Of these two, sound bars are overwhelmingly the most popular option as sound bases can have issues with TVs that have legs at each end rather than in the middle. You can read more about sound bars in our article " Sound bar buying guide: What you need to know ". If you're looking for something that sounds better than a sound bar, the best option is to put together your own system with an AV receiver and surround-sound speakers. AV receivers can be complex, intimidating devices, but choosing one doesn't have to be.
It has standard AV receiver features such as 7. If you don't need all the extra features and are looking for a more affordable option, the Yamaha RX-V is also worth considering. Read more about CNET's picks for the best receivers here. Most people have a limited budget to spend on their home audio system, so the question is: How am I going to get the biggest bang for my buck? The answer, unequivocally, is speakers. Speakers, like sound bars, come down to sound quality and design, and it's generally a trade-off between those two factors.
Home Audio Buying Guide
On the other hand, Pioneer's SP-PK52FS speakers are big, burly and don't look great, but they offer outstanding sound quality for the money. Whatever you do, don't spend extra money on cables. And the same can be said for speaker cables, as long as you make sure you're using an appropriate gauge for the length of your cable run guidelines here. Head to Monoprice or Amazon , get as much cheap speaker cable as you need, and never think twice about it.
A set of banana plugs is also worth picking up to make connections easier. Read about CNET's picks for the best budget home theater speakers here. The standard home audio setup used to involve two tower speakers and a receiver, but that's fallen out of fashion with the advent of surround sound. That's too bad, since a solid two-channel system, plus a subwoofer, can be surprisingly effective with movies and music, even without the immersive elements of rear speakers video games benefit more from true surround sound, in our opinion.
The main benefit is a simpler system that can sound better than a more elaborate one for the same price.
You don't have to worry about running wires to the back of your living room or positioning a center channel speaker, but you'll still get much better sound on music and movies than with a sound bar. And because you're only buying two speakers instead of five, you'll have two killer front speakers, rather than five average ones. Another benefit to going stereo is you can opt for a compact integrated amplifier, rather than a full-size AV receiver.
Again, if you use your TV as a switcher, an excellent amp like the NAD D can easily act as the hub of your living room despite its small size. Read CNET's roundup of the best stereo and home theater speakers. You get all the downsides of multiple speakers and tangles of wires, but you don't often get dramatically better sound than with a good sound bar.
While there are some scenarios in which an HTIB is the best option, in most cases you're better off saving up for a full-size system or settling for a good-enough sound bar. Not in our opinion. It's a classic case of diminishing returns: Not to mention the fact that there just isn't that much content with true, discrete 7.
Dolby Atmos is in a similar boat, for while it's more obvious than 7. The best Atmos soundtracks don't do gimmicky stuff like simulate helicopters flying around you and instead only add ambiance effects in the height realm. All the same, this pairing is tremendous. See the Infinity Reference 7. ELAC make some truly transcendent stuff, and we think their Debut 5.
Best Home Theater Systems of | The Master Switch
The speakers both look and feel excellent, with solid build quality that will last an age, the sound competes with bigger models quite happily — and vastly outpaces setups from Polk and Fluance, to name two makes further down in the list. Not the flashiest of picks, this, but very good. Unbelievable pairing for an amazing price. We really would have loved a sub. The sound on offer here might not be the deepest, in terms of low end, more than makes up for it with its excellent detail, fast and responsive dynamics, and superlative soundstage.
See the Fluance Reference Series 7. Terrific package at a knockdown price. Low-end could be a lot better. Polk Audio often gets short shrift in the home theater world. This speaker system not only offers good construction and build quality, but also offers some very decent sound.
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See the Polk Audio Signature 7. Great budget wireless system. The axiim system, above, does a much better job. It comes in a 5. It costs significantly less, for one, and offers superb value for money. If you can afford it, get the axiim. Reliable, good sound, nice pairing. Cambridge Audio are known for their quality, as well as their attention to detail, and the design of these speakers is excellent. The sound quality they do offer, despite its lack of power, is elegant and erudite, able to handle a smaller space with aplomb. And in any case, with this receiver, you can happily expand upwards to 7.
Be aware that Pioneer frequently come out with new versions of their receivers, be ready to either snap this model up when it undergoes a price drop, or get a slightly more powerful version. After all, they are among the most storied speaker makers ever, with some fantastic models.
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What they don't do, in most cases, is offer complete speaker packages. If we were putting together a system from individual components, we would absolutely consider the. But in terms of this list, we have to take into account their existing package options, and while the Cinema CT is good, other packages on this list offer more value for money.
It's a workmanlike machine, in terms of features, but it does give you good sound when paired with this particular speaker system, and absolutely gets the job done. Expensive for what you get. Orb Audio, an independent manufacturer, have taken a slightly different approach to home theater, in comparison with the bigger names on this list. Several marks forward thinking, as it allows you to upgrade as you see fit, adding more and more speakers.
For this reason, we paired it with a receiver that allows for such capability: See the Orb Audio Mini 5. Sounds like it costs. It doesn't offer anything hugely special - certainly when compared to something even a little bit more expensive, like the Orb Audio Mini, but it does bring quite a bit to the table. The sound is decent, if unspectacular, and is perfect for small rooms.
As home theater systems go, it's fairly anonymous, unfortunately, with off-the-shelf components - but there's nothing to say it won't make the perfect entry-level system. There are plenty of options if you want to for separates, by the way: See the Pioneer HTP 5. First we'll do the specs for the complete speaker systems. We explain that in more detail in the Buying Advice below. Want Even More Master Switch? Any of the models on this list should give you absolutely everything you need to produce high-quality sound.
No question of that. Are you going to be blasting dance music through it? Maybe even an enormous, explosive action movie?
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