There’s something about watching a movie at home with friends or family when it’s cold and dark outside. The idea is so inviting, yet it isn’t as appealing anymore when you can’t hear the movies clearly over crunching popcorn and the wind outside.
This is where a home cinema surround sound system comes into play. With high-quality sound, large speakers, and innovative technology, your living room will quickly be transformed into the best home theatre system with the best surround sound.
Not only are they excellent for movie time, but also for sporting events and as a music system for parties.
It can be hard to choose between the many models on the market, from super modern smartphone-controlled home entertainment systems to towering speakers and high-power amplifiers.
That’s why we have put together 6 of the best home theatre systems with detailed reviews and a buying guide at the end!
Best Home Cinema Sysyems
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Best Overall
1LG LOUDR LHB645N Home Theatre Speaker System
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Best For Low Budgets
2Sony BDVE4100 5.1 Surround Home Cinema System
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Best For Higher Budgets
4Sony BDVN7200W 3D Blu-ray Home Cinema System
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Buy On AO1. LG LOUDR LHB645N Home Theatre Speaker System
- Advanced 3D technology.
- Includes a private sound mode.
- 2 types of the speaker.
- Includes LG Smart entertainment.
The LG LOUDR model holds a plethora of functions alongside its advanced 3D technology, making it an ideal luxury purchase for a family home cinema system.
The 5.1Ch surround sound system pumps out intense sound to fill the room, just like a real cinema would.
This immense sound quality is made possible through the two tallboy and satellite speakers that sit above your TV and into the upper portion of the room, creating a sonic spectrum of sound. Plus, it has two different types of speakers for a higher level of sound.
If you wish to take the viewing experience one step further, this home entertainment system is compatible with 3D TVs for 3D Blu Ray disk playback.
Furthermore, this home system provides access to LG Smart, the brands’ TV entertainment system allowing you to connect to the internet to access movies, TV shows, and more. It can connect to the internet through an Ethernet cable.
A unique feature of this model is its “Private Sound” mode. This allows you to watch or listen to entertainment with the same high-quality, immersive sound without disturbing others in your home or your neighbors. This works by sending the sound from the sound system to your smartphone over a WiFi connection.
The downside of this TV is that the only connection is through BlueTooth to a smartphone, which can tend to disconnect if it gets too far away and the signal weakens. If you want a more compact design, this one may not be for you.
Specifications
Pros
- Surround sound design.
- Connects through BlueTooth.
- Tall speakers are attractive.
- Easy to assemble.
Cons
- Some may not like the tall speakers.
- Bluetooth can disconnect itself if it loses signal.
2. Sony BDVE4100 5.1 Surround Home Cinema System
- High-resolution HD and 3D display.
- Built-in WiFi connection.
- Connects through USB, Ethernet, and WiFi.
- Includes the SONY entertainment network.
This SONY home cinema system packs a punch with its two super tall speakers for an immersive surround sound experience and the Blue Ray disk player to transform basic DVDs to almost HD quality.
The system also includes a Bass Boost to ensure you feel the full sound effects in intense movies and loud music. Taking the effects one step further, this system works for 3D films as long as your TV is 3D-enabled.
With 4 speakers, you can place the individual pieces around the room based on your preferred sound locations. This is particularly useful for larger rooms where multiple sound outputs are preferable.
The system comes with three different options for connection: USB, Ethernet, and WiFi meaning it works for pretty much all homes and connection needs.
The entertainment system works through WiFi, allowing you to stream all kinds of entertainment onto your TV, paired with incredible sound quality. You can also access the SONY Entertainment Network for movies, the internet, and more through this model!
Furthermore, it includes a built-in iPhone and iPod dock for extra convenience when playing music. If your smartphone is NFC enabled, you can simply touch the phone onto the home cinema system to instantly play music over Bluetooth.
Lastly, the design is simple, black, and modest ensuring it doesn’t create an eyesore in your home.
Specifications
Pros
- One-touch wireless music streaming.
- Built-in iPhone/iPod dock.
- Bass Boost sound.
- Luxe black design.
Cons
- Not ideal for smaller environments.
- Slightly heavy.
3. SONOS PLAYBASE Wireless Home Cinema System
- Works seamlessly with AirPlay, Amazon Echo, and Alexa devices.
- 10 times more volume.
- Super lightweight compared to other models.
- Enables cinema sound for the TV, and streams music.
This home cinema system is a super-compact rectangle-shaped model that seamlessly mounts on the wall behind your TV, or placed next to it for the ultimate invisible cinema system.
It is a similar size to a cereal box, yet packs 10 times amplified volume into its small size.
The device includes 10 amplified internal drivers, 6 mid-range versions, 3 tweeters, and 1 woofer. All of these combined provide a noise-free high-quality surround sound system for your home. It’s a sound quality that you can feel!
As well as TV sound, the Playbase also works with music streaming through Bluetooth. The design works to stream anything directly from your Apple devices while also connecting to Amazon Echo and Alexa-enabled devices.
These combinations provide an effortless system that’s super convenient to use without a confusing load of buttons on the remote!
A highlight of this model is that it’s extremely easy to set up, with just two cables. One plugs into your TV and the other connects to power.
To use the device, you will need to download the SONOS app which is free and available on both the Apple store and Google Play store.
The app allows you to play pretty much everything you can think of – from Apple Music to Spotify to podcasts and audiobooks.
This is an ideal option for those wanting a hassle-free, compact cinema system with excellent sound and modern technologies to control through your phone!
Specifications
Pros
- Touch interface controls.
- 2 cable setup is easy to get going.
- Connects to WiFi.
- Works well when mounted onto the wall.
Cons
- Requires an app to use.
- High price point.
4. Sony BDVN7200W 3D Blu-ray Home Cinema System
- Wireless connectivity.
- One-touch mirroring system.
- 4 satellite speakers.
- SongPal app allows you to use your phone as the remote.
The multi-piece model boasts 4 satellite magnetic fluid speakers for exceptional high-resolution audio. The large design is ideal for large rooms and homes that need stronger sound levels.
The magnetic fluid speakers are ideal for natural-sounding surround sound, free of additional noise. It’s also compatible with 3D technology TV.
Home entertainment is taken one step further with this design’s Digital Music Arena mode. It gives you the same acoustics as heard in the London O2 arena from the comfort of your own home.
This model pairs with the SongPal app to control music through your phone and the sound system while using your phone as the remote. However, this may not be ideal if you prefer to keep your phone and TV technology separate.
Furthermore, the device allows you to stream on-demand movies and TV thanks to the WiFi, Miracast, NFC, and Bluetooth connectivity.
In addition to this, SONY has included one-touch mirroring technology. This allows you to cast your smartphone screen onto the TV with just one motion!
Lastly, this entire set is very lightweight compared to other models, at under 8 kilograms.
Specifications
Pros
- Streams with WiFi, BlueTooth, and NFC.
- Includes a digital music arena mode.
- WiFi-enabled internet usage to stream on-demand.
- Includes a Football Mode.
Cons
- Needs an app to function.
- A large system is not ideal for small spaces.
5. Yamaha YHT1840 5.1 Home Theatre Kit
- The digital amp display is easy to use.
- Traditional Yamaha design is an attractive home addition
- Includes an amplifier.
- Extra bass features for intense sound.
With the traditional black Yamaha design, this home theatre kit fits into any home aesthetic without disrupting your decor.
Although the design has many pieces, it’s well-sized to fit comfortably under a TV stand with the speakers around it.
The whole package consists of the AC receiver, two front side speakers, a center speaker, 2 FX speakers for the rear, and 1 subwoofer (this provides the intense deep sound you get in the cinema).
The variety of speakers allows you to play around with their locations until you reach your ideal setup. Plus, the speakers can all be placed at the front of the box, allowing them to bounce the sound off the surrounding walls for a cinema-like experience.
The central amp holds a simple fuss-free display screen allowing you to interchange between different providers such as your TV box, a PlayStation, or a DVD player.
The box comes with 4 HDMI ports, allowing you to plug in multiple devices at once.
The quality of sound with this Yamaha set is its star quality. It expresses crisp sound levels with the additional Burr-Brown DAC. The purpose of this is to output the intense quality of music being played.
Lastly, this system works for most home environments thanks to the lack of tall speakers preventing any restrictions based on space. The power and speaker cables are also very generous in length.
Specifications
Pros
- No tall speakers, making it ideal for smaller spaces.
- Long cable for non-restricted setup.
- Includes 4 HDMI sockets.
- Very crisp sound with no distortion.
Cons
- A little bulky.
- It does not include modern technology features such as an app.
6. Onkyo HT-S7800 Dolby Atmos Home Theater System
- Multiple speakers for surround sound.
- Chromecast built-in, airplay, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth compatible.
- Bi-amping capability for rich sound.
- The attractive black design compliments any home environment.
Onkyo has combined extremely high-quality sound with a sleek black design to provide this home theatre system.
The system comes with 6 different sound output units, allowing you to place them around the room for your own customized setup!
On the other hand, they can be placed in different rooms if you wish to transmit sound around your home.
The unit is compatible with Bluetooth and WiFi connections, allowing you to connect both the TV and smartphones to stream audio.
Plus, it includes 2 frontal and 7 read HDMI inputs which work for most TV boxes and WiFi ethernet cables.
Additionally, this model comes with a built-in Chromecast, allowing you to cast your smartphone audio unto the system.
It is also compatible with AirPlay to stream audio from iPhones. This model also has Spotify, TuneIn, and Pandora audio services built-in, allowing you to search content on the free Onkyo Remote app and listen immediately!
The only downsides to this system are its heavyweight and the lack of BlueRay players.
However the system doesn’t need to be moved around too much, and the movies can be cast through WiFi and other systems, rather than actual DVDs.
Last but not least, this model operates with noise-free sound processing and a high-current, ensuring rich sound output, just like a cinema.
Specifications
Pros
- Noise-free processing.
- 4 HDMI connections.
- High-current amplifiers.
- Speakers can be placed in different rooms.
Cons
- The system is heavy.
- No built-in BlueRay player.
Home Cinema System Buying Guide
Technology
Home cinema systems vary in their technologies, which is usually affected by the year they were manufactured and the technologies available.
On the other hand, some very modern versions will be crafted with simple technology for those wanting a more basic and easy-to-use system.
Others are more advanced with app-controlled features and compact designs!
4k Home Cinema Systems
Although 4k audio isn’t the same as 4k visual display, the phrase infers the top quality sound available today. 4k home cinema systems assure high-resolution sound with a surrounding audio effect, much like a 3D television.
They can be classed as the top of the market in terms of sound quality which is ideal for immersive home entertainment. For superb sound quality you can always select a hi-fi system.
Components
The components of home cinema systems are usually what set different models and brands apart. Below, we’ll cover some different features you will find amongst models included in our review section above.
Blu-Ray Surround Sound
You may have already heard of Blu-Ray video quality as being one of the best ways to improve home movie watching due to the immense level of quality. Likewise, Blu-Ray surround sound creates the same effect!
It provides a top-level of sound quality, especially when compared to the usual sound output of a DVD player. You will find some of the reviewed best home cinema systems include Blu-Ray surround sound players to convert traditional DVD sound into a whole other level!
Wireless
A wireless sound system is an ideal option to allow you to customize the layout of your home cinema experience.
They usually include multiple speakers, meaning you can place them around the room, or off to one side if you like to keep them out of the way in order to create the best cinema sound system for your home.
Furthermore, a wireless sound system allows you to connect other devices such as phones and laptops through WiFi and Bluetooth to stream music and other audio to the system.
You’ll find all of the reviewed cinema systems above include wireless options!
Speaker Systems
The variation in speaker systems depends on the purpose of the device. Two commonly used speaker systems are 2.1 versions and 5.2 versions.
2.1 Systems
Firstly, 2.1 systems are specifically designed to provide home theatre sound. They are different from other systems as they include just two stereo speakers and one unit called a subwoofer.
These combined allow the speaker to play audio from a connected source – such as a TV or smartphone connected via Bluetooth.
5.1 Systems
Alternatively, 5.1 channel speaker systems will include more speakers.
The ultimate purpose of multiple speakers (such as both front and rear speakers) is to produce the surround sound 3D effect more than a 2.1 system will do.
Pricing Range
As you may have seen in our reviews, these products can be fairly expensive, generally ranging up from a few hundred pounds.
The most expensive cinema sound systems will be higher in their price point due to modern technologies. For example, the extreme sound quality paired with the unbelievable compact design justifies the high price point of the SONOS system.
Just like one of the SONY models comes in at a lower price thanks to the simpler technology and makes a great cheap surround sound system.
If you want to keep costs low, but sound quality still high then you can opt for our best budget surround sound option which you’ll find detailed in our reviews.
Bear in mind that a lower cost is generally due to lower sound levels, or fewer features rather than poorer quality sound!
Our Verdict
There we have our 6 best home cinema systems alongside the hopefully straight-to-the-point buying guide to help you with your buying journey!
It’s clear to see the variation amongst home cinema systems and the reasons why they vary in price so much.
You may even be a little shocked at just how many features the sound systems include. Although they are not the cheapest piece of tech, you can rest assured that they will exceed your expectations for your next movie night.
If you still can’t choose which model to buy, we would recommend opting for the SONY model that we’ve rated as “Best Overall” to make the choice easy for you!
