There are plenty of options available if you want to upgrade the sound on your TV, but you must first decide if you’d like to buy a soundbar or a home theater system. If you want the best performance possible, nothing beats an AV receiver and a multispeaker Dolby Atmos setup, and if you’re looking for something simple and affordable, a soundbar is the answer.
Soundbars are compact and they offer a lot of performance in an affordable package. You can even get ones with advanced features like Atmos and Wi-Fi streaming. The one thing that isn’t usually possible is the ability to upgrade them — though some soundbars pair with optional separate subwoofers and rear speakers. If you want to mix and match speakers, then an AV receiver is for you.
Receivers offer a lot in a fairly chunky box, and unlike soundbars they have numerous HDMI inputs to accommodate a lot of different sources. The ability to mix and match speakers and systems as you see fit can also be an engaging hobby. If you decide to go the home theater route for your sound system, you don’t necessarily need a surround-sound system, not initially at least. I ran a Marantz receiver and a pair of Bowers and Wilkins stand-mount speakers stereo-only home theatre system for about five years and didn’t feel I was missing out.
Whichever route you choose — soundbars or AV systems –numerous varieties of speakers are available including theater speakers, or various combinations of surround sound speakers. There should be something here for you. These are the best currently available home theater systems.
Multiple speakers are available including wired speakers, wireless speakers, satellite speakers, bookshelf speakers and true surround sound systems.
These are the best currently available home theater systems.
When it comes to bang for buck, it doesn’t get much better than the Roku Streambar home theater system. This speaker offers both a dialogue-enhancing soundbar and a built-in 4K streamer in one package. If you want more bass, or surround speakers, the system is also upgradable. You can choose the speaker package.
Read our Roku Streambar review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Originally retailing for $1,200, the Klipsch Reference Theater Pack is currently on sale for a third of that. This set features big sound from a compact 5.1-channel sound system and it is a perfect home theater option for apartments or games rooms. Excellent for movies and not bad for music either. Just add a receiver.
Read the Klipsch Reference Theater Pack review.
Ty Pendlebury/CNET
Nov 2020
If there’s one thing we’re spoiled for choice for it’s affordable stereo speakers, and for $469 the bookshelf speaker 3030is offer excellent playback of both movies and music. While the $350 Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2s are a lot cheaper and more transparent, the Q Acoustics are more even-handed and have better bass response. This makes the 3030i more suited to a home theater situation, especially if you’re not using a subwoofer.
Read our Q Acoustics 3030i review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
It’s a couple of years old and it won’t pass 8K video, but to be frank don’t want to buy the ones that can right now. The Onkyo TX-NR696 still gets a CNET Editor’s Choice Award and it has almost everything you want in a receiver, including Dolby Atmos and Chromecast streaming. It also sounds fantastic.
Ty Pendlebury/CNET
While its rotating speakers are cool, the thing we liked best about Vizio’s top-of-the-line soundbar is the sound. This Dolby Atmos system includes a subwoofer and rear-channel speakers, making it a sort of hybrid between a receiver-based system and a soundbar.
Read our Vizio Elevate P514A-H6 review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you demand the best Dolby Atmos performance from a single soundbar, it doesn’t get any better than the Sennheiser Ambeo audio system. It’s not cheap, and it’s not small, but if you want the best sound, this is it.
Sound United
I’ll come out and say it, 8K-compatible receivers are a mess right now. Aside from the fact that there’s basically no 8K video available now, they’re affected by a bug that prevents some 4K video sources from being played. Yet, there are fixes coming, and there are workarounds, but if you want an 8K receiver right now, the Denon AVR-S960H is your best choice.
Read our Denon AVR-S960H review.
Source from www.cnet.com