Best Home Theater Speakers – Best Picks For Every Budget

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best home theater speakersSpeakers are perhaps the most important component in your sonic experience. But what exactly do we mean by best home theater speakers? Home Theater Speakers setup essentially consist of 5.1 channels. 1 left and 1 right front channel speakers, 1 center channel speaker for vocals and dialog,1 rear left and 1 rear right for surround sound and a dedicated subwoofer for low frequency sounds which we call .1 channel making it a complete 5.1 channel setup You can also add 2 more rear surround speakers to make it a 7.1 setup. You can even add an additional Subwoofer to make a 5.2 or 7.2 channel setup. These are all passive speakers except subwoofer that means you need to connect them to an amplifier or AV Receiver. But this article lists only Home Theater Speakers and not A/V Receivers more on that later.

You can either buy complete 5.1 speaker package from one manufacturer or you can mix and match components but it is advisable to take all the 5 speakers from the same manufacturer to keep same sound signature but you can take subwoofer of a different company, in fact some times it is beneficial to do so. For most instances I have included the complete speaker package from one manufacturer except for rare picks where I have mixed and matched speakers and subwoofer.

Home Theater speakers can cost from thousands of dollars to as cheap as few hundred dollars. I have made 3 categories for best Home Theater speakers list. Each category targeting a different budget segment.

Table of Contents

Best Home Theater Speakers Picks

Premium $3000 and above

1. Klipsch RF-7 II Reference Series 7.2 Home Theater Speaker Package

2. kef R series 5.1 speaker system

3. Klipsch THX Ultra2 Home Theater System

4. SVS Ultra speakers with SVS PB16-Ultra Subwoofer

5. Klipsch 5.1 RP-280 Reference Premiere Speaker Package with R-115SW Subwoofer

6. Definitive Technology 5.0 System with 2 BP9080X Tower Speakers, 1 CS9060 Center Channel Speaker, 2 SR9080 Surround Speaker

Mid Range $1000-$3000

1. KEF T305 Home Theater System

2. Elac Debut Series 5.1 Home Theater System

3. Dali Zensor 5-Piece Speaker System with svs subwoofer

4. Polk Audio Signature 5.1 System

5. Infinity Reference 5.1 Home Theater Speaker Package

6. BIC Acoustech PL-89 Home Theater System

7. Polk Audio RTI Home Theater System

Entry Level $1000 and below

1. Q Acoustics 3000 Series 5.1 Home Theater System

2. Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 800 System

3. Pioneer SP-PK22BS Andrew Jones 5.1 Home Theater Speaker

4. Harman Kardon HKTS 30BQ 5.1 Home Theater

5. Bose Acoustimass 10 Series V Home Theater Speaker System

6. Energy Take Classic 5.1 Home Theater System

Best Home Theater Speakers Premium $3000 and above

In this category we have included the best Home Theater Speakers only $3000 and above. This is the most premium category and you can expect very best and most immersive sound experience money can buy. There are some 5.1 to 7.2 system included here. We have included floorstanders or tower speaker only at least for the front channels. It was toughest and really hard to pick speakers for this best Home Theater Speakers category as we have to choose carefully only the very best among all the options available in this range. You can expect most powerful and blissful speakers and subwoofer combo in this range to fill even very large spaces with most immersive crystal clear sound possible. Even the fit and finish and looks has to be best and aesthetically most pleasing to be included in this most premium category. They may not be the best value though.

1. Klipsch RF-7 II Reference Series 7.2 Home Theater Speaker Package

Surround: 7.2

Low Frequency: 20Hz ± 3dB

High Frequency: 24KHz ± 3dB

Sensitivity: 101db

Recommended Amp Power: 250W RMS /8Ω

Klipsch is pioneer when it comes to speakers and reference series is one of the most reputed from Klipsch. This 7.2 Home Theater Speaker System is our number 1 pick because of its extraordinary sound at relatively moderate price for a 7.2 system in this category. You will be absolutely blown by the quality and scale of sound by this system. You will get 2 RF-7 II Reference series floorstanding speakers, 2 Klipsch RS-62 II Reference Series Surround Speakers, 1 Klipsch RC-64 II center channel Speaker, 2 Klipsch RB-81 II Reference Series Bookshelf Speaker and 2 Klipsch SW-115 400 W Subwoofer System. Yes 2 subwoofers, bass defenetly won’t double with 2 subwoofers, nor will it go two times lower with 2 subwoofers but it will become extremely refined with the addition of an extra subwoofer. Sensitivity of all the speakers are very high. Sound is extremely detailed. Speakers comes in 2 finishes black and cherry. System is good enough for even large rooms. Front speakers has a 1.75″ titanium tweeter and two 10″ woofers with premium cast aluminum baskets for powerful and distortion free sound. To perfectly complement front channel speakers center channel is quite a superior unit. It comes with a 1.75″ tweeter and four 6.5″ high output woofers for great Home Theater experience. Dialogue is crystal clear and you can hear every word of it.

Pros

  • Reputed manufacturer
  • Value deal for a 7.2 system in this category
  • High sensitivity
  • Large scale sound for large spaces
  • Clear and distortion free sound
  • Solid power output
  • Nice furniture grade finishes

Cons

  • Slightly larger dimensions
  • Getting little aged

2. Kef R series

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 26Hz

High frequency: 45KHz

Sensitivity: 88db

Recommended Amp Power: 25 – 150W

Kef is a speaker manufacturer from U.K. R series speakers are above Q series and has best and most practical speakers in the entire Kef range. In this setup you get a pair of R500 Floorstanding speakers, 1 R200 center channel speaker, a pair of R100 bookshelf speakers and a R400b subwoofer. R500 is smallest of the three floorstanders in R series. There are 3 color options available piano black high gloss, walnut real wood veneer and piano white high gloss. Front floorstander has a 1” tweeter, a 5” mid range and two 5.25” woofers. Choice of all the components used is class apart. The speakers high frequency range is really good. The Uni-Q MF/HF driver array is excellent. Because of superior material used in construction of cone, response is very quick and clear. You will love distortion free sound that approaches the accuracy of higher series. The refinement level on offer is truly amazing. The R400b subwoofer is a sealed unit that means there are no ports. It uses twin 9” low frequency drivers. Drivers are mounted behind each other to create a force canceling effect. It is powered by twin 250W class-D amplifiers. Overall sound quality of the system is one of the best available in the market and fit and finish of the system is class apart too. Its suitable for large spaces.

Pros

  • Highly accurate
  • Components used are best in class
  • Speakers high frequency is quite good
  • Overall sound quality is one of the best
  • Highly musical subwoofer
  • Fit and finish of the system is class apart
  • Compact dimensions

Cons

  • Not the best value for money available
  • Overkill for small spaces
  • Subwoofer doesn’t go really low

3. Klipsch THX Ultra2 Home Theater System

surround: 7.2

Low frequency: 20Hz ± 3dB

High frequency: 20KHz ± 3dB

sensitivity: 97db

Recommended Amp Power: 150W

This klipsch system is on third spot on our best Home Theater speakers list. It could rank even higher but on third spot due to its exorbitantly high price tag. This award-winning system is made up of high tech professional technology. Out of the box you get, three KL-650-THX LCRs, dual KL-525-THX LCRs, dual KS-525-THX surrounds, dual KW-120-THX subwoofers and KA-1000-THX subwoofer amplifier. KL-650 serve as front right, left and center channel speakers while KL-525 serve as rear speakers. The KL-650 speaker use a large port for providing bass as low as possible. It has twin 6.5″ woofers and a tweeter that uses 1″ titanium dome driver. KW-120 subwoofer uses 12″ driver and is supposed to be used with KA-1000 amplifier. Speakers comes in galaxy black finish with aluminum fascia.

All components used are same as used in klipsch professional grade speakers. You can expect really big movie theater level sound from this best Home Theater speakers. It has THX certification. This system is certainly not for the smaller rooms. It has got most explosive sound which might be beyond your expectations. This system is probably the top surround package in our list and can be a great addition to your home theater room. This one is really meant for some serious Home Theater applications.

Pros

  • Most explosive sound
  • High sensitivity speakers
  • Professional grade material used
  • Strong construction
  • Sufficient for large rooms

Cons

  • Crazy price tag
  • Not as compact as we would have liked
  • Only one finish available

4. SVS Ultra speakers with SVS PB16-Ultra Subwoofer 

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 15Hz +/-3db

High frequency: 32KHz +/-3db

Sensitivity: 88db

Recommended amp power: 20-300 Watts

This is perhaps one of the most powerful system in our best home theater speakers list. Each speaker in this flagship system is excellent but SVS is known for making some most excellent and powerful subwoofers and SVS PB-16-ULTRA subwoofer is the star of the show here. One of the most powerful and refined available. This system includes a pair of SVS ultra tower speakers, an ultra center speaker, a pair of SVS ultra surround speakers and one SVS ultra PB-16 subwoofer. Ultra tower includes dual 8″ woofers, dual 6.5″ mid range and a 1″ tweeter. Center speaker has dual 6.5″ woofer, 4″ mid range and 1″ tweeter. Surround speakers have dual 5.5″ woofer and dual 1″ tweeter. Subwoofer uses a 16″ driver and 1500 watts amplifier to create ultra low frequency sounds. This system comes in two finishes piano gloss black and black oak veneer. The key feature of ultra series is twin-opposing 8″ woofers placed in a sealed sub-enclosure at the base of ultra tower speakers and slight increase in dimension over lower series.

All these changes result in most thunderous, powerful and refined sonic experience possible at this and much above price range making it a great value. This system specially excels when it comes at producing ultra low frequency as it uses most powerful subwoofer of this best Home Theater Speakers list. This is particularly amazing if your focus is low frequency movies sound effects. Bass produced by the speakers and monster sub is earth-shattering and in a different league.

Pros

  • Compact dimensions except subwoofer
  • Solid construction
  • Ability to go ultra low
  • Excels for movie 
  • Can Handel large rooms
  • Good fit and finish
  • Fairly good value for the class on offer

Cons

  • Subwoofer is fairly large
  • Not exactly cheap

5. Klipsch 5.1 RP-280 Reference Premiere Speaker Package with R-115SW Subwoofer

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 18Hz

High frequency: 25KHz

Sensitivity: 98db

Recommended Amp Power: 150W

Klipsch Reference Premier speaker package is third klipsch package in our best Home Theater Speakers list. This RP-280 system is largest in Reference Premier family. This is a great value as well as quality system. In this system you get 2 RP-280F floorstanding speaker, 1 RP-450C center channel speaker, 2 RP-250S surround speakers and 1 R-115SW subwoofer. This package comes in two colors ebony and cherry. RP-280 floorstanding speaker has single 1″ titanium LTS tweeter and dual 8″ woofers as low frequency driver. The center speaker has single 1″ tweeter and quad 5.25″ woofers. The R-115SW Subwoofer uses a 15″ driver to create low frequency effects. All the speaker enclosure are made up of MDF. The removable grills are magnetically attachable.

All in all at this price point this system is unbeatable and probably one of the best purchase in the entire best Home Theater speakers list. The system is pretty good at music applications as well as producing low frequency movie sound effects. Sensitivity of the speakers are quite high and are able to produce good sound even when paired with low power amplifier. This system is capable of producing some really high quality sound. Linear travel suspension or LTS titanium tweeter used reduces distortion for enhanced detailed performance. Woofers used represents best of Klipsch driver design. Every speaker used in this package is excellent in itself and make it a great complete 5.1 Home Theater Speaker package.

Pros

  • Great value
  • High sensitivity speakers
  • Great subwoofer
  • Low distortion
  • High quality components used throughout

Cons

  • Nothing much but slightly bulky center speaker and subwoofer

6. Definitive Technology 5.0 System with 2 BP9080X Tower Speakers, 1 CS9060 Center Channel Speaker, 2 SR9080 Surround Speaker 

Surround: 5.0

Low frequency: 16Hz

High frequency: 40KHz

Sensitivity: 92db

Recommended amp power: Unknown

This is the only 5.0 (without a dedicated subwoofer) speaker package in our best Home Theater Speakers list. The 5.0 package is so versatile that it could make it to the best Home Theater Speakers list even without a dedicated subwoofer. Just have a look at low frequency and high frequency range that too without the use of a dedicated subwoofer. This is because excellent technology used in this speaker package. Although, we highly recommend using a separate subwoofer with this package to fully enjoy 5.1 format. The flagship BP9080X floorstander included in this package uses a built in 12″ powered subwoofer and dual bass radiators.

You’ll love the balance between the truly great highs and earth shaking lows reproduced as perfectly as possible. This definitive technology 5.0 package is really high tech. This package from quality speaker maker uses some best design technology available in the best Home Theater Speakers list. It can handle some most demanding tasks thrown at it as accurately as possible. Center channel is capable of producing the entire vocal range with immense accuracy and surround speakers fills the space with detailed immersive sound. This package is for most obsessed audio enthusiast. Speakers from this package are some most compact and elegant available too.

Pros

  • Wide frequency range
  • Hightech
  • One of the best design available
  • Enough for large rooms
  • Fairly compact
  • Very elegant

Cons

  • Need to use a separate subwoofer

Best Home Theater Speakers Mid Range $1000-$3000

In this category we have included the best Home Theater Speakers from $1000-$3000. This is perhaps most practical category to find the Home Theater Speakers. Most people will find the carefully chosen picks here as the most sensible options available. You will find some of the best Home Theater Speakers available without spending the most premium money, striking the best price to performance ratio. This is suitable for most people as we have chosen some of the best options in this price category. You can expect a very decent 5.1 or 7.1 package staying in this budget and without sacrificing on any audio performance. Speaker packages found here are capable of filing large to medium spaces with immersive sound. Again you will find some of the best brands available some premium brands some budget brands. You may not find the flagship offerings here but the audio experience is nothing less than the best here.

1. KEF T305 Home Theater System

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 30Hz

High frequency: 30KHz

Sensitivity: 88db

Recommended amp power: 150W

Kef T305 Home Theater System is our top pick in the best Home Theater Speakers mid range category. T305 is the flagship Home Theater System of T Series of reputed British speaker maker KEF and it sits above T205 and T105 Home Theater System. This Home Theater System comes standard with 4 satellite speakers to be used as front and rear left right channels, a center speaker and a subwoofer. Each satellite speaker uses dual 4.5 inch mid frequency driver and a single 1-inch tweeter. The subwoofer uses a 10-inch driver powered by a 250W amplifier.

Specialty of this Home Theater System is its amazing sound quality while maintaining extremely slim profile. The deepest speaker of the system is only 1.4 inches while subwoofer measures only 7 inches in depth making it world’s slimmest high performance Home Theater System available. All this could have been possible because of advance and innovative ultra slim driver design technology used by KEF. All in all this sound engineering Marvell produced clean, accurate, distortion free high quality sound while maintaining an extremely slim profile. KEF T305 Home Theater System is also aesthetically quite pleasing because of thin profile and great fit and finish. All this at budget which won’t burn a hole in your pocket making it an extremely good value. The combination of high quality sound, amazing slim profile and very good value makes this system extremely irresistible.

Pros

  • Good sound quality
  • Extremely slim profile
  • Reputed manufacturer
  • Advanced design engineering
  • Very good value

Cons

  • Subwoofer’s inability to go really low

2. Elac Debut Series 5.1 Home Theater System 

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 28Hz

High frequency: 20KHz

Sensitivity: 85.5db

Recommended amp power: 40-140W

This entry in our best Home Theater Speakers list is also recommended by so many other experts and not without a good reason. The well-built speakers and quality of sound is truly unbeatable at this price point. In this Elac debut 5.1 Home Theater System you get a pair of Debut F5 floorstandling speakers to be used as front left and right channel, a Debut C5 center speaker, a pair of Debut B5 bookshelf speakers for rear surround usage and a Debut S10EQ subwoofer. The F5 floorstander has triple 5.25 inch mid range/woofer drivers and a single 1-inch tweeter. subwoofer has a 10-inch driver powered by a 200 watt amplifier and a 10-inch passive radiator. The subwoofer also has auto EQ and can be controlled by your Apple or Android smartphone. All the speakers in this Debut series are designed by legendary speaker designer Andrew John. This 5.1 package comes in black color.

This is a wonderful Home Theater Speaker System which is good for music as well as movie soundtracks. The sound from the speakers is crystal clear and distortion free throughout the frequency range. Speakers also manages to produce large sound which is enough to fill medium to large rooms. All in all beautiful and crisp sound produce by this system puts it leagues above any competition at this price point.

Pros

  • Crystal clear and distortion free sound through entire frequency range
  • Designed by Andrew John
  • Amazing value
  • Auto EQ in subwoofer
  • Well built and solid construction quality

Cons

  • Subwoofer doesn’t go as low as we would have liked

3. Dali Zensor 5-Piece Speaker System with svs subwoofer 

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 17Hz

High frequency: 26.5KHz

Sensitivity: 88db

Recommended amp power: 30 – 150W

This speaker package is from Danish manufacturer of high quality speakers. This is probably one of the best sounding one in the best Home Theater Speakers list. The Zensor series is popular line of speakers from Dali. In this Package you get two Zensor 5 floorstanding speakers to be used as front left and right speakers, 1 Zensor vokal center channel speaker and two Zensor 1 bookshelf speakers to be used as rear speakers. You can use a SVS PB 2000 or SB 2000 subwoofer with this speaker package. We have included the cost of subwoofer in the total cost of this package.

This award-winning series from Dali is not just good sounding one its equally good-looking as well. This system is great for music and excels in movies as well making it true all-rounder of the best Home Theater Speakers list. The Zensor 5 floorstanding speaker has great solid ability with music and package pairing with SVS subwoofer make it exceptional for movies in this price segment. Good quality components are used throughout the speaker package. The rear Zensor 1 bookshelf speakers are also excellent and does the duty of rear surround speakers very well. The system sounded amazingly good even at the most demanding soundtracks thrown at it. The system is quite compact too for the kind of sound it produces. This system is great sounding and way ahead of any competition at this price segment. Overall the refinement and finesse of system has won a lot of praise.

Pros

  • Great sound for the price
  • Great fit and finish
  • Compact for the kind of sound
  • great Subwoofer in the package
  • Good high frequency range

Cons

  • Not great value

4. Polk Audio Signature 5.1 System 

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 25Hz

High frequency: 40KHz

Sensitivity: 90db

Recommended amp power: 20W – 200W

Polk Audio is an American speaker manufacturer known for making all kinds of good quality speakers. This is a really excellent speaker package from Polk Audio. This Package includes 2 S60 tower speakers to be used as front left and right channels, 1 S35 center channel speaker, 2 S20 bookshelf speakers to be used as rear surround and 1 DSW PRO 660 WI subwoofer. S60 floorstander is the biggest floorstander in the Polk signature series. S35 center channel speaker is only 4 inches tall to be fit into low height spaces but little too wide. The DSW PRO 660 subwoofer is the biggest and most powerful in Polk lineup also very high tech comes with remote and wireless ready. Subwoofer uses 12 inch driver driven by a 400 watts amplifier. Speakers comes in two finishes washed black walnut and classic brown walnut.

This is a very decent sounding 5.1 Home Theater Speaker package. It also has one of the best build quality of the best Home Theater Speakers of this price range. The system is enough for medium to big rooms. This Home Theater Speaker package sounds specially well music. The speakers have a very good high frequency range. The sound from speakers is really rich and clean and you’ll enjoy every bit of it. Subwoofer in spite of all its high tech features doesn’t go as low as we would have liked and more suited for musical applications but this can be easily forgiven at this price point and considering the other good qualities of this speaker package.

Pros

  • Great musical sound quality package
  • Excellent built quality for the price
  • Very good value
  • Feature rich subwoofer

Cons 

  • Weak low end

5. Infinity Reference 5.1 Home Theater Speaker Package 

Surround: 5.1 

Low Frequency: 31Hz

High Frequency: 22KHz

Sensitivity: 88db

Recommended amp power: 20 – 200W

Infinity is brand of reputed speaker maker Harman. In this infinity reference package you get a pair Reference 253 floorstanding speakers, a single Reference RC252 center speaker, a pair of Reference 152 bookshelf speaker and a Reference R10 subwoofer. Low frequency response of subwoofer is 31 Hz. High frequency response is 22KHz. Low frequency and high frequency response range is not that wide. Sensitivity is 88 db which is quite good and that means speakers will sound quite loud even with moderately powered amplifiers. Subwoofer uses a 10-inch driver driven by a 200W amplifier. All the speakers comes in black color.

The sound from this speaker package is very nice. The accuracy and detail of sound is top-notch. Speakers are also quite compact. Fit and Finish is top class too. The low end is not as powerful. But such top quality at this price makes it a very good package and a worthy entry in our best Home Theater Speakers list.

Pros

  • Good sound quality
  • Value for money
  • Good fit and finish
  • Compact size

Cons

  • Weak low frequency response

6. BIC Acoustech PL-89 Home Theater System

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 22Hz

High frequency: 23KHz

Sensitivity: 98db

Recommended amp power: 250W

BIC is known for providing some really great sounding high quality speakers at a very affordable price and PL-89 Home Theater system is a great example of this. Acoustech cinema is premier line of BIC. In this Home Theater Package you get 2 PL-89 II tower speakers, 1 PL-28 II center speaker, 2 PL-66 surround speakers and 1 PL-200 subwoofer. Low frequency response is rated at 22Hz which is quite low but we think that actual distortion free response will be little higher. High frequency response is rated at 23KHz Which is OK. Sensitivity is 98db which is pretty high and this means you can expect some really loud sound from pairing them with even low power amplifiers. This Home Theater package comes in black color.

This is really an awesome sounding package. Distortion is low even when the volume is turned high. This package actually sounds better than much more expensive systems. You will love the quality of sound at an affordable price. Built Quality is good too but some internal components could have better built. The subwoofer is also pretty good. It uses a 12-inch front firing driver. This one is a really impressive sounding system. Only if could have been slightly better built we would have rated it even higher. But at this price point this is one of the better rated system.

Pros

  • Impressive sound
  • Affordable price
  • Can perform good even when paired with low powered electronics

Cons

  • Some internal components could have built better

Best Home Theater Speakers entry level $1000 and below

In this segment we have included budget or entry level Home Theater speakers. In this segment we have included speaker packages of $1000 and below only. Although this is the lowest budget of our list but this is still a very good budget to buy seriously good sounding Home Theater Speaker Package. We have carefully picked some very good entries for this best Home Theater Speakers segment. There are some seriously good sounding home theater speakers in this segment. This is a good point to start your home theater and even upgrade your speakers if you are using some crap sounding speakers. There are mainly bookshelf speakers in this segment some smaller and some full-size ones enough for small to medium size rooms. There are some very good speaker brands in this segment. All the speaker packages included in this segment of list are some of the best value for money options available. We have given priority to the quality of sound rather than focusing on biggest sound possible. All the entries are capable of producing some serious home cinema sound.

1. Q Acoustics 3000 Series 5.1 Home Theater System

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: Not available

High frequency: 22KHz

Sensitivity: 86db

Recommended amp power: 75W

Q Acoustics is a reputed speaker manufacturer from U.K. In 3000 series Home Theater System you get 2 pairs of 3010 bookshelf speakers to be used as front left and right channel and rear left and right surround speakers, 1 3090c center speaker, 1 3070s subwoofer for producing low frequency sounds. High frequency response is 22KHz. Sensitivity is 86db which is good. Recommended amp power is slightly low at 75W. This high quality system comes in black color.

This multi award-winning system is very well-built. Most importantly sounds great specially considering it’s compact dimensions. It’s capable of filling any small to medium size room with quality sound. You will love this system for its refined sound. Subwoofer uses two 17 cm front firing drivers powered by 140W amplifier. The subwoofer unit is quite taller and narrower and slightly unusual in shape. Subwoofer although quite capable but lacks some of the punch. This is a very affordable Home Theater Speaker system but feels and sounds like a very premium one.

Pros

  • Feels every bit as premium as some of the more expensive ones
  • excellent build quality
  • compact dimensions

Cons

  • Subwoofer lacks punch

2. Definitive Technology Pro Cinema 800 System 

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 20Hz

High frequency: 30KHz

Sensitivity: 88db

Recommended amp power: Unknown

This is a compact Home Theater System from Definitive Technology. The Pro Cinema 800 is middle line model of Pro Cinema series between Pro Cinema 1000 and Pro Cinema 600. This system comes with 4 Pro monitor 800 satellite speakers to be used as front left and right channels and rear surround channels, 1 Procenter 1000 center channel speaker and 1 Prosub 800 subwoofer for creating low frequency sounds. The low frequency of the system goes as low as 20Hz which is very good for such a compact system. High frequency output goes up to 30KHz which again is very good. Sensitivity of the speakers is 88db which is OK and that means speakers will be quite loud even when paired with moderately powered amplifier. This Home Theater Package comes only in black color.

This is a very affordable Home Theater System but this is not evident from the quality sound it produces. This is a very good Home Theater System at this price point. Sound quality is much more likable than other competition at this level. Sound is very clear and distortion free. Center channel speaker is pretty good too. You will specially love the powerful and thunderous bass from the subwoofer. You will also like the very compact dimensions of the system. Fit and Finish of the system is OK. Only complaint from the system is sound could have been little more powerful but it is acceptable at this price point and is still enough for up to medium size rooms. Overall this is an excellent 5.1 Home Theater Speaker package.

Pros

  • Good sound quality
  • Compact dimensions
  • Good value for money
  • Powerful subwoofer
  • Good frequency range for such a compact system

Cons

  • Sound from the speakers could have been more powerful

3. Pioneer SP-PK22BS Andrew Jones 5.1 Home Theater Speaker 

surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 38Hz

High frequency: 20KHz

Sensitivity: 85db

Recommended amp power: 80W

Pioneer is known for making some of the very good A/V receivers in the market but it also makes some very good speakers too. This Home Theater Speaker package is designed by legendary speaker designer Andrew Jones who is known for designing some of the more expensive speakers. But designing a good speaker package in this budget was the real skill. This is perhaps the best value you can get in the entire Best Home Theater Speakers List. A full sized, amazingly good sounding speaker package in this budget is a really good deal.

In this package you get 2 pairs of SP-BS22 Bookshelf speakers, 1 SP-C22 Center channel speaker and 1 SW-8MK2 Subwoofer. Low frequency is 38Hz. High frequency is set at 20KHz. Sensitivity is set at 85db which is OK. Recommended amp power is little low at 80W.

We found this system sounded excellent with musical applications, for this budget. Speakers were pretty good with movie tracks too but music was its strength. You’ll love the treble from these speakers which is amazingly clean. Although subwoofer could have been more powerful for producing low end movie sound effects. This package comes in black color only. There is nothing special in fit and finish. But overall this is a very good sounding speaker package.

Pros

  • Good sound quality
  • Amazing value
  • Good high frequency

Cons

  • Bulky
  • Subwoofer could have been more powerful

4. Harman Kardon HKTS 30BQ 5.1 Home Theater

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 45Hz

High frequency: 20KHz

Sensitivity: 86db

Recommended amp power: 120W

If you are looking for a compact well-built system for small to medium size rooms this 5.1 speaker system is perfect for you. Frequency range is from 45hz to 20khz which is OK for such a compact system in this class. Sensitivity is 86db which is OK. This system is largest of harman kardon Home Theater Systems. Out of the box you get 4 satellites and a center channel speaker all are identical plus a sealed subwoofer. All satellite speakers have a .75 inch tweeter and a pair of 3 inch woofers. Subwoofer has an 8-inch driver powered by a 200W amplifier. This speaker system comes in black color only. speakers are enclosed in metal grills. Speakers don’t look very expensive but that’s OK at this price point.

Sound quality from all the speakers is very clear. Center channel is quite good too. This speaker system is specially good with mid range. Sound is pretty detailed too. The specialty of the system is its modest price point. It’s an absolute steel at this price point and can compete with any good sounding system in this price range. Speakers has gold-plated connectors for connecting wires. Even the wall mounted brackets and wires are included in the package. You’ll definitely love the astonishing value on offer.

Pros

  • Compact dimensions
  • Well built
  • Wall mounts and wires are included in the package
  • Strong mid range
  • Astonishing value on offer

Cons

  • Subwoofer don’t go very low

5. Bose Acoustimass 10 Series V Home Theater Speaker System 

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: Unknown

High frequency:Unknown

Sensitivity: Unknown

Recommended amp power: Unknown

Bose is perhaps most renowned mainstream speaker brand. Bose was the first one to start the small satellite speakers with subwoofer in mainstream. This acoustimass 10 is the biggest and best of acoustimass series. This speaker system comes with 4 series II cube speakers, 1 center channel speaker and a good-looking subwoofer which Bose calls acoustimass module. You also get all the cables included in the package. One bad thing is most of the specs are not provided by the manufacturer. Speakers are passive and you’ll need an amplifier with them. Active subwoofer uses dual down firing drivers to create low frequency sound. This system is pretty compact and good-looking and comes in black color.

Sound from this system is very crisp and clear. Subwoofer is very good and creates very powerful and floor shaking bass. System is good enough for even big rooms. Downside is system is a bit towards pricier side for it’s size. But this is a class system. System excels with music as well as Home Theater applications. Full marks to Bose for developing such an extensive sounding system. Sound doesn’t distort a bit even when the volume is loud. We wish only if it’s little cheaper to compete with other value for money propositions in this list. But you forget this point when you look at its great sound, class fit and finish and elegant looks. This is a one worthy entry in this best Home Theater speakers list.

Pros

  • Very compact
  • Good fit and finish
  • Elegant
  • Distortion free sound

Cons 

  • Specs are unknown
  • Expensive for it’s size

6. Energy Take Classic 5.1 Home Theater System

Surround: 5.1

Low frequency: 33Hz

High frequency: 20KHz

Sensitivity: 89db

Recommended amp power: 100W

This is one of the more popular budget end Home Theater System and not without a good reason. The outstanding sound quality is truly unbeatable at this price point so is fit and finish of this system. You get 4 Energy satellite speakers, 1 center speaker, and single 8 inch subwoofer which is powered by a 200W amplifier. This package comes in nice black gloss finish. Low frequency is 33Hz which is quite good for a system of this size. High frequency is 20khz. Sensitivity is pretty good too at 89db.

Don’t be mistaken by the small size of the system this is pretty powerful sounding package. It is very well-built too. Speaker package is good enough for up to medium size rooms. The sound is rich and high quality. The sound is clear and distortion free even at high volumes. Subwoofer is also very good. This Subwoofer speaker combo can take on any competition at this price point and above. The combination of fantastic sound quality, good fit and finish and genuinely affordable price make this a truly irresistible package as a whole. Agreed it won’t match the low frequency response of a SVS subwoofer but the mid range of this speaker package is particularly strong and you will definitely love the overall good qualities of the system.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Good sound quality
  • Particularly good mid range
  • Good fit and finish

Cons

  • Nothing at this price point but still low end could have been more powerful

Home Theater Speakers buying guide

  • Active speakers vs Passive speakers
  • 5.1 vs 7.1 vs 5.2 vs 7.2 explained
  • Frequency explained
  • Sensitivity explained
  • Recommended amp power explained
  • Floorstanding speakers vs Bookshelf speakers
  • What kind of Home Theater speakers should I buy

Active speakers vs Passive speakers

An Active or powered speaker has a built in amplifier to run it while a passive speaker needs an external amplifier to run it. All the speaker packages in our list here are passive and needs an external amplifier to run them except subwoofers which have a built in amplifier.

5.1 vs 5.2 vs 7.1 vs 7.2 explained

These numbers refer to the number of speakers or number of channels in a speaker package. The initial number For example 5 in a 5.1 channel speaker system has 5 speakers while .1 or .2 refer to the number of subwoofers. Similarly, a 7.1 speaker system has 7 surround speakers while 1 subwoofer while 7.2 channel speaker system has 7 surround speakers and 2 subwoofers or dedicated low frequency channels.

In 5.1 channel speaker system we have 3 front speakers, 2 left and right front surround speakers, 1 center speaker and 2 left and right rear surround speakers while 1 subwoofer. Similarly, a 7.1 system has 7 surround speakers while 1 subwoofer or dedicated low frequency channel.

Frequency explained

Frequency response specification describes how low or how high sound a particular speaker package is able to produce. There are usually two figures related to frequency response, one low frequency while other high frequency. Low frequency tells how much bass speaker or subwoofer can produce while high frequency refer to treble or highest note a speaker package can produce. The lower a speaker package goes better or deeper bass it’s able to produce. In fact you would like to have a speaker package with the widest possible frequency response so that it covers all the possible sound notes. So the wider the frequency response is the better it is.

Sensitivity explained

Sensitivity specification means how speakers respond to amplification provided by A/V receiver or amplifier. A higher sensitivity speaker will play louder with low or moderately powered amplifier compare to a low sensitivity speaker. The higher the sensitivity figure is louder it will play when paired with low to moderately powered amplifiers. You should look for high sensitivity figure speakers if you are going to use low powered amplifier. A high sensitivity speaker will work well even when paired with low powered electronics.

Recommended AMP Power explained

We often come across this specification while looking for new speakers. When we talk about recommended amplifier power range means is how much powerful amplifier you are supposed to use with given speakers. This figure is a measure of amplifier power you need to drive speaker comfortably. But you don’t need to match this figure absolutely even a close match would be good.

Floorstanding Vs Bookshelf Speakers explained

Floorstanding speakers are tall tower speakers with multiple drivers in them meant to be placed on floors. While bookshelf speakers are short fat speakers which are supposed to be placed on shelves or walls.

What kind of Home Theater speakers should I buy ?

First thing to decide is how many channels system you want to make? Most home movie sound tracks are in 5.1 format and this is most popular sound format out there. Its good enough for listening music as well. This is good enough immersive surround sound. We recommend this as preferred surround format but if you have a dedicated large Home Theater room you can go for a 5.2 or 7.1 or 7.2 Home Theater Speaker System. A 7.2 system would be good enough for even very large rooms. Although 5.1 Home Theater System would be good enough for most situations.

Should you go in for a sound bar or a complete surround sound Home Theater System ? A sound bar is a long bar shaped speaker containing multiple speakers in itself which is used with televisions to mimic surround sound of a Home Theater System. Sound bars are great option if you want to upgrade from TVs in built speakers but don’t want the wires and bulk of a complete 5.1 speaker system. No sound bar will be able to match the immersive sound experience of a dedicated 5.1 speaker system. A complete 5.1 system would produce a much more immersive surround sound experience with dedicated channel for every corner in your room and a dedicated subwoofer for creating deep impactful bass. 5.1 Speaker System will have a dedicated center channel speaker for dialogues and voices. 5.1 Speaker System will have much more accurate frequency response compared to a sound bar. Overall, 5.1 system will have much better sound experience compared to a sound bar whether it is listening to a movie sound track or music.

Bookshelf Speaker vs Floorstanding Speaker ? Again, it depends upon how large your listening area is. You can go for floorstanding speakers if you have large space. You can go for bookshelves speakers if your listening area is small to medium. For any situation, floorstanding speakers would be able to create more impact as compared to bookshelves speakers. Although, usually floorstanding speakers have more oomph than bookshelf speakers but some good bookshelf speakers can give any floorstanding speakers a good competition. A good compromise would be to get floorstanding speakers for front left and right channels and bookshelves for rear surround speakers. Also, floorstanding would take more space compared to bookshelves speakers. At the end, do you want floorstanding speakers completely depends on your taste and need.

Home Theater in a box Vs Component Speakers : A Home Theater in a box will include everything you need related to your sound, be it speakers, amplifier or subwoofer within a single purchase in one box. Perhaps, it is a good point to start but whether you should go in for a Home Theater in a box or individual component speakers system depends on your budget. If your budget is limited, its a good idea to go in for a Home Theater in a box. If you can spend a little more, individual component system would sound much better than a Home Theater in a box and should be your choice if you want to build a seriously good sounding Home Theater System.

Vivek Sehgal
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