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Sony DAV-S400 Home Cinema System
Sony (
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Electronics |
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£
199.99 |
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This item is not in stock or has been discontinued. |
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exccellent  |
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The unit is very much a nice package if you look around at what else you can buy.The downsides if any would be the fact that it dosent have a scart or s-video output but look around and you see other manufactures with higher specs that also dont have scart or s-v.With that in mind you can always compensate for little flaws buy improveing speaker leads to ofc and signal leads to higher spec ,which gives you better sound and picture quality and if you upgrade the unit you still get a better performance than standard.
So the dav-s400 is a good all round package for the price and ideal for a first time buyer but dosent let you down too much when you hear about other makes ,electronics are advancing every day so always be prepared to change ,you wont need to change for a while at least with this unit.
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Fantastic!!!  |
I bought this earlier this week, and it is absolutely brilliant. The set-up process is extremely easy, once you get your head round it.I was going to buy the DAVS550, but partly due to impatience, and partly because I found it so much cheaper for effectively the same kit, I went for this one. I "Christened" the system with Star Wars Episode II, and could not have been happier. The sound is perfect and the picture is superb (even without a scart). I am absolutely certain you will not get a better system...
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Excellent surround sound, shame about the picture...  |
...If youre familiar with Sony kit, youll know that its unusual to find something of this value. The DAVS400 is the little brother to Sonys pricier DAVS550, yet is still competently styled. It looks much like the companys older DAVS500 system, but has slightly slimmer speakers.
The features count is respectable too, the Sony supporting DVD-Video, SACD (Stereo and Multichannel) and MP3 CD. Unfortunately it only has Pro Logic I surround processing, alongside a whole host of DSP modes & "Cinema EX" modes - patented by Sony (which are best left alone). It also supports decoding of DTS & Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks. And also has provisions for connecting external audio sources via Stereo analogue inputs. And can even loop Video feeds if you want it to.
Its a shame then, that the systems performance doesnt live up to its Specification. But lets start with the positives...
The surround sound for DVD Video and SACD is brilliant, the speakers providing a respectable depth & accuracy to the sound that almost rivals Sonys pricier DAVS550 setup. With The Fellowship of The Ring the subwoofer copes marvellously well, delving deeper than youd expect than something of its Passive nature (Passive meaning a subwoofer that doesnt have its own power supply). And Stereo CD copes equally well, although theres no provision for Pro Logic II music mode with CD, which is deeply frustrating.However, switch to the Analogue stereo inputs and engage Pro Logic I surround sound, and it becomes clear why Pro Logic II was developed in the first place. Surround placement is sluggish & innaccurate and action is hard to follow. Id even go so far as to say itd be preferable to watch VHS or Terrestrial TV in Stereo, at it makes the action much easier to follow at times.
Onto the picture, and this is where the DAVS400 really trips up. The system only has provisions for Composite Video outputs, which is - by a long long way - the worst method for picture transport. Theres a lot of tizzing and jagged edges with almost all material, and the famous composite video dots plague areas of detail, whereby the picture is smothered in interference dots. However, its still an improvement on VHS, and if you havent spend the last few weeks with a stand alone DVD player then youre unlikely to find need to complain.
So why only three stars? Well, as good as it is, the Sony delivers a video performance which can be easily outdone by a stand alone DVD player costing £80. If you consider that it leaves £220 for an audio system (and theres plenty of them around for that money) that could also outperform the Sony, it doesnt leave the DAVS400 in the best position for marketplace domination. Unless you really cant afford to pay extra and must have a sony system, Id advise you to opt for the similarly priced Pioneer DSC303, or the far superior Sony DAVS550.
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