I went to the Sony Service and tested with the technician the speakers. The tweeters work, but the sound level of tremble is so low that one cannot hear it.

I have the KDL-52X2000 TV and the sound , as far as the middle and high range are concerned, is much better. You can distinguish the high frequencies clearly, whereas the BDV-E980W only has bass, some middle and no tremble (compared to the TV set!!! Yes, the TV set which is not supposed to be better at any frequency than the Home Cinema.

I contacted the headquarters in Greece and asked for the frequency range. They do not have such information! I made my complaints about the poor sound quality and asked for my money back. Their answer was as follows:

1. Are the product specifications both on the box and the manual different than in the product purchased?

2. You should have tested the product before buying it, because that is how this product works.

3. We can only offer a service to your product in case their is a real problem, defect or malfunction.

4. Your ears are not a reliable source of information. You might nor be able to hear clearly.

My answers were and still are:

1. Yes. The product meets the specifications written in the box and manual: There are 6 speakers, one main unit, 10 cables... But, there is nowhere in the specifications any indication of the frequency range or that this product is unable of reproducing tremble, unlike any other home cinema from their rivals (same or lower price). The product itself (Home Cinema = Sound and Picture), the brand (Sony = high qualitiy), and the model (980 = the top quality, most expensive one in Sony HC range) do not imply but guarantee a sound experience better than a Sony TV Set, at least of the same level as their rivals.

2. Yes. I should have tested it, for if I had I would have never bought such a bad product, unable to deliver what it is supposed to. Yet, I always trusted SONY (I have bought at least 6 TV Sets, 1 home Cinema, 3 camcorders, even professional equipment of several thousand of Euros up to now). So, instead of trying to test it in an environment and under pressure in a store, I bought it without testing it.

3. In case a product does not meet the quality and standards set by other products of the same level, then you should give a full refund and an apology to those who have trusted your brand and have payed 750 euros.

4. Even if my ears are not a reliable source of information, it is the only one right now, since Sony denies to publish or even inform their customers about the frequency range the HC produces, unlike any other serious brand selling speakers.

I have asked for help from the government consumer association and I am waiting for their actions. I shall not stop asking about the frequency range it is supposed to cover and send my HC to a sound laboratory to have tested and make publicly available the results, so as no one else gets a product that does not meet even the lowest standards of sound.

My anger got even bigger for the new low quality, no quality control policy of Sony, when a friend of mine bought his brand new Bravia

You are right. The lack of High Fidelity is even worse on radio, CD and Mp3.

The rear speakers are meant to be different from the front speakers, for they should be less powerful.

I am glad that there is at least one more who finds his TV-set sound better than of BDV-E980W, for the folks at SONY headquarters were almost laughing at me.

I am sure SONY knows about the bad quality of the whole series, but don't intent to do anything, for it would be very expensive and bad for their reputation. This is why they don't give the frequency range in public, as if it is a minor specification or they are unable to measure it.

I wish I could get my money back and buy a dissent Home Cinema, for music and movies. Now, I am stuck with such a bad product and a local POS laughing at me for not testing it before getting ripped off!!!