14 DAY TRIAL // Each time we speak or at least think about surround sound the image which pops in front of our eyes comprises a large number of speakers spread throughout the room and most of the time, the inhabitant of that room having problems finding either the perfect listening spot or the way to properly arrange the sum of speakers.
Now it looks like home surround sound has truly evolved and changed in something impossible to think of some 10 years ago: surround sound coming from an unique source! Philips, who have also spearheaded more soundtech endeavors across time, are releasing the Ambisound home theater system, a sound console which promises to revolutionize the way we think sound in the intimacy of our homes.
Besides the sleek design and the only 5-inch thickness of this wall-mountable piece of sound gear and its definite, precise shape, the HTS8100 (that's the codename) is indeed one marvelous ensemble of engineering offering in the end a truly immersive sound experience.
Philips has managed to load the bar-like device with five separate amplifiers which run with extremely precise parameters for array-processing and carefully analyzed driver positioning so that the surround effect is obtained by actually filling up the room rather than bouncing sound off walls and thus having to take care of other problems generated by the room architecture.
Ambisound sports a three-band EQ with bass enhancement control while the soft domes ensure a very clear high-frequency range. These features, combined with the proprietary Smart Surround system making sure the sound is properly distributed whether movies or music is being played through the HTS8100.
With less wires and less placement-related problems, the Ambisound is ready from the box directly as it is actually made from the central unit and the subwoofer: easy setup and easy operation, the HTS8100 can be yours for $999 from this year's second quarter.