ZVOX Mini Ultra-Compact Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System

I was just CRUSHED at the actual performance of this little unit. I did everything right, even talked to the great and helpful people at ZVOX tech help. I played and tweaked and adjusted my TV set....a SONY XBR KDL 1550 and the sound was way WORSE than the TV's sound, which is deplorable for such a nice TV set. The little mini box is obviously well built. All cables and items needed are included, even a nice little remote. Instructions are clear and straight- forward. We spent most of a day trying to get it to improve our TV viewing but alas, in the final analysis I had to send it back. Dirty rotten shame. I don't no where in the world I am going to get something now that will add to this SONY's sound output that will make it easy for an old guy to hear dialogue clearly. No....I'm not deaf, just need a little "boost" and some crisp sound from the TV.
Buy it if you must.....be be prepared to be disappointed. We are VERY sad about it and the product seems to come from helpful and conscientious people.
Final note: I'm an audio guy from way back when.....remember 100 watts per channel Marantz?...big AR and JBL speakers....Thorson ttables? I was not expecting THAT kind of sound, but I DO know good sound.

ZVOX Mini Ultra-Compact Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System

We puchased this box to improve the sound from our new TV and hopefully get some surround sound effect. What we got was greatly improved sound but no surround effect.














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My wife shocked me by wanting a flat screen in the bedroom. It's not a big room, but the entire wall was free. She gestured with her hands how big the TV should be in height and width. Turns out it translated into a 46" screen. In the bedroom! Who was I to argue? So we got us a new Samsung 46" very thin LCD. Sharp looking black color with their "Touch of Color" around the edges in Blue. Hung it on the wall. Looks great. Gorgeous machine. Turned it on. Gorgeous video. Turned up the volume. Hmmm... not so gorgeous audio. If my wife notices that, and she did, without me even saying anything, then believe you me, that audio ain't so great. Well we didn't have a lot of room for speakers and even I didn't want to mess around with a 5.1 surround system in the bedroom. Plus, money was an issue. So I did my research and got very intrigued with the ZVOX company's offerings. The Mini looked like it might do the trick - I could afford it, and it was a perfect size to put on the piece of furniture below the TV. But could something so little sound good? I bought it. Very simple looking, but smart, too. I hooked it up in two seconds like everyone else. I chose to use the headphone out mini connection on the TV, because Samsung decided I don't need variable audio output. But I wanted to use the TV remote to change the volume, and not use the very nice little one that ZVOX gives you. I thought, "Can big sound come through this skinny little wire?" Guess what - it can and it does. What an improvement. Now look, you won't mistake it for being in Carnegie Hall. But the fullness you get out of such a small cabinet is very pleasing. Make sure you adjust the "surround" knob to your liking. Either extreme (all the way up or all the way down) is probably useless, but every other setting adds a great depth and breadth to the TV - or whatever else you put into it (there's a second input). The beauty is, my Blu-Ray player has Pandora Radio, and the ZVOX really makes you want to use it! Oh, and don't forget to adjust the subwoofer level on the back panel. Initially I was NOT impressed because it turned out the subwoofer was turned all the way down. I can only imagine what the more expensive bigger models sound like. I can tell you this: I am in a "less is more" mode when it comes to clutter, and when my Sony 60 inch rear projection in the family room bites the dust, I am going to replace it with a wall mounted unit, of course, and I am seriously going to consider losing the 5.1 surround sound and go with a ZVOX for all my speaker needs in that room. 90% or more of the fidelity for 25% or less of the price while giving me more space in the room - sounds like the way of my future.

I just moved to a cottage that looks right over the street in which a bunch of teens and some adults like to ride scooters with no mufflers up and down it. Even with my flat screen TV at it's loudest, I can't hear it most of the time. If it's not the scooters, it's the cars zooming by heading to the beach. Well, this speaker system saved my sanity. It was so easy to set-up. Within minutes of me opening the box, I had it plugged in and working. I barely have the volume up and the sound is fantastic. For a basic system, this speaker system rocks!

I hooked up the ZVOX and it didn't work. I called ZVOX and the representitive reviewed all my hook-ups and determined everything was hooked up correctly. He downloaded my TV instruction book and read how I had hooked up the ZVOX and again determined evrything was hooked up properly. He said he would reread my manual and e-mail what he felt I should do. I never heard from him. I shipped the product back to Amazon. Amazon refunded my purchase price and shipping.