CNET Editor's rating: 7.3 out of 10
Reviewed by
Steve Guttenberg
Review date: 07/05/07
Release date: 01/07/07
The good: Feature-packed, budget-priced home theater in a box with wireless surround speakers; HDMI output with 720p/1080i/1080p video upscaling; includes iPod dock; impressive sound from small speakers; tiny, but powerful subwoofer; XM Satellite radio ready.
The bad: Spotty connectivity suite--no digital audio inputs, no video inputs; lackluster DVD upscaling quality.
The bottom line: While it's short on inputs, Panasonic's affordable SC-PT750 delivers DVD upscaling, wireless surround speakers, an iPod dock, and some surprisingly decent sound quality for a great price.
Panasonic offers at least half a dozen home-theater-in-a-box systems (HTIBs) for 2007, and telling the difference between them can sometimes be a challenge. The entry-level SC-PT650 model, for instance, includes a five-disc CD/DVD changer, HDMI output with 1080p upscaling, XM satellite compatibility, and an included iPod dock--all of which were once high-end, upscale features--for an amazing $300 list price (and even less online). But for less than $100 more--in some cases, a lot less--the step-up SC-PT750 model adds a stately black color and an included wireless rear-speaker system. Its microsized subwoofer packs quite a wallop, and its overall sound quality is surprisingly accomplished considering its price tag. All in all, the SC-PT750 gives a better return on your money--assuming you're going to take advantage of that wireless rear-speaker feature.
Design
The brains of the Panasonic SC-PT750 is a low-profile black "head unit" that houses the receiver and five-disc CD/DVD changer. It stands a hair under 3 inches high, and a little less than 17 inches wide and deep. The front panel's small buttons and controls are fairly easy to see and use, while the DVD changer mechanism went about its business smoothly. Loading and unloading discs was a reasonably quick and quiet operation. One little thing we didn't like: the receiver doesn't have a volume control knob; instead, you're stuck with a volume up/down button.
Even before we explored the SC-PT750's setup and speaker calibration routine we were perfectly satisfied with the sound, so if you'd rather not bother, you won't be missing much. We did run the receiver's test tones over the speakers and heard that the center channel speaker was too loud, so we adjusted it down a bit. You can also make adjustments "on the fly" during a movie with the Channel Selector button on the remote. In addition, the subwoofer volume has its own button that provides four-step level adjustment. You don't get bass and treble controls, but there's an EQ control with Flat, Heavy, Clear, and Soft options. The black remote's layout was easy to master and more comfortable than the smallish remote that comes with the step-down SC-PT650.
The front left and right speakers are both about 10.5 inches long and about 5.5 inches tall; the center speaker is essentially the same one, but oriented horizontally instead. Their black plastic cabinets are fitted with nonremovable black cloth grilles, and the speakers can be wall-mounted with their keyhole slots.
Speaker size is one of the few differences between this model and the step-down SC-PT650.
The two "wireless" surround speakers are smaller and have wires that need to be connected to the SC-PT750's wireless receiver/amplifier (6.5 inches high by 3.5 inches wide by 6.5 inches deep), which must be plugged into an AC power outlet. While that's still quite a few wires, the advantage is that you lose the long cable that runs from the front of the room to the back. The AV receiver/DVD changer's back side has a slot that accepts Panasonic's included wireless transmitter card. Unlike the infrared transmission on the Sony Bravia DAV-HDX267W, Panasonic's RF wireless system doesn't require direct line of sight positioning between the wireless transmitter and receiver. Panasonic's system has fewer parts, so it's easier to set up, and we had it playing movies in just a few minutes. Note that, unlike some systems, the wireless module is the only way to get sound from the rear speakers. Then again, if you don't need the wireless feature, it's probably worth saving a few bucks and going with the SC-PT650 instead.
This included wireless rear speaker module is required to get sound to the back of the room.
The medium-density fiberboard subwoofer has a molded black plastic front baffle and bass port. It's nice and compact, measuring just 16.7 inches high by 7 inches wide by 10.1 inches deep and weighing 8.8 pounds. The speakers and sub have permanently attached speaker wires, which is fine, but the surround speakers' wires are relatively short (13 feet), so they weren't long enough to run along the floor and up to the shelf that supports the speakers in our room. SC-PT750 buyers who face the same problem can splice additional wire to the speakers' wires to make up for the shortfall.
Features
The SC-PT750 receiver's digital amplifier carries two different power ratings; the ever-popular, though wildly inflated "1,000 watt" number we see emblazoned on so many HTIB shipping boxes--and a (closer to reality) Federal Trade Commission rating of 428 watts. The power is distributed over the three front satellite speakers and the subwoofer, and it includes the 34 watts per channel generated by the flyweight (1.5 pounds) surround amplifier. The receiver/DVD changer's surround processing covers the usual Dolby and DTS modes.
The SC-PT750 is one of the first HTIBs we've tested that offers upconverted, 1080p video connectivity over its HDMI output. If you haven't yet bought an HDMI-equipped TV, you can use the component and composite video outputs (the SC-PT750 lacks S-Video outputs), but since there are no video inputs, you'll have to hook up your video sources (cable/satellite box, game consoles, and so forth) directly to your TV.
Audio connectivity is also spotty; it's XM Satellite Radio "ready" and comes with an iPod dock, but the Panasonic has just one stereo analog audio input and no digital audio inputs. The latter is especially disappointing, because it means you won't be able to get 5.1 Dolby Surround soundtracks from cable/satellite boxes or game consoles. Up front, there's a headphone jack and a Music Port input (both are standard 3.5mm minijacks). The Music Port is just a stereo line-in for quick and easy connections to any portable audio device--and unlike the Digital Media Port found on competing Sony products, it's universally compatible with anything that has a headphone jack or a line output.
We would have liked to have seen at least one video input on the SC-PT750, as well as a digital audio in or two.
The satellites all feature the same 2.5-inch "woofer" and no tweeters, and the center speaker doubles up on the woofers. The subwoofer has a 6.5-inch woofer on its right side as well. They all come with permanently attached cables, with stripped, bare wire ends. That includes the so-called "wireless" surround speakers, which need to be attached to the wireless receiver, as indicated above.
If you're looking to spend a bit more, the step-up Panasonic SC-PT950 offers front "tall boy" speakers and automated speaker calibration for an additional $100.
DVD, iPod, and CD media playback
Following a disappointing result from the step-down model SC-PT650, we were hoping to uncover contrasting results with the SC-PT750's video performance. Unfortunately, our testing only proved that the video processors found in the SC-PT650 are no different from the SC-PT750's. Like the SC-PT650, we will once again need to recommend using an interlaced signal from the SC-PT750 so that your HDTV can do the upscaling. It was this setup that allowed us to get the most pleasing picture from the receiver. Your results may vary depending on the HDTV you use.
Like the SC-PT650, the SC-PT750 also comes with a universal iPod dock that will support iPods with a dock connection (fourth generation and later). Included with the system are plastic dock adapters which will fit most of the varying iPod sizes. The dock connects to the unit via a proprietary connection interface and performs well. The SC-PT750 will even allow you to control the iPod with the receiver's remote; however, this is limited to basic controls (skipping tracks, pausing, etc.). If you want to navigate your music in more depth, this must be done manually.
The SC-PT750 also supports MP3, JPEG, and WMA playback off a data CD. These features perform as expected, and menu navigation was completely painless.
Audio performance
From the get-go, Bruce Springsteen's new Live in Dublin concert DVD sounded spectacular. The little speakers and subwoofer defied our expectations; the big band with horns, strings, background vocalists, and a thumping rhythm section were all presented with reasonable detail and a big, room-filling sound. The strings didn't suffer from the usual screech we've experienced with most small HTIB speakers, and the lack of tweeters didn't result in a soft treble detail. The Boss' voice sounded plenty big over the trim center speaker. No, the little system didn't perform completely perfectly; the drummer's cymbals sounded coarse when the band was going full tilt, and the sub's bass turned thick and boomy when played loud. At a more moderate volume, the sub was actually quite refined-sounding and bass definition was, by HTIB standards, excellent.
Rock CDs were well treated by the SC-PT750, a feat rarely duplicated by small HTIBs, regardless of cost. Acoustic music was clear and clean with good detail. The subwoofer/satellite blend was way above average, and that was one of the prime reasons the Panasonic scored with music of all types.
The World Trade Center DVD had its share of exciting moments. The low rumbling sounds of the soundtrack came through loud and clear; the little center speaker handled dialog like a larger speaker. Even the wireless surround speakers kept up their part of the bargain as no noticeable deterioration in sound quality was present. The wireless speakers operation was glitch-free, and closely matched the sound of the front speakers. Our main gripe was the SC-PT750's lack of dynamic impact; the soft-to-loud assaults you get from larger systems were scaled back by the Panasonic. The little system can't generate the oomph of a larger system, but even so, the sounds of little explosions and sounds of falling debris were plenty scary.
The SC-PT750 is an exceptionally well-balanced system. First, it's an incredible value, fully loaded with useful features, truly compact speakers and subwoofer, and above average sound quality on music and movies. When you consider that it's widely available for under $370, it's an easy recommendation for anyone on a budget who's in the market for a home theater system with wireless rear speakers.
Assistant Editor Jeff Bakalar contributed to this review.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Great HTIB for the price
This is a sleek looking system and paired with my Panasonic Plasma TV gives a neat compact look to the ...
This is a sleek looking system and paired with my Panasonic Plasma TV gives a neat compact look to the home theater. The HDAVI control works great so you don't have to fiddle with multiple remotes. Changing inputs on the TV automatically switches the Home Theater to the right audio input too. And the one touch play is sweet. Hit the button and the player and TV comes to life with all the right inputs (as long as you use HDMI). While you cannot view iPod Video through this system, the iPod music control works great from the remote which unfortunately isn't back lit and has no glow in the dark keys (are those that expensive???). Set up is fairly easy and for casual users works great out of the box. Do yourself a favor and read the manual to get acquainted with all the features it has to offer and for speaker placement.
The 5 disc changer has a decent response times compared to similar Sony systems and is quiet. Reading a burnt DVD takes about 10-12 seconds, but that will vary with the different DVD burning options used. Surprisingly, this system is pretty loud for its size/price but it wont blow your roof off (if that's what you're looking for). So far I have played DVD+R, CD, CD-R, JPEG CD, SVCD and MP3 CDs and it played all of them with no problems.
Some users had reported problems with the wireless receiver system if you have a wireless network setup in the house (2.4 Ghz). I have placed the receiver about 12 feet away from the wireless router and so far it has never dropped the audio signal. While it says "wireless", it only means no wires running across the room from main unit to the rear surround speakers. You still have to run wires from those speakers to the wireless receiver input which thankfully is compact enough to fit under your couch so its hidden.
Read more
by vvj99 (see profile) -
July 10, 2007
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent The speakers that came with it are capable
To be honest I only bought it at Sears for it was an opened box unit but was not used ...
To be honest I only bought it at Sears for it was an opened box unit but was not used I happened to be there when they were going to set it up as a demo and got it for $208.00 plus a little over a C note for an extra 3 yr warranty I was surprised at how it performed and with the wireless unit alone it was worth it. To be honest I use other high quality speakers and just use the main unit. Still all in all a good unit
Read more
by gcdtrek (see profile) -
June 21, 2007
4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good No digital audio input ?!?!
This system sounds great. Movies and music from the systems dvd/cd player sound and look great. I have it ...
This system sounds great. Movies and music from the systems dvd/cd player sound and look great. I have it paired with a 46" Sharp 1080p LCD. I run all of my componets (even my 200 disc cd players w/no video)through my tv becuase it has so many connection options so it doesn't bother me that there is only one audio in on the system ... however, why not make that one input a digital input so I can enjoy digital 5.1 sound from hd t.v. programs (and game systems if I was so inclined) rather than the same dolby prologic and standard stereo sound I have been enjoying since birth. This is a major hicup from an otherwise superb system. I am still considering returning it for this reason.
Read more
by SOCALdesign (see profile) -
February 1, 2008
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Great system for a smaller living space
This is really a great system for the price. Sound quality is superb, particularly given the speaker size. Takes up ...
This is really a great system for the price. Sound quality is superb, particularly given the speaker size. Takes up much less space than my old system (Yamaha HTIB), and delivers the same punch and clarity that a system that had more power on paper. The subwoofer is about 1/2 the size of my old one and I can't tell any difference. There's also 4 subwoofer settings, so you can pump the base up to your preferred level. I have downstairs neighbors, so I haven't been above 2 and it's fine. The unit includes automatic settings for Movie or Music. I haven't toyed around with manual settings, but so far (1 week of use) I haven't needed to. Both settings give very nice range and power. The system goes up to 50, and I haven't needed to get much higher than 35 or so and I feel it's plenty loud to rock out to.
They lose at least a point for not having enough options for inputs in the back. There's just one auxilliary input, and if you want cable TV to play through it that's what you need to use - leaving my phonograph and wireless Mac Airport setup left out. They do have an iPod dock, so you just need to make sure you sync often with your Mac so your complete library is always available. As for the phonograph, I guess I just have to unplug the TV RCA jacks and plug in the phonograph when I want to listen to records...which isn't often (not sure if there's some kind of splitter for rear RCA jacks, but a few Google searches yilded me nothing, so I assume they don't exist).
8 out of 10 - Excellent A Must If You Have a Panasonic HDTV
I have had the virtually-identical SC-PT753 for two weeks (the model sold at COSTCO; excludes the iPod dock), and am ...
I have had the virtually-identical SC-PT753 for two weeks (the model sold at COSTCO; excludes the iPod dock), and am very satisfied with it. This system has a lot of value for the money, and especially makes sense if you have a Panasonic HDTV with "EZSync", which integrates the HDTV and home theater system very well. I have a Panasonic 58" plasma HDTV. My wife and I watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy using this system and were very impressed with both the video and audio. (Others have commented that the DVD upscaling is just OK, but it seemed to be fine to us.) Also, this system has a very nice feature set, including an optional wireless 2nd/3rd room speaker system (about $150), and iPod-ready and XM radio-ready jacks. Note that the "wireless" surround speakers are not truly wireless: The system comes with a wireless receiver, to which the two surround speakers must be wired. Still, pretty convenient. Also, although the system plays DVD audio through the HDMI cable, FOR TV AUDIO, TOO, YOU MUST USE USE AUDIO CABLES FROM THE "AUX" JACK. The manual did a poor job of explaining this; a call to Panasonic tech support cleared this up. (By the way, don't fall for the HDMI cable scam at the big-box stores. I am using $10 HDMI cables that I bought online, and they work just fine with this system.) Finally, the plastic speakers have a somewhat cheap look to me, although probably no worse than most other comparable systems. Still, unless you are a real audio/video enthusiast (which I'm not), on balance this home theater system performs very well, and has some very nice features. I intend to use it until HDDVD/BluRay makes its way into this product line. Hope that this helps.
Updated I now realize that this system has a BIG disadvantage that will prompt me to return it: Although the DVD audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 (5 speakers + subwoofer), the HDTV audio is only stereo (2 speakers), even if the signal is 5.1! What a shame that Panasonic skimped on this. You need to buy the top-of-the-line SC-PT1050 (with digital optical audio input) to solve this.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular great value for money
excellent audio performance for such low price. I will recommend it to my friends
excellent audio performance for such low price. I will recommend it to my friends
Read more
by toheric (see profile) -
January 8, 2008
4 out of 10 - Mediocre Serious about building an affordable home theater? Look elsewhere...
During my recent move, the surround speakers for my Kenwood 300 Watt 5.1 channel surround system (purchased in 2001 ...
During my recent move, the surround speakers for my Kenwood 300 Watt 5.1 channel surround system (purchased in 2001 for ~$300 new) were misplaced. After searching through the remaining boxes for hours on end I finally resolved to purchase a new surround system (since buying speakers separately is nearly the same cost as purchasing an entire system). After reading generally good reviews about the the Panasonic SC-PT750, I brought one home. Although excited at first, the excitement quickly faded to disappointment shortly after I began unpacking.
The first thing that came to my attention was that the speakers are hardwired. There are no terminals on the back of the speakers to connect your own wires. While cutting and splicing is simple, I would prefer they put terminals on the back like most other surround systems so I can replace wires when they get worn (or chewed by a new puppy). Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of what I found to be a very poorly designed system.
After unpacking the speakers, the receiver was next. More problems. I immediately noticed there a NO (not ONE!) digital or 5 channel component inputs. Can I be seeing this properly? A surround system that has no inputs for surround sound? I guess you are relegated to watching "upconverted" standard def DVDs through the theater system itself if you want surround sound.
I should have stopped while I was ahead, but for some reason I kept going. I unpacked the system and started plugging things in. Whats next? Well, the unit is BIG... Too big to fit on the shelf where I previously had a 5 disc changer and receiver stacked. Not wanting to rearrange my entertainment center components to move the unit to a larger shelf, here it is, perched precariously with the front three inches hanging off of the shelf. Shame on me for not measuring first.
Onward I go, already feeling buyers remorse. Perhaps the sound quality will make up for other shortcomings. I hardly own any blu-ray movies anyhow, so living with SD DVDs for a little longer certainly won't kill me. Unfortunately, as soon as I turn on the system, my Playstation 3 (acting as a streaming media player) immediately loses wireless connectivity. Crap. I start troubleshooting network issues, and on a hunch, turn the receiver back on. BING! Wireless network connected. The issue is, the wireless transmitter on the receiver is 2.4GHz... The same as 802.11B/G wireless. Due to the somewhat close proximity of the PS3 and the wireless speaker transmitter, the wifi connection on the PS3 is nuked immediately. I start fiddling with the channel settings on my wireless router, I find one that finally works (sort of). Connections are slow and drop from time to time, but at least I can stream some music over to test out the system.
I fire up Incubus' "Miss You" and "When it Comes." This is probably the only good thing I can say about the system... The little sub does an excellent job of reproducing the low-end bass notes. Clarity was very good for the mids and highs, and I turned the volume up as loud as I dared with little detriment to sound quality. I did notice that their seemed to be a bit of a "hole" in the lower-mid range. Undaunted, I look for the eq so I can adjust to my liking.
All I can put here is a frowny face The EQ on this system is basically non-existent. There is a button to change the level of the subwoofer from 1-4, 3 presets, and a couple miscellaneous settings. Wow... This is bad. Settings 1 and 2 on the sub make the system sound like a clock radio. The choices for presets are Flat (Yuck), Heavy (OK), and soft (Yuck), which pretty much leaves you with two levels of bass and one EQ preset. Time to put this thing back in the box.
Bottom line: My basis of comparison was a 6 year old Kenwood surround system-in-a-box. The cost was almost identical, and the panasonic puts out 700 additional watts. In terms of features, sound reproduction, and fullness across the entire sound spectrum, the Kenwood is by far the all out winner in every category. I hope walmart will take this thing back. If not, and after reading this review you are still interested, check Ebay over the next few days because that is where this system is headed. I spent an hour trying to convince myself to keep the system, and just can't find a reason to. You will never watch blu-ray disks with true surround sound due to the lack of inputs. The wireless speaker transmitter kills your wireless network connects, so you can either run wires to the speakers or your media center, you can't replace the speaker wires without splicing or disassembling speakers, the unit is bigger than one would like it to be, and there is no EQ to adjust out a big gap in the lower-mid range.
I am not an audiophile, and I am not expecting a $3,000 system for $300, but one could expect a system in this price range to have decent quality and intelligent features. Features it has, but I certainly question the intelligence of whomever wrote the design spec. All in all, there are definitely better alternatives out there.
Read more
by troubleticket (see profile) -
March 26, 2008
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great sound, great picture, excelent price.
The picture and sound is great, not having wires everywhere is a major plus. The only down fall is there ...
The picture and sound is great, not having wires everywhere is a major plus. The only down fall is there are not enough inputs on the system.
Read more
by horse482 (see profile) -
February 25, 2008
8 out of 10 - Excellent very good but not great
Value for money, easy to install. Tough to beat on value!
Value for money, easy to install. Tough to beat on value!
Read more
by jenprith (see profile) -
December 12, 2007
Hide
Watch product review video
More stores below
Show
The EQ on this system is basically non-existent. There is a button to change the level of the subwoofer from 1-4, 3 presets, and a couple miscellaneous settings. Wow... This is bad. Settings 1 and 2 on the sub make the system sound like a clock radio. The choices for presets are Flat (Yuck), Heavy (OK), and soft (Yuck), which pretty much leaves you with two levels of bass and one EQ preset. Time to put this thing back in the box.
Print friendly version
Email to a friend
del.icio.us
