JVC Home THBA3 280W 5.1-Inch Surround Sound System with Bar Speaker, Wireless Subwoofer and Rear Wireless Kit

About a month ago I started the research process for upgrading my entertainment system in my living room. I was operating on a 37" Sony tub television, Panasonic surround sound and Panasonic DVD player. Functioning was sufficient on all pieces, but I wanted to enhance my space and experience with a system overhaul. This surround sound system caught my eye as it functions as a soundbar (which I really wanted mounted below my television) and still offers my the 5.1 surround sound speakers wirelessly.

I was frustrated and the few people that had reviewed this product and became slightly leary that it was not going to meet my needs as no one seemed to be buying it. I cannot express how wrong I was. I finished my hookup on Saturday (everything for my television and soundbar have been wired through the wall using the Datacomm recessed wall plates) and it looks fantastic. The soundbar is currently mounted on the wall below the television which I like as I am using my new 55" Vizio as my HDMI point and its optical audio out (Toslink) to the soundbar.

Sound is fantastic on all three settings (Dolby Digital, PCM, and Dolby ProLogic II). The fade to mute function is interesting as I have not seen this on a surround unit before. Wireless functionality seems flawless in its transmission (I currently have my subwoofer under an end table and the wireless receiver mounted behind my couch on the wall - JVC customer support was fantastic answering questions about link of sight and distance from soundbar!).

Shortcomings are hard to come by on this unit, but I feel I should touch on them to provide a thorough review. I do not like that when using the dimmer function on the soundbar the red indicator lights do not dim with the blue power light. Also, my Panasonic surround sound system offered a slightly more powerful surround speaker experience, but the output on these speakers is more than enjoyable enough. It would have been nice if JVC would have provided some mounting equipment for the soundbar as it took some looking to find something that would both hold the weight of the soundbar and fit into the four mounting holes on the unit.

In all, I will be recommending this to others looking for a wireless option for surround sound. I hope people begin to see the benefits to such a unit and the quality of the JVC TH-BA3. It is a great addition to my home entertainment system.

I have been waiting for a system like this with REAL surround capability. The issue with the Vizio system is that is didn't have a rear channel, the issue with the Sony you had to spend and extra 200-300 to get extra speakers, wireless somethings to patch it all together and it wasn't "native" to the system. When the JVC TH-BA3 came out, I KNEW I wanted it and it would be perfect for my small house.

and boy was I right! I had this thing set up under my 42 inch 240Mhz Vizio (sorry crappy Vizio soundbar) in less than 1 hour), synched with the sub and the wireless and ready to go. I watched "The Patriot" and was surprised as the sound. Then I turned on some reagular TV.... that is where I got the REAL surprise! My wife and I watched the show Psych and during a scene where everyone was in the police station, the surround sound came alive. It was like we were in the middle of the station! You could hear EVERYTHING! Typewriters, people shuffling paper, people walking around. It was crazy! But the BEST part was YOU COULD STILL HEAR THE MAIN CHARACTERS TALKING!

My advice:

Do the setup and set the speakers up properly (measure your distances and enter them in as recommended).
If you cable provider and blue ray outputs to PCM mode .... USE IT!!! This receiver will take uncommpressed PCM (which is the "real" sound before all of the encoding and re-coding"). Set you bluray to the highest bit-rate (like an mp3 song 192 vs 90)... you will get rain drops instead of just "rain" all around you.... It is awesome.

GREAT PRODUCT!

CONS:

Inconvenient placement of the screw hole in the back of the surround but I was able to take the cord off the end caps can get the speaker wire through the bracket on the stands I bought (sanus)

Should offer mounting solution for front speakers.

Holes for mounting wireless reciever upside town, which mankes "JVC" upside down... dumb.

Dimmer dims blue light but not the red ones on the front of unit....