Best Surround Sound Audio For HTPC to Buy: Well, it’s time to get rid of those mediocre speakers that dampen your entertainment and experience true sound through some great speakers which will perfectly get along with your HTPC setups. One of the most important aspects of digital immersion is feeling the sound revolve around you so, it feels more natural and alive. Surround sound, as the name suggests, makes you feel the sound from all directions, i.e., the entire 360 degrees.
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Best Surround Sound Audio For Htpc
This will compliment your HTPC setup properly. However, as is the case with most tech products, the market is filled with many surround sound systems. So, which one to buy? To help solve your dilemma, this article, will put out a list of surround sound systems suitable for any HTPC setup and will list its, features, pros, and cons, so you can make an informed buying decision. we provide the best surround sound audio for the HTPC list, taken from experts.
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1. DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY SR-9080
Definitive Technology is one of the most distinctive brands in the audio industry, and the SR-9080 is an example of its heritage. Great sounding, good design, and great set of features, it is a good choice for a surround sound system
Key Features
- Comes equipped with Definitive’s Bipolar Sound technology and a 3.5-inch aluminum driver, which allows it to fire its sound in all directions increasing immersion and sound quality. Its surround sound envelops the entire room
- Premium well-designed chassis that makes it both durable and attractive
- It is quite compact due to its sealed design, which allows it to have more components in a more compact space. Its Aluminium drivers also allow it to be more lightweight and therefore increasing portability
- Gives an industry-leading 5-year warranty
Pros
- Good sound and surround
- Well designed
- Looks attractive
- Compact and lightweight
- Manufacturer Warranty
Cons
- Lacks bass and therefore requires subwoofers
- Not great for close-up or direct listening
- Requires complementary speakers
- Quite expensive
- Better options available at a cheaper price
2. KLIPSCH BLACK REFERENCE THEATRE PACK 5.1
Want something that is compact, yet packs a punch? The Klipsch Black Reference Theatre Pack is what you should consider. It’s small yet produces room-filling surround audio.
Key Features
- It consists of one central AV unit, which connects its 5 satellite speakers. It can be connected through wires as well as a wireless connection
- The subwoofers come equipped with 8-inch aluminum drivers and the other speakers with a 3.5-inch driver come equipped with Klipsch’s Tractrix Horn technology, which delivers amazing sound with great clarity, volume, and surrounds sound
- It’s quite light and small in size which enables them to be easily managed and easily portable
- The sound is quite natural, which makes it great for movies as well as professional work
- It has a durable, yet minimal design made up of plastic and brass metal
Pros
- Quite light and small in size
- Great natural sound
- Has wireless and wired connectivity
- Good for professional work and content watching
- Attractive and durable
Cons
- The speaker’s fire sound in only one direction which means they should be placed in a certain position for a good experience
- Effective in small rooms only
- Doesn’t support 7.1 Dolby surround sound and is restricted to 5.1 surround
- Quite expensive
3. POLK AUDIO PSW10
Want something that is good but inexpensive? The Polk Audio does just that. It’s very affordable sounds great, and looks good.
Key Features
- It’s made up of good quality materials such as wood and titanium, which makes it look good as well as makes it look good and premium
- It comes equipped with Klippel Distortion technology that reduces distortion and gives good quality, accurate sound, as well as internal stiffeners, which help in providing great quality even at high volumes
- It has a very good bass response with its well-tuned 2.5 cm drivers
- It can be connected through cables or through Bluetooth connection for seamless and easy use
- It has an intelligent sensor circuit that switches off the subwoofer when its ideal or during a power cut, which protects it from possible damage
Pros
- It has great sound
- Great quality bass
- It can get very loud
- Contains a lot of smart features
- It has great build quality and looks good
- Has both wired and Bluetooth connection
- Quite affordable
Cons
- Not suitable for large rooms
- Doesn’t provide good surround sound
- Requires satellite speakers to be used properly
4. LOGITECH Z-906
Logitech is one of the most well-known technology brands in the world, known for great consumer-grade products, and the Z-906 is a good speaker from their surround audio.
Key Features
- It consists of one central AV unit, which connects its 6 satellite speakers. It can be connected through wires as well as a wireless connection
- The subwoofers and the satellite speakers produce huge amounts of bass, which coupled with 5.1 THX surround sound, create an amazing experience while watching movies and shows
- It’s quite light and small in size which enables them to be easily managed and easily portable
- It is made up of high-quality plastic for longevity and sturdiness
Pros
- Quite light and small in size
- Great punchy and bassy sound signature
- Has wireless and wired connectivity
- Great for consuming media
- Well-built and durable
- Has 5.1 surround sound
Cons
- The speaker’s fire sound in only one direction which means they should be placed in a certain position for a good experience
- Don’t have a screen unlike its previous generation
- The provided cables are too short for a setup
- It doesn’t have HDMI cable support
- Doesn’t support HD audio, which makes it not ideal for listening to music
- Not the best at its price range
5. SAMSUNG HW-T450
Samsung is the pioneer in electronic technology and the HW-T450, is one of the most popular speakers on the market, thus showing its reliability. It is one of the best-reviewed surround sound systems both by users and reviewers, for its versatility and user-friendliness.
Key Features
- The subwoofer is made up of wood and fabric, while the bar is made of plastic and fabric, which makes it look simple but in a good way
- It can be connected both through wires or through Bluetooth connectivity
- It provides balanced sound quality with good quality bass. The bass and trebles can be adjusted through the in-built EQ. It also gets quite loud for use in a large room
- It produces clear dialogues while watching media
Pros
- Looks sleek
- Its fairly portable and light
- Easy Bluetooth connectivity
- Good quality bass and audio
- Has an inbuilt stereo for adjusting bass and treble
- Quite affordable
Cons
- It doesn’t have Dolby surround or similar certification
- Doesn’t have good surround sound
- Not good for movies
- Uses audio input instead of USB, which gives out worse quality and more latency
6. SONOS ARC
If you want a sleek audio setup that sounds great and looks good, the Sonos Arc is an unmatched speaker which comes with all the goodies while also being reliable and easy to use.
Key Features
- It is made up of very high-quality plastic, which makes it look premium, minimal, and attractive. It is also quite durable
- It is quite easy to install and use on a daily basis
- The speaker system in the Arc fires sounds in every direction, which bounces off from the walls and creates a great surround sound effect. This is coupled with Dolby Atmos certification, which creates a great immersive feeling while watching movies
- The Arc also has Dolby TrueHD and Digital Plus support, which help it create amazing sound with great clarity
- It has voice assistant support, which means you can use Alexa or Google Assistant at your convenience
Pros
- Great and attractive design
- Easy to setup and interact with
- Dolby certification helps it produce amazing sound despite being slim
- Amazing surround sound performance
- Has voice assistant support
Cons
- The quality of the surround sound largely depends on the type of the room
- Not the best for music at this price point
- It is quite expensive
- Relies on the type of TV it is connected to
7. NAKAMICHI SHOCKWAFE ULTRA
Nakamich Shockwafe Ultra is for those who need an almost no compromise audio experience and want great immersion in movies and similar content with exceptional surround sound
Key Features
- The subwoofer and the satellite speakers are well very well with high-quality metal, wood, and fabric which makes them look and feel premium. The speakers are covered with metal which makes them very durable. The soundbar has a metal grill with a plastic casing
- The Shockwafe Ultra consists of one soundbar, 4 satellite speakers, and 2 subwoofers. These all-support Dolby Atmos and DTS X sound codecs, deliver unmatched surround sound, clarity, and volume. The whole support is also quite bassy
- It is a large setup but is quite easy to install and easy to use
- It supports all audio formats and all connectivity standards which makes it very versatile
- It has EQ software which helps you personalize the sound to your liking
Pros
- Great build quality and looks
- Easy to use and install
- Very bassy and loud
- Amazing clarity and surround sound
- Very versatile with support for various codecs and standards
- EQ and other adjustments
- Has Dolby as well as DTS support
Cons
- These might be too bass-heavy for listening to music
- These drown some dialogues while watching movies
- Not very clear at a loud volume
- Quite expensive
BUYING GUIDE
Confused as to how to choose a good surround sound system? Well, keep these factors in your mind while looking for one.
SOUND QUALITY
Of course, the most important factor in buying speakers is making sure the speakers you choose are of good quality, i.e., they should sound good. They should have good volume, good instrumental separation, and good distribution of sound per speaker, which will enhance the immersion and the sound quality, enhancing your media experience. The sound along with loudness should also be clear so you can hear and understand dialogues in movies or shows.
If the speaker system has been certified to be Dolby or DTS Surround certified, that indicates that the speakers are of very good quality and great for surround sound
SPACE
Since the surround system will consist of multiple, speakers, devices, and wiring, it will require a lot of space to be properly installed. Therefore, make sure that the speaker system doesn’t take up much space that would compromise the other items in the room.
CONVENIENCE
It should be easy to install and in use in day-to-day routines. It should have good controls, as well as be customizable in accordance with the user’s preferences. It should support most connectivity standards for quick and efficient installation. It should be versatile and should be able to handle all circumstances and use cases
BUILD QUALITY
The system should be made with good quality materials such as metal, wood, or high-quality plastic. This not only makes the system look good and feel good, but it also makes it quite durable.
Along with this, the speakers should also have a warranty
PRICE
You should spend according to what you want. Don’t spend much on one component of the audio system and skimp out on the other components. A surround sound system should ordinarily have multiple speakers of equal quality for the best immersion and audio experience
FAQ’s
Q1. What is essential in a surround sound system?
Ans: It lies in the positioning of the various speakers in a way that they cover all angles so that you get a good surround sound experience. If you have a soundbar, it should be out in a place where the sound can reflect on the walls and thus provide a good experience.
Q2.Can gaming be possible on surround sound systems?
Ans: Yes gaming is possible on surround systems, but the latency should be low for a good experience, so choose a setup with low sound lag for a good gaming experience
Q3.Does having a good TV affect by audio experience?
Ans: Not necessarily, but certain soundbars and speakers work their best on high-end TVs. So, if you need the best audio setup, make sure to get the best Tv to pair it up with
Q4.What room size is ideal for a good audio experience?
Ans: It depends entirely on the audio setup you have. For larger rooms, use a multiple-speaker setup. But, if you have a small room, even a decently sized soundbar would give you an amazing surround experience.
Kiran Kotte is a 25 years old Youtuber. He is a tech geek and also codes sometimes. He writes on various topics like Technology, Blogging, Web designing, and SEO. He runs various other blogs under various niches.