Wait for 5.1 systems updates? or buy now?

BiGT- · 26 Mar 2011 at 02:14

So, I was thinking of buying the Samsung HT-C5500 5.1 bluray system, but I have a feeling that there will be new updates in line for Samsung and/or Sony for all-in-one systems, do you think I should wait or just buy now? is there anyway of finding out? if I email the companies are they allowed to reveal such information?

Thanks

Larkspeed · 26 Mar 2011 at 07:57

Companies will not give out information about when new products will be coming out because it actualy effects sales.

Say they let people know that they will be releasing some new kickass feature in 6 months, everyone will wait for the new model and sales will dry up, sometimes to the point that the company actualy folds before the new product even comes out.

There will always be something better on the horizon and IMO it's pointless to wait for the next one because when it comes out the next one after that is being talked about and that's bound to be better still.

I would just worry about getting one now if you want one and worry about upgrading later.

lucid · 26 Mar 2011 at 10:29

As all-in-one systems go the Samsung isn't bad. It manages to pack in a Blu-ray drive, HD-audio decoding (which very many don't), and has some inputs for other devices - again something that's often omitted so it's nice to see here, for not a lot of money.

Given that Comet have is for sale at £370, but discounted price is around £270, and the model has been around since May 2010, then I'd suggest it's about as cheap as it's going to get prior to the new model coming out. Chances are that what ever the replacement is will come in at close to full retail at first.... so are you prepared to wait and pay more?

TheVoice · 26 Mar 2011 at 10:57

I had a Samsung one, it was utterly terrible. Lacked some really obvious basic features (like dimming the display on the unit itself), wasn't properly compatible with my Samsung TV via AnyNet - a feature that lets you control the receiver with the TV remote - and it eventually become more and more faulty until I sent it back for a refund.

My recommendation would be to stay away. Get a decent Sony BD player and something like an Onkyo 5.1 kit, it'll blow the Samsung system out of the water in terms of quality and features.

Pug · 26 Mar 2011 at 11:18

£370 would get you a decent separates system, obv without the BD

BiGT- · 26 Mar 2011 at 11:59

The reason I thought about waiting for a new model is that the current systems out now have been out for a couple years so they are bound to have something in production, but I understand how it would effect their sales, thanks for that, Ill just buy something now.

The reason I am going for an all-in-one system is because I will be using it in a small room and a separate system's AV receiver is just enormous, I wanted to save space and a receiver and blu-ray player in something thinner than my PS3 is definitely a space saver. My TV is a 32" Samsung, i don't really care about anynet but the speakers will match the tv compared to the onkyo 5.1 systems, that are very good speakers but they are just too ugly, I know that shouldn't be a deciding factor but along side the enormous receiver and no blu-ray player I think the samsung wins. currently I am using an ancient yamaha TSS-10 and if the samsung are better than these then I will be happy

A separate receiver will make my 32" look like a monitor.

Lucid, I totally agree with you, you have made my decisions easier.

TheVoice, which Samsung all-in-one did you have? hope it wasnt the HT-5500.

Martynt74 · 26 Mar 2011 at 12:17

If space is an issue what about getting a soundbar type device?

Could then use the PS3 for blue rays and you just have a single bar in front of the tv

BiGT- · 26 Mar 2011 at 12:36

The main thing for me in a 5.1 system is the back speakers, without them I find separate speakers pointless tbh, I would rather just use my TV speakers.

My PS3 sounds like a vacuum cleaner after about 20 minutes use, I am not able to hear anything from the speakers while its on, so a separate blu-ray system with the 5.1 would be great.

TheVoice · 26 Mar 2011 at 21:26

BiGT- said:
TheVoice, which Samsung all-in-one did you have? hope it wasnt the HT-5500.

It was the Samsung HT-TZ325R with the tallboy speakers, but we sell the newer models where I work and aside from aesthetic changes, they're still much the same. Very basic, minimal functionality, lots and lots of cheap plastic. My Samsung system cost me a bit under £210 at the time and I was very disappointed with it, everything was very flimsy, very lightweight and didn't look or feel any better than the similar systems costing half the price.

In addition to the AnyNet issues I mentioned, the built-in fan was noisy (and useless), it would often fail to 'connect' to my TV or PS3 properly which meant switching it off and on again and then switching to the HDMI input on the TV in the right order. Even simple things were annoying; it was slow to start playing discs, slow to seek/navigate DVDs and leaving it on pause for more than a minute would cause the unit to stop playback completely (especially annoying when playing stuff via USB). Did a poor job of upmixing stereo sources into 5.1 too, whereas my Onkyo manages some quite convincing and impressive effects.

I'm not a Samsung hater, I have plenty of other Samsung stuff, but I'd never ever recommend their home theatre kits when there's much better stuff out there for the same sort of money. I understand you want something that looks nice and is small and compact, but when you actually see one of these kits in person you'll realise how cheap and tacky they do look. The Onkyo receiver I have is a bit of a big beast compared to the Samsung I had, but frankly it says a lot about the quality of the Samsung when they can fit an optical drive and all the usual audio receiver stuff, and still have plenty of empty space in there.

If you do get one I genuinely do hope you're happy with it, but don't be disillusioned into thinking that it's going to be anything special, despite the rather high asking price. It's not £270 worth of speaker system, by any means.

BiGT- · 28 Mar 2011 at 20:17

The HT-C5500 has received very good reviews and since it is a media and bluray player as well as a receiver and speakers I think I am going to go for it, I have 30 days to return it if I dont want it so I will thoroughly test that everything works properly, it also has 1 year warranty so I think thats long enough, I will update the thread with the outcome.

Thanks for the feedback