Onkyo HTS590 5.1 Channel Component Home Theater Audio System Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this system based on reviews I read at a major retailer's website and here at Amazon. I wanted a home theater system without a DVD player which would offer flexibility. This system certainly offers performance and flexibility for the price. Many features and easy setup.
There are some easy and economical things we did to improve the sound. First, because this system allows you to upgrade the speaker wire, we bought 16 gauge speaker wire from a major discount chain for the center, front and rear channel speakers. We got 14 gauge speaker wire for the subwoofer (thicker wire passes more current to the sub and has improved the performance of the 8-inch woofer). We spent $14 for a coaxial cable at another discount store which carries the digital signal from the DVD player to the Onkyo receiver--this improved EVERYTHING--movies and music. We found speaker stands at a major discount chain for $78--speakers sound much better when they have a strong/rigid support. This may sound like stuff an audiophile would do to a $5000 audio system, but it all is cheap, easy and effective. Sound improved by about 45%.
We were surprised at the tuner in the Onkyo receiver--we're using a small Terk powered FM antenna and getting very good FM stereo reception in our hilly river community. All in all, for the small cost of this system, we're enjoying home theater greatly. We might spend a little to get a new sub at some time, but for now we're really happy.

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Onkyo 6 Channel HTIB HTS590

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NHT N-3CB Classic Three Center Speaker (Black, Each) Review

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(More customer reviews)In the late 1990s I purchased an NHT Super Center and 4 NHT Super One satellite speakers. Back then, owing largely to an amazing Stereophile review, these (well, the satellite) speakers were considered an exceptional value. I auditioned many speakers at the time and found myself agreeing with the consensus that the NHTs sounded as good as speakers that cost quite a bit more money. I was very happy with the Super Ones and somewhat happy with the Super Center. I use these speakers almost exclusively for movies; the Super Ones worked great with everything I played but the Super Center didn't sound as good...let's say a bit 'muffled' or 'muddy', especially if I turned the volume up pretty high, compared to the sound I got from the satellites. I ran sound tests ranging from pink noise to frequency sweeps, etc... and there was clearly something 'muddy' about the center channel compared to the satellites. I was still happy with it, but not totally wowed like I was with the satellites.
A couple of my Super 1 speakers over time developed problems, probably through no fault of their own but rather from being bumped off their stands and dropping to the floor. Also, I eventually upgraded my theater and I required a center channel that could handle more power. So I replaced all my NHT speakers with the NHT N3-B classic three series in December, 2009.
I am VERY happy with my new center channel. It absolutely sounds better than the old Super Center and has no problem handling loud volumes from my Onkyo TX-SR805 amplifier.
The only complaint I have about these speakers is the glossy finish. I have a dedicated theater room which is completely dark when we're watching a movie, and the more reflective glossy finish can be annoying. It's easy to fix by covering the offending glossy spot, but I would prefer the speakers to have a matte finish.

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NHT's Classic Series represents their best efforts to date in passive loudspeaker design. Classic speakers start with the design fundamentals that have made NHT's reputation for accuracy and high performance, and add new driver and cabinet technologies which reduce distortion and improve dispersion. The benefit to you is a more articulate, more musical listening experience. Optimized for use with the Three and Four models, the Three C uses two 6.5" aluminum cone woofers and NHT's new midrange/tweeter assembly to create a huge listening area. Designed to play well in even the largest rooms, the Three C is the ideal center speaker for high performance multi-channel music and movies.

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