The 5 best home theater speakers in 2024
If you're building a home theater, your quest for the best speakers may be tough. Fine-tuning the best audio to go along with your TV and figuring out the most cost-effective solutions can take a while: Should you just give in and buy a soundbar and be finished with it? Or do you listen to most of your media with headphones?
If you're building your own little den for entertainment, it's well worth taking the time to do it right, especially with a certain football game on its way.
Our experts have handpicked these choices for the five best home theater speakers for 2024. These top-notch pieces of tech mix and match with the audio equipment you need to enjoy your favorite TV shows and movies or even sports and concerts from the comfort of your living room.
The 5 best home theater speakers in 2024
- Best bookshelf speaker: Triangle Borea BR03
- Best subwoofer: Fluance DB10W
- Best center channel speaker: Polk Audio T30
- Best tower speaker: SVS Prime Tower Speaker
- Best Dolby Atmos speaker: Klipsch R-41SA
Triangle Borea BR03
The Triangle Borea BR03 bookshelf speakers fill a room with sound so balanced and rich that you might forget about adding a subwoofer.
These bass-heavy boomers handle the low end of the audio spectrum with ease, with mids and highs that make a smooth, promising soundstage.
These speakers are as much a treat for the eyes as they are for the ears. Available in several finishes, they can complement your home décor with ease. They can slide into any room's overall look pretty nicely, and they also appear quite modern, unlike some of their contemporaries.
With a front-facing port, you won't have to worry about placing these speakers near a wall and getting muffled sound, either. For those in the market for passive bookshelf speakers that don't compromise on quality, the Triangle Borea BR03 is the best you can get at this price point.
If you do crave more bass, you might need to bring in a subwoofer or consider larger speakers, both of which issues are easily resolved by putting together an entire home theater audio system.
Fluance DB10W
The Fluance DB10W is a subwoofer that can transform just about any living room into a booming theater. At its core is a hefty 10-inch driver, delivering bass deep enough to feel in your bones. It's like having your own personal IMAX theater.
Plus, thanks to its Class D amplifier, which supplies a steady 45 watts of RMS power and peaks at 120 watts, your audio stays consistently clear and powerful, no matter how intense the sound gets.
The DB10W also features a variable low-pass filter, which lets you tailor the bass output to fold in seamlessly with other speakers for a more balanced sound. And there's phase control, which lets you sync the subwoofer with the acoustics of your home for a better listening experience overall.
The subsonic filter is the unsung hero here, quietly eliminating low-frequency rumbles that could muddy your sound. This means you get cleaner, purer listening no matter whether you're watching sports, movies, or even cartoons.
If you need the perfect subwoofer to top off your new sound setup, you can't go wrong with this one.
Polk Audio T30
The Polk Audio T30 is a great center-channel speaker delivers a solid audio experience for less, thanks to its dual, 5.25-inch woofers and a 1-inch tweeter. Its compact size doesn't keep it from filling small to medium-sized rooms with lush sound, making it a superb option for any budget.
The bass is surprisingly rich for the speaker's size, but no one is complaining. Bringing the T30 into a complete 5.1 home theater system is super simple, especially if you're using other Polk products.
But you don't have to buy the same make and model to vibe with this speaker. It's compatible with a range of home theater options, from a simple 2.0 or 2.1 system to a more complex 5.1, 7.1, or 9.1 surround sound arrangement.
For the price, the T30 is an excellent option when it comes to center-channel speakers. It won't break the bank and does exactly what it sets out to do.
SVS Prime tower speaker
When you're ready to add a tower speaker to your setup, you can't go wrong with this option from SVS. It shines with crisp, dynamic audio across treble, mids and bass.
The 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter produces clear and detailed treble you'll hear even from off-angles, which makes it a prime choice for that feature alone, Vocals and mids get a smooth, natural tone thanks to this speaker's 4.5-inch mid-range driver. And dual 6.5-inch fiberglass woofers make sure you get distortion-free bass.
Want to make sure you're getting tower speakers that look good in the room you plan on putting them in? This speaker has a simple, minimalist design that should fit into any style of decor, especially given its lack of grills or speaker-esque definition you see in so many other models.
Need more than one? Pair two up for a larger surround-sound setup.
Whether you're a serious audiophile or just need to fill a missing piece in your home theater setup, the SVS Prime speakers check every box, and then some.
Klipsch R-41SA
Klipsch's R-41SA speakers are a great choice for anyone in need of a reliable Dolby Atmos speaker, with immersive 3D sound that puts you right in the middle of the action.
Each R-41SA comes with a 4-inch woofer and 1-inch driver in a compact two-way design. DTS:X and Dolby Atmos encoded content really shine, with the R-41SAs giving you that extra bit of oomph, especially in smaller rooms.
Planning a full surround system? The R-41SAs can pair with other Klipsch Reference speakers for a balanced sound profile. Plus, these speakers' angled form factor make it easy to position them properly for better sound, or even wall-mounting.
Their shape and excellent sound profile make these speakers a go-to pick for stunning Dolby Atmos sound, and then some -- even if you're just looking to add the cherry on top to your current setup, you can't go wrong with these.
How should you choose home theater speakers?
There are a few important things you should consider when you set out to buy home theater speakers.
Sound quality: This is, of course, the most important factor. Look for speakers that have clear, balanced sound. Think about buying speakers with a wide frequency range for better highs and lows to help establish that balance.
Speaker types and configuration: Home theater systems usually include mix of speakers: front (left and right), center, surround and a subwoofer (for bass). A common setup is a 5.1 system (five speakers and one subwoofer), but 7.1 and beyond are also available for larger rooms.
Room size and acoustics: Bigger rooms might need more powerful speakers to fill the space, and smaller rooms can get by with less power. Hard surfaces reflect sound, while softer surfaces absorb it. You may have to adjust the equipment you purchase accordingly.
Compatibility: Make sure the speakers you buy are compatible with your receiver or amplifier. Check the power requirements and outputs to make sure they match.
Wired vs. wireless: Wireless speakers offer more flexibility and a cleaner look but may compromise on sound quality compared with wired ones.
Quality and design: Durable materials will last longer. Also, consider the design and how it fits into your home décor.
Budget: Home theater speakers can range from budget-friendly to high-end. Set a budget that aligns with your needs and preferences.
Test before buying: If possible, listen to the speakers before purchasing to ensure they meet your expectations. Nothing will tell you if you should buy a set of speakers more than your giving them a listen. This is a big investment, so make sure you get what you're looking for before spending the money.
Is it better to buy home theater speakers separately or as a package?
Building a home theater system piece by piece has some solid benefits compared to grabbing an all-in-one package deal. Buying separately lets you customize and get higher quality components. Plus, you can shop around for individual deals on each piece.
When you buy each speaker piecemeal, you can hand-pick everything based on performance, features and budget. Invest more in the speakers or receiver you care about, and save on less crucial parts. It makes things a lot more flexible if you want higher quality and don't mind spending more to get a better system.
And upgrading is easy by swapping out pieces over time. Start with the essentials, then build up as your needs change.
It's true that home theater package can give you better deals, but individual buying does give you better options for customization and better quality as well as tailored acoustics. The result? A system that you've built just for yourself.
