This 2.1 system can’t match its 5.1 brethren for true audio immersion, but the sub’s a corker, and Philips’ Ambisound technology deals out plenty of well balanced detail and grunt. 

We were initially a bit mystified as to quite why Philips has plumped for a design that recalls the worst excesses of 1980s Bang & Olufsen. However, having thought about it, the decade that taste forgot is undergoing a popular resurgence of late, and if Philips can get us to swallow their psychedelic Ambilight Aurea telly, we’re sure we’ll warm to this as well.

However, while images are efficiently upscaled to 1080i, it still feels like too much of a compromise compared to the others. It’s one of those products that doesn’t have anything really wrong with it, but except for its looks, it doesn’t have anything to really recommend it either…

Love Nice price. Very good stereo performance.
Hate Not 5.1. Good but not great pictures. No 1080p.

3 stars

Channels 2.1
Power Not quoted
Inputs Digital coaxial, TV, auxiliary audio, USB
Outputs HDMI, component, SCART
Discs played DVD, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, CD, SVCD, VCD, CD-R, CD-RW
digital formats MP3, WMA, JPEG, DivX Ultra