So, Is a Surround Sound System or Soundbar Actually Better for Your Home? Plus, the One Time to Never Choose a Soundbar for Well-Rounded Audio

Over the years, televisions have become considerably slimmer, and some have come on leaps and bounds in terms of design, from the resurgence of LG’s Wallpaper TV to the new trend for lifestyle TVs featuring picture frames surrounding their screens. The same can’t be said for their built-in speakers, though. These have gone in the opposite direction.

It’s not entirely their fault. A 15mm-thin frame physically cannot house the drivers needed for rich, deep, cinematic sound. But as a result, while the latest TVs will treat you to stunning 4K visuals and resemble pieces of wall art, the accompanying audio can sometimes sound like it’s being played through a tin can at the bottom of a well.

To fix this, you have two options: add a streamlined soundbar or introduce a full, multi-channel surround sound system. But which one is worth your hard-earned cash, and more importantly, which one won’t ruin the carefully curated living room you’ve spent months designing?

The case for the soundbar: Minimalist and hassle-free

For those hoping to keep the focus of their living room on their chic coffee table and neutral walls, a soundbar is usually the first port of call, as it demands very little visual attention. It sits quietly below your TV, blending into your media console or mounting elegantly to the wall without disrupting the flow of the room.

Soundbars are plug-and-play at its finest, typically requiring just a power cable and a single HDMI cable running from the soundbar itself to your TV's eARC port, sparing you the dread of running cables under rugs or down walls.

Modern high-end soundbars even use clever acoustic software and carefully positioned drivers to bounce sound waves off your walls, tricking your brain into thinking sound is coming from the sides of your room or overhead in an attempt to mimic the immersive Dolby Atmos experience.

Do be careful with this, though, virtual surround sound has become very good in recent years, but it is still an illusion. If you have an open-concept living room with towering ceilings or you're missing a side wall, those sound waves have nothing to bounce off, and the 3D effect will fall flat, so a soundbar won't be worth it if you value immersive audio.

The case for the surround sound system: True immersion for audiophiles

If you want the genuine, hair-raising sensation of a helicopter actually flying over your shoulder and landing behind you, an all-in-one soundbar isn't going to cut it, even ones as good as Sonos’ Arc Ultra. You need physical speakers placed around the room to create that scale and authentic separation — and a surround sound system is worth it for achieving this.

A dedicated centre channel speaker will handle dialogue brilliantly, while separate left and right channels create a huge front soundstage. Bigger speaker cabinets and independent power sources mean you can crank up the volume without distortion, giving action movies a visceral weight. This setup also offers great longevity because it is modular, allowing you to upgrade your AV receiver or swap out bookshelf speakers over the years as your budget allows.

But there is a trade-off here, too, and that is visual clutter. There are a number of wireless surround sound options these days, but some traditional systems will require you to run wires behind walls or invest heavily in architectural in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, meaning your stylish living room can quickly turn into something resembling a teenager’s gaming den.

The hybrid compromise: A modern middle ground

Thankfully, there is a middle ground you could also consider. Over the years, audio brands have realized that many of us would love cinematic sound without turning our homes into something that resembles a tech store. And that’s where modular soundbar systems come into play.

Brands including Sonos, Sony, LG and Samsung all offer systems that feature a powerful, sleek main soundbar, but allow you to wirelessly pair that with small rear speakers and a wireless subwoofer, and LG’s options can wirelessly connect to its TVs too, thanks to Dolby Atmos FlexConnect. The result from wireless surround sound systems is authentic physical separation of sound coming from around you, without the headache of cables running across your plush rug or beautiful parquet floor to an amplifier.

It is the ultimate ‘have your cake and eat it’ scenario, but do keep in mind that you won’t be able to mix and match between brands — a Sonos soundbar won’t work with a Samsung sub, for example. At least not currently.

Verdict: Which is actually worth it?

Whether you should opt for a surround system or soundbar depends on your space, habits, and tolerance for adding black boxes and hardware to your otherwise gorgeous living room.

You should consider a standalone soundbar if you have a smaller or medium-sized living room, value a clean aesthetic above all else, and primarily want an upgrade to dialogue clarity with minimal setup fuss.

A surround system, meanwhile, is a better choice if you are building a dedicated media room, are a serious movie buff or hardcore gamer, and crucially, you are willing to invest the time and budget into planning speaker placement for audio fidelity.

For everyone else sitting in the middle of these two, a modular soundbar setup offers true immersion with physical rear channels, but with a sleek, modern, wireless footprint that respects the design of your home's interior. Just keep in mind, you’ll need to pick a brand and stick with it.