Kenwood SAT6100

Kenwood's SAT6100 setup is essentially an upgrade to its 5.1 surround model, the SAT5100, and thus differs very little from its predecessor. It suffers some of the same problems, but also shows a little improvement.

It uses a simple dial navigation system, and all functions are easily accessible via both the remote and the front console. One thing Kenwood has improved with this model is the addition of S-Video ports on the back of the receiver; these were noticeably lacking from the previous model.

The speakers are quite small, yet this doesn't affect the sound quality too much. The front speakers are capable of producing some fine sound, with clear, crisp tones up to a very reasonable volume. The sub seemed to suffer a little at high volumes, however. The sub was great at medium to medium-low bass levels, but in scenes with very deep bass, there tended to be a small amount of static. Overall we were pleased with the sound quality. The dramatic scores of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon echoed very nicely around our test room.

We did have one complaint: the surround speakers seemed to lack presence. Generally, the size of the speakers has been proven to be quite irrelevant, with many small speakers producing some big sound (look at some of Bose's models), but the tiny back speakers that came with this kit could not deliver decent volumes. Unless we were inches away from them, we could not hear them at all. A little fiddling with the settings corrected this somewhat, but it was still disappointing.

A few minutes with the manual allowed us to easily navigate all the available sound options. While not quite as clear as some other kits, it was fairly straightforward and should pose no problem for most people.