If you've somehow managed to hold out from joining into the HTIB revolution, the time for caving is upon you. LG has just tapped Sir Mark Levinson to engineer the acoustics behind its latest bundle, the HB954SP. Packing a 5.1-channel sound system that includes 1,000 total watts of power, a quintet of oval drivers and a ported subwoofer, the system gets direction from a BD-Live-enabled Blu-ray player that's actually a fair bit more stylish than the tried-and-true black rectangle. You'll also find a pair of HDMI inputs, an iDock function for charging and controlling your iPod / iPhone right from the BD deck, 1080p upscaling of traditional DVDs, touch sensitive controls, a USB port for loading up external media and an optical audio input. There's nary a mention of price, but it should splash down this November for a hefty premium.

[Via Impress]

Acoustic Research is on a roll today at CES Unveiled in New York, and if you've somehow managed to avoid the overload of other iPod docking systems up until now, we've got yet another you can have a look at. The AR5100 audio docking system doubles as a tabletop music center or an iPod video source for a display. Of note, AR designed the unit so that it could actually be hung (you know, beneath a flat-panel HDTV), and gussied it up with backlit white graphics, touch-sensitive buttons, horn-loaded tweeters, a ported enclosure, a component-video output and a bundled IR remote. Check it this December for $199.99, and catch the release in its entirety after the break.

Remember that ultra-sleek Pioneer LX01BD HTIB system that was introduced back in June? No? Well, for those in Europe, today's a great day to get caught up. The system, which bundles a Profile 1.1 BonusView Blu-ray player with a 5.1-channel amplifier and an equal amount of speakers, is finally available for sale in Europe. The player boasts two-in / one-out HDMI connections, Deep Color support, 1080p playback and internal DTS-HD Master Audio / Dolby TrueHD processing. If only the reported £2,000 ($3,154) price tag was easier to digest, we might actually be excited.

[Via ElectricPig]

We sure hope you're an iPod owner if you're looking seriously at any one of Yamaha's latest mini audio systems, 'cause every last one of them packs an inbuilt dock front and center. Kicking things off is the MCS-1330, which features 60-watts of amplification, an integrated CD player, two speakers and a few other inputs for non-Appleites. The MCR-330 and MCR-230 only seem to differ in connection type, with both units packing 40 total watts of power and a USB socket. The CRX-430 finishes things off with 50-watts of RMS juice and a built-in CD player. The whole lot should ship by early December and will range in price from around $300 (CRX-430) to $1,233 (MCS-1330).

[Via TechDigest]

Man, we didn't even know the Muteki moniker was still in existence. Nevertheless, Sony has just added a big, bad member to said congregation with the LBT-DJ2i XROSS FADE. This rather beastly music system packs 450 total watts of power, a CD player, AM / FM tuners, a line-in jack, a pair of 2-way shelf speakers, a dual 7-inch subwoofer enclosure and the ability to convert CDs / radio to MP3 files. And that's just the beginning. Aspiring DJs will also find a bundled cross-fader with monitor cue and a built-in two-channel mixer, and the iPod-lovin' interface ensures that you'll never have to touch your PMPs once they're mounted. There's also a USB recording function to save mix sessions to a USB device in ATRAC MP3 format. Too bad this setup will cost you half a grand when it ships next month. Check the full release after the cut.

Let's face it -- not everyone has the space nor disposable income to piece together their own multichannel surround sound system, and that's where this week's Ask Engadget HD question comes in. Take it away, Todd:

"I'm currently stuck in a small apartment with a need for surround sound, but I can't go buy a bunch of separates and create a system. I'm obviously in the market for a small but great sounding HTIB. I already own a Blu-ray player, so I'm not too concerned with any built-in DVD / BD players. Which 5.1 (or greater) set out there today offers the best bang for my buck?"

There's no shame in buying your surround sound in a box, so puff out your chest and give this man an answer. Are you pleased with the sound quality / volume / overall performance of your boxed rig? Does your friend's unit sound better? Turn it to 11 and speak up!

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Before you unload $2,995 on anything, you're likely going to want the opinion of someone who has had a chance to try things out beforehand, no? Working under that assumption, we present to you a review of Meridian's stratospherically priced F80. Proudly called "the most expensive tabletop music system in the history of the civilized world," this unit was seen as a "model for all tabletop systems," with the reviewer even begging everyone else to look at this before starting up design on yet another ho hum alternative. The critic also noted that this unit pulled off what he thought was impossible: "identifiable left- and right-channel sound from a system that measures only 16-inches wide." As expected, the F80 was indeed the "best" he had ever heard in this category, but the omission of an iPod dock was a sore spot. For those with more disposable income than they know what to do with, this one seems a surefire winner; for everyone else, it's not worth going into debt over.

It's a common issue: you're looking to get a bona fide surround sound system, but you've no room for any monstrous towers or bulky bookshelf surrounds. Enter Sony's latest HTIB, the HT-IS100. Featuring a 200-watt subwoofer complemented by five "golf ball-sized" satellites that get 45-watts apiece, the system supports Dolby Digital / Dolby Pro Logic II / DTS and comes with a handy remote. As for the port selection, you'll find a trio of HDMI and optical digital audio jacks, coaxial digital audio, composite (x2) and stereo outs as well. Unfortunately, there's no telling when the set will be coming Stateside (though launches in North America and Europe are promised), but those in Japan can look for it on June 25th for ¥90,000 ($883).

[Via AP]

We fully expected that Ferrari logo and lacquered paint job to add a stuff premium to Meridian's F80, but this is undeniably insane. The "transportable home entertainment system," which has been hovering about since last March, is at long last ready to be purchased. Finding prospective buyers, however, will likely be challenging. The unit is now available in silver, yellow, white, black and the obligatory red, and each one will set you back a dumbfounding $2,995. We're thinking the unit itself would go for around three bills sans branding, but apparently Italian ponies aren't cheap.

Truth be told, we knew this gem was waiting in Sony's pocket, but it finally came clean and made things official over in Europe. The 2.1 BRAVIA DAV-F200 home theater system features S-Master digital amplification, which delivers a potent 135-watts of power to each speaker (including the subwoofer). The firm also threw in its S-Force Front Surround technology to help convince your mind that 2.1 is really 5.1, and as for the integrated DVD player, it plays nice with MP3 / photo / DivX discs, too. Better still, the unit includes 1080p upscaling over HDMI along with a built-in USB port for listening to WMA / AAC files, and there's even optical / coaxial digital inputs for other external sources. Regrettably, there's no word on a price nor US availability, but we can say for certain that those across the pond can claim their own this June.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Not content with dropping a few new HTIB systems and an all new receiver, Onkyo is apparently delivering a 2.1-channel home audio system, too. The HTX-22D, while not adequate for surround sound purists, may be just the thing for apartment dwellers and movie lovers on a budget. It's said to be the first system to feature DTS' CES-announced Surround Sensation feature, and it also boasts a built-in display on the powered subwoofer. You'll also find a trio of HDMI ports (two in, one out) and support for a smattering of audio codecs. Head on down to the read link for the full list of specs, and keep an eye for these to land across the pond in May for £300 ($590).

[Thanks, Steve]

Yeah, most HTIB systems aren't anything to phone home about, but we've a sneaking suspicion that Canton's latest duo would outperform the bulk of those found strewn about in big box retailers. Up first is the Movie 80 CX, which includes four two-way mini satellites (3.5-inches tall, 4-inches deep) and a 100-watt powered subwoofer that packs a 6-inch cellulose / graphite driver in a bandpass enclosure. Next, we've got the Movie 120 MX, which has its sats arranged in a more vertical position for increased cabinet volume and better mid-bass performance. Additionally, this set includes an 8-inch subbie that can reach all the way down to 33Hz. As for pricing, you can pick up the 80 CX for $699, while the 120 MX will land at $899 in glossy black or silver outfits.

There's iPod sound systems, and then there's Bluetooth streaming music stations, but GEAR4 is looking to meld both worlds together with its new HouseParty Blu. The multifaceted speaker station allows dock-connecting iPods to flank the top and recharge its battery while cranking out the jams, and moreover, it doesn't shun the elegant A2DP audio streaming capabilities of your BT-enabled music phone in the process. As with most portable sound systems, this one also includes a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary input for every other music source in the world, and specs wise, you'll find a pair of stereo drivers, 30-watts of amplification, touch-sensitive backlit buttons, and a wireless remote. So if you've been keeping an eye for a noise maker that would natively play nice with your Pod and mobile, you can snap up GEAR4's latest for a reasonable £79.99 ($159) right now.