Entered CNET Catalog: 01/31/2006
SKU: MSHD-S
Manufacturer: Sound Matters Inc.
Manufacturer description
The MAINstage HD is a revolutionary multi-speaker console with built-in amplifiers and digital processing that projects high-definition sound that fills almost any room.Product summary
The good: Sleek console-style virtual surround speaker; supereasy hookup; accepts two analog and two digital inputs; dark metallic-silver finish; comfy little remote; remote-controlled bass level; flexible mounting options; optional stealth subwoofer.
The bad: The display should be more informative; other virtual surround sets handle stereo sound better.
The bottom line: Soundmatters' fully featured virtual surround speaker system delivers home-theater thrills in a supercompact design.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 03/16/2006
Editors' note: The rating of the Soundmatters MainstageHD has been changed since publication to better reflect its value compared to competing home theater systems.
Don't have the room for a home-theater-in-a-box system (HTIB) or a component home-theater rig but still want better sound than your tinny TV speakers? Consider the Soundmatters MainstageHD ($400) single-speaker surround system. The smoothly sculptured "console" design is a stately silver and measures a scant 16.7 inches wide, 2.5 high, and 9 deep. The five-pound speaker is a virtual surround system, but it's upgradable to bona fide surround with the addition of a second MainstageHD, placed behind your couch, and a cable that runs between the two units.
The Soundmatters MainstageHD has a pair of 2-by-2.75-inch speakers, each powered with its own 20-watt digital amplifier, and a top-mounted 4-inch woofer motivated by twin 20-watt digital amplifiers. The display's LEDs indicate the selected input, mute on, and surround processing, but we would have liked to see a numerical readout of volume level. The curvy remote handles volume, mute, source selection, surround on/off, dialogue boost, and an adjustable bass-level control. Placement options include shelf mounting under or over your TV--the speakers are magnetically shielded--and wall mounting via bracket.
The MainstageHD's connectivity quotient is above average for this type of system. You get two digital audio inputs--one optical and one coaxial--for your DVD player, game console, or satellite/cable box, as well as two analog inputs--one stereo minijack and one set of red-and-white RCA connectors--for use with anything else, including, of course, the iPod. Please note: The MainstageHD surround processor can extract spatial information from stereo music and Dolby-encoded discs, but it doesn't work with DTS. That's not a real problem since most DTS-encoded DVDs also have Dolby tracks (see "CNET's quick guide to surround formats" to learn how Dolby and DTS differ). A minijack subwoofer output and an output for connecting to a second rear surround MainstageHD, for the front-and-back combo setup described earlier, complete the jack set.
The matching ultra-low-profile Soundmatters Substage 100 subwoofer ($300) stands a mere 4 inches tall, 16.7 wide, and 7.9 deep. It weighs 14 pounds and feels as solid as a brick. The really cool thing about the sub is that its low-profile shape lets it squeeze in places that are out of bounds for other subs: feel free to tuck it under furniture or sandwich it between the wall and the back of your couch. Soundmatters bundles the MainstageHD packed with the Substage 100 as the FullstageHD for a discounted $600 price. Of course, for that kind of money you could buy a complete HTIB, but it would definitely take up a lot more room, and you would have to deal with a lot of wires and more complicated hookup and operation.
Allison Krauss's Union Station Live concert DVD amply demonstrated the Soundmatters MainstageHD's pure sound. Ms. Krauss's vocals and fiddle took our breath away, and her band's guitars, mandolins, stand-up bass, and drums sounded big and juicy. Bass definition is well above par for such a tiny speaker. Soundmatters' proprietary Dialog-Plus circuit improves voice intelligibility but thins out deeper voices. Thankfully, it can be switched on or off.
We watched The Fog DVD both with and without the Soundmatters Substage 100 connected to the MainstageHD, and the difference wasn't subtle. The MainstageHD on its own is hardly bass shy, but adding the sub is like bolting on a turbocharger. The movie's bump-in-the-night parts were scarier and the film's edgy tension was much more visceral with the Substage 100 filling out the bottom end. And the improvements weren't limited to bass punch; the speaker's soundstage was bigger and deeper with the Substage 100 in place. Once we hooked up the sub, we didn't want to listen without it.
The Zvox Mini ($200) gave the Soundmatters MainstageHD a run for the money. At first encounter, the sound from both speakers was more or less comparable, particularly with CDs. As we got to know them, however, the MainstageHD's sound was more refined, and its surround presence was more extroverted. It was also noticeably better than its similarly styled predecessor, the original 2003 version of the Mainstage.
Editor's Note: The rating on this product has been reduced from 8.3 to 7.3 due to changes in the competitive marketplace.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5out of 5 user reviews
Best price/performance available
Pros: Remarkably good sound
Cons: Source lights on the front can be difficult to see.
out of 5 user reviews
This was a great purchase. The sound is excellent with the subwoofer providing great bass.
Pros: Took 10 minutes from the box to being operational. Extremely easy to install and operate.
Cons: Not having any digital read outs is the only thing I would change.
If this system, for its size had digital read outs for the volume and bass it was pumping out it would be a 10. I hope the company reads these opinions and equips the next model with such options. I am very happy with the system and have already recommended it to my fiancee's father who came over to listen to a movie and really loved the over all sound quality.
out of 5 user reviews
A fine compromise
Pros: Loud and Clear. Virtually invisible. Easy set-up.
Cons: Virtual surround is just that: not real. Mainstage sound lacks warmth and richness.
The sound is plenty loud, but, in my opinion, lacks the warmth and richness found in larger speakers. It also doesn't have the sound separation I hear when speakers are 8 feet apart. The virtual surround is okay for sound moving side to side, but there is really no rear channel I can discern. However, there is a good center channel sound when you push a button on the remote. The subwoofer is, I believe, a real plus. It's small but rich and powerfull.
I have had one recurring problem with the Mainstage: the unit occasionally freezes and will not operate again until I turn it on/off. Crutchfield is shipping me a new remote (free), and hopefully that will resolve the problem.
If you're looking for true surround sound then this is not the product I would recommend. Break out the yards of speaker cable, convince your significant other that the the five or 6 speakers you've strewn about are actually good feng shui, and enjoy the movies. If, however, your looking for a system with pretty good virtual surround, virtually invisible, and will also play audio CDs, then this is a very good compromise. Try it for 30 days. If you don't like it Crutchfield's will refund and pay for return shipping (not bad).
out of 5 user reviews
Amazing sound, but as stated elsewhere, get the sub
Pros: Great sound, different mounting options
Cons: Not much bass without a subwoofer
This speaker is perfect for my size room (16X20) and would recommend this setup for anyone who doesn't want to run wires or has a smaller room that doesn't have space to have true 5.1 sound.
out of 5 user reviews
Nice sound from such a compact setup
Pros: small and compact, easy setup, no wires
Cons: bass is not very loud, minimum connection availability
I would highly recommend the SUBstage that is available for $200 more if you buy them as a combo. I bought them separate, and within a few days was back shopping for the sub. The bass level is not very loud without the sub.
The compact design is very easy to find a good fit. I mounted mine in my armor in the bedroom and was very pleased with the amount of sound that it was able to output form DVD's and TV.
I also played several CD's and was happy with the output.
I would highly recommend this setup, but be sure to buy the SUBstage bass!!!
Ok, after one year of ownership of this product, my view on it is completely different. The SubStage went out about 5 months after purchase. About 6 months later the Mainstage went out as well. I have contacted customer service and need to follow through with an additional call. NOT HAPPY ANYMORE!
Ok, after one year of ownership of this product, my view on it is completely different. The SUBstage went out about 5 months after purchase. About 6 months later the Mainstage went out as well. I have contacted customer service and need to follow through with an additional call. NOT HAPPY ANYMORE!
