Enjoy the ultimate home viewing experience with the HT-DDW660 Home Theater System. This theater package includes the STR-K660P Receiver, SS-VE66P Speaker Package and SS-WMSP66 Subwoofer. With state-of-the-art digital decoding, magnetically shielded speakers, a tuner with 30 station presets, A/V Remote Commander remote control, and the Digital Cinema Sound System, the HT-DDW660 has everything you need to transform your home into a home theater.
A small footprint doesn't have to mean small sound. Sony's 70-watt-per-channel HT-DDW660 home theater delivers dynamic, full-bodied surround sound from a simple, compact package. Consisting of an audio/video receiver and a complete 5.1-channel speaker package, the HT-DDW660 accepts stereo analog and direct digital bitstreams from DVD players, satellite receivers, and DVRs while processing everything from DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 discrete surround signals to Dolby Pro Logic II, which generates multichannel surround from any stereo source--movie or music. The system's onboard 32-bit surround processor also features Sony's own Digital Cinema Sound System (Cinema Studio EX), broadening your surround listening possibilities.
Easy to assemble, the system includes all requisite cabling, including a subwoofer cable and a coaxial digital-audio interconnect for stereo or surround signals. (Depending on your DVD player or other associated gear, however, you may require an optical digital-audio cable for true surround sound--compatible but not included.)
Three composite-video inputs offer accompanying analog-audio inputs, accommodating most audio/video components and granting convenient AV switching: just channel the AV signals from your DVD player, VCR, and cable box (for instance) to the receiver, then route a single composite-video cable from the receiver's monitor output to your television. You'll need to supply your own composite-video cables, and if you have an older TV you may require a video modulator to convert the receiver's composite-video (yellow RCA jack) signal to an RF signal (which uses a thicker, threaded jack).
The included speakers cover left, right, center, and left/right surround, along with a 70-watt powered subwoofer with a bass port for heightened low-frequency slam. A host of radio presets (20 FM, 10 AM) put all your favorite stations (and then some) right at your fingertips, and the receiver's amplifier uses discrete output transistors for clean, quality power.
Optional mounting brackets or speaker stands (models WS-WV10D and WS-FV11D, respectively) simplify speaker placement, the assumption being that you'll want to place the center-channel speaker atop your television for optimal dialogue matching. All speakers are magnetically shielded to prevent distortion when placed on or near your TV.
What's in the Box
STR-K660P audio/video receiver, SS-VE66P speaker package, SS-WMSP66 subwoofer, a user's manual, all requisite speaker cable, a monaural RCA subwoofer interconnect, a coaxial digital-audio interconnect, and a Remote Commander remote control (model RM-466).
1 you get what you pay for!
This is a perfect illustration of that old saw.
A friend of mine just bought a movie projector and, running low on cash, decided to buy this pathetic little thing instead of a REAL home theater sound system.
Well, what can I say...his projector is awesome, blows away plasma TVs that cost 5 times as much and has 5 times the picture size...but this cheesy little Sony totally drags it all down.
I don't know what the other reviewers here have been smoking, or how much they are paid by Sony, but this system is just horrendous. The little receiver has very few connections so if you have multiple sources (let's say, a DVD player, a CD player, a VCR, an X-box, and a cable box) count on pulling out and plugging in different wires all the time.
When listening to movies or TV, the sound is somewhat OK about 70% of the time like when listening to the evening news. But when you get to climactic scenes in movies or TV shows with sudden bursts of sound the lousy bargain basement speakers sound like they're about to fall apart---lots of distortion, buzzing, and resonance especially the wimpy subwoofer which has about two notes: fwoom and gggrind. The center channel hopelessly garbles dialogue, and the surround channels are wimpy at best...the speaker cables are those cheap tiny 24 gauge lamp cord cables that you cannot disconnect to upgrade, you're just stuck with them.
And may the Good Lord help you if you ever even THINK of listening to music on this system...ugh, even my compact stack system sounds better than this!
If you have to buy a home-theater-in-a-box I'd suggest the Onkyo 770 which is around four hundred dollars online, amazing what the extra lousy two hundred dollars can get you.
Better yet, go to vanns dot com and buy yourself a Pioneer 514 receiver for about a hundred fifty bucks, a cheap pair of Polk R15s for a hundred bucks from crutchfield dot com, and a Dayton subwoofer from partsexpress dot com for a hundred twenty five bucks...and I guarantee you that simple four hundred dollar 2.1 system would blow this cheesy Sony joke clear out of the water and probably the Onkyo too.
On the other hand if you want a truly decent home theater system you should set your overall budget at around fifteen hundred dollars. And please, don't even think about Bose that's even worse than this Sony but at ten times the markup.
2 Needs an active woofer.
I like this system for the money, but the passive woofer is as described "passive". I added a Sony active subwoofer and now this system kicks. The active sub cost me as much as the whole home theater system, but it was worth it. I use the system to watch tv, movies, and listen to music. The receiver and speakers are "good" for the price. I debated on returning the system because the bass I wanted was not consistant. But adding the active sub enabled me to get the sound I wanted and my total cost was less than $400.00.
3 Cheap Price but Good Quality
This is an incredible deal - for merely $180 you can basically have a decent home theatre experience.
The setup is not difficult; anyone with some basic knowledge about audio can do it in an hour or two.
This Sony offers a nice surround sound and the quality of center-channel and subwoofer output is decent.
There are two shortcomings - one, system manual is extremely inadequate in terms of setting up the speakers and two, the sound in Video/DVD modes is a bit weak, comparing to the sound in radio or music mode.
All in all, it's a great system for its price, a terrific introduction to home theatre experience.
4 Pretty good, for the price...
Overall a nice system. Isn't as powerful as the wattage would imply, and speaker midrange seems a bit weak.
5 terrible sound, but maybe mine was defective
I bought this as a gift, and believe me when I say it was a terrible disappointment when I set it up and found that the sound coming out of the center and surround channels (but not the front channels) was completely mangled by the receiver. I tried everything, but no matter what, CDs played in Pro Logic and Dolby Digitial encoded DVDs sounded awful. Strangely, if I played CDs or DVDs in stereo, it sounded great, so I believe there was something wrong with the surround channel amplifiers.
6 IT'S AWESOME!!
It will really shock you to hear the type of sound you hear. It's easy to set up; it's awesome. You may even be able to catch it on sale. The only down side is that you can't hook too many other things into it. So, if you're looking for a receiver to connect your own floor speakers, you may want to check the amps on the speakers first. It might be doing the speakers an injustice if the watts are larger than this system. For anybody who just wants a nice sound when watching their movie, this is the one!
7 Fantastic starter HTS product
The clarity is amazing for a low cost system. Yes, the other reviews are correct about the lack of RCA inputs on this product. But, included is a coax cable for your DVD player which still leaves both RCA jacks available. I ran one to my TiVo to take care of the Video and still have one available to run to my TV for my PS2 or CD Player. There is a max volume level to prevent someone from blowing the sub/speakers and it's just as clear as low volume listening.
8 Great System - even without the awesome price.
I was worried that this system wouldn't be any good because it's so inexpensive, but I bought it on the strength of the reviews I've read here. I'm thrilled with the system. I already had a DVD player, so I was looking for a surround sound system without one. The sound quality is great. I bought generic speaker stands and they work perfectly. Watching Star Wars and TLOR is an entirely new experience. I also like that it has Dolby 5.1 and DTS. As other reviews have stated, it would be nice to have more digital imputs, but one for the cable box and one for the DVD works fine for me. Also, I have an all Sony system, so the silver matches perfectly. If you're looking for a very good system without a DVD player at a great price, I highly recommend it!
9 The best HTS under $200
I was looking around for a long time to get a good HTS at a bargain rate under $200. Damn I was lucky I found this during the After Thanksgiving day sale for $150. Wow, I am amazed by the clarity of sound and now I can hear all the minute details. I haven't even turned the volume to MAX yet but this thing still rocks. Only con is this system has only 2 inputs. I connected my Sony TV and my DVD player to the 2 inputs and everything else like VCR and PS2 goes through my TV as it has 8 inputs and I still get the same effect.
As always, SONY, the brand name speaks for itself.
10 Great system needs wall brackets sold separately
I like this system because I can listen to AM and FM as well as home theatre sound. I already had a very nice GoVideo DVD/VHS so I didn't need the extra DVD player. The receiver is kind of tall but the directions were straight forward. Sound is excellent. Great value for the money and a name brand. If all this could be delivered with less spaghetti style wiring out the back I'd be happier. You need to order wall brackets for the speakers (cost $25-50 per pair, you'll need 2 pair for a total of 4 brackets)
11 A Good, Inexpensive Product
This Home Theatre System by Sony is a great deal. It costs less than $200 for a 420 watt system that has the Sony brand name on it. The sound is very clear and the reciever is powerful. There are problems with it however, the reciever des not have enough inputs, both digital and analog. I am also unimpressed with the remote. I disliked it because it only works with Sony electronics. That is oviously a marketing ploy but I wish they didnt do that. Despite tose problems, this is a good, solid and inexpensive Home Theatre System and I would recomend it if you cannot afford a $2000 high-end system.
12 Remote sucks, manual sucks, and Sony's customer support suck
The remote will only control "certain" Sony products. It will not control anything other than a Sony product. It will not even control recent Sony products.
I have a Sony DVD Player DVP-NS501P that sits on top of the Home Theater. The two units were clearly designed in the same shop. Same brushed metal, same rounded edges, same buttons, same placement of the 1/0 button, same lettering. The remote cannot control the DVD player.
I have a year old Sony VCR SLV-N500. The remote cannot control the DVD player.
I went online to Sony's site and was given three options, email, chat, or phone call.
The chat session took over 35 minutes and the operator at the other end couldn't say how to get the Sony DVD player to work. She told me to call Sony.
So I called Sony and spent five minutes getting through Johnny Cab, their AI voice recognition software. Literally five minutes giving the AI my life history. Finally Mr. Cab told me to wait for the next agent, at which point, get this, .... Mr. Cab told me that I was calling after office hours, and that I needed to call back the next morning.
So, if you don't mind buying a relatively expensive htib without a dvd player that has a really sucky remote control that can't even control the dvd player that you are supposed to buy with this relatively expensive htib all backed up by a company with illtrained chat operators and really dumb voice call support, then by all means, this product is for you.
13 Sony D660 Home Theater
All the other reviews seem to be written by audiophiles who know what they are talking about. I am a single mom who just loves movies and bought this because of price and other reviews.I had a harder time setting it up (manual is awful) but went into the Sony.com site where they had tutorials and took it from there. Sound seems so rich compared to my regular projection TV and I am a happy camper. I still have a mess of wires to deal with, have to figure out the remote and see if I can consolidate my three remotes down to one (? is that possible?), work on the sound balance and mounting of the speakers but I am just happy I didn't blow up my TV trying to configure everything. THere are cheaper systems out there but I wanted a dependable name brand that looked well built. So I am content - now would one of you other reviewers explain all the rest of the mumbo jumbo audio stuff to me? LOL
14 holy cow this is the best
ok so youre looking for a home theater system to top off your big screen,dvd and whatever else you have and you think to your self the only way to get a nice sound and high volume is to get bose speakers and a 700 watt 7.1 system well youre wrong see this is the cheapest priced home theater system ive ever seen or heard that doesnt suck its great ill tell you this,this system is gonna give bose a run for its money it acctually sounds better than bose (just my opinion though) but ill tell you the subwoofer isnt much for super large rooms mainly because its passive (not powered)but i got to the store after i saw it in a magazine not expecting much and turned it on went through the menu to turn it to my sound preferences and it blew me away
15 Great basic system for the price!
This is an excellent entry-level system -- and you can't beat the price for the performance. If you want a solid 5.1 surround sound system for less than $200, you won't find a better one than the Sony HT-DDW660. My friend with a Onkyo super-system was amazed at the clarity and depth I got out of this simple Sony -- he said it was every bit as good as his $1,000+ system, albeit with fewer bells and whistles.
I installed this with my Panasonic HD TV and Hughes DirectTV/TiVo HD receiver using an optical cable (which you must buy separately), and the Sony system automatically switches to the optimal sound configuration on the fly. Excellent for the rest of my family who don't want to fiddle with the remotes. The digital coax connection makes hooking up a DVD a breeze, too.
I recommend that you also buy the optional speaker stands (Sony WS-FV11) which will cost you another $200 for two pair -- odd that four speaker stands cost as much as the actual system -- but they are worth it.
My only (all minor) complaints are:
- the power is a bit low -- you really have to crank it up to get some strong volume. If you have a big room for your home theatre, get a bigger sound system than this.
- beware switching to FM radio before turning the sound down; for some reason, the volume level on the radio receiver is MUCH higher than for the TV/surround sound, so you get blasted if you just switch over withour readjusting the volume -- weird.
- wires into the subwoofer are permanent, unlike the connections for the other five speakers. Not a big deal, but you'll have to cut and splice if you want to use your own speaker cables.
- optical cable should have been included. They give you a digital coax, but why not the optical cord?
- pay special attention to the part numbers on the backs of the five speakers -- they determine the proper left/right/front/back placement -- I missed this when I first set up the system
- I'm having some trouble configuring my Hughes TiVo remote to control the HT-DDW660 -- the recommended TiVo codes don't work. Time to get a $200 universal remote, I guess...
As I said, all of these are minor complaints -- in general, I'm extremely pleased with the sound quality. I keep having to remind myself that I spent less than $200 for this great system. Highly recommended.
16 A simple, entry-level, no fuss unit that sounds great!
I will just say a few words that have not already been said about the system:
- This unit does not come with a digital optical cable so if your player needs one make sure to buy one.
- The provided coax cable is only 3feet long. So if you need a longer one, plan to buy one.
- I bought the Sanus HTB2 floor stands for it and it works very well.
- The remote has buttons for selecting between Video-audio and DVD-audio. This was kind of confusing at first since the audio from my digital optical cable comes through by selecting Video-audio. But at the same time the diagram in the manual suggests that you can plug another source into the analog Video-audio input. Turns out, if you read further into the manual, the system detects for signals on the digital input and analog input and prioritizes digital over analog. So if a digital signal is present, it will select digital. If it is absent it will select analog automatically.
- I like the fact that the satellite speakers all look exactly the same. The unit as a whole is well styled compared to the equivalent Panasonic system (SC-HT05), which looks cheap and gaudy. I originally wanted to buy the Panasonic to match all my other Panasonic components but after reading about the problems other reviewers were having with it, and after seeing how fragile it looked in the store, I decided otherwise. At the local store I noticed one of the legs on the Panasonic's subwoofer had broken off.
- It would have been nice to have a second digital optical input. Unfortunately the only way to get a Sony system with 2 digital optical inputs is to buy the receiver separately and the speakers separately, which would give you a 7.1 sound system but would also require an investment at 3 times the cost of this unit.
I looked at other competing systems (the Panasonic SC-HT05 and the Yamaha YHT-150) that had this capability at a small price increase. But online reviews indicated that some of the Panasonic units had a random squeeking problem with the digital audio input. The Yamaha looked very promising since it also had video inputs which would mean that it would be convenient to switch both the video and audio signals on the same remote. However the Yamaha only supports RCA composite video inputs, NO S-Video and NO Component inputs. Also the reviewers said it was difficult to install.
So weighing all those factors I eventually decided on the Sony. A simple, entry-level, no fuss unit that sounded great! I tested it on the Empire Strikes Back and it was awesome to hear the Star Destroyers rumble and the Snow speeders zip by around me. I had never realized until now just how many tiny little nuances of audio there were in the film....
17 Amazing Value
After spending most of my money on my large screen tv I wanted a sound system to make it more theater like, but I didn't want to spend too much money. After waiting for a good sale on the top selling names, I happened to notice the Sony system without the dvd player and that appealed to me because I already have two dvd players. The salesman also gave this model a good review. You can't go wrong with this system. The sound is great and it was easy to integrate my existing vcr and dvd players.
18 Many sony home theaters don't have picture zoom
Many home theater systems with DVD player included, do not have a zoom feature for movie playback. You are not able to decrease the black lines at the top and bottom of wide-screen formatted movies. Therefore its better to by this receiver with speakers, and then buy a separate DVD player of your choice.
Or just hook it up to your game system that plays DVDs. Or hook it up to your computer if your sound card has an optical output. Use it to play Doom 3/Unreal Tournament!!!
You won't believe your ears when you play audio CDs. This Sony system greatly enhances the quality of my audio CDs, especially when you use the options such as Hall, Jazz, etc.
19 I totally agree
I agree with the "better than BOSE" review!the reson i got this was i dreamed of a sony home theater for this price.the first time i saw this at walmart,i used the demo,turned it up and WOW!this system has got power,420 watts!im turning 12 in 3 days and im getting a magnavox portable dvd player(MPD720)!all in all this system is even great for a large living room.if you dont know whether to get a panasonic or sony,think this;sony makes movies(sonypictures.com),does panasonic?no,therfore,sony is more experienced with home theater!Hope this helps you chose.
TIP:use sony's cinema modes,located in MOVIE,for better sound quality!
CINEMA mode A:for all types of movies
CINEMA mode B:FOR sci-fi or action with lots of sound effects
CINEMA mode C:for movies with violin,chello,etc. in the background
20 Good Performance - Can't beat the price
5-stars for value, 4 for overall performance. I was skeptical of the price and small speakers, but results are better than expected. No other competition in this price range. Great for apartments or smallish rooms, smooth sound without harshness, good surround effects, nice menu options and adjustments. AM/FM tuner surprisingly sensitive, with so-so performance. Best for movie/tv audio, just adequate for music. Not exactly a full-bodied sound from small speakers (weak in the lower midrange), but good bass, excellent clarity, spaciousness, and dynamic punch for this price -- I hear detail in movies I didn't know were there. Cons: skimpy cables (I replaced front speaker wires with Radio Shack 18-gauge solid-core hookup wire, a good cheap wire for speakers, improved the midrange). Subwoofer level should be lowered, bottoms out if driven too hard. Midrange mildly ragged but clear. The manual needs work, but is usable (read before setting up!!). Menu panel disappears a little too quickly. DVD digital requires a coax cable, the one supplied is too short (I used a $12 Acoustic Research coax, works fine). Speakers sound better on stands. Overall, beats many $400 setups, even Sony's own. Great buy!
21 Better than "BOSE 3-2-1" by far...
This is the best home theatere system I ever had. Better than "BOSE
3-2-1" by far!!! Better tan you think.... You can turn it up all the way and the speakers will NOT blow out!! Oh Yeah... This home theatere system is worth .. 5000!!! Crisp and clear sound...
Pro Logic II....DTS....Cinima FX technology (tm).......And much more!!! THIS IS MORE THAN A FIVE STAR HOME THEATERE SYSTEM.........
22 great
Im only 12 years old and I say WOW!This system has amazing power,420 watts!If you buy online,order from walmart or amazon cause they have the best policies.But before you buy,make sure to go to walmart and use the demo.Once you use the demo,you'll find out how amazing this is!
P.S.This system is great for a small to gigantic room!
23 best bang for the buck
I bought the system from Circuit City for $179.99 on a 5 hour internet special. I got the system the next day using their in store pickup. The system was an easy setup. I watched To End All Wars right after I set it up. It sounded pretty good. It comes with a weak subwoofer (70 watts, non-powered). I hooked it up to my Playstation 2 and played Deus Ex. It helped the game out a lot. I plan to keep the system and build another subwoofer (200 watts, powered) with plans off of the internet (my dad already built one that sounds awesome). For $180 this is a great system. The remote control the system comes with can only control Sony products. If your still not sure about it and want to hear it for yourself go play around with one of Best Buy's displays.
24 A,mazing
When i first hooked it up and tested it, it sounded a little weak, but i went through the menus and everything was turned down, like the volume for the speakers and subwoofer, once i put it up the sound was amazing, the bass coming from the woofer seems like a 100 watt system rather than a 70. i reccommend this for any room small or large, you will not be dissapointed especially at this price.
25 A,mazing
When i first hooked it up and tested it, it sounded a little weak, but i went through the menus and everything was turned down, like the volume for the speakers and subwoofer, once i put it up the sound was amazing, the bass coming from the woofer seems like a 100 watt system rather than a 70. i reccommend this for any room small or large, you will not be dissapointed especially at this price.
26 Love My Sony System
I just recently recieved my Sony system as a Father's day gift. I want to say that I am so pleased with it. I looked at several systems, and this one could not be beat. Not only for the great price, but for the entire package. I brought it home, took it out of the box and set it right up. It was that easy !! This is the system to buy, trust me, you "WON'T" be sorry.
27 Great Deal
This is a steal at $199.00. I purchased this system as a gift for my mom. This is an awesome system for someone who wants surround sound but does not want a sub woofer that is going to rattle the walls. I cannot believe the clear and well balanced sound that comes out of the speakers. We hooked up a DVD player and Dish receiver to the system. If you use an optical cord, you don't have to switch the receiver back and forth to the DVD player and Dish receiver. The switch is automatically done.
All and all if your looking for a excellent system and don't want to spend a lot of money, this is the one to get!!
28 Sony entertainment system.....
I was looking around town for a decent sorround sound system and this caught my eye,5 speakers 1 subwoofer and the reciever for just over 200 dollars. They had a store demo so I gave it a listen and was quite surprised. There were two systems hooked up to the T.V., this one and a $350 sony system.Out of the two this one sounded the best,Rumbling lows great clarity and the perfect ammount of speakers for a medium large to large room. It was just overall a great buy for the price. I purchased it, took it home and I must say it has done wonders for My homes sound quality. when watching DVDs not only do i hear the sound but I feel it. Highly recommended.
29 Great Buy!
I bought this system about a month ago, and so far its proven to be great! It hooks up perfectly to my playstation 2, digital cable box, and even computer (for mp3s). One of the only downsides is there is only 2 audio in's, an optical digital in, and a coaxital in, but I've managed to fit everything, without constantly wire swaping. I suggest this system to anyone in search of a hometheater system.
