. On the other hand, if you want high-fidelity sound, this system will not deliver that, despite the manufacturer's claim of "peerless audio clarity." What has your experience with audio been up until now?


As you've probably gathered by now, the answer depends on what, precisely, you want it to do. In terms of functionality and preserving the quality of the audio signal, I suppose that it will, in all probability. But if you want high quality audio delivered to your ears, then it will not suffice unless your standards are low or you aren't expecting much (not saying there is anything wrong with this--I'm not trying to be a snob ).

When I first started out in home theater, nearly two decades ago now when I was still a kid in college, I didn't know much about quality audio (all I'd ever had were cheap shelf systems and boomboxes and things like that), so I bought a HTIB, and it satisfied me for a while--even Pro Logic was a revelation at the time, along with having a subwoofer. But when I started to look into larger rear-projection CRT TVs (a 32" direct-view CRT had been the gold standard of home theater for a long time), I noticed that their speakers--large and of relatively high quality for TVs--sounded noticeably better than the speakers of my HTIB system. At the time, that was frankly embarrassing. That's when I started looking into hi-fi speakers, and realized that what I should have done was buy quality components from the beginning.

That's my story, anyway. In your case, though, if $100 (I paid a lot more at the time for my HTIB, and for others reading this, no, it was not a Bose ) can buy a system that would satisfy you for a while, and provide you with a receiver that you can use even with better speakers later on (assuming that you'd even want to upgrade), then maybe you should take the deal. On the other hand, it wouldn't hurt for you to listen to a similar system and compare what you hear with hi-fi speakers (you can do both at Best Buy, for example), so that you'd have some idea of where you are regarding audio.

In that case, the HW-C560S should suffice, especially for just $100. I looked around for reviews, and the impression I've gotten is that it's not bad for a less expensive HTIB. One positive is that the center speaker--where the vast majority of dialogue in movies is reproduced, making it the most critical speaker in terms of sound quality--is relatively clear and intelligible, which is not a given with budget HTIBs. The other speakers, however, only have 3" full-range drivers, so they probably don't sound any better than $15 computer speakers (although they should be able to play much louder).

The major negative aspect that keeps coming up, unfortunately, is the reliability of the receiver, particularly with regard to its HDMI ports. There have been issues reported on this forum, although most were apparently resolved. Nevertheless, you should be aware of potential problems like the ones reported in the Feedback section of the following product page:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882676160

Getting back to sound quality, a HTIB system like this definitely will not give you nearly all of the quality of movie soundtracks and music, and not the kind of "impact" that a quality system would give you, either. So you will be missing out on something, although you will get all of the sound in terms of the separate channels, the surround effect, and some measure of bass impact.

Lest I appear to be a snob or killjoy, however, I currently use a cheap Altec Lansing BX1120 2.0 (not even 2.1!) speaker set with my computer, which I picked up for a couple of bucks at a garage sale, and I think it's fine for listening to YouTube videos and even background music. In fact, I put on some Norah Jones and Dean Peer tracks just this morning, and I thought it was OK, even with no bass, dull sound, and a hollow resonance from the thin plastic cabinets. I'm sure that many here would be appalled, but I'm not real picky when it comes to playing things casually while I'm doing something else. I expect more--much more--from my main system these days, but then again I was pretty happy with my HTIB for several years. I just want you to be aware of what you're getting (and not getting). While ignorance is bliss, if you wanted to be ignorant, then you wouldn't have come here.

Since you're buying a whole system anyway, you might as well try it first to see how you like it for now. You can upgrade the subwoofer any time you want (I think that you will, sooner or later), and it may be helpful to hold off until you have some experience with a 5.1 home theater system and can decide whether and when to upgrade the speakers, and such (so that the subwoofer and speakers can be matched in performance for a given budget). There is no need to rush...unless you want to....


If "HD audio" refers to the lossless or otherwise improved-quality audio encodings used on video formats such as BD (Blu-ray Disc), then that is true, the HW-C560S does not decode these formats like more modern and higher-end AVRs do. I wouldn't worry much over it, though, for a variety of reasons. First let's consider your source devices individually:

1) DirecTV HD receiver (HR25-500) - For the foreseeable future, the most that DirecTV is likely to offer is regular Dolby Digital 5.1, which the HW-C560S can decode. I'm not sure whether the HR25-500 is able to decode DD into the full 5.1 channels or pass the DD bitstream itself through HDMI (it usually sends decoded stereo over HDMI), but in the worst case you could use an additional optical (TOSLINK) cable for 5.1 audio. Does the HR25-500 have a digital optical output, or is it digital coaxial? I ask because coaxial may be an issue on the HW-C560S--I tentatively believe it can be reassigned to a video input, but unfortunately the manual isn't crystal clear about the issue. If the HR25-500 does have a digital optical output, then you have nothing to worry about (except for potential 5.1 soundtrack issues that DirecTV customers frequently complain about, anyway).

2) Apple TV (3rd Gen) - According to Apple's website and everything I've read (just now--I had essentially no knowledge of any of these devices before), you should be able to get DD 5.1 through a digital optical cable (but apparently not through HDMI). However, my understanding is that some iTunes videos use AAC 5.1 instead, which Apple TV cannot pass to the HW-C560S in 5.1 form, only in downmixed stereo. In such cases, the HW-C560S will use Dolby Pro Logic II to derive a 5.0 soundtrack (the subwoofer will still be active, even without a dedicated channel), which actually works pretty well, although it's still not true 5.1. How big of an issue this is depends on what content is available on iTunes and other sources you'll be using through Apple TV (I have no idea).

3) MacBook Pro laptop - Read the following pages:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4241?viewlocale=en_US
https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0
If your MacBook is new enough, then with the right add-ons it should be able to decode 5.1 soundtracks and pass them to the HW-C560S through HDMI.

So one reason not to worry about the HD audio formats is that unless you're playing BDs, you're probably not going to use any of them anyway, at least for the foreseeable future. If you ever want to do this, then you have to make sure that your source device, whether it's your MacBook Pro, PS3, or dedicated BD player, can decode these formats (the PS3 does for sure); either that or you could upgrade your AVR. Another reason, at least for the time being, is that I doubt you could tell the difference anyway with these speakers--I can barely tell the difference with my home theater speakers, which are pretty "analytical," and maybe I'm just imagining it anyway. By the way, generally whenever there is an HD audio format present, there is also a standard DD 5.1 or DTS 5.1 soundtrack available (higher quality than before, too), and the HW-C560S can decode both as true 5.1.

Not to make things harder on you, but before you pull the trigger on anything, at least take a look at the following AVRs for comparison:

http://www.accessories4less.com/make...eceiver/1.html
http://www.accessories4less.com/make...ECEIVER/1.html
http://www.accessories4less.com/make...eceiver/1.html

These are factory reconditioned units from a well known and respected manufacturer of high-value AVRs (Samsung makes great TVs, but their HTIB AVRs are of lesser quality), and have a 1 year warranty. Granted, they still cost more than the whole HW-C560S system, but truth be told, the speakers and subwoofer aren't worth much. I have no idea how much you'd be willing to spend on a better system from the get-go, but if there is a decent likelihood that you'll be upgrading the subwoofer and speakers in the near future anyway, I think that the AVRs listed above, for example, are better deals than effectively spending $100 on the HW-C560S AVR.

It's all up to you, of course. If you think that you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of the HW-C560S system for a good amount of time, then there is nothing inherently wrong with getting your feet wet (and your appetite for surround sound whet ) with an inexpensive system that you'll eventually replace (as long as you realize that a home theater system can sound a lot better). On the other hand, many people opt to skip the HTIB step, saving the money they would have spent on that, and jump straight into a system that costs a bit more (not necessarily that much, though) but will satisfy them better and for longer. There is no one right answer--only what you feel is right for you, keeping in mind the information I've provided (and any auditions of speakers you choose to do). If you're interested enough in potentially skipping the HTIB step, then let me know what your total budget would be ("lowest cost that gets me something half-decent" is a valid response ), and I'll help you come up with some higher-quality alternatives.

Without listening to both, I wouldn't know, but roughly speaking it's highly likely that they're both in the same basic class as speakers found in largish flat-panel TVs, regarding sound quality. They probably sound different from each other, and you may prefer one over the other, but the only major difference, besides the bass provided by the subwoofer, is that the HW-C560S should be able to play much louder without unbearable levels of distortion (as a HTIB it had better be able to play louder than computer/multimedia speakers!).

Well, the center speaker may be better because it at least appears to have a tweeter, which would seem to indicate an effort on Samsung's part toward providing better sound quality for the most critical channel (I hope!). If you're unhappy with how it sounds with movies and/or music, however, then I suppose you could replace the front left & right speakers for a minimal cost with something like the BIC America Venturi DV32 (about $50 shipped for a pair). This is a low-end speaker, to be sure, and it's pretty small on top of that, but it should be a noticeable improvement over small HTIB/TV/computer speakers (if the center speaker subsequently becomes the weak link, then turn it off in the AVR's settings and let the left & right speakers handle the center channel). This is just one example--there are other affordable options, such as the Pioneer SP-BS21-LR, which is a larger and better speaker that you can get for less than $100/pair new (and sometimes Newegg.com offers them at $50/pair on sale).


It says so in the manual, and it's a pretty safe assumption these days anyway. The DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1 soundtracks can be transmitted through either the HDMI connections or digital optical/coax (selectable for each input), depending on the capabilities of each source device.


Uh oh...as mentioned earlier, this could be an issue--maybe.


Good idea--do that and let me know the results. If it works, then you're all set, but if it doesn't, then we'll only know for sure whether it can transmit 5.1 audio to the HW-C560S when you have the latter in your hands. The manual implies that each digital audio input is assigned to a specific video input (it's even marked on the AVR's rear panel), and that the only digital coaxial input is assigned to the CD input, which has no associated HDMI port for video:

http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/co...S-XAA_0616.pdf

However, page 31 has a diagram that appears to indicate that despite the markings on the AVR, the digital optical and coaxial inputs can be reassigned, as they can be on most every standalone AVR. If this turns out to be true, then you have nothing to worry about, but if not, then the worst-case scenario is that you'd have to purchase something like the following device:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=180-960

So at least there will be a true 5.1 solution, one way or another.


Your decision seems reasonable and practical. After all, we are just talking about spending $100 on a complete system that will be used with a computer and a small monitor, as opposed to a full-blown home theater. And it's better than what I use with my computer.


Makes sense to me.


No problem, I'm glad to be of help.