Best surround sound systems: Quick menu
The best surround sound systems help you create the perfect home cinema experience, adding that missing element to how you watch TV and movies. In addition to a great TV, they are a great way to amp up the audio soundtrack to everything from action movies and sports to your favorite tunes and podcasts.
As any film buff or avid gamer will tell you, the image is only half of the story with surround sound. It's vital to have a great sound system if you're looking to perfect your home cinema experience - especially when the local multiplex isn't an option and more and more movies are being streamed at home.
A lot has changed in the world of surround sound in the past few years. The mass of cables, speakers, and stands that used to clutter our living rooms have been replaced by much tidier single-unit soundbars that sit underneath our TVs and boost what the slim flat screens can't do.
Listed below are some of the best options for surround sound. If you're not sure if you need multiple speakers, you may want to consider our guide to the best soundbars.
Best surround sound systems: Quick list
Sony's HT-A9 cinema kit delivers impressive audio quality without the hassle of a full 7.1 surround sound system. It includes four wireless speaker units and supports 8K HDR content. However, its high cost may deter budget-conscious buyers.
The JBL Bar 800 soundbar offers strong connectivity with smart home devices and excellent audio quality for TV, music, and games. Its slightly bulky design is the only drawback.
The Monoprice SB-600 5.1.2 home cinema system delivers capable performance at an affordable price of $350. It includes a soundbar, subwoofer, and rear speakers, along with mounting brackets, and offers decent volume and clarity, albeit with slightly muddy treble. A user-friendly remote and understated design complete the package.
The LG S95QR soundbar package offers cinema-style surround sound for a memorable film-viewing experience. The system is easy to set up and use, with multiple settings to suit various shows. However, its wide build and size may limit its use in smaller living spaces.
Sonos doesn't offer a single surround sound system, but its bundles make it possible to create immersive audio by using products together. The Sonos Beam package comes with Sub Mini and two Sonos One SL speakers that also double as rear units, while also offering features like Alexa and Google Assistant and customizable sound via the Sonos app.
True surround sound systems significantly improve the home theater experience, but building one can be expensive over time. The Klipsch HT50 starter pack is an affordable solution of six speakers, including a center channel, four speakers, and a wireless subwoofer, delivering excellent sound without Bluetooth or smart home compatibility.
The best surround sound systems in 2023
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Best wireless surround sound system
Sony's HT-A9 home cinema kit offers impressive audio quality without the hassle of setting up a full 7.1 surround sound system. It includes four large wireless speaker units connected to a base station, creating an immersive experience that mimics up to 12 phantom speakers around the room. Night mode even allows for a comfortable, high-quality audio experience into the late hours. However, the price could be a major drawback for those on a budget.
The system functions as a fully-fledged home cinema audio system, supporting 8K HDR content, Dolby Vision, and 4K at 120fps. It has a single HDMI input and integrates with Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Google Assistant. The speakers are aesthetically pleasing with a cylindrical design and textured plastic finish, and the display on the base station is small but efficient, showing key status information.
Livingetc rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | read our full Sony HT-A9 Home Theater System review
Most versatile surround sound system
The JBL Bar 800 is a versatile and powerful soundbar system that, despite some less-than-polished aesthetic issues, delivers good connectivity with our smart home devices and excellent audio for everything from TV to music and games. There's no rattly subwoofer here, and the system provides a modern sound experience with detachable speakers and Dolby Atmos making everything feel more immersive.
The only downside to this soundbar is its bulky look, which is typical of most Dolby Atmos soundbars. But if you can overlook this shortcoming, the JBL Bar 800 is a great choice for anyone who wants a powerful sound experience with smart features.
Livingetc rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars | read our full JBL Bar 800 review
Best 5.1 home theater system
The Monoprice SB-600 home cinema audio system delivers capable performance for a reasonable price. It features a soundbar with five drivers, a downward-firing subwoofer, and a pair of rear surround-sound speakers, creating a 5.1.2 system that's affordably priced at $350. The system comes with mounting brackets, and though the design is understated, it doesn't feel like a budget system.
The subwoofer is a squat device, while the remote is user-friendly, featuring only a handful of buttons for controlling key functions. Overall, the sound quality is reasonable, with a decent amount of volume and clarity. The treble can be a little muddy, but it's easy to forgive at this price point. Though it lacks advanced features, it's a good option for those looking for an affordable way to create a memorable and immersive home theatre experience.
Livingetc rating: 4 out of 5 stars | read our full Monoprice SB-600 Soundbar System review
Best LG home theater system
The LG S95QR soundbar package offers a cinema-style surround sound for the ultimate film-viewing experience, but you'll need a large living room to accommodate it. Setting up the system is straightforward, even with minimal instructions, and, once set up, the speaker system was easy to use, with multiple settings to suit whatever you're watching.
The soundbar features a charcoal grey, blocky finish and has a wide build, while the rear speakers and subwoofer are more generic in appearance. As for features, the S95QR includes a cinema mode for extra bass and a clear voice mode for dialogue. It has an upward-firing center channel and can be connected to Alexa or Google Assistant. Overall, the system is a good option but, due to its large size, may not be suitable for those with smaller living spaces.
Livingetc rating: 4 out of 5 stars | read our full LG S95QR Surround Soundbar review
Best Sonos surround sound bundle
While Sonos doesn't offer a single surround sound system product, there is a range of bundles that make it possible to use its products in tandem to create an immersive audio experience. The Sonos Beam package, for example, includes the latest Sub Mini and two Sonos One SL speakers that double up as rear units. With this setup, you can utilize some of Sonos' best features, such as adaptive sound (which is restricted to iPhone or iOS users), speech enhancement, and much more.
The Beam (Gen 2) includes both Alexa and Google Assistant, and the One SLs may be placed in different regions of your home for multi-room listening. With its adaptable sound and speech enhancement features, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) allows users to customize their audio experience based on their preferences while being simple to manage via the Sonos app or voice assistant.
Best budget home theater system
True surround sound systems are fantastic for boosting your home theater experience, but building one can be expensive over time. If you want something that will deliver results straight away without needing to add rear speakers and more later, this offering from Klipsch is one to consider.
It comprises six speakers in total, including one center channel and four additional speakers to place around your space, along with a wireless subwoofer. Moreover, you have the flexibility to customize the placement of the speakers according to your preferences. The system incorporates an aluminum tweeter and high-excursion aluminum woofer cones, providing high-quality audio.
The Klipsch HT50 starter pack is an affordable solution that doesn't break the bank while delivering fantastic sound quality. However, it lacks Bluetooth connectivity and compatibility with smart home systems, such as Google Assistant and Alexa. Nevertheless, users who don't need these features will appreciate the system's value for money and the excellent audio output.
How to choose the best surround sound system
When picking the best surround sound system for your needs, there are several things to consider. Chief among those is placement – do you have much room beneath your TV? And how about behind your sofa – is there room to set up the rear sound channels and plug sockets to power them from?
If so, great – any of the picks above will suit your needs. If not, you might want to focus on the single-bar solutions up top, which virtualize the surround sound elements by bouncing audio off your viewing room's walls. Of course, mileage will vary depending on the uniformity of the space (a lovely square room usually works best). Still, all the systems above have intelligent ways of tricking your ears into thinking sound is coming from all around you.
Perhaps worth equal consideration is the broader feature set. If you're planning on playing lots of music through the soundbar, a built-in voice assistant, like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, might be helpful, letting you speak to the speaker to command it to play your favorite tunes at a whim.
Also, think about the TV you're pairing it with – not just in terms of whether it'll obscure the screen, but also what connection you'll need. True audiophiles will be looking out for HDMI connections with an eARC feature – that lets your cables deliver uncompressed multi-channel audio, giving you pristine sound from all directions.
How much does a surround sound system cost?
We have intentionally included surround sound systems across various price points on this list, as different households will have different needs and budgets. The most expensive is the Sony HTA9 Home Theater System, which will set you back around $2000 at the time of writing. This isn't small change, but you are paying for the convenience of the system's wireless set-up.
On the other end of things is the Klipsch Black Reference Theater Pack 5.1 Surround Sound System, which, in contrast, costs just over $350. Remember that the Klipsch offering won't work with any smart home devices.
Do you need a receiver for a surround sound system?
If you're new to sound systems, whether your shiny new speaker set-up needs a receiver may crop up quite early. Older surround sound systems always needed a receiver for the best performance, and while they're still an option, many systems now operate without needing one.
Soundbar systems (those with a bar, subwoofer, and 2+ rear speakers), which are becoming more popular, won't require a receiver at all.
However, multi-speaker systems will depend on how traditional you want to get. A/V receivers are the glue that holds the rest of the components together, and so one may be needed for home theater systems. Before investing in one of these set-ups, ensure you have everything you need to start.
What is the best surround sound system?
Speaker systems come in all shapes and sizes for all different types of rooms. Suppose you’re feeling particularly flush with cash and have the space to indulge your cinematic delights to the nth degree. In that case, you could consider something like the Sony HTA9 Home Theater System, but the mess of cables, space required, and sheer expense means that it's not suitable for everyone.
Instead, you can get great, cinema-like results with a great soundbar and wireless speaker combo like some of the sets listed above. We love the Samsung HW-Q950T Soundbar System or the JBL 9.1-Channel Soundbar System if you want something even more soundbar-like.
How we tested products for this guide
All recommendations that we give to our readers on products like the surround sound systems on this list are based on a combination of hands-on experience and industry knowledge. We endeavor to test and review everything that we include in our buying guides, but unfortunately, this is not always possible.
We will clearly mark within the content where we have had this real-world experience with links to in-depth reviews. For more, head over to our article on how we create our buying guides.
This list's surround sound systems are tested at home and ranked based on their ease of use, expense, versatility, and sound quality. We noted how simple they were to set up and use, as well as how well they fit into the existing home environment. This is why products are trialed in the writers' own homes rather than a lab environment, to ensure that promises made by the manufacturers translate to the average home environment.
Adam is a tech journalist with extensive experience in covering the latest in devices, networking, and gadgets across various trade shows and conferences. He's passionate about building the ultimate home cinema system and making his home as smart as possible. He tested and reviewed the Sony HT-A9 Home Theater System and Monoprice SB-600 Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 soundbar for this guide.
As a freelance journalist for 20 years and presenter for Magic Radio, Jen is well-versed in home theater audio. She covers devices from record players to soundbars like the LG S95QR for Livingetc, testing them in her home.
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