Philips HTS-6510 review

Impressive picture performance and Ambisound technology spreads the sound and delivers a fair amount of detail Tested at £200.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The HTS-6510 sells at a very good price, but still makes a fine case for itself

Pros

  • +

    Detailed picture

  • +

    spacious spread of sound, intuitive remote and menus

Cons

  • -

    Subwoofer doesn’t integrate well

  • -

    1080i upscaling

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Some 2.1-speaker systems struggle when it comes to recreating the surround effects of a DVD, but Philips' Ambisound technology spreads the sound while still delivering a fair amount of detail during Spiderman's encounter with Venom in Spider-man 3.

The subwoofer is too boomy
Picture performance is also impressive, even though it ‘only' upscales to 1080i. The image is solid and cohesive image, with minimal grain. So what's not great? The subwoofer – it's too boomy. Low frequency effects are overpowering , and there's no way to control the bass level either via the remote control or on the sub itself which is disappointing.

True, you might not see the Philips as your main system for the living room, but then again it retails at a very good price. With that in its favour, for the money it's not a bad proposition.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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