Best Budget Home Audio and Speakers
By Krissy Rushing
December 30th, 2008
You’ve purchased a beautiful big-screen HDTV, and now you want a tuneful home theater audio system to go with it. Shopping for a surround-sound system, however, can be mind-boggling. Not only is the difference in quality across the spectrum of available speakers vast, there are several different types of systems that you can purchase – from floor-standing models, to bookshelf speakers, to all-in-one designs. Adding to shopper confusion, speakers are notoriously hard to buy because their sound depends, in large part, on the nature of your room. Finally, there are really inexpensive choices that sound terrible, but there are also some bargain systems from respected manufacturers that sound incredible (the same is true for more expensive models). Here, we’ll focus on budget solutions that offer a high-quality audio experience for a relatively low price. For home theater, you really need surround sound, so for our purposes we have limited our audio selection to systems providing true or virtual surround sound.
Sound Bars
Sound bars are a relatively new category of speaker. A sound bar is, first and foremost, a design solution that provides virtual surround sound from one single, horizontal speaker that can be positioned below your display.
Pros:
- Slick design; a perfect pairing for flat-panel displays
- Great for rooms where space does not permit five or more speakers.
- Minimal wiring; no wires going to speakers throughout the room for a tidier look
- Good models can produce a decent approximation of surround sound
- Inexpensive and often include other components, such as a DVD player, iPod dock, and/or an AM/FM tuner, further cutting your HT costs
- Some include subwoofers to fill out the low end
Cons:
- Many do not feature the latest high-resolution surround sound formats, such as Dolby TrueHD, or DTS-HD Master Audio
- Bass tends to be somewhat feeble, but subwoofers can help
Editors’ Picks
Because this is such hot category, you have a lot of choice when it comes to picking a sound bar, each of which uses slightly different proprietary technology to create a virtual sound field. We really like systems from Yamaha, a pioneer in this category. The company makes several models known as digital sound projectors. For a budget system, we recommend the YSP-900 ($900) digital sound projector, or the new YAS-71 Air Surround Xtreme front system ($600) (for more on the YAS-71, click here. The YSP-900 uses Yamaha’s IntelliBeam technology, in which each sound beam from the horizontal speaker is directional. Cinema DSP creates independent sound fields, placing specific sounds in the different sound fields, much like you would hear in a traditional 5.1-channel surround system. While you won’t find the latest high-resolution surround formats here, the unit does include Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, DTS Digital Surround, DTS-ES (DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1), DTS Neo:6 and DTS 96/24 decoding. For the low end, Yamaha has included its TruBass technology for more dynamic subwoofer effects.
Denon also makes an excellent sound bar, the DHT-FS3, which includes a subwoofer for $1,199. The big draw here is the sound bar’s gorgeous design, with a glossy piano black patina and elegantly curved lines. The FS3 uses Denon’s X-Space simulated surround technology: Audio coming from six drivers is dispersed throughout the room at a very wide angle, allowing you to sit anywhere and still get good virtual surround. The included subwoofer is a nice bonus, filling out the low end for a more powerful home theater experience.
Denon DHT-FS3
Polk, Philips, Soundmatters, Sony, Zvox, Samsung, and others make great sound bars as well. While these all-in-one solutions will offer a decent simulated surround sound experience from one chassis, they don’t compare with a true surround sound system. But if you are looking for a bargain, you generally can’t go wrong if you buy from a respected brand name.
Virtual Surround Systems
Another alternative to a traditional 5.1-channel surround system is the virtual surround system, which creates a good approximation of a surround sound stage from two speakers and, sometimes, a subwoofer. Virtual surround systems use algorithms to bounce sound off your room’s wall and create phantom rear speakers. Again, the sound can’t compete sonically to a full-on surround system, but the price is right.
Pros:
- Small speakers and footprint
- Very economical
- Often include other components, such as a DVD player
- Easy setup and placement
Cons:
- Sound quality can be unpredictable, depending largely on your room’s dimensions, furniture, etc.
- Simulated surround effects sound different depending on where you sit within a room
Editors’ Picks
Panasonic’s SC-PTX5X ($600) uses Dolby Virtual Speaker technology to derive five channels of audio information from two speakers. It also includes an upconverting DVD player that will enhance the quality of standard-def DVDs played through the system. We also like Klipsch’s CS-700, which is a little more expensive at $1,300. For the price, you get a DVD payer, AM/FM tuner, a wireless subwoofer, a remote control, and great-quality virtual surround. Sony, JVC, Sharp, and others all make solid virtual surround systems as well, so try several options out when you are at your local electronics store.
True Surround Sound Systems
Hands down, true 5.1 (and 7.1) systems win when it comes to performance. You simply can’t beat separate speakers and a subwoofer with dedicated sounds coming at you from different locations in your room. Of course, even this category is subdivided into smaller categories. There are home-theaters-in-a-box, bookshelf subwoofer/satellite systems, on-wall (and in-wall) speakers, and floor-standing models. While buying a true surround system can be expensive, because you are often paying by the pair or even individual speakers, there are some great systems for relatively little money.
Pros:
- Winner when it comes to performance
- Dedicated subwoofer always included for more dynamic bass
- More realistic surround sound experience than virtual surround sound
- More power to fill a room with sound
Cons:
- Can be more expensive than virtual systems, because you are paying by the speaker or speaker pair
- Present room-design challenges, such as hiding wires and mounting speakers
- If you are not purchasing an home theather in a box, you will need a separate receiver (or amp) to power your speakers, which is an additional cost
Editors’ Picks
While we can’t possibly name all the wonderful budget surround sound systems out there, we can name a few. Brands like Klispch, Definitive Technology, and Polk all offer wonderful-sounding systems that won’t break the bank. Even higher-end companies, such as B&W and Infinity, are offering more entry-level audio solutions to budget-conscious consumers. We especially like Infinity’s TSS-500 ($600) for a complete home theater system, which looks and sounds like it should cost much more than it does.
Whatever solution you decide to go with, don’t be scared to invest in your home audio system. While it’s definitely a video-centric universe we are living in, audio is a big part of how you connect with what you are watching – emotionally and viscerally. It deserves to be treated with the same amount of respect as your video.