Onkyo HT-S3300

I'm planning on getting a new Home Theater System at the end of the year, probably around mid October. The Onkyo HT-S3300 is rated very good for sound quality by Consumer Reports. However, it seems this is an outdated/discontinued model. What is the 2012 equivalent of this model?

I want a system without a video player that can decode the latest Blu-ray high-resolution audio formats, such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD master Audio. I also want it to have an auto calibration feature w/mic that works well. I want to keep price around $250-$300 or less if possible and I believe this old model is listed around $280 on CR.org


This is from the review on CR.org:

"CR's Take

This 5.1-channel HTIB from Onkyo has very good overall sound--making it a decent choice for the more critical listener for both movie and music playback--at a comparatively low price, making it a CR Best Buy. This model does not come with a disc player, so it's best for those who already have a Blu-ray or DVD player (or who'd like to add one at a later date), and who are interested in the latest Blu-ray high-resolution audio formats, such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD master Audio, which it can decode.

Detailed test results

Sound quality: Onkyo's HT-S3300 had very good overall sound quality, making it one of a handful of models in our Ratings to earn that score. The overall character is warm but slightly indistinct. Bass has good impact, but so-so definition and lower bass is lacking. Midrange is slightly nasal and a bit hazy. Treble sounds sizzly; lacks upper-treble extension and lower-treble detail. Sounds fairly open; but lacks fine detail and lower-midrange and lower-treble room ambience. The system can provide satisfying volume in a medium-sized room.

Ease of use: We found the system's console controls and ease of use to be excellent, and the remote control was judged very good for both features and ease of use."

I did a little checking and it seems only the Onkyo HT-S5500 and higher have the Auto Speaker Calibration W/Mic. Since that feature is quite important to me, which HTiBs in my price range have that feature?

Do any other Yamaha's have it? I did notice that the Sony HT-SS380 has it and is essentially a modern version of the HT-SS2300 I used to have. Does the HT-SS380 have sound quality comparable to the Onkyo I mentioned and the Yamaha you mentioned?

Consumer Reports lists the Yamaha YHT-493, Yamaha YHT-395, and Onkyo HT-S3300 all as having very good sound quality overall. However, it appears none of these have the auto speaker calibration W/Mic.

I read that the auto cal isn't always that great but on the Sony HT-SS2300 I used to have, it was very fast and very precise, balancing the volumes of each speaker (including the subwoofer) from the listening point and setting the speaker distances from the listening point to the nearest inch (also including the subwoofer). A professional audio calibration could probably do better even for an entry level HTiB like that one, but I was happy enough with the results to not worry about such things.

thanks but that's definitely out of my price range

do you know of any good HTiBs that have auto speaker calibration w/mic in my price range (about $300 or less) other than the Sony HT-SS380?

Valid points but I have one primary listening position and am not looking to spend much. So, a HTiB that has auto cal w/mic around $250-300 is what I need. Just trying to figure out if there are alternatives to the Sony HT-SS380 and whether I'd want to consider them instead of the Sony. I will be using my PS3 as the BD player, so it might be ideal to have a Sony HTiB for features like HDMI-CEC.

I was pretty satisfied with the Sony HT-SS2300 when I had it and the auto cal w/mic feature did make it sound much more balanced and seamless versus the default settings. I don't plan on upgrading the speakers so I just want to know if the Sony HT-SS380 is my only option or if there are comparable models.

So, are you aware of any models similar to the Sony HT-SS380 in terms of price and features?

So, there's nothing directly comparable to the Sony? If not, I'll just keep my eye on the price of it to see when I can get the best deal (probably later in the year).

I remember when getting the HT-SS2300 it was the only HTiB of its kind in terms of price and features. I suppose the same can be said in 2012 with the HT-SS380.

thanks, that's what I'll do

I will consider this model, though I really wanted to get the costs down to $250-ish for the Sony. Are the speakers real good on this HTiB? The Sony receiver is pretty good for the price but there are mixed reviews about the speakers.

I think I'll probably go with the cheaper option. The Sony Receiver should work better with my PS3 over HDMI-CEC and as a BD player in general. I might need to pick up one of the new PS3 BD player remotes so I can use one remote to control everything.

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/remote...ony-200-remote

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/remote...s/devices/6812

Are either of these any good? I don't want to spend more than that ($30) on a universal remote since it's really only for convenience reasons (I can always use the individual remotes that came with the source devices if needed).

Now that I've had the chance to play several BD movies on it, I've found the system to be more than powerful enough, have excellent dynamic range, and great clarity. The HT-SS2300 was pretty good but this system appears to take BD audio to a new level, at least by my standards. This HTiB really brings movies to life in my medium-sized room and even HDTV programming sounds quite clear and powerful.