The research here was done with DVD and Audio CD testing, and user/owner feedback.

The first thing that you might notice is the $200 price difference, however that is not what you should notice. You may also notice the "power" difference with the Samsung weighing in at 650-watts and the Sony system at 450-watts, but that too is misleading.

First you should understand that the function of home theater system is video AND audio. The better the balance, the more thrilling each experience will be. If you have and incredible picture and less than perfect sound, or great sound and a dull visual, then you've got an unbalance system. The Samsung HT-AS720st is receiver with Pro-Logic decoders and speakers, not much more. The Samsung has no video source, you will connect your video devices to it, to run through it. The Samsung does offer multiple video inputs and outputs to ensure plenty of connection options. That however is where, the design begins to fall short. The Samsung system is basic compared to the amount of thinking that was put into Sony's DAV-IS10.

The Sony home theater system needs only a DVD and a place to play it. Sony includes a DVD player in their system that is capable of playing commercial DVD or ones that you've made on a computer or camcorder. The DVD unit is integrated into the amplifier on discrete channels so there is a continuous audio stream, and Sony provides for 720p AND 1080i video upscaling. Sony's system allows you play video discs with JPEG so you can show you pictures on your TV, as well as offering MP3 playback and the add an iPod cradle for newer iPods. Ideally you would only need to add an HD receiver or satellite signal.

The most profound difference in comparing the Samsung HT-AS720st and the Sony DAV-IS10 is in the sound. Samsung's system is simple and even, but not balanced. The speakers are all identical, except for the center channel and subwoofer which contains a single 8-inch driver. Sony's system is much more precise and tailored for pure audio. The speakers should NOT be identical, they should indeed be different since they have different jobs. Sony provides 2 front and 1 center-channel bass reflex speakers with 2-3/5-inch tweeters and 2-3/5-inch woofers, and instead of having a single driver in the subwoofer, Sony uses a powered 2-way bass reflex subwoofer with 4.7-inch and 6.3-inch drivers. This allows the subwoofer to work on its own, without detracting from main system power, and allowing more control. Lastly the Sony subwoofer cabinet gets 200 of Sony's 450-watts, delivering deep rich low end, as opposed to Samsung's rather punchy 150-watt powered 8-inch cabinet.

In considering which home theater system to buy, your first consideration should be the size of your room, and how visible you want your audio components to be. Sony's system has the smallest footprint and will deliver superb audio in all but the largest of rooms. For a smaller room the Samsung will do an excellent job and with smart placement of the subwoofer, the punchiness of the bass can be smoothed out. Finally there is price, but remember that the Samsung is an AUDIO only system, and the Sony is a audio AND video system.