Given the Panasonics outstanding picture quality,
its sound performance is a bit of a disappointment.
Bass levels are plentiful, but the system doesnt
actually dig that deep, and sounds rather artificial
and limited with the excellent Solaris soundtrack.
The centre speaker has a respectable amount of
clarity, but sounds scratchy with some dialogue.
Moreover, the slim pole satellites require careful
placement to produce a wide soundstage, and
soundtracks can lack a sense of dimension,
sounding stifled by the subwoofer.
Playing Blurs Think Tank album is also a bit of
a letdown, and the SC-HT900 doesnt really make
a suitable replacement for a dedicated hi-fi system.
It lacks refinement, with overly aggressive treble
effects. DVD-Audio playback is similarly unrefined,
and is limited by the inferior specifications of the
system for the high-resolution format.
The Panasonic SC-HT900 has all the right
elements for a decent and well-specified system
and, if you are after a home cinema system with a
five-disc multi-changer for back-to-back movies and
music, it is likely to appeal. But closer inspection
reveals that the SC-HT900 is not quite what it
appears to be. Its under par sound lets it down, and
its progressive scan
and DVD-Audio
claims are very
misleading.
