Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony DAV-S550 Home Cinema System

I've had one of these for an awful long time now; so long I can't remember, but it's at least 6 years with regular use throughout those 6 years. The 5.1 sound part of system is absolutely fine and it links up perfectly well with my Samsung TV and PVR, and Sony 400 CD disc changer. Where it can be a slight problem is that it makes some odd and alarming noises when going to and staying on a DVD menu, as though it's grinding the thing. However examination shows there's not a problem and I still use it to play back non-region 2 DVDs. It has never been serviced! I use the Samsung for Region 2, just to be sure and also because that upscales.

So, for the person who said, it don't last, well mine's ancient; for the person who says it grinds DVDs, nonsense. For the numbskull who plasters the wires into the wall, a real hostage to fortune.... words fail me.

I bought this to replace my Sony DAV S500 which didn't have the Dolby Pro-Logic II. It works brilliantly as an external 5.1 surround/pro-logic II decoder but you try to play any discs on this machine for any length of time it will eventually start CARVING GROOVES into your precious DVDs! Big, concentric circular scratches in the playing surface of your expensive DVD/SACD collection!

A device that damages the media simply does not deserve a rating no matter what its strengths.

The trouble with a lot of reviews is that the people who write them do so not long after they have set up the system and watched one or two movies and are punch drunk with excitement from the mind blowing looks and sound of their first home cinema! And to be honest i have fallen into this trap myself with other purchases! But on this occasion i can honestly write after years of experience with the beautiful sony DAV550..My review might be a little late as its now off the market ..but im sure there will be PLENTY of second hand models on the market....I have experienced all the previous reviewers problems and more! and what really P's me off is that i sunk all the wiring for the rear speakers into the plaster in the walls thinking i was going to have years and years of trouble free entertainment...after all it is a sony!!

OK, this is a lovely looking system and when it works, works very well.
The problem is, is that this range of systems has a known reliability issue.
After a short period of use (I'm told by 200hrs and definately by 400hrs) it stops working. Essentially this tends to be just after warantee expiry! It either totally fails to read discs, or more annoyingly, fails about 3/4 of the way into a film. It seems to be something to do with the laser and its ability to read dual layer discs - i.e. all feature length films. Realigning via the 'secret' engineers menu doesnt solve the problem. I would hesitate to buy Sony again due to my experience with 2 systems with similar problems. Shame cos it looks so good.

Great sound, great looks, but I had to send it back twice because it kept gliching on DVD playback - always towards the end of the film. Out of warranty now, and it happened again - stuck a bigger fan on and all is well.