The landscape of home entertainment has been forever changed by the increasing prevalence of gigantic televisions. Once relegated to movie theaters, cinema-sized screens are now an integral part of living rooms across the globe, with TV models spanning 85 inches and beyond becoming far more affordable. As this trend towards larger TVs continues, it brings with it a challenge: how to achieve a cinematic sound experience to match the epic visuals. After all, while advancements in screen technology—such as 4K, 8K, and OLED—have ensured that the picture quality in modern televisions is nothing short of breathtaking, sound systems built into these TVs often struggle to match the scale of the visuals. To address this need, Hisense, the world’s number one brand in the 100-inch TV category according to industry analyst Omdia, has introduced the Hisense HT Saturn Home Theater System. This new sound package is specifically designed to complement massive televisions, creating a sound experience that can rival the visuals of 85-inch and larger screens.
The Need for Epic Sound
With the rise of large-format TVs, the need for high-quality audio systems has never been more pressing. Historically, the sound produced by TVs, even those with the latest tech, has been lackluster. This is primarily due to the physical limitations of the TV’s built-in speakers. As screen sizes increase, so too does the problem: the larger the screen, the more difficult it becomes for the speakers to produce sound that matches the visual grandeur. Consequently, many users find themselves investing in separate sound systems to complement their TV’s picture quality, whether through soundbars, surround sound systems, or other external audio solutions.
The demand for a seamless audio-visual experience is heightened in an era dominated by immersive sound technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. These formats are designed to create a three-dimensional soundstage, placing viewers at the center of the action with sounds that move around them. Without an audio system capable of delivering these effects, the full immersive experience is lost. Hisense recognized this gap and took steps to fill it with a system that not only works with its own large-screen televisions but also elevates the overall home cinema experience.
Hisense HT Saturn
The Hisense HT Saturn Home Theater System is the brand’s answer to the growing need for a sound system that can handle the grandeur of massive TVs. Designed with both aesthetics and performance in mind, the HT Saturn is tailored to complement the larger screen sizes that have become so popular in the home entertainment market.
Channel Sound with Up-Firing Height Channels
The HT Saturn system boasts a channel audio configuration, a step above the traditional 2.1 or 3.1 systems that are common in many home theaters. The configuration includes:
- Four wireless satellite speakers: These are designed to be sleek and compact, ensuring they blend seamlessly into your living room décor. Despite their small size, they carry 13 separate drivers, ensuring the system delivers powerful, immersive audio.
- One standalone 6.5-inch subwoofer: The subwoofer handles the low frequencies, delivering deep bass that adds weight to explosions, music, and sound effects. This subwoofer is designed to fill the room with rich, low-end sounds, rounding out the audio experience.
- Two up-firing height channels: These are key to delivering the immersive 3D sound effects enabled by Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. By firing upward, these speakers simulate the effect of overhead sounds, making the audio feel more dynamic and enveloping.
The combination of these elements enables the HT Saturn to provide true surround sound, bringing movies, sports events, and music to life in a way that is truly cinematic. Hisense has clearly placed a strong emphasis on delivering an audio experience that can do justice to the huge, high-definition screens of modern televisions.
Hi-Concerto Technology
What sets the HT Saturn apart from other home theater systems is the inclusion of Hi-Concerto Technology. This proprietary technology allows the system to work in harmony with the built-in speakers of Hisense TVs, turning the TV's speakers into the central channel speaker within the home theater system. In other words, the TV’s sound system doesn’t simply become irrelevant once the HT Saturn is installed; instead, it becomes an integral part of the overall setup.
This technology helps to bridge the gap between the TV’s built-in audio and the additional speakers, ensuring that the sound feels cohesive and well-balanced. The integration of Hi-Concerto also means that users don’t have to choose between using their TV’s built-in sound and the HT Saturn system—they can have the best of both worlds, with the TV’s speakers handling the center channel duties while the satellite speakers and subwoofer provide the full surround sound experience.
Room Calibration for Optimal Sound
One of the standout features of the HT Saturn system is its Room Calibration technology. Every living room is different, with unique acoustics that can affect how sound is experienced. Using advanced algorithms and sensors, the system analyzes the layout of your space and adjusts the output of the speakers to ensure the best possible audio quality.
This is particularly important when dealing with larger rooms, which often feature irregular layouts, hard surfaces that cause sound reflections, or soft materials that absorb sound. By optimizing the system to the room’s acoustics, the HT Saturn ensures that the immersive, full-range sound experience is delivered consistently, regardless of the size or shape of your living room.
Five Themed EQ Modes
To further enhance the customization of the HT Saturn, the system offers five themed EQ modes. These modes are designed to optimize the sound profile for different types of content:
- Movie Mode: Optimized for dialogue clarity, sound effects, and music to create a truly cinematic experience.
- Music Mode: Enhances bass response and treble, ideal for music lovers who want deep, punchy sound.
- Sports Mode: Fine-tuned to highlight commentary and crowd noise, perfect for sporting events.
- Game Mode: Optimized for clear, dynamic sound that enhances gaming experiences.
- Night Mode: Compresses dynamic range to avoid disturbing others while still delivering clear audio at lower volumes.
These preset modes ensure that no matter what content you're enjoying, the sound will always be optimized for the best experience.
Connectivity Options for Modern Home Setups
In terms of connectivity, the HT Saturn system is equipped with a range of features that ensure compatibility with all your devices:
- HDMI eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel): This allows you to pass lossless audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X from your Hisense TV to the HT Saturn system, ensuring high-quality, synchronized sound. HDMI eARC is essential for modern home theater setups as it allows for the transfer of high-bandwidth audio signals, enabling immersive audio without compromise.
- HDMI Input: The HT Saturn includes a separate HDMI input, which allows you to pass video from external HDMI sources, such as gaming consoles or Blu-ray players, through the system to the TV. This is particularly useful if you're experiencing synchronization issues (like lip-sync errors) when using the eARC feature.
- Optical Input and Bluetooth: In addition to HDMI, the system also supports optical input for legacy devices. The inclusion of Bluetooth provides wireless connectivity, allowing you to stream music or other audio from smartphones, tablets, or computers directly to the HT Saturn.
These connectivity options ensure that the HT Saturn is compatible with a wide range of devices, making it a flexible and future-proof addition to your home theater setup.
Sleek Design for Any Room
The design of the HT Saturn system reflects Hisense’s commitment to both form and function. The four satellite speakers are compact, with a sleek, minimalist design that allows them to blend into virtually any living room setting. Whether placed on shelves, mounted on the wall, or positioned around the room on speaker stands, these speakers are designed to be unobtrusive while delivering powerful, immersive sound. The subwoofer, while larger in size, is similarly designed to complement modern living spaces, with a clean and understated aesthetic.
Conclusion
As TVs continue to grow in size and sophistication, so too must the systems designed to support them. The Hisense HT Saturn Home Theater System represents a significant leap forward in providing a sound solution that matches the visual grandeur of ultra-large televisions. With its advanced technologies, including Hi-Concerto, Room Calibration, and the ability to deliver immersive, high-quality audio, the HT Saturn is poised to become the ideal companion for anyone seeking a truly cinematic home theater experience.