The Samsung HT-AS720ST is an excellent entry-level home theater with quality sound performance and lots of features. The main unit is the size of a standalone receiver and matches the styling of Samsung's Blu-ray players. The remote control is similar to Samsung's other product remotes and is very easy to use with its simple layout. It is also programmable, so it can be used with TVs and components from other manufacturers.

This system comes with four identical speakers for the front and rear, as well as a center channel and powered 8-inch subwoofer. We found the powered sub to be a nice component, as most home theaters at this price only include passive woofers that can't be upgraded. Speaking of upgrades, this system is perfect for adding on to later: It includes the original six speakers, but is actually a 7.1 receiver, so you can add two standard speakers from any vendor and upgrade the sound in the front while shifting the smaller front speakers to the sides for even better surround sound. The existing speakers also have mounting notches so they can be easily hung on the wall beside a flat panel HDTV. The overall sound quality of the system was more full and rich than other systems in its price class.

The main receiver unit is loaded with inputs, including include HDMI, optical, coaxial, stereo analog, and a discrete eight-channel input. It will work well for a wide range of input devices, including Blu-ray players, HD-DVD units, standard DVD players, satellite or cable boxes, or even many game consoles. It has standard banana plug connectors on the back to make future expansion a breeze. The best possible connection will come through the HDMI ports, which carry both audio and video. Although this unit is designed to match the Samsung Blu-ray players, it will not decode Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD signals. Fortunately, most HD players will do that and send over an uncompressed bit-stream so the receiver won't have to worry about it. It would have been nice if Samsung had included an S-video jack or two, as most older components still use this signal.

We really appreciate a device that comes with good quality audio for a starter system, but still allows us the flexibility to expand. Adding devices and/or speakers is a snap. The setup is pretty straightforward, but does not include auto-calibration. However, the manual is very detailed so even a new user will feel like a pro when the setup is complete. Overall, we would highly recommend the Samsung HT-AS720ST system for new users as the sound quality is good, the inputs are many, and the problems are few.

Pros: Lots of inputs, HDMI support, good quality sound
Cons: No Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD audio, no S-video jacks

Warranty
1 year, limited