Delivery and construction
The 5.1 system consists of a center speaker, four satellite speakers and a subwoofer. Besides the actual Blu-ray player is also a docking station for iPhone / iPod included. Packed is all in a compact box - here no material is wasted. Not included is an HDMI cable! This must be purchased separately (10 to 15 euros). The structure takes up about 30 minutes to complete (including cabling, etc.). The surround speakers are thankfully relatively long cables (estimated 8 meters). In my opinion, exists between surround and front speakers to no difference, so that they can be interchanged. This is necessary as in my case, when the TV is in the room and the wiring should not run across the room, but along the walls. The length ranges exactly in my case, to the centimeter. Fortunately, because the cable can not be (!) Exchange. They are firmly attached to the speakers. A negative point.
A word to the supplied docking station for iPhone and iPod. It's great that they are. Who owns iPhone (to 4S) or iPod, will be happy about it. I have a few weeks ago an iPhone 5 and that is "thanks" of Apple's new Lightning connector built not compatible with the Sony docking station. Or only using an adapter.
Design and manufacturing
The speakers of BDV-E290 are very compact - a boon for those who "hide" the system want. I have arranged so that they are barely visible in the room, but still provide good sound. If the system is turned off, only betrayed the standing below the television center speaker and the subwoofer that here a home theater system is installed. The boxes valuable aspect due to the piano black finish, the Blu-ray player is relatively broad, yet very flat. The surface is slightly glossy (and not, as one might expect based on the pictures "matt"). The noise level at an inserted DVD / Blu-ray is low, but perceptible. The supplied remote control is a standard product and not a highlight. Overall, the processing is very high.
Performance
Let's turn to sound output of the plant. I'm not an acoustician, no decibel Feinjustierer. I just want to clear, good, sometimes bassy sound, when I look at a good film. The factory settings of this home theater system is not bad, but leave nothing to be desired. Especially when it does not want to forfeit with its neighbors. For testing, I have The Dark Knight [Blu-ray] [Special Edition] inserted. The bass have it in them, the assignment of the individual sounds to each speaker works beautifully. But: While the volume in action scenes rocketing (and can highly frighten neighbors), you have to focus almost to follow conversations without background noise can be at the same volume setting. Follow: One is constantly on rules, volume up, down, etc. annoying. But Sony has naturally diverse settings. And I have to say that the menu itself lay allows easy access to it. Thus, the volume of each speaker can be adjusted individually. Previously, can / should adjust the distance between the boxes for television viewers respectively. The whole thing takes only a few minutes to complete. A two more settings (Sound mode) and the system does what it should: Provides good sound without having to constantly have to take the remote control in your hand to rotate up or down.
For this price, decent performance
All in all, the system has convinced me. The build quality is high, the materials used can never give the impression that this is a 199 Euro more expensive system. The sound performance is very neat after adjustment. Seen everything speaks for five stars. A deduction but I have to do. And due to the inability to replace the cable. And another I would like to pull off that no HDMI cable included. Since this is unfortunately usual, I will refrain from doing this step. But still can not understand why the producers act at this point as they do it. Because the system is the way it is delivered, not ready for use. And that annoys you when you do not before it thinks a cable to be ordered with.
Addendum August 2014 (device has> 1 1/2 years in use): While the speaker continued flawlessly perform their work, the player is starting to look to zicken. Some DVDs - mind you newly acquired and no "old" - obviously cause him a headache, which he jumps every now and then, or gets stuck. Continued after restart of the entire player. I'll be watching this and, if necessary, provide a renewed Supplement, unless aggravated or mitigated the problem.
