Panasonic SC-BTT195

Panasonic SC-BTT195 Home Theater System

Achieving a true surround sound experience can require a lot of work and money, as it entails bringing together dedicated speakers and a receiver and setting them up to work together. You can "cheat" with a sound bar like the Vizio VHT510 ($359.99, 4 stars), but even with rear speakers you're dealing with a small sound stage. Fortunately, if you don't want to invest a thousand dollars or more on a home theater, you can get an all-in-one, home-theater-in-a-box like the Panasonic SC-BTT195. It contains everything you need for a 5.1-channel surround sound system, and even comes with a built-in Blu-ray player. It's not as powerful or crisp-sounding as a higher-end system you put together yourself, but at $359.99 (direct) it's an affordable way to put surround sound in your living room. Design and SetupThe main unit of the BTT195 is barely larger than a Blu-ray player, and at first glance looks no different than one. The deck measures 1.8 by 16.9 by 10.4 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.3 pounds, making it thin enough to fit anywhere in your home theater cabinet.