Top 10 Best Surround Sound Systems

Top 10 Best Surround Sound Systems 2012

1. Onkyo Home Theater Package 6. Yamaha Home Theater System
2. Sony Blu-ray Home Theater System 7. Philips 3D Blu-ray player System
3. Samsung 3D Blu-ray 1000-Watt 8. Denon Boston Acoustics Premium
4. Bose® Acoustimass® 10 Series IV 9. Harman Kardon 3D Home Theater
5. Panasonic 3D Blu-Ray Disc System 10. Klipsch Home Theater System


1. Onkyo HT-S3500 5.1-Channel Home Theater Speaker/Receiver Package

List Price: $399.00
Price: $268.00
You Save: $131.00 (33%)

  • 4 HDMI Inputs and 1 output with support for 3D and Audio Return Channel
  • WRAT Amplifier Technology,2-Year Warranty
  • Direct Digital Connection of iPod®/iPhone® via Front USB Port
  • Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio
  • Easy Settings Change with On Screen Display via HDMI

Welcome to Immersive, Affordable and Complete Home Theater. For small- to medium-sized rooms, you can’t go past the well-balanced and affordable HT-S3500 home theater package. Newly equipped with Onkyo’s WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology), the AVR and six-speaker set will surprise and delight with audio performance you would expect from a more expensive system. The package is easy to set up right out of the box, thanks to the intuitive HDMI®-overlaid On-Screen Display and wall-mountable speakers. Four HDMI inputs provide connectivity for BD players and gaming consoles, and there’s an Audio Return Channel to send TV audio through the receiver. Plug your iPod®/iPhone® into the front-panel USB and enjoy clear, powerful sound with an inbuilt optimizer enhancing the quality of compressed digital music. The AVR decodes Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™, and is ready for 3D games and movies. Perfect for replacing an aging system, or for your first foray into the world of home theater, the package is rounded out with a subwoofer to boost bottom-end sound.Power Output Front: 110W/Channel (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1%, 1 channel driven, FTC), Center: 110W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1%, 1 channel driven, FTC), Surround L/R: 110W/Channel (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1%, 1 channel driven, FTC).Power Requirements: AC 120 V, 60Hz.What’s in the box: Onkyo HT-S3500 Home Theater Package, Remote Control, 2 x Front Speakers, Center Speaker, 2 x Surround Speakers, Subwoofer and 2-Year Warranty.

2. Sony BDVN790W Blu-ray Home Theater System

Sony BDVN790W Blu ray Home Theater SystemPrice: $359.99

  • 1000W, 5.1 channel, Wi-Fi, 3D1 Blu-ray disc home theater system
  • Premium 2-way front speakers, wireless rear speakers
  • Dual-HDMI Inputs; 1-HDMI output
Dynamic, vibrant sound needs its freedom. With that in mind, this sleek, fully integrated Blu-ray Disc Home Theater system features wireless rear surround sound speakers. The convenience of fewer wires allows for expanded placement options, and dual HDMI inputs make set up easier and more flexible than ever. Revel in a
home theater system that provides vibrant 5.1 channel, 1000 Watts (167W x 5 + 165W) HD surround sound, and Full HD 1080p Blu-ray Disc movies. Coupled with the reduced clutter of wireless rear surround sound speakers, you will get the authentic cinematic experience that will make your living room come to life. The combination of 3D movies and Full 1080p HD video will make you feel like you’re in the middle of the action. You can even enjoy standard DVDs in near HD quality, and convert those movies into 3D to enjoy an exciting, immersive world right at home. photos and shows wirelessly with the ease of built-in Wi-Fi. Now you can connect to the Internet and enjoy your favorite content without the hassles
of network cables.

3. Samsung HT-E5500W HTIB 5.1 Channel 3D Blu-ray 1000-Watt Home Theater System

Price: $375.79

  • 1000 Watts
  • 3D Blu-ray
  • Built-in Wifi
  • Wireless rear speakers
  • Web broswer

With the power of this 5.1 channel, 1000-watt home theater, you can also enjoy Samsung’s crystal amp plus technology. With crystal amp plus, HD quality sound is added to your 3D experience, filtering sound sources twice to minimize distortion and produce crystal-clear sound. Built-in WiFi allows you to browse the web right on the big screen without a wired connection. Wireless rear speakers are also included.

4. Bose® Acoustimass® 10 Series IV home entertainment speaker system – Black

Bose Acoustimass 10 Series IV home entertainment speaker systemPrice: $999.00

  • Four cube speaker arrays
  • One horizontal center channel speaker
  • Designed to work with your 5.1-channel components
  • Powered Acoustimass® module

The Bose Acoustimass 10 Series IV home entertainment speaker system brings 5.1-channel sound to your movies and music. Connect it to your home theater receiver and enjoy Bose quality sound. his system includes an Acoustimass bass module, four Direct/Reflecting Cube speakers, and a center channel speaker. The Acoustimass 10 Series IV speaker system is engineered to fill the room with beautiful sound, not bulky speakers. You can hide the Acoustimass module virtually anywhere in the room, and you experience dramatic sound that all seems to come from the small speaker arrays. Two downward-firing drivers in the Acoustimass module give you powerful performance for the lowest audible notes and effects. The module features technology that minimizes audible distortion. The horizontal center-channel speaker complements flat-panel TVs and blends nicely into your decor.

 

5. Panasonic SC-BTT490 3D Blu-Ray Disc 5.1 Surround Sound Home Theater System

Price: $389.00

  • Stainless Mesh Front Tallboy Speakers
  • Wi-Fi Built-In, Universal iPod Dock
  • HDMI Input x2/ x1Output

Panasonic Blu-ray Disc home theaters have been developed under the concept of reproducing an ideal theater-like surround sound environment. The SC-BTT490 employs advanced technologies to reproduce clearer, enhanced theater-like surround sound to skillfully match high-quality 3D imagery. It features a down firing subwoofer and Full HD 3D Blu-ray Disc playback. The integration of smart networking functions including Smartphone remote control, DLNA, Wireless LAN, digital music connection for iPod/iPhone and VIERA Connect complements traditional home entertainment for an enriched, user-friendly audio/video experience. The BTT490 is equipped with two HDMI inputs in addition to one HDMI output for gaming consoles and set-top box connections and allows signals from connected devices to pass through the unit even when the home theater system is turned off.

6. Yamaha YHT-497 5.1-Channel Home Theater System

Yamaha YHT 497 5 1 Channel Home Theater SystemList Price: $479.95
Price: $429.95
You Save: $50.00 (10%)

  • 5-channel powerful surround sound (100W per Channel)
  • HD Audio format decoding: Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio; Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
  • 4K pass-through for next generation super high resolution images
  • Front panel USB Digital Connection for iPod and iPhone
  • YPAO sound optimization for automatic speaker setup

The YHT-497 Home Theater System includes essential capabilities for high definition home audio video enjoyment, offering popular features like USB input for iPhone and color on-screen display, as well as a 5.1 channel speaker system with a powerful 100W subwoofer. This system is also ready for the future with sophisticated technologies like 4k video pass-through and ECO mode for lower power consumption. The Yamaha YHT-497 5.1-Channel Home Theater System includes the all-new Yamaha RX-V373 Receiver, the sleek new NS-PZ40 5-Channel speaker system, and the powerful Yamaha NS-SW40 100-Watt subwoofer. This AV receiver provides advanced HDMI features including 4K pass-through. 4K refers to four times the resolution of a 1080p display. While not yet available, 4K displays and sources are sure to become popular in the future. This receiver is capable of passing the 4K data from the source to the display, for image clarity far beyond present standards.

7. Philips 5.1 Home theater 3D Blu-ray player HTS3541/F7

Philips 5 1 Home theater 3D Blu ray player HTS3541 F7List Price: $161.00
Price: $144.98
You Save: $16.02 (10%)

  • 300-Watt RMS power delivers great sound for movies and music
  • Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD for high fidelity surround sound
  • Exposed speaker drivers for powerful surround sound

Be enthralled by 3D movies in your own living room on a Full HD 3D TV. Active 3D uses the latest generation of fast switching displays for real life depth and realism in full 1080 x 1920 HD resolution. By watching these images through special glasses with right and left lenses that are timed to open and close in synchrony with alternating images, the full HD 3D viewing experience is created. Premium 3D movie releases on Blu-ray offer a wide, high quality selection of content. Blu-ray also delivers uncompressed surround sound for an unbelievably real audio experience.

8. Denon DHT-1513BA Total 650 Watt 5.1 Channel Home Theater System with Boston Acoustics Premium Speaker System

Denon DHT 1513BA Total 650 Watt 5 1 Channel Home Theater System with Boston Acoustics Premium Speaker SystemList Price: $599.99
Price: $499.00
You Save: $100.99 (17%)

  • Fully discrete power amplifiers for all 5 channels (110 W x 5 ch, 6ohm 1kHz 0.7%). Delivers the legendary sound quality you’ve come to expect from Denon. 75W x 5 ch, 8ohm 20-20kHz 0.08%)
  • 3D pass-through technology Enjoy 3D video entertainment with dynamic surround sound.
  • 4 x HDMI in / 1 x HDMI out Lets you connect your HDMI-equipped devices with a single cable. Enjoy high definition audio and video.
  • Front Panel HDMI Input Provides an easy connection for quick hookup and playback of your HDMI-equipped portable devices.
  • Graphic User Interface – Our intuitive user interface makes installing and using your Denon receiver so simple. A Premium Boston Acoustics Home Theater Speaker System brings you a dramatic theater-quality surround sound experience.

The DHT-1513BA is a total 650W power HTiB system that lets you enjoy exciting 3D theater entertainment when you connect a 3D TV and a Blu-ray disc player. For the ultimate surround experience, we have paired the high performance AVR-1513 A/V home theater receiver with the top-performing MCS 160 surround sound speaker system from Boston Acoustics. The AVR-1513 includes 1080p-compatible HDMI ports with 3D pass-through (4 in / 1 out), HD Audio decoding. The AVR-1513 provides a generous supply of 4 HDMI inputs, including 1 on the front. The front input can be used to connect mobile device such as a camcorder or tablet, allowing you to immediately enjoy videos, photos, and music. The MCS160 speaker system includes compact front, center, and surround speakers and a powerful compact subwoofer.

9. Harman Kardon BDS 770 5.1 Channel 3D Home Theater Package

Harman Kardon BDS 770 5 1 Channel 3D Home Theater PackageList Price: $1,199.00
Price: $1,099.00
You Save: $100.00 (8%)

  • HDMI® v.1.4a with 3-d, deep color and audio return channel (ARC)
  • Four dual midrange satellite speakers
  • Dedicated dual midrange center speaker
  • 200-watt powered subwoofer
  • Automatic playlist function

If you want that true 3-D movie-theatre experience from a system that won’t take up a lot of room, look no further than the BDS 770. This integrated system offers full-size performance in a space-saving form styled to complement any décor. From 3-D movies to digital files playable through the USB port, the 3-D Blu-ray DiscTM receiver enables picture-perfect viewing, while four satellite speakers, one centre speaker and a powered subwoofer guarantee true 5.1-channel movie surround sound the way it was meant to be heard. The Harman Kardon® BDS 770 is a compact 5.1-channel home theater system that will thoroughly transform your home entertainment experience. Equipped with Dolby® Digital and DTS® decoding and HDMI® v.1.4a outputs, the BDS 770 reproduces movies and music from virtually any source. Its dual midrange satellite speakers surround you with a 360-degree soundscape, and its 200-watt, downward-firing, powered subwoofer provides a deep, satisfying bass response. Along with an intuitive on-screen menu system for foolproof setup, the BDS 770 is proof that home theater systems don’t need to be large to be impressive. Harman Kardon® BDS 770 System At a Glance: Compact home theater audio system 65 watts per channel HDMI® v.1.4a with 3-d, deep color and audio return channel (ARC) Four dual midrange satellite speakers Dedicated dual midrange center speaker 200-watt powered subwoofer Easy-to-use, learning remote control

10. Klipsch HDT-600 Home Theater System

Klipsch HDT 600 Home Theater SystemList Price: $599.99
Price: $497.99
You Save: $102.00 (17%)

  • Four high gloss satellites, one center channel and one subwoofer
  • Exclusive Klipsch horn-loaded technology
  • Flexible system placement
  • 8-Inch down-firing, fiber composite-woofer

The Klipsch HD Theater 600 comes with four satellite speakers, a matching center channel speaker and a powerful subwoofer. It’s a complete, compact surround system that affordably adds crisp dialogue, brilliant music and explosive effects to your video content. Each speaker utilizes an exclusive Klipsch MicroTractrix horn for its .75-Inch tweeter for increased output and superior detail reproduction. The improved, 2.5-Inch long-throw IMG woofers expand midbass bandwidth, blending perfectly with the subwoofer for a system that sounds a lot larger than it is. The 8-Inch, down-firing, fiber composite-woofer can fill a room with bass that is not only heard but felt as well. The solid MDF cabinet is designed for low resonance while its bass-reflex design helps to reproduce deep bass for movie action you can feel. With volume, crossover and phase controls you can adjust for the level of bass that best matches your room. Each speaker can be positioned horizontally or vertically and comes with an adjustable wall bracket with a 40° range of motion and ¼-Inch-20-threaded inserts for optional floor-stand mounting. The center channel includes a cradle base with a 45° range of motion.

Click Here for More Best-selling Home Theater Systems

Copyright David Masters 2012

 

Top 10 Best Surround Sound Systems 2012

Top 10 Best Surround Sound Systems 2012

1. Onkyo 5.1-Channel Home Theater Package 6. Yamaha Complete 5.1-Channel System
2. Panasonic 3D Blu-Ray 5.1 Surround Sound 7. LG 1000W 3D Blu-ray Theater System
3. Samsung 5.1 Channel 3D Blu-ray 8. Boston Acoustics Compact Home Theater
4. Bose® CineMate® Series II Digital 9. Sony HTSS380 3D Home Theater System
5. Sony BRAVIA Home Theater System 10. RCA 300W Blu-ray Home Theater System


1. Onkyo HT-S3500 5.1-Channel Home Theater Speaker/Receiver Package

List Price: $399.00
Price: $268.00
You Save: $131.00 (33%)

  • 4 HDMI Inputs and 1 output with support for 3D and Audio Return Channel
  • WRAT Amplifier Technology,2-Year Warranty
  • Direct Digital Connection of iPod®/iPhone® via Front USB Port
  • Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio
  • Easy Settings Change with On Screen Display via HDMI

Welcome to Immersive, Affordable and Complete Home Theater. For small- to medium-sized rooms, you can’t go past the well-balanced and affordable HT-S3500 home theater package. Newly equipped with Onkyo’s WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology), the AVR and six-speaker set will surprise and delight with audio performance you would expect from a more expensive system. The package is easy to set up right out of the box, thanks to the intuitive HDMI®-overlaid On-Screen Display and wall-mountable speakers. Four HDMI inputs provide connectivity for BD players and gaming consoles, and there’s an Audio Return Channel to send TV audio through the receiver. Plug your iPod®/iPhone® into the front-panel USB and enjoy clear, powerful sound with an inbuilt optimizer enhancing the quality of compressed digital music. The AVR decodes Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™, and is ready for 3D games and movies. Perfect for replacing an aging system, or for your first foray into the world of home theater, the package is rounded out with a subwoofer to boost bottom-end sound.Power Output Front: 110W/Channel (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1%, 1 channel driven, FTC), Center: 110W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1%, 1 channel driven, FTC), Surround L/R: 110W/Channel (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 1%, 1 channel driven, FTC).Power Requirements: AC 120 V, 60Hz.What’s in the box: Onkyo HT-S3500 Home Theater Package, Remote Control, 2 x Front Speakers, Center Speaker, 2 x Surround Speakers, Subwoofer and 2-Year Warranty.

2. Panasonic SC-BTT490 3D Blu-Ray Disc 5.1 Surround Sound Home Theater System

Price: $389.00

  • Stainless Mesh Front Tallboy Speakers
  • Wi-Fi Built-In, Universal iPod Dock
  • HDMI Input x2/ x1Output

Panasonic Blu-ray Disc home theaters have been developed under the concept of reproducing an ideal theater-like surround sound environment. The SC-BTT490 employs advanced technologies to reproduce clearer, enhanced theater-like surround sound to skillfully match high-quality 3D imagery. It features a down firing subwoofer and Full HD 3D Blu-ray Disc playback. The integration of smart networking functions including Smartphone remote control, DLNA, Wireless LAN, digital music connection for iPod/iPhone and VIERA Connect complements traditional home entertainment for an enriched, user-friendly audio/video experience. The BTT490 is equipped with two HDMI inputs in addition to one HDMI output for gaming consoles and set-top box connections and allows signals from connected devices to pass through the unit even when the home theater system is turned off.

3. Samsung HT-E5500W HTIB 5.1 Channel 3D Blu-ray 1000-Watt Home Theater System

Price: $375.79

  • 1000 Watts
  • 3D Blu-ray
  • Built-in Wifi
  • Wireless rear speakers
  • Web broswer

With the power of this 5.1 channel, 1000-watt home theater, you can also enjoy Samsung’s crystal amp plus technology. With crystal amp plus, HD quality sound is added to your 3D experience, filtering sound sources twice to minimize distortion and produce crystal-clear sound. Built-in WiFi allows you to browse the web right on the big screen without a wired connection. Wireless rear speakers are also included.

4. Bose® CineMate® Series II Digital Home Theater Speaker System

Price: $599.00

A 2.1-channel home theater speaker system with redesigned Articulated Array® speakers and improved digital acoustic performance

  • Designed for use with your TV
  • Sleek, four-button remote controls CineMate system
  • Simplified setup, with only a few connections to make

The Bose® CineMate II speaker system provides high-quality home theater sound to get more from your HDTV experience. Just two compact speakers and a hideaway Acoustimass® module deliver sweeping cinematic sound that puts you in the middle of your movies, games and sports. Proprietary TrueSpace® technology enables this immersive performance–without immersing you in equipment. There are no rear or center speakers, eliminating much of the wiring of traditional 5-speaker systems. Just connect the system right to your TV and control basic functions with a simple four-button remote.

5. Sony BRAVIA DAV-DZ170 Home Theater System

List Price: $249.99
Price: $198.00
You Save: $51.99 (21%)

  • 1000 watts of 5.1-channel surround sound
  • DVD upscaling to near-HD picture quality via HDMI
  • BRAVIA Sync controls compatible devices with just one remote
  • Digital Cinema Audio Calibration for quick speaker set-up
  • Easy Setup Disc is included to guide you through the setup process
  • 1000 watt (167×5+165 3ohm, 1kHz, 10%THD) 5.1 channel surround sound
  • BRAVIA Sync controls compatible devices w/ one remote2
  • DVD upscaling to near HD picture quality via HDMI 1
  • Easy Set-up Disc is included to guide you through the set-up process

Add the cinematic thrill of surround sound to your TV viewing experience with this 5.1-channel BRAVIA theater system. Fusing style with performance, this 5.1-channel surround sound system features a built-in DVD player and 1000 watts of home theater power. You can also connect your iPod or other digital music player via the front USB port. In addition to Digital Cinema Auto Calibration which optimizes speaker placement in just 30 seconds, you can use the HDMI interface to upscale your DVD media to near-1080p quality.

6. Yamaha YHT-695BL Complete 5.1-Channel Home Theater System

List Price: $699.95
Price: $449.95
You Save: $250.00 (36%)

  • Automatic Speaker setup with YPAO optimization.
  • Front panel USB
  • Compressed Music Enhancer improves playback of your digital music library
  • Includes a RX-V471BL AV Receiver and NS-AP6500BL speaker package with 10″ 100W sub

The Yamaha YHT-695BL is a powerful system for use with Blu-ray players and flat panel displays, featuring a 105W 5-channel AV Receiver with HD Audio decoding, 1080p-compatible HDMI with 3D and Audio Return Channel. iPod/iPhone and Bluetooth compatibility, 4 SCENE buttons for easy control with 5-channel speaker package and 10″ 100W Subwoofer.

7. LG BH6820SW 1000W 3D Blu-ray Home Theater System with Smart TV and Wireless Rear Speakers

Price: $318.00

  • LG Smart TV offers a revolutionary, easy way to access limitless content, thousands of movies, customizable apps, and view video from the web all set up in a simple to use interface.
  • Installation placement is simple and speaker wire management is reduced with the wireless rear speakers.
  • Cut loose from messy wires. Integrated Wi-Fi connectivity allows you take advantage of Internet Entertainment Access from any available Wi-Fi connection, anywhere in its range.

What good is all the entertainment in the world if you can’t find what you want quickly and easily? An intuitive, easy way to access limitless content, thousands of movies, customizable apps, and videos all organized in a simple to use interface. The LG Smart TV experience: the next generation in entertainment. With Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D you can enjoy all the latest movies in full 1080p picture resolution. Perfect for playing all your 3D or 2D Blu-ray and DVD movies. Better yet, our line of Blu-ray Disc Players upscales existing DVDs to near HD quality. Less clutter. More possibilities. Cut loose from messy wires. Integrated Wi-Fi Connectivity allows you to take advantage of Internet Entertainment Access from any available Wi-Fi connection, anywhere in its range.

8. Boston Acoustics SNDWRESHTSB Compact Home Theater System – High Gloss Finish (Black)

List Price: $799.99
Price: $299.88
You Save: $500.11 (63%)

  • Small speakers provide big, high-performance sound
  • BassTrac circuitry for deep, powerful, room-filling bass
  • Included wall brackets can be positioned at almost any angle
  • Durable high-gloss feature for a modern look
  • Easy-guide wire channels for fast hook-up

Get powerful, room-filling sound from a compact package with the Boston Acoustics SoundWare S Home Theater Speakers. This 5.1 surround sound system includes five two-way satellite speakers and a high-performance subwoofer that let you take advantage of high-definition movie soundtracks and music. You’ll enjoy clear highs and deep, satisfying bass in a small, stylish package that suits any space.

The SoundWare S Home Theater System is a compact 5.1 speaker package that brings a new level of style and substance to the fast-growing surround sound home entertainment category. The speaker system provides rich, room-filling surround sound, while complementing virtually any décor in a stylish yet subtle manner. The system’s five compact, high gloss SoundWare S satellites are real two-way speakers, each features a high-performance 3 1/2-inch (89mm) woofer and a 3/4-inch (19mm) tweeter. The contoured-rectangle subwoofer features a 200-watt (300watts peak) amplifier and 10-inch (254mm) DCD driver. Wall brackets are included for easy installation of all five satellite speakers. To create a complete home theater system, use the SoundWare S Home Theater Speakers with an AV receiver, Blu-ray or DVD Player, and your TV.

9. Sony HTSS380 3D Home Theater System

List Price: $349.99
Price: $249.00
You Save: $100.99 (29%)

  • 1000 watt 5.1 channel surround sound (167 W x5 + 165 W)
  • Three HDMI inputs: single-cable High-Definition AV connections
  • HDMI Repeater with 3D pass-through
  • iPod/iPhone dock1 for video, music and photos
  • BRAVIA Widget unified on-screen interface

Complete your entertainment with 5.1 channels of audio and included iPod/iPhone dock1. Sony’s HT-SS380 system delivers a soul-satisfying 1000 Watts of power5. You’re ready for the future with connections for three HDMI sources including 3D pass-through and Audio Return Channel3. The system even matches the design of BRAVIA televisions and Sony BD players.

10. RCA RTB1016 300W Blu-ray Home Theater System

List Price: $199.99
Price: $172.90
You Save: $27.09 (14%)

  • Blu-ray player – Blu-ray Disc playback in 1080p
  • Stream Netflix movies and Listen to Pandora Internet Radio
  • 300 watts total power with AUX audio input and analog video outputs
  • BD-Live – profile 2.0 enables additional content via internet connection
  • HDMI output – HDMI V1.3 outputting 1080p video

Indulge in the wonders of home entertainment in Blu-ray technology with the RCA RTB1016 Blu-ray Home Theater System. Enjoy watching your favorite movies from your HDTV, Satellite, or Cable Box in 1080p resolution. This RCA home theater can accommodate straming services, such as Netflix, Pandora Internet Radio, and more. It features Ethernet, USB ports, HDMI connectivity, and BD-Live, which provide system flexibility and an enhanced multimedia experience. Journey into immersive multimedia with the RCA RTB1016 Blu-ray Home Theater System.

Click Here for More Best-selling Home Theater Systems

Copyright David Masters 2012

 

Best Blu Ray Movies 2012

Best Blu Ray Movies 2012

What does the top 10 Blu-ray discs say about us?

1. The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy 6. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
2. Hugo Three-disc Combo 7. The Help Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo
3. Ben-Hur 50th Anniversary 8. Tower Heist 2 Disc Blu-ray Combo
4. Puss in Boots Two-disc Blu-ray 9. Midnight in Paris [Blu-ray]
5. The Godfather Coppola Restoration 10. Star Wars: The Complete Saga


1. The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / The Return of the King Extended Editions + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

List Price: $119.98
Price: $69.99
You Save: $49.99 (42%)

The Quest Is Over: All three extended versions in dazzling 1080p and DTS HD-MA 5.1 Audio. Deluxe set includes over 26 Hours of spellbinding behind-the- moviemaking material, including the Rare Costa Botes documentaries, on 15 discs.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition: With the help of a courageous fellowship of friends and allies, Frodo embarks on a perilous mission to destroy the legendary One Ring. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition: In the middle chapter of this historic movie trilogy, the Fellowship is broken but its quest to destroy the One Ring continues. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition: The final battle for Middle-earth begins. Frodo and Sam, led by Gollum, continue their dangerous mission toward the fires of Mount Doom in order to destroy the One Ring. Click here for more on this 15-disc Collector’s Edition

2. Hugo (Three-disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy)

List Price: $54.99
Price: $27.99
You Save: $27.00 (49%)

In resourceful orphan Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield, an Oliver Twist-like charmer), Martin Scorsese finds the perfect vessel for his silver-screen passion: this is a movie about movies (fittingly, the 3-D effects are spectacular). After his clockmaker father (Jude Law) perishes in a museum fire, Hugo goes to live with his Uncle Claude (Ray Winstone), a drunkard who maintains the clocks at a Paris train station. When Claude disappears, Hugo carries on his work and fends for himself by stealing food from area merchants. In his free time, he attempts to repair an automaton his father rescued from the museum, while trying to evade the station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen), a World War I veteran with no sympathy for lawbreakers. When Georges (Ben Kingsley), a toymaker, catches Hugo stealing parts for his mechanical man, he recruits him as an assistant to repay his debt. If Georges is guarded, his open-hearted ward, Isabelle (Chloë Moretz), introduces Hugo to a kindly bookseller (Christopher Lee), who directs them to a motion-picture museum, where they meet film scholar René (Boardwalk Empire‘s Michael Stuhlbarg). In helping unlock the secret of the automaton, they learn about the roots of cinema, starting with the Lumière brothers, and give a forgotten movie pioneer his due, thus illustrating the importance of film preservation, a cause to which the director has dedicated his life. If Scorsese’s adaptation of The Invention of Hugo Cabret isn’t his most autobiographical work, it just may be his most personal. Click here for more information on this 3-disc Blu-ray set

3. Ben-Hur (50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition) [Blu-ray]

List Price: $64.99
Price: $47.99
You Save: $17.00 (26%)

Ben-Hur scooped an unprecedented 11 Academy Awards® in 1959 and, unlike some later rivals, richly deserved every single one. This is epic filmmaking on a scale that had not been seen before and is unlikely ever to be seen again. But it’s not just running time or a cast of thousands that makes an epic, it’s the subject matter, and here the subject–Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) and his estrangement from old Roman pal Messala (Stephen Boyd)–is rich, detailed, and sensitively handled. Director William Wyler, who had been a junior assistant on MGM’s original silent version back in 1925, never sacrifices the human focus of the story in favor of spectacle, and is aided immeasurably by Miklos Rozsa’s majestic musical score, arguably the greatest ever written for a Hollywood picture. At four hours it’s a long haul (especially given some of the portentous dialogue), but all in all, Ben-Hur is a great movie, best seen on the biggest screen possible. Click here for more in this 3-disc Blu-ray edition

4. Puss in Boots (Two-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

List Price: $39.99
Price: $19.99
You Save: $20.00 (50%)

In this fractured fairy tale, Jack and Jill have the magic beans and Humpty Dumpty, with the aid of Kitty Softpaws, convinces his old friend Puss in Boots to help him steal the beans so they can climb the beanstalk to get to the golden eggs. Never mind that Humpty Dumpty and Puss in Boots had a falling out years ago, or that Jack and Jill are completely preoccupied by their squabbling over whether or not to have a child–and regardless that Puss in Boots is a wanted cat who’s sworn off his thieving ways, and Kitty Softpaws is a cat burglar who works alone. Comedy abounds in this film, not only in the twists and turns of some classic fairy tales gone awry, but with scenes that range from a litter-box dance fight between crowds of cats to Jack expressing his paternal instincts by strapping on a baby carrier filled with a piglet in a diaper, and, of course, Puss in Boots’ crafty use of his famous sad eyes to get just what he wants. The animation is top-notch (especially in the mass cat scenes), the music is compelling, and the voice talents of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zack Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Amy Sedaris are solid. While considered by some to be a prequel of sorts to the four Shrek films, Puss in Boots is definitely a stand-alone spinoff. What the films do share is a common comedic interpretation of some well-known fairy-tale characters and knack for spinning a funny story that appeals to both kids and adults. While a heightened sense of peril and some extended fight scenes may prove a bit intense for the youngest and most sensitive audience members, Puss in Boots is generally appropriate for ages 7 and older. Click here for more on this 2-disc Blu-ray set

5. The Godfather Collection (The Coppola Restoration) [Blu-ray]

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Throughout his long, wandering, often distinguished career Francis Ford Coppola has made many films that are good and fine, many more that are flawed but undeniably interesting, and a handful of duds that are worth viewing if only because his personality is so flagrantly absent. Yet he is and always shall be known as the man who directed the Godfather films, a series that has dominated and defined their creator in a way perhaps no other director can understand. Coppola has never been able to leave them alone, whether returning after 15 years to make a trilogy of the diptych, or re-editing the first two films into chronological order for a separate video release as The Godfather Saga. The films are our very own Shakespearean cycle: they tell a tale of a vicious mobster and his extended personal and professional families (once the stuff of righteous moral comeuppance), and they dared to present themselves with an epic sweep and an unapologetically tragic tone. Murder, it turned out, was a serious business. The first film remains a towering achievement, brilliantly cast and conceived. The entry of Michael Corleone into the family business, the transition of power from his father, the ruthless dispatch of his enemies–all this is told with an assurance that is breathtaking to behold. And it turned out to be merely prologue; two years later The Godfather, Part II balanced Michael’s ever-greater acquisition of power and influence during the fall of Cuba with the story of his father’s own youthful rise from immigrant slums. The stakes were higher, the story’s construction more elaborate, and the isolated despair at the end wholly earned. (Has there ever been a cinematic performance greater than Al Pacino’s Michael, so smart and ambitious, marching through the years into what he knows is his own doom with eyes open and hungry?) The Godfather, Part III was mostly written off as an attempted cash-in, but it is a wholly worthy conclusion, less slow than autumnally patient and almost merciless in the way it brings Michael’s past sins crashing down around him even as he tries to redeem himself. Click here for more on this 4-disk Blu-ray set

6. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part I (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

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The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 delivers strongly for the rabid fan base who have catapulted the young adult novel series and subsequent movie adaptations to the worldwide phenomenon that it’s become, but it alienates a broader audience with a lack of any real action. Similar to the tone of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the first film of the two-part Twilight conclusion is heavy on romance, love, and turmoil but light on fight scenes and gruesome battles. The movie doesn’t waste any time getting to the goods and opens with Bella and Edward’s much-hyped wedding scene. It works–the vows are efficient and first-time franchise director Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) moves the party along quickly and amusingly with a well-edited toast scene and some surprisingly moving moments between Bella and her father, cast standout Billy Burke. The honeymoon plays as a slightly awkward soft-focus made-for-TV movie, with a lot of long moments spent staring in the mirror and some love scenes that feel at once overly intimate and completely passionless. It’s a relief when Bella retches on a bite of chicken she’s cooked herself and quickly concludes she’s pregnant with a potentially demonic baby. From bliss to horror, the Cullens return to Forks, where Bella spends the second half of the movie wasting away and Edward and Jacob are aligned in their anger and frustration over her decision. Throw in some over-the-top scenes with Jacob and his pack–including a strange showdown where the wolves communicate in their canine form by having a passionate nonverbal fight in their minds (a plot point that works much better in print, it’s portrayed in the film via aggressive voice-over)–and the film overshoots intensity and goes straight to silly. The birth scene is horrific, but not as gruesome as in the book, and by the end, Bella has of course survived, though is much altered. The final scene features a delightfully campy Michael Sheen as Volturi leader Aro and makes it clear that the action and fun in Breaking Dawn, Part 1 is ready to start. Fans will just have to wait until Part 2 to get it. Click here for more on this Blu-ray Special Edition

7. The Help (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

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There are male viewers who will enjoy The Help, but Mississippi native Tate Taylor aims his adaptation squarely at the female readers who made Kathryn Stockett’s novel a bestseller. If the multi-character narrative revolves around race relations in the Kennedy-era South, the perspective belongs to the women. Veteran maid Aibileen (Doubt‘s Viola Davis in an Oscar-worthy performance) provides the heartfelt narration that brackets the story. A widow devastated by the death of her son, she takes pride in the 17 children she has helped to raise, but she’s hardly fulfilled. That changes when Skeeter (Easy A‘s Emma Stone) returns home after college. Unlike her peers, Skeeter wants to work, so she gets a job as a newspaper columnist. But she really longs to write about Jackson’s domestics, so she meets with Aibileen in secret–after much cajoling and the promise of anonymity. When Aibileen’s smart-mouthed friend Minny (breakout star Octavia Spencer) breaches her uptight employer’s protocol, Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) gives her the boot, and she ends up in the employ of local outcast Celia (Jessica Chastain, hilarious and heartbreaking), who can’t catch a break due to her dirt-poor origins. After the murder of Medgar Evers, even more maids, Minny among them, bring their stories to Skeeter, leading to a book that scandalizes the town–in a good way. Not since Steel Magnolias has Hollywood produced a Southern woman’s picture more likely to produce buckets of tears (and almost as many laughs). Click here for more on this 2-disc Blu-ray set

8. Tower Heist (2 Disc Blu-ray Combo + DVD + Digital Copy)

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At the center of Tower Heist is a gleaming Ferrari once owned by Steve McQueen, and that’s what the movie is: a sleek machine, tooled for speed. Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) manages a super-high-tech high-rise in the middle of Manhattan, catering to every need of the tower’s residents, including financier Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). When Shaw gets arrested by the FBI, Kovacs realizes that his staff’s pensions, which he asked Shaw to invest, are lost, and when it looks like Shaw is going to get away with it, Kovacs pulls together a mismatched team (included Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Peña, Gabourey Sidibe, and Eddie Murphy) to steal the secret stash of cash that the FBI suspects Shaw must have. Tower Heist successfully tweaks all the character clichés just enough so that they are a smooth blend of the familiar and the unexpected. The plot zips along with purring efficiency, alternating predictable turns with surprising ones just enough to keep the pattern-seeking parts of the viewer’s brain hooked. The cast–which also includes Téa Leoni as the lead FBI agent–charms without overdoing it. In essence, director Brett Ratner (the guy behind X-Men: The Last Stand and the Rush Hour series) has honed all of his sloppier tendencies and crafted a skillful piece of mass entertainment. Afterward, the movie’s plot holes and defiance of the laws of physics may irritate, but while it’s unfolding, Tower Heist is a smooth ride. Click here for more details on this 2-disc Blu-ray set

9. Midnight in Paris [Blu-ray]

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Paris is a city that lends itself to daydreaming, to walking the streets and imagining all sorts of magic, a quality that Woody Allen understands perfectly. Midnight in Paris is Allen’s charming reverie about just that quality, with a screenwriter hero named Gil (Owen Wilson) who strolls the lanes of Paris with his head in the clouds and walks right into his own best fantasy. Gil is there with his materialistic fiancée (Rachel McAdams) and her unpleasant parents, taking a break from his financially rewarding but spiritually unfulfilling Hollywood career–and he can’t stop thinking that all he wants to do is quit the movies, move to Paris, and write that novel he’s been meaning to finish. You know, be like his heroes in the bohemian Paris of the 1920s. Sure enough, a midnight encounter draws him into the jazzy world of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Picasso and Dali, and an intense Ernest Hemingway, who promises to bring Gil’s manuscript to Gertrude Stein for review. Gil wakes up every morning back in the real world, but returning to his enchanted Paris proves fairly easy. In the execution of this marvelous fantasia, Allen pursues the idea that people of every generation have always romanticized a previous age as golden (this is in fact explained to us by Michael Sheen’s pedantic art expert), but he also honors Gil’s need to find out certain truths for himself. The movie’s on the side of gentle fantasy, and it has some literary/cinematic in-jokes that call back to the kind of goofy humor Allen created in Love and Death.The film is guilty of the slackness that Allen’s latter-day directing has sometimes shown, and the underwritten roles for McAdams and Marion Cotillard are better acted than written. But the city glows with Allen’s romantic sense of it, and Owen Wilson has just the right nice-guy melancholy to put the idea over. A worthy entry in the Cinema of the Daydream. Click here for more information on this Blu-ray edition

10. Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray]

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Star Wars: The Complete Blu-ray Saga will feature all six live-action Star Warsfeature films utilizing the highest possible picture and audio presentation.

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace(32 Years Before Episode IV) Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master discover nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, a young slave unusually strong in the Force. Anakin wins a thrilling Podrace and with it his freedom as he leaves his home to be trained as a Jedi. The heroes return to Naboo where Anakin and the Queen face massive invasion forces while the two Jedi contend with a deadly foe named Darth Maul. Only then do they realize the invasion is merely the first step in a sinister scheme by the re-emergent forces of darkness known as the Sith.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones(22 Years Before Episode IV) Ten years after the events of the Battle of Naboo, not only has the galaxy undergone significant change, but so have Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala, and Anakin Skywalker as they are thrown together again for the first time since the Trade Federation invasion of Naboo. Anakin has grown into the accomplished Jedi apprentice of Obi-Wan, who himself has transitioned from student to teacher. The two Jedi are assigned to protect Padmé whose life is threatened by a faction of political separatists. As relationships form and powerful forces collide, these heroes face choices that will impact not only their own fates, but the destiny of the Republic.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith(19 Years before Episode IV) Three years after the onset of the Clone Wars, the noble Jedi Knights have been leading a massive clone army into a galaxy-wide battle against the Separatists. When the sinister Sith unveil a thousand-year-old plot to rule the galaxy, the Republic crumbles and from its ashes rises the evil Galactic Empire. Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker is seduced by the dark side of the Force to become the Emperor’s new apprentice–Darth Vader. The Jedi are decimated, as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Yoda are forced into hiding. The only hope for the galaxy are Anakin’s own offspring.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New HopeNineteen years after the formation of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet of Tatooine. Obi-Wan begins Luke’s Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes BackLuke Skywalker and his friends have set up a new base on the ice planet of Hoth, but it is not long before their secret location is discovered by the evil Empire. After narrowly escaping, Luke splits off from his friends to seek out a Jedi Master called Yoda. Meanwhile, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and C-3PO seek sanctuary at a city in the Clouds run by Lando Calrissian, an old friend of Han’s. But little do they realize that Darth Vader already awaits them.

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (4 years after Episode IV) In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. Click here for more on this Special Edition Blu-ray set

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Copyright 2012 David Masters