Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony DAV-HDX500/i BRAVIA Home Theater System

The sound quality is exceptional. I love the multi-function receiver. I can easily switch between tv, dvd, cd, ipod and radio...and I love the ability to pre-program my favorite radio stations. This was definitely the best product for the money. After using it for a month now...I am still totally impressed.

I bought this system to replace my 7 year old dream system and I am real glad that I did. I originally thought about a 2.1 channel system in order to eliminate the rear wires, but none of them really wowed me. After reading every review I could find, I decided to purchase a 5.1 and do it right. I ordered it from amazon.com and it was shipped for free and arrived in a few days. (Ordered it on a Thursday and it arrived on Tuesday)This system is easy to assemble(took me an hour taking my time) It also looks great and most importantly, sounds awesome.

I am more than impressed with this system. For a fairly non-technical person, the set-up was extremely easy. The included microphone to optimize the sound with your speaker arrangement really impressed me after hearing about friends who spent hours optimizing their system.

The sound I get from the iPod dock is much better than I expected and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could control my iPod using the remote.

On top of the excellent performance, the system itself is very sleek looking. I had a new year's eve party after getting the system for Christmas and almost every guest commented on how great it looks.

I don't know exactly where to start. I don't usually write review on things I buy but after setting this system up I thought it was only right that I did.

Positves:

1. Easy to set-up...I wanted to do it just right so it took me about 45-60mins to get everything ready...the time flies because it was kinda fun and its really easy to do.
2. Once you get it set up and want to watch a DVD you won't be dissapointed with the sound quality I can almost guarantee... I have a 1 bedroom apartment and it fills the entire place with sound...I was worried because the sound only goes up to 30 and 0-18 doesn't do much in terms of wowing you...but I find that anyhthing more that 23/24 is abit much and may bring complaints from the neightbors. (Great for action movies...I am now and Action movie junkie)
3. For the cost I think its a pretty good deal and they throw in the Ipod acessory as well

Negatives

1. OK why not send me the audio/video cables...I was a bit bummed about that...got the thing set up and had to run out to buy that cable...but I got the system as gift so $13 bucks for this terrific sound not really a downside but why not throw them in for free instead of the ipod accessory
2. I am not the most electronically savvy person so it took me awhile to get it so that the sound when watching regular TV comes through the speakers...but apparently you need to select TV sound to come from external speakers/ cancel the internal TV speakers....worked almost like magic.
3. The antenna for the FM has to be in front of the system and not neat tucked away behind your tv or you get some wierd interfernce. After I moved the antenna I got good reception.



So with all that said I LOVE IT.

For weeks I agonized over whether to purchase the HDX500 or the HDX500/I; having just purchased the brand new Bravia XBR4 I wanted to make sure I had the latest technology available. The HDX500 and the HDX500/I have the same retail price but are listed as different items and sell for different prices. I called AMZN's electronic dept and, while they were very helpful, they were unable to tell me the difference between the HDX500 or the HDX500/I. The speculation was that the HDX500 was the old model and the HDX500/I is new and being phased in as Sony isn't known for making little changes. I purchased the HDX500/I anyway because the price difference was minimal and after spending so much money on all the other components, what's $50? To my dismay, upon arrival the box says HDX500 not HDX500/I. I called Amazon, they said they'd replace it with the right product but I didn't have a lot of faith there because what if the box wasn't labeled correctly? At Amazon's suggestion I called Sony. I spoke to both their sales people and their technical support. Sony said that the HDX500 has been discontinued and that now they only sell the HDX500/I but no one could tell me if it states HDX500/I on the box, if it's packed any differently or what the difference between the two items are. So it looks like the HDX500 and the HDX500/I are the same product. I'm hanging on to the box for the next week unless I find anything out differently but thought I should post this lest anyone else be in the same dilemma. Great product; comes with the media port. Do yourself a favor and buy HDMI cables right off the bat, you're gonna need them.