The satellites all feature the same 2.5-inch "woofer" and no tweeters, and the center speaker doubles up on the woofers. The subwoofer has a 6.5-inch woofer on its right side as well. They all come with permanently attached cables, with stripped, bare wire ends. That includes the so-called "wireless" surround speakers, which need to be attached to the wireless receiver, as indicated above.
If you're looking to spend a bit more, the step-up Panasonic SC-PT950 offers front "tall boy" speakers and automated speaker calibration for an additional $100.
DVD, iPod, and CD media playback
Following a disappointing result from the step-down model SC-PT650, we were hoping to uncover contrasting results with the SC-PT750's video performance. Unfortunately, our testing only proved that the video processors found in the SC-PT650 are no different from the SC-PT750's. Like the SC-PT650, we will once again need to recommend using an interlaced signal from the SC-PT750 so that your HDTV can do the upscaling. It was this setup that allowed us to get the most pleasing picture from the receiver. Your results may vary depending on the HDTV you use.
Like the SC-PT650, the SC-PT750 also comes with a universal iPod dock that will support iPods with a dock connection (fourth generation and later). Included with the system are plastic dock adapters which will fit most of the varying iPod sizes. The dock connects to the unit via a proprietary connection interface and performs well. The SC-PT750 will even allow you to control the iPod with the receiver's remote; however, this is limited to basic controls (skipping tracks, pausing, etc.). If you want to navigate your music in more depth, this must be done manually.
The SC-PT750 also supports MP3, JPEG, and WMA playback off a data CD. These features perform as expected, and menu navigation was completely painless.
Audio performance
From the get-go, Bruce Springsteen's new Live in Dublin concert DVD sounded spectacular. The little speakers and subwoofer defied our expectations; the big band with horns, strings, background vocalists, and a thumping rhythm section were all presented with reasonable detail and a big, room-filling sound. The strings didn't suffer from the usual screech we've experienced with most small HTIB speakers, and the lack of tweeters didn't result in a soft treble detail. The Boss' voice sounded plenty big over the trim center speaker. No, the little system didn't perform completely perfectly; the drummer's cymbals sounded coarse when the band was going full tilt, and the sub's bass turned thick and boomy when played loud. At a more moderate volume, the sub was actually quite refined-sounding and bass definition was, by HTIB standards, excellent.
Rock CDs were well treated by the SC-PT750, a feat rarely duplicated by small HTIBs, regardless of cost. Acoustic music was clear and clean with good detail. The subwoofer/satellite blend was way above average, and that was one of the prime reasons the Panasonic scored with music of all types.
The World Trade Center DVD had its share of exciting moments. The low rumbling sounds of the soundtrack came through loud and clear; the little center speaker handled dialog like a larger speaker. Even the wireless surround speakers kept up their part of the bargain as no noticeable deterioration in sound quality was present. The wireless speakers operation was glitch-free, and closely matched the sound of the front speakers. Our main gripe was the SC-PT750's lack of dynamic impact; the soft-to-loud assaults you get from larger systems were scaled back by the Panasonic. The little system can't generate the oomph of a larger system, but even so, the sounds of little explosions and sounds of falling debris were plenty scary.
The SC-PT750 is an exceptionally well-balanced system. First, it's an incredible value, fully loaded with useful features, truly compact speakers and subwoofer, and above average sound quality on music and movies. When you consider that it's widely available for under $370, it's an easy recommendation for anyone on a budget who's in the market for a home theater system with wireless rear speakers.
Assistant Editor Jeff Bakalar contributed to this review.
What You'll Pay
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