Philips HTS8100

The Philips SoundBar HTS8100 is a stylish, clean-looking virtual surround sound system with integrated DVD player. It's inconspicuous and versatile, and its image quality is impressive. The set has an expansive sound stage and does a good job with peripheral noises

Packing Euro-good looks, this $800 soundbar from Philips has a handsome design and can easily be integrated with an Apple iPod dock for even more connectivity options for the home theater enthusiasts on the go.

Can the all-in-one soundbar really replace a dedicated home theater system? The emergence of the soundbar audio genre can be traced to two trends: 1) consumers’ desire to buy slender, space-saving speaker systems to match their slender, space-saving flat-panel HDTVs; and 2) consumers’ hatred of running speaker wire around the room. Studies show that people either leave their surrounds at the front of the room, which wreaks havoc with the soundstage, or they simply don’t hook them up at all, which is just a shame.

If you want more panache than the virtual surround modes found in your TV or 2.1-channel system, this could be the answer.

The Philips HTS8100 is a great option for those without the space for a full 5.1 surround sound setup, but its relatively average performance in other areas prevents it from being an outstanding product.

Philips HTS8100

The HTS8100 is an appealing enough solution but you’ll struggle to justify the expense against more dedicated setups that offer similar features

Although the picture is good, is the Philips' sound too weak to mount a decent challenge to its rivals?