41+ Wireless surround sound home theater systems ideas in 2021 (2023)

FAQs

What is a good surround sound setup? ›

The golden ratio for home theater design is widely considered to be H (Height) x 1.28H (Width) x 1.54H (Length/Depth). For example, if you have a room that has a 10ft ceiling height, the ideal width and height would be 12.8ft and 15.4ft respectively.

The distance between the stereo speakers should match the distance that you are sitting from the television. For example, if you are sitting 6 feet from the television, then each stereo speaker needs to be 3 feet away from the television. The center speaker should be aligned with the center of your television.

With an active speaker, your wireless receiver doesn't need an amplifier. Just connect RCAs from the receiving unit to the speaker and voila, your speakers are working wirelessly. Also, you will still need to connect the power adapter for the receiving unit. There really isn't any way around that.

Placing a subwoofer in the corner of a room can increase its output, making it sound louder. The great thing about a subwoofer (especially a wireless subwoofer) is it can be situated almost anywhere on your floor space. There is no formula for locating the best spot. And, it's truly your personal preference.

For true home theater sound, you need a minimum of 3 speakers (left, right, and center). For true surround sound, a minimum of five (left, right, center, and two rear.)

A 5.1 configuration is the standard format for DVD, Blu-ray, and many streaming services. It features five speakers – left, right, center, left rear surround, right rear surround – and one subwoofer.

Ceiling Height—In rooms with theatre seating or only one or two rows, like most home theatres, the bottom of the screen should usually be 24-36" above the floor. The bottom of the screen should be approximately 40-48" above the floor in a room with a level floor and several rows of seats.

Modern TVs are available in different sizes, from 32 to 85 inches (always diagonally). For the best movie-watching experience, you need a bigger TV, usually somewhere between 55 and 75 inches.

How much higher should 2nd row of home movie theater be? ›

A good basic riser height of 12 inches per row is considered to be standard. Also, a good layout as per the design of your seats can increase the effectiveness of your home theater setup.

For 5.1 and 7.1 systems, the surrounds should be from ear level to 1 or 2 feet above. For a Dolby Atmos system, Dolby recommends having the standard surround speakers at ear level (listener level) – and the Dolby Atmos overhead speakers at two to three times the height of the listener-level speakers.

In a 5-channel system, the side surround speakers should be located 90-110 degrees off-axis. For the best sense of spaciousness, the tweeter height should be about 2 feet above ear level. In a 7.1 system, dedicated rear surround speakers are placed behind the primary seating position for enhanced rear panning effects.

The fix: Place your center speaker at ear level when seated. This is usually around 30” to 50” off the ground. If your theater set up doesn't allow you to place the center speaker this high, you can improve the sound of a low positioned speaker by tilting it up so that the sound fires at your ear level.

The volume of sound that a stereo amplifier produces depends on its power, measured in watts. Thus high powered amplifiers produce better and clearer sounds than those with lower power. On the other hand, the AV receiver is meant to receive both audio and video sounds and its output does not depend on its power.

Depends on what speakers you're driving. An expensive pair of speakers will sound great with a cheap Chinese amp. It will sound better when you upgrade the amp. A cheap pair of speakers will sound underwhelming with a cheap or expensive amp.

Luckily, there are other options than HDMI. How do you connect a TV to a receiver without HDMI? You can use any RCA audio cables, a composite video cable, a 5-cable component RCA video cable, or an HDMI converter that matches the input option you have available.

If you own a Smart TV, a Bluetooth speaker is a great device to have. You can connect them together wirelessly and take your speaker from room to room, so you don't miss your favorite shows. You can also use it with other Bluetooth enabled devices like your mobile phone or laptop.

Should subwoofer be on or off floor? ›

While a bare hard flooring can allow the deeper subwoofer sound waves to travel further without being dampened, a carpet can help to balance the sounds in the room together better, depending on where other speakers are placed.

Subwoofer placement in the front of the room is the most common and usually results in the best blending with the main speakers and center channel and minimizes localization effects. Bass is omni-directional.

If you're using the subwoofer in a stereo or computer system, just set the subwoofer volume so that it sounds the best from the chair you usually sit in to listen. The sound should be neither boomy nor thin. You can also change the subwoofer volume on the fly to suit whatever music or movies you're listening to.

A center channel speaker is the most important speaker in a surround sound setup because it does most of the work. Most of the action, and conversation, in a movie, happens front and center on your screen, meaning that the center channel is the one reproducing it.

How Many Watts Home Theater Do I Need? The more wattage power you have under the hood, the better your theater will sound. And, odd but true, a high-power theater actually seems louder at lower volumes. 125 watts per channel is the ideal amount of power to have without fear of ever running out.

You will want to position your main left and right speakers at anywhere between a 45 to 60-degree angle to your listening position. The center channel should be centered on your screen. Ideally, the height of your left, right and center will be at ear level or slightly higher.

A 7.1 system is a great choice for larger rooms where sound may get lost in the space. It provides a deeper surround sound listening experience. Theater quality media designed for a 7.1 system will come through clearer than it would on a 5.1 system.

Each speaker in a 5.1 home theater or other configuration serves a purpose, but there's one that takes the crown as the most important: the center channel speaker.

Evaluate the size of your room – anything up to 350 square feet (roughly) will be just fine with a 5.1 system, while anything above that would almost certainly benefit from a 7.1 system.

The absolute “best” distance between the projector screen and room seating is hard to calculate. Instead, a general rule is that seats should be located a distance that is no less than double the width of the projected image, and no more than five times the width of the image (the furthest seat from the screen.)

Should home theater center speaker be above or below TV? ›

Usually, having the center speaker directly below the TV will be the best spot. This should be roughly ear level and will simulate sound coming from the TV best. If you can't put it below the TV, the next best place is directly above it. The most important thing is to keep it in close range to the TV.

If you sit closer to the screen you don't need as large a TV for the best experience. For maximum theatrical impact, according to THX and SMPTE, you should be between 7.5 and 10 feet from a 75-inch screen, although many viewers will find it more comfortable to sit a bit further back than that.

TVs between 50 and 65 inches are more suitable for the living room. And if you are looking to create a home cinema, screens of 70 inch and up are the ideal choice. In this example a 4K screen is taken into account.

If you are mounting a TV in an entertainment area, where guests are standing up most of the time, the center of the TV should be around 60 inches above the floor. This is around the same height that galleries and museums hang their pieces for optimal viewing.

Expect to pay somewhere in the $500-$3,000 range for a professional design and for ultra high-end theaters, design can be upwards of $15,000 or more. It's money well-spent to ensure that you're getting the right layout and equipment for the room.

For most reclining seating, we have found that 6' of depth is the absolute minimum needed and if you have room, 6'6” or 7' is even better. If you are doing non-reclining seating, 5' will be enough.

For best results when mounting surround speakers on a rear wall, position them so that they flank the main listening area and point toward the front of the room. They should be raised to a height of approximately six feet and should ideally have a minimum space of six feet between them, as well.

The natural place most people go for when positioning their subwoofer is at the front of the room beside the soundbar, which is a solid choice. However, when placed to the left or right of the soundbar or other speaker set-up, the subwoofer should face out towards the rest of the room.

Angle your speakers inward so they're pointed towards the listener - more specifically, at a point directly behind the listener's head. If you want good sound across a wider listening area, then decrease toe-in. Increase or decrease the angle of your speakers a few degrees at a time until you hit that sweet spot!

The rear speakers go behind your seats, angled in. Your surround channels should at least be at ear level, and can sound even better when elevated by a foot or two.

Should speakers be on floor or table? ›

DO recognize audio speakers are most effective at ear-level. If you're a stickler for sound, the floor is not the best place for them. If your speakers are small enough, consider placing them on a desk, shelf or console. DON'T ever put your speakers directly on the floor.

Home theaters over 225 square feet should be equipped with 6- to 8-inch in-ceiling speakers. For rooms up to 100 square feet, 4- to 6-inch speakers may suffice. Below, I explain the three most popular in-ceiling speaker size as well as the factors that affect which is right for you.

Double-check that you have correctly wired the center channel from the amplifier to the speaker. If it still doesn't work, try some new speaker wire. Connect the center speaker wire to another speaker: try temporarily switching the speaker wires to diagnose a problem with the speaker itself.

With wireless surround sound, audio is streamed from multiple speakers installed around a space. This means the listener hears audio behind them, next to them, and all around. This creates a better experience as viewers feel more connected with the movie or TV they are watching.

These speakers will get their power from either the Receiver or via a power outlet (we can't make that cable go away yet), but they can receive the sound information from the Receiver wirelessly. Some subwoofers and also get their sound signal wirelessly from a paired soundbar.

The dispersion pattern of the auxiliary speakers is more important (omni-directional is often the best) than timbre matching. So, the main front speakers should be matched and the surrounds need not be matched to them – although they should be matched to each other.

Best Overall - Samsung HW-Q990B

The 11.1. 4-channel configuration boasts 22 speakers, including centre, up, and side-firing drivers, all powered by over 650 watts. The standalone Atmos bars and the surround speakers submerge you in high-quality sound and make for the best home theatre system in the world.

Unlike Bluetooth speakers that use a source device, A phone, laptop, tablet, and wireless speakers all connect to a Wi-Fi network. Because Wi-Fi speakers that have no compression can send a much larger audio signal than a Bluetooth speaker, they tend to sound much better.

In sum, you don't absolutely need a receiver to achieve a surround sound system. You can easily get a decent surround sound system with a soundbar. However, if you're an audiophile, going for a traditional sound system would give you the best audio quality output.

Why can't i hear my surround speakers? ›

Perform a test tone operation to check if the speakers are functioning correctly. Increase the rear speaker volume or surround speaker settings to maximum. Try selecting a different size (small or large) for the rear surround speakers in the menu. Verify that the A/V receiver is set to a surround sound mode.

Surround is used to configure a multi-channel system with multiple speakers in a room so that you can experience immersive surround sound.

Bluetooth speakers work without wires, so all you have to do is connect the speaker to the Bluetooth on your phone or tablet and listen to whatever makes you happy! A wireless Bluetooth speaker uses the same technology as a car radio.

Surround sound systems are great for movies, but they can drain power and be overkill if you're just watching the weather report. Here's how to get the best of both worlds—you'll save money on your electricity bill without losing the immersive experience that your AV equipment provides.