MTS Cinema series 3200 DVD Home Theater System

Setup

Connection is a trivial matter, and interconnects are included. There are many onscreen displays designed for adjusting sound and image. Audio is particularly well appointed: Speakers can be set up for synthesized virtual surround sound or true 5.1, and audio compression is included, as well as channel mix options for Dolby Digital an eight preset EQ selections, plus bass and treble boost. An Auto mode senses the nature of the audio and automatically upconverts 2.0 into 5.1. Plus, there are eight choices in the reverb mode – ranging from Living Room to Bathroom to Cave – and even two mike inputs for singing duets for you Karaoke fans.

Easy Listening

I pooped in The Dirty Boogie by the Brian Setzer Orchestra. This is a good test of dynamic range, as it has a variety of slow, fast, soft, and loud tunes with strong acoustic bass, midrange brass, and the high frequencies of the guitar solos. I set up the system with 2.0 stereo image and no reverb, and the sound’s as good as it gets on a quality stereo system with powerful bookshelf speakers. Using the Pro Logic II processor kicks in the subwoofer, with the virtual surround sound plunking me right down in the middle of the audience. This little unit does a tremendous job of handling the dynamic range of the disc without sounding tubby at the bottom end, or tinny at the top.

I also watched various DVDs with soundtrack recorded in 5.1. Both audio and video were top-notch (video features more than 500 lines of horizontal NTSC resolution). A non-MTS DVD player connected to the Aux audio inputs worked fine with the audio as well.

The only minor nits I found involve having to use the master volume of the amplifier to control the AM/FM tuners, and the need to avoid the N/P button on the front panel, which can kick the player into PAL video mode (switchable back to NTSC with no disc in the player).

Final Take

If the average consumer is anything like me, they’ll feel happy with this system’s sound, but even further pleased knowing that they have gotten a quality system at a cut-rate price. I’m more than pleased with Millennium’s offering-it favorably compares with the “name” brands you can find at retail stores, but without the markup that would otherwise be required to pay for dealership, promotion, and advertising costs.

Specifications

MTS Cinema Series 3200 DVD/Tuner Speaker System 96 kHz/24-bit D/A Converter Video Player Outputs: 1 each: Composite, S- Video Component, VGA, Video Outputs Audio Player Outputs: 1 each: Center, Subwoofer, 2 each: Surround, Front; 1 Digital Coaxial; 1 Digital Audio; 2 RCA Audio Outputs Discs: DVD-Video (NTSC, PAL), SVCD, VCD, CD, CD-R-RW, MP3, JPEG Audio: 24-bit/96 kHz D/A Converter, Dolby AC-3, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dynamic Range Compression, Graphic Equalizer Audio Amplifier Inputs: 1 Stereo TV, 2 Stereo Aux, DB-9, 5.1 Cable, 1 Headphone Audio Amplifier Outputs: Terminal Blocks for Front Left, Front Right, Center, Rear Left, Rear Right Audio Amplifier/Speaker Features: Audio  Amplifier Integrated into 250-watt 10-Inch Magnetically Shielded Downfiring Subwoofer, 150- Watt Three-Way Center Speaker, 100 watts x 4 Two Way Satellite Speakers, Three Stereo Audio Inputs, Wireless Remote Controls, DVD 2.0/5.1/TV/Aux Input Selector, and Standby Selector Features: Laser Head Overcurrent Protection System, up to 8 Dialog Languages and 32 Subtitles, built-in Karaoke Machine MSRP: $2800 Millennium Theater Systems www.mtsspeakers.com