Customer Reviews

Denon DHT-FS3 Home Theater in a Box

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased the DHT-FS3 hoping not so much for a 5.1 sound-alike experience but simply hoping for a good "TV speaker replacement" system. Unfortunately, while the Denon is the best sounding system of its type, it simply wasn't to be for my application.

First, the size of the unit is a bit larger in some ways that one would expect and smaller than others. Denon obviously designed the unit to fit in front of a flat screen TV, as they thoughtfully provided feet that are widely spaced (about 20") so that the unit can straddle the front of most TV manufacturer's flat screen pedestals. But it's also wider than one might expect - it's wider than a 16:9 32" TV, but a bit narrower than a 37".

The sound is GOOD, but not great. At no time will you think you're in front of not only a 5.1 surround system but even a decent stereo system using bookshelf loudspeakers; however it does sound better than any built-in TV speakers could, and it outdoes most "mini" systems as well, likely including offerings such as Denon's own S-101 HTIB system. Like most such systems, the bass is a bit "thumpy" - the sub just doesn't integrate well with the satellites and crosses over fairly high - around 125-150 Hz - so you never lose sight of the fact that most of your sound is coming from "up there" but the bass notes are coming from "down there."

The unit has multiple inputs - two sets of RCAs for analog, including one set that can be used with one of Denon's iPod docks, two optical digital and one coaxial digital. The setup has many nice features, including distance to the listener, bass/treble (unlike Bose systems, but here the adjustments are in fairly large 2dB increments) and a nice universal remote to control your TV, DVD player and the speaker unit. It can play in straight stereo, "wide" surround, Dolby Digital or even DTS, and all sound reasonably good for this application.

The design flaw? While not Denon's fault, most every flat panel TV manufacturer puts the sensor for their remote control along the bottom of the TV, meaning if the Denon's sitting in front of the TV, I can just about guarantee it will be blocking the TV's remote sensor unless you're using it with a larger set (40" or more) and the sensor's in the corner, or your TV somewhat more intelligently placed the sensor along the TV's sides or top frame.

I don't mean to come across as overly harsh, but I really had high hopes for a product like this from Denon, and sound-wise it really didn't sound as good as I thought it would. That's not really their fault; you can only do so much with smaller drivers in a rather small enclosure. But on the other hand, it does do a better job of producing a virtual surround effect than any TV's built-in surround effect (e.g. "SRS") or the similar Yamaha Sound Projectors.

So in short, it's worth a try if you're looking for a product like this, but the fact that it would block my TV's IR sensor immediately made it a non-starter for me as soon as I removed it from its box. Perhaps in a future model Denon can thoughtfully provide an "IR blaster" on the back of the unit to automatically repeat IR signals it sees to any TV sensors that may be located behind it.

It's truly a beautiful LOOKING unit, the piano black finish blending nicely with the similar finish used on most flat panels that don't use a silvery frame. It's certainly a reasonable value for the price, given what it would cost to build a similar quality system for components or find as high quality a HTIB ("Home Theatre in a Box") system.

However, for the sole reason that it blocks my TV's remote sensor, I've no alternate place to place it, and it neither has an IR blaster nor provision to drive one, it's back in its shipping box just about three hours after first opening it.

The Denon DHT-FS3 is a great surround sound compliment to a small room that doesn't allow many speakers and wires. In addition, it's the perfect solution for a large plasma television. The sound enhancement is fantastic and the sleak design is impressive. The downside is it's a littly pricey.

I must mention, however, that the customer service is absolutely terrible. I'm not sure if it was the holiday rush or the fact that they want to sell only to dealers, but my experience was less than impressive. I tried at least 10 times to speak live with a customer service support without success. I went so far as to leave two messages at the Denon corporate office for the customer service manager and other executives, but never received a return call.

Bottom line, the product is good but don't plan for any support. I was a first time and last time Denon customer with my purchase of the DHT-FS3.

The Good: looks great with black piano finish
easy setup with few wires
simple operation
excellent sound
can be mounted or just place on enclosed cradle in front of tv

The Bad: not much surround sound, you will hear some sounds coming at you
from the sides, but no rear sound detection.
on some tvs the remote sensor could be covered by the bar, be
sure and measure the height of your sensor.
expensive

Overall: very good sound, easy setup and operation, would be hard to
beat the quality of this if you want to avoid wires and other
complications of a true 5.1 system.

The short: at $799 I'm not so sure. No brainer if you can get it for half that.

The long:
Surround: 2
Well, more than none, but a lot less than any 5.1 system. It's pretty evident that the sound is coming from the bar under your TV, with the occasional shadow of surround/spread sound. Then again, I'm using it in a large 20'x20' room. I'm sure you'd get fuller sound and better bounce/fill in a smaller space.

Sound quality: 4.5
Keeping in mind the configuration of the system (1.1) it sounds pretty dang good. I needed to set the bass to max for the sub to fill out my rather large space, but typical of Denon there's good crispness. Of course, you're missing that lower-mid oomph, but again, keep in mind the low profile and there's your tradeoff.

Form factor: 4
Slick cabinet, nice size for flat panel. Easily mountable to wall or even connected to the bottom of the TV if the TV's wall mounted (like mine is, on a swivel mount). Sub is fairly compact and would easily slide behind a sofa or chair.

Overall: 4
If I had paid $1200 for this I would have been disappointed (you can get a heck of a component system for $1200 these days). But at $428 with no tax and free shipping I'm pretty pleased. I would definitely recommend for someone with a smaller space who doesn't want to install 5.1 (or 6.1 or 7.1) and who can live with minimal surround.

I just received the FS3 today, & it is gorgeous! Our wonderful Pioneer 5.1 HTIB died recently after 10 years. Looked at a sound bar as a solution to not having wires running around the living room. We rent, so are limited as to what we can do with walls(or ceiling). It is truly a beautiful product. Would I pay $1200 for it compared with true surround systems? No. But under $400, it's a steal. Awesome sound out of it. A prior reviewer said the sound was terrible? They can't have adjusted the preset levels! Out of the box, they are all set to 0db. The menus are pretty easy to navigate. Took all of 10 minutes to set bass, treble, distance to listener, offset etc & to learn the codes of my Samsung T.V & Panasonic DVD player.

I tested it out with "Matrix" & "Top Gun". The sound is awesome. So crisp. The dialogue is easier to pick up than on my older Pioneer. The sub woofer is more than adequate for our living room (12 x 16). Very good center & side sound. Are you going to hear anything coming behind you? No, of course not. You can't change the laws of physics. You might get better results in an enclosed room where the sound can bounce around a little more. Our living room is fully open to the dining area.

One concern I had when looking at the FS3 online, was the positioning of the soundbar's inlets & outlets for cables. They are positioned under a rear shelf, facing downwards, not backwards/outwards. The unit comes with integrated feet(maybe 1/8'' tall). I was concerned that the optical cable especially, would be severely bent & possibly damaged over time in that position. All the cables are very bent once installed. The unit does come with 2 varying height sets of screw-in feet for raising the bar higher. I have a DLP T.V so have the bar sitting on top, due to cabinet constraints. Putting the feet on made it look ungainly(in a top mounted application). Called Denon support, & they assured me that it WAS designed to use just the integrated feet if that was what I wanted, & not to worry about the optical being bent at 90 degrees. Fingers crossed!' The omission of HDMI in this day & age is a little suprising, & I was almost put off by that, but the optical works great & we have no compatibility issues with our set-up so it's all good.

I would absolutely recommend this sound bar. Especially at the current sale price. It is so much better than $500 5.1 all in ones from L.G, Samsung etc. Their only advantage is rear facing sound. But the QUALITY of their sound is terrible. Light weight gutless speakers surrounding you is not necessarily a better thing!

UPDATE: 1/10/10 Have noticed that the system has some trouble with heavy horn(brass) & violin orchestral movie scores. Watched the original Star Trek movie & was getting a lot of distortion from the FS3. No amount of fine tuning with the settings would eradicate it completely. I had to change back the offset to center/neutral & change the room setting regarding the wall surface. This did make a difference but still had noticeable distortion. Bummer! I haven't had the system excessively loud either. Topped out at 25. The system can go to 33. I haven't experienced this issue with any of the later releases(movies) that I have watched. Also, the Pioneer had no issues with Star Trek's music score. Just a heads up for those of us that have older movie titles :) Also, what's up with the recent price increase! It's definitely not worth full retail. We bought ours from Amazon for $345 a couple of weeks ago!

2nd update: 7/13/10 The distortion is showing up on new movies as well now, damn it! This only happens with the music soundtrack. I called Denon support(again), & they suggested that I check the DVD settings, in case the sound output was preset to HDMI(it was). That helped some, but the distortion is still popping up depending on the pitch/tonality. They also said to replace the optical cable in case it was slightly defective. I'll try that next. The annoying thing is that I'll watch numerous movies with no problem, & then distortion/screeching! Again, this issue only arises with the music score. Dialogue, explosions, general sounds are not a problem at all...

3rd update: 9/29/10 After buying a new optical cable, the sound distortions dissipated. For a while. Scenes in "Avatar" where the system screeched at me, stopped. Great. Watched a movie from Netflix(a drama) & the Denon screeched at me again due to the music score #@%&! This is so frustrating! The Denon does everything else brilliantly but is so unreliable with the music scores of movies. In stereo mode, music is not an issue. It's only in movie mode, that it can't handle certain pitches/tones.

I was looking to replace my JVC surround sound system because of the size and clutter with speaker cables and small speakers sitting on the floor. We also purchased a new TV about 2 years ago (42" Pioneer Plasma Elite). My wife wanted the TV to be put in a cabinet because the table mount had become a dust collector with wires and cables making the room look like an electronics lab. I liked the idea of having a single wire connecting the Denon front speaker unit to the beautiful and compact sub-woofer. I read all the specs for both the TV and Denon unit and assumed I would not only be getting top sound but an improvement in technology. I had read one review complaining about the legs provided with the Denon unit being unusable because their distance was insufficient to clear the TV stand provided by TV manufacturer. There was a distance of about 21" mentioned. In fact there are 4 legs with the two on the back of the Denon speaker unit being about 28" apart, while the front two are about 21" apart. For my TV stand this means the back two legs clear the width of the stand while the front two are placed just in front of the base of the stand... no problem. In order to get the most sound out we have moved the Denon unit and TV as far forward as possible within the cabinet. What was most disappointing was that I was not able to use the single 'optical output' wire connecting the TV to the Denon speaker system. This I found too late by looking at a note to my Pioneer TV stating that 'if using the HDMI inputs (there are two on my TV and I use them for the TV cable box and an Apple TV) there are NO SOUND OUTPUTS available with the Optical Output connections. This means I would have to choose to either go with component inputs from the cable box and Apple TV (thereby reducing the video quality), or use the analog audio output from the TV to the Denon front speaker unit. I assume some loss of sound quality as a result of doing this but too late now. However, the sound quality is excellent and I believe any criticism of the lack of bass is due to comparing what has become a desire to have a booming bass that is well beyond any realistic sounds provided in a live music performance. I have grown up with the improving technology that is based on sound reproduction of actual sounds.... not a self created bass that reminds me of vibrating cars that show no mercy to passengers or nearby motorists. It is my opinion that Denon has a product that will satisfy my listening demands. I am uncertain if the subwoofer is stronger with the digital connection to the TV rather than analog, but I am happy with the integration of bass to higher frequencies. There are settings on the Denon unit that allows you to maximize the db output of the subwoofer, although even at max the bass in not overpowering. I also set the Denon unit for STEREO rather than SURROUND for any music I am listening to either through CD or Apple TV/iTunes. I have opted not to have a DVD player hooked up as we mostly rent or buy movies through iTunes or our cable provider. In general, if you are looking for a simple yet beautiful and compact system without the creation of bass sounds beyond reality this unit is excellent. The price is on the high side but the quality is obvious and amortizing any cost differential over 5 or 6 years will equate to a couple of Starbucks drinks per month. My only caution is to make sure you are aware of all the issues related to connections from both your TV manufacturer and the Denon unit.

Hooked it up direct to my PS3 optical, went through the set-up step-by-step for my personal settings and room, put in Blu-ray movie, Transformers and was BlOWN AWAY! Was very limited with space in my room (master bedroom)...was able to fit the sub-woofer, laying flat, under the dresser as it's very slim (4.17" wide!). Can't even tell I have a subwoofer in the room except for the fact that I have GREAT bass now. It is PERFECT for my setup...I LOVE THIS SYSTEM!

The DHT-FS3 is a great product for "5.1 home theater sound" in those applications where traditional components may not be practical or suitable (or you just don't want to mess around with a lot of components and wiring).

I needed my LCD TV, BD/DVD player, sound bar and subwoofer to fit into a single cabinet and could not install speakers or run wiring outside the cabinet. (See my shared customer image.) The cost is equivalent to a discrete component solution consisting of an AV receiver, passive sound bar (like the Polk SurroundBar), and an active sub; however, it has significantly less wiring and greater ease of setup/use. It arrived in 3 days using free Amazon Prime shipping. The Denon packaging is very high quality as is the product fit/finish. Both the main and sub units have a high-gloss piano black finish and matched the gloss-black finish of my Samsung LCD TV. I personally don't fancy gloss black finishes; but, I didn't have a choice and it seems gloss-black is current market trend.

The sound is very good - though you won't get the full surround sound effects of a typical discrete component system with speakers in front and behind you. However for a single sound bar it has extremely good surround and low frequency effects when used with Dolby Digital/DTS sources (like DVD and BD discs). The volume can be turned up very loud. You can adjust a number of parameters to customize the surround sound to the size of the room and distance from the sound bar; however, I just ended up using one of the three pre-defined quick setup surround options.

The biggest drawback is that it lacks video (HDMI) switching. (This has been noted by other reviewers...Google CNET DHT-FS3.) You need to directly connect your source devices (like a DVD/BD player, set-top box) to the FS3 using S/P DIF (digital) audio cables, and the same source devices to your TV using HDMI (or component video). This is a little bit of a nuisance because you have to go to the TV to select the source (for video) and then to the FS3 to select the source (for audio). Of course you can simplify using the system with a programmable remote like the Logitech Harmony One (which I plan to do).

Denon needs to upgrade the FS3 to have HDMI. I would have given it 5 stars if it had HDMI input/switching.

Last month I purchased a Panasonic TH-P54V10 to replace my aging Sony 36" WEGA CRT (which still looks great after nearly 11 years). While the picture on the 54V10 is fantastic, the sound coming from the speakers was woefully inadequate, actually worse than the Sony it replaced. I blame the desire to make thinner and thinner TV's not leaving any room for sizeable speakers and enough space to move air. (skip the next 4 paragraphs if you just want to cut to the chase)

So I started looking for an affordable way to improve the sound. I had several constraints and requirements. First, I was on a severe budget, since I had just blown my available funds on the new TV and wall unit. $400 was all I could spend. Second, my wife refused to look at speakers, even bookshelf speakers on either side of the TV. I also wanted something that could offer not just better sound, but a wider soundstage and a more immersive experience. Soundbars seems like the only real option. After doing research around the interwebs, I realized that the desire for actual surround sound might be asking for too much.

So after doing some research, I had settled on a choice between the Polk Soundbar 360 and the Denon DHT-FS3. Both brands are known for quality products and have garnered positive professional reviews. Both of these products had original list prices of $1200, are now discontinued and could be purchased for $400 and $350, respectively, from Amazon. In my mind, it made more sense spending my money on discontinued products that were designed to originally sell for 3X as much as their current prices versus spending that money on current products designed to sell at that same lower price point. Flawed reasoning?

I had originally wanted to purchase both units, try them out and keep the one that sounded better. Unfortunately, Amazon's restocking fees of 20-50% made that idea unaffordable. I ultimately chose the Denon over the Polk since it was 1) less expensive, 2) had a sub, 3) didn't have a DVD player I didn't need, 4) was more space efficient (especially without a separate component), 5) it has Dolby Headphone decoding and 6) my previous experience with Denon products.

Before I get into the performance of the DHT-FS3, I want to present my point of reference when it comes to sound and performance. I have not actually had any audio system hooked up to my main TV for over seven years. I tend to watch most of my series TV and rented movies on another TV, when I exercise at home (it is a great motivator). I listen through Sure SE530 headphones hooked up to a Denon ADV-M71 receiver and its dedicated headphone amp and Dolby Headphone surround processing. My last actual home theater system was a Sony 5.1 Dolby Digital receiver (can't remember the model) hooked up to an Energy Take5 + Energy Sub combo. I don't consider myself a purist audiophile, but I can recognize, and do appreciate, quality sound.

So, onto the DHT-FS3's performance. After removing the soundbar and sub from the excellent packaging, I set the main unit up in front of the TV, screwed in the feet (which come in two different heights), hooked up the optical connection to the back of my TV, ran the connection to the sub and plugged it all in. I hit the power button and listened to the first sounds emanate from the speakers. I was let down. It actually sounded worse than the TV's speakers. The sound was tinny and shallow.

Then I remembered a review that indicated adjusting the audio parameters would do wonders. So I played around with the treble and bass, adjusted the room size and a few other tweaks. The result was night and day. The sound was full and satisfying. Going from the Stereo setting to the Wide setting created a much larger soundstage. Most importantly, for everyday general TV viewing, the Denon offered up much clearer sounding dialogue.

Of course the promise of these soundbars is to offer a surround experience that can compete with actual 5.1 systems. Does the Denon deliver? Not surprisingly, no, at least in my initial observations. Two of my favorite demonstrations of both sound and surround sound are the THX intros on movie discs, both the original "symphony" and the "farm animal/Disney" sequences. Both strive to highlight the surround effect and a journey through frequency response, from bright highs to rumbling lows. While the Denon reproduced this range most satisfactorily, and there was a very noticeable shift from left-center-right, there was no actual surround effect. Meaning, there was no evidence of sound coming from behind. However, the soundstage was quite wide, seeming to fill up my living room from side to side. Center channel performance is notably clear. Dialogue won't be overcome by the action.

One negative, and one that likely plagues most soundbars, is the fact that it blocks the IR sensor of the TV. I thought I might have to get an IR repeater in order to overcome this issue. However, I found I was able to bounce the IR signal off my ceiling and have the TV pick it up.

As far as connectivity, my TV has four HDMI inputs and an optical output, so the lack of HDMI inputs on the Denon is not really an issue. It does have two optical and one coax digital input, along with RCA analog inputs. There is no on-screen display, rather settings are adjusted via a digital display on the front of the unit and adjusted via the remote. This suits my needs just fine. I just wish I could use my Dish remote to control the system volume, but it doesn't seem to recognize any of the Denon remote codes available.

Edit: I have since found out that my TV will not pass multi-channel sound through the digital out, so hooking source material (DVD, Games, etc) directly to the Denon's inputs should result in better sound quality.

For $350, I am quite satisfied with my purchase. I got the sound improvement I was looking for, along with a more than satisfactory audio companion for my TV's exceptional picture. For the original asking price of $1200, I am not sure I would have chosen to go the soundbar route, but if I was looking to spend that much on a soundbar, I would have also had to consider the top level ZVOX and Yamaha products. Curiously, three days after I placed my order from Amazon, their price went from $350 to $1199! I called to find out why the price changed so drastically (on a discontinued item) but they couldn't give me a convincing reason, other than "market fluctuations." Obviously I am glad I purchased mine when I did.

(I have also uploaded a few pictures)

I am a musician and have found that this system has excellent sound reproduction quality for the various inputs I have (including iPod, HD TV, digital signal from cable). Even at higher volume levels there is no distortion of sound and the bass response is very good. There are a variety of settings to modify the output of the signal to fit your room environment that are easy to adjust. It was quick and easy to set up.