Best Buy: Samsung HT-TXQ120 DVD Home Theater System

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The top of Samsung HT-TXQ120 all-black combination is a vertical DVD receiver. Standing tall at 1.32m and clothe from top to bottom in shiny finish, the unit is good crafted yet functional with an integrated cable management. User feedback here is handled by a retro-like LED array. This displays information in soothing blue which ranges from input sources to MP3 track name and elapse time. For additional wow, Samsung is throwing in a slot-in disc drive and quality brushed-metal buttons, all neatly tucked away on a recessed panel by the right.

Samsung HT-TXQ120 is ready for wireless connection and is also ready for an XM satellite radio. It too has a USB host and can support image and audio formats such as MP3s, DivXs, WMAs and JPEGs. Having an HDMI input and 1080i up conversion and CEC outputs is also one of its features.

But what really differentiates this Samsung from the crowd is its sizeable active subwoofer. Measuring 270 x 420 x 489mm, it has the cabinet volume rivaling separate equivalents and the right ingredients for deep low-end delivery. For example, it has a relatively large side-firing driver and a narrow-but-wide bass reflex port. Unlike other passive solutions, this sub also houses the multichannel audio amplifier and an expansion slot. The latter supports cable-free surround sound via its optional SWA-3000 wireless transmitter card.

Short of supporting the latest HD-DVD and Blu-ray formats (more on this later), the TXQ120 is the next closest universal player capable of playing back almost all known optical disc formats on shelves. Aside from CD, DVD and their +R/-R recordables, it will also readily accept multichannel Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio. Last but not least, many popular multimedia files are playable on disc and via the receiver’s USB port. Their makes include MP3, WMA, JPEG, DivX and WMV.

On the whole, the results were satisfactory as evidenced in subsequent evaluations. That said, the calibrated results were not reflected onscreen due to a compatibility issue. These were still registered as factory default leaving us with no means to verify parameters such as speaker delay. Another known design issue was the DVD playback video resolution which reset to 480p whenever the input was toggled. Its representative claimed this was meant for non-HD-ready TVs but it's difficult to comprehend why such a situation arises at all.

Moving onto music reproduction, the height-optimized TQX-120 delivered excellent stereo imaging and a subtle forward-sounding soundstage. Most musical instruments here were favorably reproduced, while bass was well integrated and not overpowering.

Pros:
Rock solid stereo and surround reproduction; deep and tight bass; sleek and stylish design; SACD and DVD-audio playback; comprehensive connectivity; wireless upgradeable.
Cons:
Above-average video playback; inconvenient USB port placement; pricey.

After All:
The Samsung HT-TXQ120 is a rock solid audio system that rivals component-level kits in sound quality. This, however, is not the case for the video department with its above-average visuals.

Buy Samsung HT-TXQ120