Samsung HW-D650S 5.1 Channel A/V Receiver

If you're in search of an entry-level receiver to process multi-channel sound and power your home theater, the Samsung HW-D650S 5.1 Channel A/V Receiver could meet and exceed your needs. It can pump out a total audio power of 600 watts, and it has 4 HDMI inputs and one HDMI output. That means you can easily connect your Blu-ray Disc Player, gaming console, set-top box or any other HD device.

Of course, you need stellar sound to really put you into the action. This receiver features Crystal Sound Pro, a signature Samsung technology that uses two internal signal filters to remove sound distortion and noise to provide you with crystal clear sound. This sound can be further enhanced by audio codecs (processors) Dolby Digital and DTS -- most DVDs and Blu-ray discs have a soundtrack encoded in one of these.

One more way you'll be able to fine tune your sound is Auto Sound Calibration (ASC) -- simply place the included microphone at your listening position and push a button on the remote, and the receiver tunes the output of each speaker to tailor the sound to your space. This process essentially "fingerprints" your space by taking into account unique acoustics present.

One of the handy features of the HW-D650S is Smart Volume, which evens out the loud parts of TV commercials or thundering sound effects on your movies. That way, you won't have to reach for the remote every time a commercial comes on, and you can also indulge in late-night viewing without waking the whole house or having angry neighbors come banging on your door. So, in addition to high powered A/V processing the HW-D650S offers a few things to make your life easier.

Besides all this, it's likely that you might have an iPod or iPhone -- and if you do, you'll be able to hook it up to the included cradle to widen your options for your home entertainment system. When you dock your device, you can enjoy streamed or stored content, right through your system. It's just another way this receiver helps to customize your entertainment experience. So you can watch a YouTube clip, listen to a favorite iTunes album and watch a flick without skipping a beat (as long as your iPod or iPhone goes online).

This receiver also has an MP3 enhancer, so it can put the life back into the compressed files from your portable music player or cell phone. When you play them through your speakers, they'll come out closer to the way they were originally recorded for clear, realistic sound.

But it doesn't end there. The HW-D650S also includes 14 DSP settings so you'll be able to simulate the acoustic environment of a rock concert, theater, even 3D-depth sound.

But if you're anything like us, you don't just want good sound and video, you want a simplified entertainment experience. If this is the case, you'll be pleased to find that your new HW-D650S has a couple of conveniences to eliminate any headaches and let you jump right into the action of your movies, music or games. First, it has an on-screen display with text for seamless operation, and an IR wireless remote for commanding your A/V system from your favorite spot.

Whether you have two speakers or a full multi-channel surround sound setup, this entry level A/V receiver makes a great foundation for any home theater system. Simply place your speakers throughout the listening space and sit back to enjoy engulfing audio to fully immerse you in your movies, music and video games.