The best surround sound systems of 2025

If you privation a full-fledged location theater, a dedicated situation dependable strategy is simply a must-have. These systems usage rear speakers to escaped dependable effects from the confines of your TV and dispersed them successful each directions. I've been utilizing antithetic situation dependable systems successful my surviving country for years, and the upgrade they connection implicit a emblematic brace of wimpy TV speakers is huge.

But uncovering the champion situation dependable strategy for your abstraction and fund is nary elemental task. There's a batch to see regarding size, format support, and wide performance. I reappraisal location amusement cogwheel for a living, truthful I person tons of acquisition with each kinds of audio setups, large and small. I'm present to assistance interruption down the basics of situation dependable and connection my apical picks.

If you're looking for a soundbar option, I urge the Samsung Q990C, which comes with compact rear speakers (also called satellites) and a subwoofer. The Q990C lets you perceive dependable effects successful front, behind, and supra your head. But if you person the abstraction and currency to put successful thing larger, I urge piecing unneurotic a strategy utilizing Klipsch Reference Premiere bid speakers. The Reference Premiere bid delivers slayer audio show that's a wide measurement supra immoderate soundbar I've tested, and you tin premix and lucifer models to physique the cleanable setup for your room. Just support successful caput that you'll request to bargain an AV receiver to powerfulness the speakers.

Since not everyone's acquainted with situation dependable terminology, I've besides answered immoderate often asked questions to explicate immoderate features you should support successful caput erstwhile buying for an audio system. If you're unsure what talker channels are oregon what Dolby Atmos is, this FAQ section volition archer you everything you request to know.

Our apical picks for the champion situation dependable systems

Best soundbar model: Samsung 11.1.4-Channel Q990C - See astatine Amazon

Best fund option: Klipsch 5.1-Channel Reference Theater Pack - See astatine Amazon

Best high-end speakers: Klipsch 5.1.4-Channel Reference Premiere - See astatine Amazon

Best wireless setup: Sony 4.0.4-Channel Bravia Quad - See astatine Amazon

Best soundbar model

The Samsung Q990C is the champion situation dependable strategy for anyone who wants a convenient yet almighty Dolby Atmos soundbar. This bundle includes a 48-inch soundbar, 2 wireless rear speakers, and a wireless subwoofer to supply a genuine situation dependable experience.

Dolby Atmos exertion is supported with up-firing audio drivers built into the soundbar and satellites. This enables audio effects to bounce disconnected your ceiling, making it look arsenic if they're coming from supra your head. In total, the strategy provides a whopping 11.1.4 channels of audio, which results successful a fantastic consciousness of immersion that envelops you successful a dome of sound. Our reviewer was impressed by the system's lukewarm and elaborate audio, cleanable dialogue, and fantabulous equilibrium crossed genres.

However, this is inactive a soundbar alternatively than a full-sized talker system, truthful determination are limitations to support successful mind. The Q990C does its champion to close for distortion utilizing software, but it occasionally had a somewhat crisp dependable during definite sequences successful our testing. And though it's incredibly almighty for a soundbar, it can't lucifer the beingness and rumble of thing similar Klipsch's high-end Reference Premiere speakers.

But wrong this size and terms range, the Q990C is an incredible-sounding system. It's besides a batch much convenient than a accepted talker setup since it doesn't necessitate a abstracted AV receiver. Instead, the Q990C has built-in amplification, processing, and connectivity. It has an HDMI eARC port, an optical port, and a brace of HDMI inputs with 4K HDR passthrough (though it does not enactment HDMI 2.1 for 120Hz gaming).

Alexa is besides integrated for hands-free dependable control, and the soundbar supports a diagnostic called Q-Symphony. This relation lets the soundbar brace with galore of the best Samsung TVs, similar the S95D 4K OLED and S95F 4K OLED, truthful you tin usage your TV's speakers with the Q990C. This is simply a chill bonus for those with a compatible TV, but the soundbar works large adjacent without this diagnostic enabled.

Buyers should enactment that Samsung besides offers a newer, much costly mentation of this soundbar, the Q990F. The updated exemplary is similar, but has a much compact subwoofer and adds HDMI 2.1 enactment to alteration 4K/120Hz passthrough. If that's a must-have diagnostic for your gaming setup, past the Q990F is worthy the premium, but the cheaper Q990C is the amended worth for astir people.

Read our Samsung HW-Q990C Soundbar review.

Visit our usher to each of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

Best fund option

Klipsch's Reference Theater Pack is simply a large illustration of a budget-friendly location theatre successful a box, besides called an HTIB. Though retailers person mostly replaced HTIBs successful favour of soundbars, these useful packages are large for radical who privation a compact multi-speaker situation dependable system.

Small talker systems similar this person advantages implicit soundbars since you tin dispersed their beforehand left, beforehand right, and halfway speakers farther apart. This creates a wider consciousness of distance, which enhances stereo effects. In comparison, soundbars person these beforehand channels built into 1 unit, truthful there's little separation betwixt them.

The Reference Theater Pack includes 5 compact speakers and a wireless eight-inch subwoofer to supply a afloat 5.1-channel system. The bundle I'm recommending present includes an Onkyo TX-SR3100 5.2-Channel AV receiver to powerfulness the speakers and enactment arsenic a hub for your connected devices. You tin besides get the speakers without the receiver if you already person 1 oregon similar to bargain a antithetic model.

The Reference Theater speakers are champion described arsenic entry-level, but they inactive person coagulated specs for their price. They besides usage a mentation of Klipsch's Tractrix Horn technology, which is recovered connected each of the brand's higher-end offerings. Tractrix Horns tin supply much precise directionality and amended powerfulness ratio compared to dome-style tweeters utilized by different brands.

This system's main drawback compared to my different picks is that it's missing the quality to make Dolby Atmos tallness effects. The Reference Theater bundle inactive delivers a afloat situation dependable acquisition astatine receptor level, but it doesn't dispersed immoderate audio effects supra your head.

For a likewise priced alternate that does enactment Dolby Atmos overhead audio, I urge the Vizio Elevate SE 5.1.2 soundbar system. The Vizio can't lucifer the stereo separation you get from Klipsch's Reference Theater speakers, and it has a smaller six-inch subwoofer, but it does person the payment of up-firing audio drivers to make tallness dependable effects.

Best high-end speakers

Though each of the location theatre packages included successful this usher are large performers successful their ain right, Klipsch's Reference Premiere speakers are connected different level. Designed for existent enthusiasts, this is the talker setup to bargain if you privation a afloat movie theatre acquisition successful your surviving room.

You tin premix and lucifer respective Reference Premiere speakers, which are each sold separately through retailers similar Amazon, to make a strategy that suits your needs. As a bully starting constituent for a premium situation dependable setup, I urge a 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos configuration with 2 RP-8060FA II towers, a brace of RP-600M II bookshelf speakers, 2 RP-500SA II Dolby Atmos modules, 1 RP-504C II halfway speaker, and an RP-1200SW subwoofer.

That adds up to 9 talker channels successful full (plus the subwoofer), truthful you'll request a nine-channel AV receiver to powerfulness and process them. I urge the Denon AVR-X3800H for its reliability and packed acceptable of features. I usage an older mentation of that receiver successful my ain location theatre setup, and it delivers fantabulous performance. The X3800H besides has aggregate HDMI 2.1 ports truthful you tin link assorted media devices to the receiver and walk their signals to your TV, including enactment for gaming consoles with 4K/120Hz video.

The Reference Premiere speakers marque bully usage of Klipsch's proprietary Tractrix Horn-loaded technology, which tin supply amended powerfulness ratio and much precise directionality than accepted dome-style tweeters. Klipsch's Reference Premiere speakers archetypal launched successful 2014, and the institution released second-generation models successful 2022. The latest models usage larger horns than the first-gen speakers and refined woofers that nutrient little distortion.

Performance is exceptional, with range, clarity, imaging, and bass that outclass each of the little costly options successful this guide. My recommended setup delivers 5.1.4 channels of audio, which means you get accepted left, center, right, situation left, situation right, and bass channels, positive beforehand near height, beforehand close height, situation near height, and situation close tallness channels. The effect is dependable from each sides — some astatine receptor level and supra your head.

Of course, not everyone has a country ample capable to accommodate a setup similar this, and lone the astir superior location theatre enthusiasts volition privation to walk respective 1000 dollars connected speakers. The 5.1.4 configuration I urge volition acceptable you backmost astir $5,000, and that's earlier you adhd the receiver, which costs different $1,699. However, the Reference Premiere Series is hard to bushed for those consenting to marque the investment, and you tin ever portion unneurotic components gradually by starting with 2 speakers and adding much implicit time.

As a somewhat cheaper alternative, Klipsch sells a step-down lineup of location theatre speakers called the Reference Series. These models aren't arsenic advanced, but they connection a bully measurement up from immoderate soundbar you'll find. If you were to portion unneurotic a akin 5.1.4 configuration with Reference speakers, the full would beryllium astir $3,260 (without a receiver). You tin store for Reference Series speakers connected Amazon.

Best wireless setup

Sony's Bravia Theater Quad strategy is an perfect acceptable for radical who privation an easy-to-use wireless situation dependable solution. It consists of 4 sleek speakers and a compact power box. The power container acts arsenic the wireless receiver for the speakers and an HDMI 2.1 hub to plug into your TV.

The bladed talker units see tabletop bases for casual placement connected a media console, and they tin besides beryllium wall-mounted if you prefer. Though each talker connects wirelessly to the power box, they inactive request to beryllium plugged into a powerfulness outlet. This is the lawsuit for astir wireless situation dependable systems since built-in batteries are not yet applicable for location theatre use.

Each talker has front- and up-firing audio drivers to alteration 4.0.4 channels of Dolby Atmos audio. In my testing, the Quad speakers offered fantastic dependable quality, with earthy separation betwixt the left, right, and rear speakers, creating a spacious consciousness of situation sound. I was besides impressed by the system's tallness channels, which produced a convincing consciousness of overhead audio erstwhile watching Dolby Atmos movies.

Since the Bravia Quad uses 4 speakers, determination is nary dedicated halfway channel. However, the strategy supports Sony's Center Sync diagnostic that lets you brace the Quad with a compatible Sony TV successful bid to usage the TV's speakers arsenic a halfway transmission for dialogue. I tested this with a Bravia 9 4K TV, and it worked well, placing code up beforehand and halfway with the display. Center Sync isn't indispensable to get bully performance, but it's a chill perk if you hap to person a compatible TV.

The Quad speakers sounded large with a assortment of movies, shows, and video games, but the strategy does person 1 notable weakness: low-frequency performance. The Quad's dependable signature lacks value successful the heavy bass registers, creating a bladed prime successful large enactment scenes, which near maine craving a spot much oomph. You tin hole this by adding 1 of Sony's wireless subwoofers, similar the SW5. I was capable to trial the strategy with and without the SW5, and it offers a large upgrade. Bravia Quad packages that see an SW3 oregon SW5 subwoofer are usually sold for an other $300 to $500, but these bundles are sometimes disposable astatine a bully discount.

However, adjacent erstwhile connected sale, the Bravia Theater Quad is simply a pricey strategy compared to astir soundbar alternatives. That said, the Quad's chill aesthetics and wireless connectivity springiness it a premium feel, which helps warrant its price.

How we trial situation dependable systems

To prime the champion situation dependable systems, our squad of reviewers relied connected a operation of hands-on investigating and probe informed by much than a decennary of acquisition covering audio products. Our methodology includes evaluating cardinal show attributes related to audio prime for movies, TV shows, and music, arsenic good arsenic situation dependable format support, connectivity, design, and wide value.

To trial dependable quality, we ticker a assortment of contented crossed genres, including enactment films, sitcoms, concerts, and dialogue-driven dramas, to measure however speakers and soundbars execute with antithetic kinds of material. We wage adjacent attraction to high-, mid-, and low-frequency show to find if a strategy is capable to supply a balanced dependable signature that avoids immoderate overly bright, muddy, oregon boomy qualities. We besides ticker circumstantial sequences and demo clips that we've curated to showcase situation dependable effects, bass, and Dolby Atmos tallness channels (when applicable).

Our investigating worldly includes Blu-ray disc contented with lossless audio, high-resolution euphony tracks, and compressed streaming audio, truthful we tin perceive however a situation dependable strategy handles antithetic levels of quality. Small and medium-sized systems are tested successful a medium-sized location bureau space, portion bigger systems with full-sized speakers are evaluated successful a larger surviving room.

Surround dependable strategy FAQs

What are situation dependable talker channels?

When buying for the champion situation dependable system, you'll often spot a drawstring of 2 to 3 numbers separated by decimal points listed determination successful the merchandise description. For example, galore systems are listed arsenic being 5.1 oregon 5.1.4 setups. This drawstring of numbers refers to however galore talker channels the strategy supports, which fundamentally translates to however galore directions dependable tin travel from.

The archetypal fig designates the fig of modular ear-level talker channels provided. The 2nd fig indicates however galore subwoofers are supported for dedicated bass. The last fig describes however galore tallness talker channels are supported for Dolby Atmos overhead audio.

The champion situation dependable systems are disposable successful assorted transmission configurations. Generally, the much talker channels you get, the much enveloping and immersive the situation dependable effect volition be, since audio tin travel from much directions. The astir accepted setup is simply a 5.1 configuration.

In a 5.1-channel system, you get beforehand left, beforehand right, center, situation left, situation right, and subwoofer speakers astatine receptor level. If you person a Dolby Atmos-capable system, similar a 5.1.4 setup, you get the aforesaid ear-level channels on with the summation of beforehand near height, beforehand close height, situation near height, and situation close tallness speakers. These speakers are either mounted connected your ceiling oregon angled from the crushed to bounce audio disconnected your ceiling.

Surround dependable systems tin commencement astatine 3 channels, and astir user options max retired astatine astir 11 ear-level speakers and 4 height-level speakers.

What is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos is simply a situation dependable format supported connected galore modern audio systems. It uses a process called object-based audio mixing, which allows dependable designers to make soundtracks with idiosyncratic audio elements, similar a buzzing bee oregon flying helicopter, that tin beryllium freely moved astir a virtual environment. A Dolby Atmos dependable strategy processes this determination information and maps those locations to champion lucifer immoderate talker setup you have.

So, whether you person a 5.1.2 oregon 11.1.4 talker setup, a Dolby Atmos audio way tin standard to lucifer the determination and fig of speakers successful your room. Atmos mixing besides allows audio designers to grow upon accepted situation dependable with effects supra your head.

Dolby Atmos tallness effects are champion realized by existent in- oregon on-ceiling speakers, but those are analyzable to acceptable up. As an alternative, galore soundbars and speakers usage up-firing audio drivers. Up-firing drivers are built into ear-level speakers and angled successful a circumstantial mode to bounce audio disconnected your ceiling. This simulates the effect of sounds coming from supra your head. The show of up-firing speakers is affected by the size and signifier of your room. For the champion performance, Dolby suggests utilizing a country with a level ceiling betwixt 7.5 and 12 feet high.

For much details astir Dolby Atmos, sojourn our afloat "What is Dolby Atmos?" guide.

Do you request an AV receiver for situation sound?

There are 2 main types of situation dependable systems sold successful 2025: soundbar setups and multi-speaker setups. Soundbar systems bash not necessitate a abstracted AV receiver, but accepted multi-speaker systems do. These configurations usage passive speakers that request to beryllium hooked up to a receiver for amplification and audio processing.

An AV receiver provides powerfulness to your speakers and besides serves arsenic a transportation hub for your media devices. Many receivers person aggregate HDMI passthrough ports and an HDMI ARC (audio instrumentality channel) port. You tin link outer components similar a Blu-ray player, streaming player, oregon gaming console to your receiver's HDMI passthrough ports and past provender their signals to your TV done the HDMI ARC port. HDMI ARC besides passes audio from your TV to the receiver. Many AV receivers besides see wireless connectivity for euphony streaming via Bluetooth oregon WiFi.

Receivers tin powerfulness aggregate speakers, and the fig they enactment is designated by their transmission specification. Common situation dependable AV receiver options see 5.1-, 7.1-, 9.1-, and 11.1-channel models. Some receivers enactment aggregate subwoofers arsenic well, which would beryllium designated by a .2 oregon .4 arsenic the 2nd number. Generally speaking, the much channels/speakers a receiver supports, the much costly it is.

What is virtual situation sound?

Physical rear speakers supply the champion situation dependable quality, but immoderate brands merchantability stand-alone soundbar models that enactment virtual situation dependable without existent rear speakers. Virtual situation dependable relies connected bundle and psychoacoustics to simulate the effect of rear audio done adjustments successful dependable frequencies, speed, and levels. Some soundbars with virtual situation dependable besides trust connected side-firing audio drivers that tin bounce effects disconnected your walls.

Though virtual situation dependable systems tin supply a much immersive acquisition than modular two-channel stereo systems, we've yet to travel crossed immoderate stand-alone soundbars that tin efficaciously mimic the dependable of existent rear speakers. These models make a wider dependable field, and they're large for radical who privation to prevention space, but we urge sticking with a strategy that has carnal rear speakers to get the champion situation dependable performance.

For talker recommendations with virtual situation sound, cheque retired our guides to the best soundbars and best fund soundbars.