Onkyo HT-S3300 Entry Level Home Theater System

The Entry Level Home Theater System with Great Features

When it comes to buying home theater system, Sony always comes to mind first. However, the brand’s skyrocketing prices makes it an unwise choice for people like me who is on a limited budget.

I looked for a home theater system that is affordable but does not compromise the quality. The Onkyo HT-S3300 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver and Speaker Package (Black) answers to this need, with its fantastic capabilities. It has its own share of pros and cons: I will let you decide if this home theater system is also good for you.

PROs

• The Onkyo HT-S330 is 3D compatible, which means that it can play 3D movies like Toy Story 3 and Avatar from my 3D Blu-ray player to my 3D TV. Sweet! This is perfect for the kids and kids at heart.
• The color-coded connections make it very easy to setup, even by a technophobe like me. I was able to set the system up in a little less than an hour but others may actually setup faster especially the techies or those who only have a few electronics to connect it with.
• Its black speakers have a sleek and shiny design that makes it look fancy enough for my rather minimalist-looking living room.
• This home theater receiver and speaker package boasts rich and full sound quality output! Its subwoofer is outstanding but not intrusive. I didn’t realize that this could deliver crisp and clear sounds with such small speakers and cheap price.
• The DSP Game modes available are just right for my gaming needs. I can set the mode to Rock when playing Guitar Hero, or to Sports when playing NBA Live. There are also options to set the modes to Action or Role Playing Game. It’s another opportunity for me to invite friends over for PlayStation matches and show off my home theater system.

CONs

• The cables are not long enough for our living room! I had to buy an extra speaker cable because I wanted to setup the speakers away from the TV. Keep this in mind when setting up your own—you might want to keep the speakers near the TV to avoid spending for the cable.
• The Onkyo HT-S3300 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver and Speaker Package (Black) does not come with a built-in iPod dock unlike other home theater systems. I would have to pay extra to get the optional iPod dock; otherwise I can make do with connecting my iPod using a cable through the auxiliary port, which is not a bad option anyway.
• Maybe this is why they did not provide longer cables, but the system might not be very suitable for larger rooms. I tried moving it to a bigger room to use the sound system for a party, but my guests and I agreed that the output wasn’t as impressive as we expected. Now it stays in my tiny living room where it can perform well and shine.