DTT3500: Big Room Theater Experience for a Small Room
Written: May 13 '01 (Updated May 13 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Low price, 6 piece speaker set, Dolby Digital Decoder, good sound, remote, Surround sound
Cons: Doesn't produce best sound out there, for small rooms, no DTS decoding, no THX
The Bottom Line: Great buy overall. However, the DTT2500 with no remote can be much cheaper. Excellent price for decoder and speaker set for surround sound for small to medium rooms.
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| yusakugo's Full Review: Creative Technology DeskTop Theater DTT3500 5 Spea... |
Before I start, this is an update to my original DTT3500 review in the DTT2500 section. The review in the DTT2500 was updated with the DTT2500 I bought brand new for $150. So my DTT3500's review finally in its proper home!
About six months ago, I wanted to get a speaker set to connect to my PS2, my computer, my S-VHS, and Laserdisc player that was capable of Dolby Digital Decoding for an affordable price. I read reviews on several products on CNET and Epinions as well as other sources. I finally settled on the Creative Desktop Theater DTT3500 Digital system.
What's the difference between the DTT2500 and DTT3500?
Basically the DTT3500 adds a remote control to the system. Otherwise, the two are basically identical systems (the only other difference is the $50 difference in MSRP $249 versus $299) with slight power output differences, smaller subwoofer, and a center channel speaker that is nearly identical to all the other four satellites. Both systems perform quite similarly.
Where do I use this setup?
The DTT3500 is meant for computer games and small to medium rooms for the best effect. It definitely isn't enough to be the centerpiece home entertainment speakers and setup, especially for large rooms. This is not to say the speakers don't have a good amount of power despite the 4 satellites having 7 watts power output, the center satellite having 21 watts, and the subwoofer having 30 watts. The DTT3500 can certainly pack quite a punch sound wise.
What do I get?
The DTT3500 certainly is a complete kit. In addition to the 4 satellite speakers, 1 center speaker, subwoofer, and the compact decoder, you get two speaker tripods, 4 mini stands for the satellites, 2 stands for the center speaker, a horizontal and vertical stand for the decoder, 4 3m length speaker wire, 2 5m length speaker wire, and cables for connecting just about any source to the decoder... including the optical cable for PS2 and other devices. You probably don't have to buy any more cables with the DTT3500 kit.
The decoder box allows you to change a few settings... like master volume, center volume, subwoofer volume, and surround volume. You can also change between the music, movie, 4 point/5.1 surround, and stereo settings to get your desired sound effects. The decoder will automatically sense the source input and operate accordingly.
Can I do better?
The DTT3500 is not the best sounding speakers, I thought that the Kliplsch (I hope I spelled that correctly) Promedia V2.400 had better clarify and power than the DTT3500 but certainly was much more expensive than the DTT3500. Kliplsch also had two other options... You could use two 2.1 systems. Unbelievable sound! However, you wind up spending at least $100 more than the DTT3500 setup. You could also wait for the Kliplsch true 4.2 setup. The price for these is supposed to be $399. I did notice that the bass sounded flat at timeson the DTT3500, but since I'm not that particular with my musical sensitivities, I didn't mind the sound overall when running a variety of games, DVD movies, and PS2 games.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I bought this system at buy.com with a $30 off $150 coupon. My price came out to $203.95 plus $21.95 S&H. An excellent deal overall!
If you want an engrossing and deep sound experience for a small to medium room, the DTT3500 is certainly well priced and a very attractive set to purchase. Serious music buffs may want to save their money and buy a serious system and spend a much larger sum of money for a better sound experience. This is definitely not a system that can accompany a large room or large home entertainment setup... it wasn't meant for that! As always, Cambridge SoundWorks has outdone itself by providing a low cost setup with excellent quality for the casual user and good enough for picky music lovers. The DTT3500 is certainly worth the price you pay for it. However, there are other options available... Cambridge SoundWorks had better watch their backs for Kliplsch!
Recommended:
Yes
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yusakugo
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Member: Rich Go
Location: Somewhere in the NorthEast
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