Yamaha YSP-4000 (black)

Pros: Clear, strong sound with good virtual surround, easy HDMI connection, auto-calibration, good feature set, nice looking

Cons: Bulky, expensive, questionable for music, weak FM reception

Summary: I got this product at a ridiculous "open box" price, and would likely not have paid the $1,100-$1,800 retail price. That said, it sounds good enough to be a legitimate alternative to a multi-speaker home theater sound system. It's loud, clear, and suprisingly immersive, although the shape of my listening room is far from ideal in that odd angles and furniture prevent it from bouncing sound off the walls exactly as intended. Set-up with a TV, DVR, and Blu-ray player was a snap, and the auto-calibration mic seems to work well. I like the many sound modes, including two nighttime modes to even out loud commercials, and "my surround" to narrow the listening area when others are sleeping. The "my beam" mode does sound too thin to be of use in my opinion, however. I've played CDs through the unit, and they sound good, but I'd characterize the quality as "great boombox" rather than "stereo system," so except for perhaps a small room, I wouldn't suggest it as the main music system for anyone. The FM reception with the supplied antenna is, at least in my location, so poor as to be unusable -- an amped antenna would likely fix this. I have it paired with a nice powered sub and recommend this -- you will not get any "rumble" at normal volume without one. It's also a bit problematic to place. It was deep and too tall to fit either in front of my set or in my lowboy entertainment center, so I had to raise the TV on an additional shelf, which detracts from the elegance of the whole thing. On the other hand, it's a nice looking unit, with a sleek metal grill and a clear, unobtrusive led display.

I'd recommend this product in place of any low level "Home Theater in a Box," in all cases,and maybe over a mid-level multi-speaker setup if you hate wires or lack the room -- that's how I looked at it, and I'm very pleased. This is not a replacement for any kind of high-end home theater equipment, however, or for your main stereo unless, again, space is at a premium. This is also not the right system if you listen at "scare the neighbors" type sound levels. That said, the YSP-4000 does provide powerful, authentic movie surround sound with much less hassle. If that's what you're after, give this product a good look (and maybe find it on sale).