Overall sound quality, tightness of the sub. good quality amp.

a bit short of mid range

The system rocks. I can'n beleive the system can do that much... much more than what I expected. I planned to take it home just to cpmpare it to the Sony system I had before, and I ended up return the Sony system to keep the Onkyo. To me, the Sony just is not in the same league. My friend has a Yamaha cost about $1200. He said mine is way better. He plan to have me bring in my system to his house to compare directly someday. I love the look of the centrol unit. SO easy yo operate. The overall sound is just superb for teh price. It lacks a little bit of mid range. But, for hometheater it's just fine.

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Sony HTIB, Denon receivers, Yamaha receiver

Good looking, Optical-in & -out, good sounding, component out for DVD video. Easy to setup.

Remote too bulky & can only program a few buttons for the TV. No separate Treble & Bass controls. Speaker wires provided too short (only 2.5m). Runs a little warm.

In my country, Onkyo is selling this model as MS-105 (where the front speakers are a pair of floor-standing D-105F instead of D-30) or the MS-305 (all D-30 satellite speakers). Also, package here does not include sub (so I bought the Tannoy MSUB-10 to go with it). The amp's front layout looks a little different from that sold in the US, but rear panel is exactly the same.

I got it with the floor standing D-105F front speakers as I intend to use the system frequently for audio listening as well.

I was looking for a HT with speakers that can match well with my furniture. The other choices I had included Sony's DAV-300, Sony's SA-VE815ED and Panasonic's SC-HT80. The main reason for choosing the Onkyo is becos I wanted an all in one system that not only looks & sound good, but allows for a variety of other AV components to be hooked up to it (especially digital inputs). Since I own a Sony Mega-CD changer that has an optical out, this Onkyo set is the perfect addition as an amp & DVD player for my entertaintment system.

Since the package I got does not come with the sub, I can't comment on the bass output. But the sound coming from the rest of the system has been good for both music & movies. Fortunately, my Tannoy sub matches very well with the whole system & I have no regrets forking out the extra $$ for this Onkyo instead of cheaper options from Sony/ Panasonic.

If you want a good-looking & serious HT-in-a box with options for connecting your other components, this has to be the one!

Go to this site for more spec of this product in Asia:
http://www.onkyo.co.jp/www_e/nwpdct/nwpdct_asiasepa.html
(& scroll down to the MS-105 or MS-305)

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First HT.

REMEMBER...This is a Home Theatre package. That's what this product does best

Remote Control lacks other DSS control. Who needs TV??
It's a monitor now!

I didn't buy this for CD's and radio. How many people really think any of the home theatre packages do CD's well. NOT what it was designed for. I have listened to every home theatre package at Best Buy, Circuit City and a few others. This product HANDS DOWN blows them all away. I know, I paid too much but that's me because I wanted it now and if it was DOA, I could take it right back for another. Once I found out how to bring the sound levels up, it was great. Too bad everyone can't hear this one before they buy anything else!

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Any other Home Theatre package

All in one system , Good Bass from such a little Sub. Priced at under $1000. . Dual laserlens pickup for dvd or cd .

Remote controll not back lit.

For Someone with a budget of $1000 who wants an easy to set up, good sounding, great Video, complete Set Up I think you will be very Happy. I was shopping around with a budget of $1000 in mind and was a little worried I wasnt going to be happy with the sound in this price range. I took a chance and brought this unit home to really test it out . Pretty darn good sound on The Eagles "hell freezes over DVD" and "The Matrix" movie sound was impressive too .This is good for an average sive room but you would probably want more bass in a large room. I wouldnt compare it the $$$$ systems.At Extreme Volume the highs are a little bright but thats too loud for continuos listnening anyways. But I think you get alot of system for the money here.Could use that back lit remote and separate Bass and treble controls.

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Compare to Sony All in One for $599. This really blew the doors off Sony..

Excellent DVD picture quality. Includes Component output which blows away S-video or composite video! Very sleek and attracive design. Remote does just about everything. Speakers mount great on wall, and the subwoofer provides powerful bass for such a small unit.

Satelite speakers could have been a little better quality for CD's(i.e. better highs, and midrange), but DVD's sound awsome. Only 3 tone modes instead of dedicated treble and bass controls.

If you are looking for an all in one Home Theater System, then this is the one to buy. It blows away similiar Panasonic, and Sony systems I looked at. For what you get at under $1000 dollars you really can't complain. Go to www.crutchfield.com and look at the pictures that they have of the unit and see how beautiful and sleek it really is. The speakers are only about 2-3" thick, and mount of the wall with only one screw. The sub is very powerful for such a small speaker.

The unit allows control over setting the individual speaker distances and levels to suit your taste. It has S-video in/outs and component outputs (which is the way to go if your TV supports it) Component blows away S-video in comparison due to the color depth and clarity.

DVD's have blown me away on this sytem. CD's sound pretty good in the 5-channel stereo mode too. I would have like to have seen dedicated treble and bass controls, but the 3 different acoustic modes do just fine. (You can contol bass levels directly on the sub anyway).

So, if you are starting from scratch and want a great Dolby Digital 5.1/dts system then this is the way to go. Beware companies that are selling the system and are not listed on onkyo's web site as authorized dealers, because Onlyo will only support the 2 year warranty from authorized dealers. I would recommend J&R music world. They have been around as a catalog company forever, and even have a little flexibility on price. (I got mine for $790) Shipping was very reasonable at $30.

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Sony DAV-S300, Panasonic (all in one systems)

Excellent video sound/dts/Dolby 5.1, great little subwoofer

remote won't program for satellite systems, sometimes difficult to get into desired surround format

I am very happy with this unit and think it represents a real bargain for those on a limited budget or who want to
start fresh without the hassle of acquiring separates. The speakers are actually pretty musical and detailing of instrumental nuances is good for a budget system. The receiver/dvd unit has ample input/outputs for all the latest sources, such as Dolby 5.1 from a satellite broadcast, etc. The subwoofer is swell for moderate to small rooms,and CD listening is very pleasant, whether you choose conventional stereo with subwoofer or one of Onkyo's 5-channel surround modes.

Exellent video and audio output

I received this unit as a Christmas gift. From the amount of tv, videos, and music I listen to, this unit is by far the best I have owned or used. This small unit fills my room with the best sound with just simply watching tv or satellite tv. And when watching a DVD movie, my husband and myself were blown away with how the speakers handled the surround effects even at low volumes.

All-in-one design, Dolby Digital, great home-theater sound reproduction, digital i/o.

Mid-range tone gap, weak when playing audio CD's, user has very little control over tone.

My general feeling is that this system is the basis for an excellent home theater. However, for audio CD listening, it is lacking.

To put it in perspective, I hooked it up side-to-side with my existing system. It was comprised of a Kenwood VR-305 receiver, a Pioneer DV-626D DVD Player, and a set of KLH speakers (center, sub, front L/R, rear L/R). The receiver and speakers were low-end models and in fact, my left rear speaker has been broken for 3 months. So, from a performance perspective, I was expecting a considerable improvement by the Onkyo Envision.

What I found was that, when playing audio CDs on the Onkyo, there is a mid-range sound gap that makes the 4 Onkyo front and rear speakers sound cheap and somewhat tinny. Pumping up the bass with a combination of the Acoustic Control setting and the dial on the subwoofer itself helps a bit, but the clarity just isn't there.

For those that may have seen one of the Bose Lifestyles units, the Onkyo does not compare. In fact, it doesn't compare to my previous system either. My very low-end Kenwood and cheap KLH speaker setup actually sounded richer and fuller than the Onkyo when playing the same CD.

For home theater purposes, the Onkyo system is excellent for its size and price. I have only a few DVDs, the old standby (the Matrix) and the soon-to-be standby (Crouching Tiger). The Onkyo sounded very impressive when playing these movies, much better than my previous setup. So, the Envision Theater seems to suit its purpose well- as a theater. If you're looking for high quality CD audio, you may want to look elsewhere.

As a final note, I purchased this system from Crutchfield, who I must report is a general pleasure to deal with. I have been receiving their catalog for years, and finally made a purchase. I would recommend Crutchfield to anyone. As for the Onkyo Envision Theater, the jury's still out.

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Component System

Terrific sound, all-in-one system, unique unit design, unbelievable value, ability to add components

Some confusing instructions

We were looking for a DVD system that incorporated a CD player, receiver and speakers (including a sub-woofer). We in-store tested the Sony DAV-300 and a more expensive Panasonic unit: No comparison to the sound and picture quality of the Onkyo. Really. Enough so that we were convinced to spend the extra $300 on this system. And we made the right choice.

In sum, for an entry level DVD/CD/receiver for a room that is of moderate size (>14'X 20') and will be used as a primary sound source for radio, CDs, TV and DVD, I highly recommend this system.

N.B. If you go to a local store you may be able to work a discount, unlike at large chain stores like Circuit City, where they refused to work with us on the purchase of multiple items.

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Friend with Sony DAV-300

Nice all-in-one package. Good sound. Component outs. Digital input. DTS compatible.

The remote does not control other devices well.

If you are looking for a "Theater in a box," this is your best bet, in my opinion. I sampled all of the competing brands that I could find, and this had the best features, sound, and price.

The unit itself looks very sleek and has plenty of useful inputs and outputs. (I liked the look of the JVC unit, but no Component out or Digital in) The speakers, including the sub, are more than adequate for my apartment, or a bedroom / den. DVD functions are fantastic and there are plenty of soundfield options. I thought that I would miss not having a Bass / Treble control, but have not.

The only negative is the remote, and this is VERY MINOR. While it controls the unit well, it does not offer much in the way of capability for my VCR and HDTV. My thoughts, and suggestion, if it is a big enough pain I will get a universal (like Sony AV2100).

If you are wanting a top of the line, earth shattering system, then look at separates with very good speakers. However, if you are looking for a self contained clean system, with good sound (in the right sized / smaller room), then you simply can not beat this system.

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TESTED - Sony, JVC, and Pioneer systems similar to this one