While there's hope that cinemas are set to open soon, it's still been way too long since we were able to enjoy a new release film in the same way without wearing a mask.
We've missed the fun-for-all-the-family experience, the big screen and the astounding quality that comes from the huge, surround sound speakers.
As we might have to enjoy movies in our own homes for a little while longer yet, why not bring the cinematic experience to your living room with home cinema speakers that'll make watching old favourites or new films on Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+ even more enjoyable.
Even better, you can enjoy without a noisy neighbour, rustling sweet packets and can pause when you like - perfection!
What are the different types of home cinema speakers?
Surround sound system
A surround sound system is made up of several speakers that can be positioned around the room to reproduce the 'surround sound' you'd experience around you at the cinema.
The most common surround sound system is the 5.1 system which is made up of 6 speakers. There are 5 speakers positioned around the room; the centre speaker in front the TV to deliver dialogue; front left and right speakers to deliver music and sound effects; and surround left and right speakers to reproduce the surround music and effects.
The surround speakers can often be designed to sit neatly on a bookshelf or stand while the other speakers will need to be stood on the floor, on a stand or mounted depending on your preferred design and set up.
Finally there's the subwoofer which has the sole purpose of reproducing low bass frequencies. The position of this is less important but it can make an amazing difference to the listening quality, helping to amplify sounds and improve the overall sound dynamics for a more vibrant experience.
While the 5.1 system is most common, you can also buy 3.1 systems, 7.1 systems and 9.1 systems too.
Soundbar
A soundbar on the other hand is a streamlined bar-shaped device that contains all the individual speakers side by side within it for a stylish and compact sound-boosting package.
While this device won't give you the surround sound, it will give you an improved soundscape, leveling up your TV without the need for multiple speakers.
With a soundbar you can enjoy more powerful sound quality, clearer dialogue, impressive sound effects and a better left/right separation for the spreading the noise of a scene across the speakers.
They can include 2-7 speakers or 'channels' with 5-channel sound bars being the standard with a centre, left, right and two rear speakers contained within the soundbar.
Most films and TV shows are made with 5 audio channels built-in to their digital make-up which is why the 5-channel bar and 5.1 surround sound system are the most popular and common.
11 best home cinema speakers for a range of budgets
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11 best home cinema speakers for a range of budgets
1 of 11Logitech 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System
This wired system is sure to deliver an immersive cinema experience with THX certified premium sound and 165 Watt powered subwoofer. These wired multimedia speakers can be placed around your room and the large array of inputs means you can connect up more than just your TV – connect your DVD player, stereo, DVR and more!This home cinema speaker system also comes with a remote control so you can easily adjust and define your listening experience. Adjust the volume or change the output to 2.1, 4.1 or 3D surround sound instead to suit your viewing of choice.Amazon review: "Simply just wow.... Powerful, clean and crisp sound out of this unit. I got this at a discounted rate in the Black Friday sales, but after hearing the quality I would have happily paid more for this."
2 of 11LG LOUDR LHB645N Home Theatre Speaker System
Enjoy immersive surround sound in this ultimate home theatre kit that'll fill the room with 1000W of sound. With two tallboy speakers that can be positioned either side of your TV and two small satellite speakers that'll deliver clear voice and sound to the rear, this wired system is easy to merge in with your current home set-up and comes with Aramid Fibre - highly resistant to external sound distortion. With a center speaker and subwoofer included too, you can even enjoy in private sound mode so you can enjoy optimal sound without disturbing the rest of the family.Review from Eleanor Weaver, Commercial Content Writer: "My partner bought these for our home and I was skeptical at first. However these speakers have made the world of difference to our TV and music experience with surround sound immersing us into movies and improving the quality of our TV speakers tenfold. It's relatively easy to operate, the small speakers sit nicely on our bookshelves and I would definitely recommend!"
3 of 11Sonos Beam Compact Smart Sound Bar with Voice Control
Available in black and white, the Sonos Beam sound bar will let you experience incredible Oscar-winning sound engineered sound with ease. Simply place on your TV stand and connect in minutes with just two cables. Customise and control your experience via the app or by voice with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa and change up the features to suit you needs; night sound for late night TV and speech enhancement for enhanced clarity.John Lewis review: "Was looking to add some oomph and aural excitement to the increased content we have been watching over lockdown - the tinny audio from the inbuilt TV speakers was quite underwhelming... we were pleasantly surprised by the weight, quality and volume of sound coming from the Beam considering its relatively diminutive size. It really does make TV viewing (and gaming) more pleasurable and involving."
4 of 11Samsung HW-Q900T Bluetooth Wi-Fi Cinematic Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos, Virtual DTS:X & Wireless Subwoofer
This 7.12 channel sound bar places you in the heart of the action for the ultimate 3D sound experience with the true object-based audio formats Dolby Atmos and DTS
5 of 11LG SL9YG 4.1 Wireless Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos & Google Assistant
With a slim, mountable design, this 4.12 channel sound bar will easily fit with any interior design and the wireless subwoofer means you won't have to have wires trailing around the room. It comes with Meridian Technology for exceptional sound, creating a wide sound stage and raising it to ear level. The immersive Dolby Atmos and DTS
6 of 11JBL Bar 9.1 Wireless Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
With Dolby Atmos and DTS
7 of 11Samsung Q70T 3.1 Wireless Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos
Housing 8 speakers, this sound bar and wireless subwoofer will cleverly adapt to the content you watch. Supporting hi-res audio with 4K pass-through, the sound is transformed with Dolby Atmos and DTS
8 of 11LG SN7CY 3.0.2 All-in-One Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos
This LG All-in-One sound bar packs a punch with Dolby Atmos and DTS
9 of 11Polk Magnifi Max SR 5.1 Wireless Sound Bar
Lose yourself in cinema-style sound with this 5.1 channel sound bar, complete with two speakers for multi-dimensional sound and a subwoofer too for depth and bass. All of this kit comes wireless, making it simple to set-up and a sleek addition to your living room without tricky wires getting involved.Choose between Music, Sport and Movies modes for optimal, clear sound and use the Voice Adjust Technology to customise the dialogue volume, especially helpful in loud scenes or if you're hard of hearing with sound clashes. This tech comes with 4K pass-through for fantastic quality, built-in Chromecast and voice control with Google Assistant.
10 of 11Sony HT-RT4 5.1 Home Cinema System
Enjoy 5.1 real surround sound with this system that includes a 3 channel sound bar, subwoofer and two powerful rear tall-boy speakers that'll help create the authentic cinema experience. With Dolby Digital and DTS format support, you can bring movies and music to life with high-quality, dynamic sound.Listen and play wirelessly with Bluetooth or even stream via NFC for one-touch connection.Currys PC World review: "Excellent for the price. Bought to replace my ancient Sony separates system. Bluetooth audio from the iPhone is a handy feature too. Very pleased with it."
11 of 11Sony HT-320R 5.1 Sound Bar
Complete with a 5.1 channel sound bar, wired subwoofer and two rear speakers, enjoy a dynamic 3D audio experience with dramatic Dolby Digital technology that'll transform films, music and TV. At an affordable price for surround sound, this Sony sound system is a great home cinema set-up which you can Bluetooth link with your phone to control and play music from anywhere in the room. Choose modes perfect for your viewing from Auto to Cinema and even select Night and Voice modes to adjust your audio experience for you.Currys PC World review: "The sound is amazing once you have figured out all of the buttons and different menus built into the subwoofer menus. The subwoofer has a small screen which is handy and it looks great."
What is Dolby Atmos?
A lot of these sound systems and soundbars include Dolby Atmos, but what is it?
Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology developed by the Dolby Laboratories that expands on the existing surround sound you can experience by adding height and depth that allows sounds to be heard in 3D. You can hear everything in a 360 degree bubble which gives the same immersive experience as that you’d get at the cinema.
Want to experience before you invest? Put on your headphones or plug in your earphones and listen to the 3D soundscape below. You can really hear the difference with sounds coming from different angles around you.
We think watching an action film with surround sound would be amazing!
Should I buy a soundbar or a surround sound system?
Choosing the right home cinema speakers for you will depend on your budget, space and how impressive a sound you want to experience.
Soundbars are easy to setup and so are a great option if you're looking to just plug and play or struggle with tech. They're neat and tidy to have in your space without excess wires and it'll fit conveniently below your TV. They're also a more affordable option in comparison to a surround sound system so if you're working with a tighter budget, a soundbar would be best for you.
However, a surround sound system will deliver the better sound quality if you're looking for a more immersive cinema experience. Not only are the speakers larger, which typically means better sound, they can be placed around you for a wider soundscape that'll put you right in the middle of the action.
This option would be better for you if you're tech-savvy as you can build up your system, adding more speakers to increase to a 5.1 system and beyond. You'll be interested in getting the best quality and willing to pay the price with surround sound systems carrying a higher price-tag than the soundbar. It has a more complicated set up with calibration needed to achieve the best sound and a more intrinsic set up for the speakers themselves, especially where wires are involved.
Our verdict
For the best home cinema experience, we'd recommend the surround sound system, starting with a 3.1 or 5.1 sound system and building up if necessary.
However, if you're just looking for a better sound quality than what comes from your standard TV speakers, a soundbar will do just the trick!
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