New LG Electronics Home Theater Systems Deliver High-Quality, Multi-Sensory Experience

These are the specs from the LHT888: (the higher priced unit)

Stereo mode 100 W + 100 W (4Ω at 1 kHz, THD 10 %)
Surround mode Front: 100 W + 100 W (THD 10 %) Center*: 100 W
Surround*: 100 W + 100 W
(4Ω at 1 kHz, THD 10 %)
Subwoofer*: 200 W (3Ω at 70 Hz, THD 10 %)


In case it was missed.....10% distortion. This is typical of all the HTIBs. They are just horrible to listen to. So at a resonable .01 ThD, they'd be about 5w. Played to run (peak) at that level you'd probably not hear the low or high end.

The psycho-acoustic effect is that the system is never enjoyable - in fact irritating to listen too and one wonders why everyone is walking away from the movie and going off to do something else. Then the system falls into disuse and is not used at all. And in the end, just slips out in a yard sale, then into the land fill.

I am disappointed that Mark Levinson would put his name on such a level of non-quality.

A new line of digital audio-video products from LG Electronics, led by home theater audio products tuned by renowned audio expert Mr. Mark Levinson, have been introduced through national retail stores, such as Best Buy, Circuit City and other leading electronics retailers.

Some typos there and probably should read:

A new line of digital audio-video products from LG Electronics, led by renowned home theater audio expert Mr. Mark Levinson, have been introduced through national retail stores, such as Best Buy, Circuit City and other leading electronics retailers.

Who would have thought!?!? Appears the high end audio of yesteryear is taking it's plunge into the history books and Mark wants to make some money. I agree Steve, the specs are truly dismal for a product referenced to Mark Levinson...

Previewed at the International Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, the new home theater audio systems (models LHT888, LHT874, LHT854, LFD850 and LFA840) feature...

Let the Shenanigans begin... The LHT888 is the only product that lists Mark Levinson on the site and in the specs. The rest do not but if you didn't go and check at the LG site how would you know? The press release infers Mark worked with all those models...

I am disappointed that Mark Levinson would put his name on such a level of non-quality.

I completely agree. 4 ohms @ 1khz. is another trick to raise the wattage over that magic 100 number that impresses people. IMO, any manufacturer that uses numbers like these to rate their gear should not be trusted, and there are some pretty big names that have and are doing it. In the age of the internet, it is very easy to view or download specifications. The owners manual is usually the best place to look, as that seems to be the only place where the truth must be told.

Many receiver/amps sold today lead you to believe that their power is rated with all 5 or all 7 channels driven together in the surround mode. When you read the specs in the owners manual, however, ooops; the power is only rated with 2 channels driven (stereo). Not that ACD (all channels driven) is the end all be all, especially with 7 or more channels. It is probably not needed or even realistic to have 100w ACD. But people want to see the 100, and anything goes to get it up there.

Here's probably what actually happened: LG had one of their HTIB units at the CES on display in their booth. Some attendee had been listening to various radio stations on the tuner and had left it on a weak station. Mark Levinson was standing nearby trying to conduct a conversation with another gentleman at a nearby booth. He was so annoyed by the noise from the LG HTIB that he walked into their booth to tune it to a clearer station.