Sony HT-CT150

Pros: 1). Sounds surprisingly good, clear and crisp
2). Many audio connection options
3). Lightweight, thin and short
4). Remote works just fine
5). Multiple EQ settings
6). Very easy to set up

Cons: 1) Remote can only control SONY products
2) No on screen display
3) No mounting kit

Summary: I went from a 7.1 channel 1000W Onkyo system with a 10" Sub, to this Sony HT-CT150. So, I lowered my expectations as it is not fair to compare a $550 1000W 7 speaker and a hefty receiver system with this unit meant for small spaces. So, I found it good enough. I had bought the Onkyo a few years back when I rented a house, and it was awesome, but in my apartment, I didn't have the space for more than 3 speakers and the sub. 4 of the surrounds were shelved for the last 4 years.

Design
The bar is lightweight, thin and short, making for an inconspicuous array of speakers which you can either mount on a wall above your TV or place it on the stand below the TV. I have it set below the TV. This causes 1 minor problem - the TV's IR port is blocked by the sound bar and I now have to raise my hand for the TV remote to work. The sub is sleek as well, and has a little display on the front, which is good enough to access the minimally available settings. The sub has Power Volume Up Volume Down buttons. The remote works just fine too.

Settings
My Onkyo had so many settings and options that I was constantly tweaking it and wasting time. :) With this, not much choice, which actually lets me watch movies and TV in peace. Pro or Con? For those who like to tweak their system endlessly, this is not good. For those who like plug-and-play with only some available tweaks, this is fine. You get to set the level of the bar from -6 to +6 and the sub too from -6 to +6. I have the bar set to +5 and the sub to +6. I have the system volume set to 21.

Connections
I connected my TV to the sub using an Optical cable. I have a PS3, which is connected to the TV via HDMI. My TV has wifi and I watch NetFlix, Vudu and Hulu directly from the TV, and also listen to Pandora from the TV which is connected to my wireless router. You can also run HDMI to the sub (say, to connect your PS3) and then connect the sub to the TV using HDMI apparently. But, this will not work for me as my TV does all the streaming. Either way, you get some decent options. 1 cable (included) runs from the sub to the bar, 1 optical cable from the TV to the sub and the sub is powered by its own cable. A very simple setup that only takes 5 minutes to finish.

Sound Quality
It sounds surprisingly good for such a small footprint. The soundbar produces crisp, clean sound (I played cable TV and Netflix), and dialog is very clear. The sub .. I am a bit disappointed with, because even though I try not to, I still compare it to the Onkyo sub. This sub is smaller and produces tighter bass, but I found it boomy and not room-filling like the big Onkyo. Again, this sub is about 2/3 the size of the Onkyo, so I shouldn't be comparing them. For my apartment, it fills the living room with crisp, tight bass, but I miss hearing that awesome rumbling effect from the bigger sub. Music sounded fairly decent, but again, this will not satisfy you if you're a big music buff. I listen to Pandora once in a while and do most of my music listening in my car instead. So, if you're a music buff, look elsewhere.

Who is this good for?
If you live in a small house/apartment and want to cut clutter, and wouldn't mind giving up the awesomeness of surround sound, then this is an excellent option. The main advantage of using this system is .. saving space and cutting clutter. If that's more important to you, then this system will not disappoint you.

*P.S. if you're will buy the Sony HT-CT150, I suggest you have to check for low price before you decide at: Getlowprices.info/sony-ht-ct150/

Hope my review is helpful.