The Best Surround Sound Systems of 2025

If you want a full-fledged home theater, a dedicated surround sound system is a must-have. These systems use rear speakers to free sound effects from the confines of your TV and spread them in all directions. I’ve been using different surround sound systems in my living room for years, and the upgrade they offer over a typical pair of wimpy TV speakers is huge.

But finding the best surround sound system for your space and budget is no simple task. There’s a lot to consider regarding size, format support, and general performance. I review home entertainment gear for a living, so I have lots of experience with all kinds of audio setups, big and small. I’m here to help break down the basics of surround sound and offer my top picks.

If you’re looking for a soundbar option, I recommend the Samsung Q990C, which comes with compact rear speakers (also called satellites) and a subwoofer. The Q990C lets you hear sound effects in front, behind, and above your head. But if you have the space and cash to invest in something larger, I recommend piecing together a system using Klipsch Reference Premiere series speakers. The Reference Premiere series delivers killer audio performance that’s a clear step above any soundbar I’ve tested, and you can mix and match models to build the perfect setup for your room. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to buy an AV receiver to power the speakers.

Since not everyone’s familiar with surround sound terminology, I’ve also answered some frequently asked questions to explain some features you should keep in mind when shopping for an audio system. If you’re unsure what speaker channels are or what Dolby Atmos is, this FAQ section will tell you everything you need to know.

Our top picks for the best surround sound systems

Best soundbar model: Samsung 11.1.4-Channel Q990C – See at Amazon

Best budget option: Klipsch 5.1-Channel Reference Theater Pack – See at Amazon

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

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

Best soundbar model

The Samsung Q990C is the best surround sound system for anyone who wants a convenient yet powerful Dolby Atmos soundbar. This package includes a 48-inch soundbar, two wireless rear speakers, and a wireless subwoofer to provide a genuine surround sound experience.

Dolby Atmos technology is supported with up-firing audio drivers built into the soundbar and satellites. This enables audio effects to bounce off your ceiling, making it seem as if they’re coming from above your head. In total, the system provides a whopping 11.1.4 channels of audio, which results in a fantastic sense of immersion that envelops you in a dome of sound. Our reviewer was impressed by the system’s warm and detailed audio, clean dialogue, and excellent balance across genres.

However, this is still a soundbar rather than a full-sized speaker system, so there are limitations to keep in mind. The Q990C does its best to correct for distortion using software, but it occasionally had a slightly sharp sound during certain sequences in our testing. And though it’s incredibly powerful for a soundbar, it can’t match the presence and rumble of something like Klipsch’s high-end Reference Premiere speakers.

But within this size and price range, the Q990C is an incredible-sounding system. It’s also a lot more convenient than a traditional speaker setup since it doesn’t require a separate AV receiver. Instead, the Q990C has built-in amplification, processing, and connectivity. It has an HDMI eARC port, an optical port, and a pair of HDMI inputs with 4K HDR passthrough (though it does not support HDMI 2.1 for 120Hz gaming).

Alexa is also integrated for hands-free voice control, and the soundbar supports a feature called Q-Symphony. This function lets the soundbar pair with many of the best Samsung TVs, like the S95D 4K OLED and S95F 4K OLED, so you can use your TV’s speakers with the Q990C. This is a cool bonus for those with a compatible TV, but the soundbar works great even without this feature enabled.

Buyers should note that Samsung also offers a newer, more expensive version of this soundbar, the Q990F. The updated model is similar, but has a more compact subwoofer and adds HDMI 2.1 support to enable 4K/120Hz passthrough. If that’s a must-have feature for your gaming setup, then the Q990F is worth the premium, but the cheaper Q990C is the better value for most people.

Read our Samsung HW-Q990C Soundbar review.

Visit our guide to all of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

Best budget option

Klipsch’s Reference Theater Pack is a great example of a budget-friendly home theater in a box, also called an HTIB. Though retailers have largely replaced HTIBs in favor of soundbars, these handy packages are great for people who want a compact multi-speaker surround sound system.

Small speaker systems like this have advantages over soundbars since you can spread their front left, front right, and center speakers farther apart. This creates a wider sense of distance, which enhances stereo effects. In comparison, soundbars have these front channels built into one unit, so there’s less separation between them.

The Reference Theater Pack includes five compact speakers and a wireless eight-inch subwoofer to provide a full 5.1-channel system. The package I’m recommending here includes an Onkyo TX-SR3100 5.2-Channel AV receiver to power the speakers and act as a hub for your connected devices. You can also get the speakers without the receiver if you already have one or prefer to buy a different model.

The Reference Theater speakers are best described as entry-level, but they still have solid specs for their price. They also use a version of Klipsch’s Tractrix Horn technology, which is found on all of the brand’s higher-end offerings. Tractrix Horns can provide more precise directionality and better power efficiency compared to dome-style tweeters used by other brands.

This system’s main drawback compared to my other picks is that it’s missing the ability to create Dolby Atmos height effects. The Reference Theater package still delivers a full surround sound experience at ear level, but it doesn’t spread any audio effects above your head.

For a similarly priced alternative that does support Dolby Atmos overhead audio, I recommend the Vizio Elevate SE 5.1.2 soundbar system. The Vizio can’t match the stereo separation you get from Klipsch’s Reference Theater speakers, and it has a smaller six-inch subwoofer, but it does have the benefit of up-firing audio drivers to create height sound effects.

Best high-end speakers

Though all of the home theater packages included in this guide are great performers in their own right, Klipsch’s Reference Premiere speakers are on another level. Designed for true enthusiasts, this is the speaker setup to buy if you want a full movie theater experience in your living room.

You can mix and match several Reference Premiere speakers, which are all sold separately through retailers like Amazon, to create a system that suits your needs. As a good starting point for a premium surround sound setup, I recommend a 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos configuration with two RP-8060FA II towers, a pair of RP-600M II bookshelf speakers, two RP-500SA II Dolby Atmos modules, one RP-504C II center speaker, and an RP-1200SW subwoofer.

That adds up to nine speaker channels in total (plus the subwoofer), so you’ll need a nine-channel AV receiver to power and process them. I recommend the Denon AVR-X3800H for its reliability and packed set of features. I use an older version of that receiver in my own home theater setup, and it delivers excellent performance. The X3800H also has multiple HDMI 2.1 ports so you can connect various media devices to the receiver and pass their signals to your TV, including support for gaming consoles with 4K/120Hz video.

The Reference Premiere speakers make good use of Klipsch’s proprietary Tractrix Horn-loaded technology, which can provide better power efficiency and more precise directionality than traditional dome-style tweeters. Klipsch’s Reference Premiere speakers first launched in 2014, and the company released second-generation models in 2022. The latest models use larger horns than the first-gen speakers and refined woofers that produce less distortion.

Performance is exceptional, with range, clarity, imaging, and bass that outclass all of the less expensive options in this guide. My recommended setup delivers 5.1.4 channels of audio, which means you get traditional left, center, right, surround left, surround right, and bass channels, plus front left height, front right height, surround left height, and surround right height channels. The result is sound from all sides — both at ear level and above your head.

Of course, not everyone has a room large enough to accommodate a setup like this, and only the most serious home theater enthusiasts will want to spend several thousand dollars on speakers. The 5.1.4 configuration I recommend will set you back about $5,000, and that’s before you add the receiver, which costs another $1,699. However, the Reference Premiere Series is hard to beat for those willing to make the investment, and you can always piece together components gradually by starting with two speakers and adding more over time.

As a slightly cheaper alternative, Klipsch sells a step-down lineup of home theater speakers called the Reference Series. These models aren’t as advanced, but they offer a nice step up from any soundbar you’ll find. If you were to piece together a similar 5.1.4 configuration with Reference speakers, the total would be about $3,260 (without a receiver). You can shop for Reference Series speakers on Amazon.

Best wireless setup

Sony’s Bravia Theater Quad system is an ideal fit for people who want an easy-to-use wireless surround sound solution. It consists of four sleek speakers and a compact control box. The control box acts as the wireless receiver for the speakers and an HDMI 2.1 hub to plug into your TV.

The thin speaker units include tabletop bases for easy placement on a media console, and they can also be wall-mounted if you prefer. Though each speaker connects wirelessly to the control box, they still need to be plugged into a power outlet. This is the case for most wireless surround sound systems since built-in batteries are not yet practical for home theater use.

Each speaker has front- and up-firing audio drivers to enable 4.0.4 channels of Dolby Atmos audio. In my testing, the Quad speakers offered fantastic sound quality, with natural separation between the left, right, and rear speakers, creating a spacious sense of surround sound. I was also impressed by the system’s height channels, which produced a convincing sense of overhead audio when watching Dolby Atmos movies.

Since the Bravia Quad uses four speakers, there is no dedicated center channel. However, the system supports Sony’s Center Sync feature that lets you pair the Quad with a compatible Sony TV in order to use the TV’s speakers as a center channel for dialogue. I tested this with a Bravia 9 4K TV, and it worked well, placing speech up front and center with the display. Center Sync isn’t necessary to get good performance, but it’s a cool perk if you happen to have a compatible TV.

The Quad speakers sounded great with a variety of movies, shows, and video games, but the system does have one notable weakness: low-frequency performance. The Quad’s sound signature lacks weight in the deep bass registers, creating a thin quality in big action scenes, which left me craving a bit more oomph. You can fix this by adding one of Sony’s wireless subwoofers, like the SW5. I was able to test the system with and without the SW5, and it offers a big upgrade. Bravia Quad packages that include an SW3 or SW5 subwoofer are usually sold for an extra $300 to $500, but these bundles are sometimes available at a nice discount.

However, even when on sale, the Bravia Theater Quad is a pricey system compared to most soundbar alternatives. That said, the Quad’s cool aesthetics and wireless connectivity give it a premium feel, which helps justify its price.

How we test surround sound systems

To select the best surround sound systems, our team of reviewers relied on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by more than a decade of experience covering audio products. Our methodology includes evaluating key performance attributes related to audio quality for movies, TV shows, and music, as well as surround sound format support, connectivity, design, and overall value.

To test sound quality, we watch a variety of content across genres, including action films, sitcoms, concerts, and dialogue-driven dramas, to evaluate how speakers and soundbars perform with different kinds of material. We pay close attention to high-, mid-, and low-frequency performance to determine if a system is able to provide a balanced sound signature that avoids any overly bright, muddy, or boomy qualities. We also watch specific sequences and demo clips that we’ve curated to showcase surround sound effects, bass, and Dolby Atmos height channels (when applicable).

Our testing material includes Blu-ray disc content with lossless audio, high-resolution music tracks, and compressed streaming audio, so we can hear how a surround sound system handles different levels of quality. Small and medium-sized systems are tested in a medium-sized home office space, while bigger systems with full-sized speakers are evaluated in a larger living room.

Surround sound system FAQs

What are surround sound speaker channels?

When shopping for the best surround sound system, you’ll often see a string of two to three numbers separated by decimal points listed somewhere in the product description. For example, many systems are listed as being 5.1 or 5.1.4 setups. This string of numbers refers to how many speaker channels the system supports, which basically translates to how many directions sound can come from.

The first number designates the number of standard ear-level speaker channels provided. The second number indicates how many subwoofers are supported for dedicated bass. The final number describes how many height speaker channels are supported for Dolby Atmos overhead audio.

The best surround sound systems are available in various channel configurations. Generally, the more speaker channels you get, the more enveloping and immersive the surround sound effect will be, since audio can come from more directions. The most traditional setup is a 5.1 configuration.

In a 5.1-channel system, you get front left, front right, center, surround left, surround right, and subwoofer speakers at ear level. If you have a Dolby Atmos-capable system, like a 5.1.4 setup, you get the same ear-level channels along with the addition of front left height, front right height, surround left height, and surround right height speakers. These speakers are either mounted on your ceiling or angled from the ground to bounce audio off your ceiling.

Surround sound systems can start at three channels, and most consumer options max out at around 11 ear-level speakers and four height-level speakers.

What is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos is a surround sound format supported on many modern audio systems. It uses a process called object-based audio mixing, which allows sound designers to create soundtracks with individual audio elements, like a buzzing bee or flying helicopter, that can be freely moved around a virtual environment. A Dolby Atmos sound system processes this location data and maps those locations to best match whatever speaker setup you have.

So, whether you have a 5.1.2 or 11.1.4 speaker setup, a Dolby Atmos audio track can scale to match the location and number of speakers in your room. Atmos mixing also allows audio designers to expand upon traditional surround sound with effects above your head.

Dolby Atmos height effects are best realized by actual in- or on-ceiling speakers, but those are complicated to set up. As an alternative, many soundbars and speakers use up-firing audio drivers. Up-firing drivers are built into ear-level speakers and angled in a specific way to bounce audio off your ceiling. This simulates the effect of sounds coming from above your head. The performance of up-firing speakers is affected by the size and shape of your room. For the best performance, Dolby suggests using a room with a flat ceiling between 7.5 and 12 feet high.

For more details about Dolby Atmos, visit our full “What is Dolby Atmos?” guide.

Do you need an AV receiver for surround sound?

There are two main types of surround sound systems sold in 2025: soundbar setups and multi-speaker setups. Soundbar systems do not require a separate AV receiver, but traditional multi-speaker systems do. These configurations use passive speakers that need to be hooked up to a receiver for amplification and audio processing.

An AV receiver provides power to your speakers and also serves as a connection hub for your media devices. Many receivers have multiple HDMI passthrough ports and an HDMI ARC (audio return channel) port. You can connect external components like a Blu-ray player, streaming player, or gaming console to your receiver’s HDMI passthrough ports and then feed their signals to your TV through the HDMI ARC port. HDMI ARC also passes audio from your TV to the receiver. Many AV receivers also include wireless connectivity for music streaming via Bluetooth or WiFi.

Receivers can power multiple speakers, and the number they support is designated by their channel specification. Common surround sound AV receiver options include 5.1-, 7.1-, 9.1-, and 11.1-channel models. Some receivers support multiple subwoofers as well, which would be designated by a .2 or .4 as the second number. Generally speaking, the more channels/speakers a receiver supports, the more expensive it is.

What is virtual surround sound?

Physical rear speakers provide the best surround sound quality, but some brands sell stand-alone soundbar models that support virtual surround sound without actual rear speakers. Virtual surround sound relies on software and psychoacoustics to simulate the effect of rear audio through adjustments in sound frequencies, speed, and levels. Some soundbars with virtual surround sound also rely on side-firing audio drivers that can bounce effects off your walls.

Though virtual surround sound systems can provide a more immersive experience than standard two-channel stereo systems, we’ve yet to come across any stand-alone soundbars that can effectively mimic the sound of actual rear speakers. These models create a wider sound field, and they’re great for people who want to save space, but we recommend sticking with a system that has physical rear speakers to get the best surround sound performance.

For speaker recommendations with virtual surround sound, check out our guides to the best soundbars and best budget soundbars.