Review: Sony DAV-F200 Home Cinema System

Overview:
The best thing about going to the movies is the amazing screen and sound that transports you straight into the movie. The worst thing is paying exorbitant amounts for popcorn and putting up with “Chattering Chuck” in front of you. To bring the best of the cinema into your living room, a home cinema system is required and the Sony DAV-F200 is a great starting point.

Review:
The Sony DAV-F200 home cinema system has 2.1-channel surround sound which will still afford you high-quality home cinema sound without messing up the look of your lounge area with cables and extra speakers as a 5.1-channel system would.

This BRAVIA home cinema system consists of two bookshelf speakers, a discreet-looking subwoofer that will blend into any background nicely, despite being bigger than the rest of the units put together, and a wall mountable DVD unit to really keep your home clutter-free.

The setup of this unit is very straightforward, with colour-coded cables to ensure you can’t make a mistake when connecting to your TV. The disc slot is discreetly located on the right hand side meaning no unsightly protrusions on this system.

The front speakers are slim with a stylish black finish. There is also an optical digital audio input (cord not supplied), which means you can feed in a signal from a Sky+ box and other sound sources.

We’ve established that the unit itself is on the petite side, so what kind of sound can you expect from the DAV-F200? Well, its surprisingly good. You get plenty of power from such a small unit and speakers and you can also plug in your MP3 player and radio to really test the sound out.

The massive S-Master Sub is excellent and really produces a booming bass with little distortion, which really brings your action movies to life. Sony has said that this unit has been tuned by the same team who work on its high-end AV receivers and their expertise shows.

The only thing is, as this is a 2.1 system instead of 5.1, you really don’t get true cinema surround sound. It’s giant step up from your normal TV speakers, but sadly without the wires and cables fixing speakers behind your couch, you don’t end up thinking anyone is coming up from behind you.

The picture quality is sharp and can even be increased by upscaling to 1080p when connected via HDMI.It also features BRAVIA Sync for integrated control with a BRAVIA TV or other compatible products and you’ll only need one remote.

We mentioned you can plug in your iPod ready for your next party, but the DAV-F200 also has a range of other connectivity which is admirable. It has a USB port to connect memory devices, mobile phones or audio players and play MP3, WMA or AAC audio files, as well show JPEG photos. There are also Bluetooth and Wi-Fi adapters available.

While this 2.1 system doesn’t pack the same punch as 5.1 surround sound, it also doesn’t pack the price tag. Coming in at an affordable £299.99, you will be able to upgrade your living room and have change left for some new DVDs.

The Gaj-It Verdict:
Design: 9/10
Usability: 9/10
Features: 7/10
Value: 9/10

We Say:
If you’re looking for a new home theatre system without the wires and hassles of 5.1 surround sound, then the Sony DAV-F200 is a great choice. Its ease of use and quality sound and picture will increase your DVD experience and with an extra cable or two, you can use this unit for all of your entertainment purposes.
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