Single-box surround systems seem to be all the rage these days, with systems like Yamaha’s YSP line of sound projectors and the iLive Virtual Surround System recently in the news. Now Philips has revealed their entry into the virtual surround market with their Ambisound HTS8100 system.
The Ambisound system features virtual 5.1 surround sound from a single 5-inch deep box and a single subwoofer. It features a complete 5-channel amplification system and a built-in upscaling DVD player with HDMI 1080p output. Video processing is provided by a Faroudja DCDi chipset, so upscaling quality should be excellent. The Ambisound HTS8100 lists for $799, but can be found on Amazon for as little as about $650.
