What should I look for when buying speakers?
Emily Sparks
Published Mar 16, 2026
What should I look for when buying speakers?
When looking over a speaker, give it a good knock with your knuckles. It should feel solid and the sound you hear should be solid too, not empty. If you’ve ever searched for a stud in a wall, you already know what to listen for. Once you hit that stud, the sound goes from empty and cavernous to solid and dead.
What do you need for a surround sound system?
So, What Equipment Do You Need?
- Left and right speakers (bookshelf or floorstanding)
- Subwoofers.
- Center channel speaker.
- Surround speakers.
- Elevation or in-ceiling speakers (for Dolby® Atmos)
- A/V receiver.
- Axiim LINK* (if building a Reference Wireless Surround Sound System)
- Bar 48 with Surround 3.
Which is the best wireless home theater system?
List of 11 Best Wireless Home Theatre Systems
- 1) Philips SPA4040B/94 Multimedia Speakers System.
- 2) Philips SPA8000B/94 5.1 Channel Multimedia Speakers System.
- 3) Sony HT-S20R 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital Soundbar Home Theatre System.
- 4) Sony HT-RT3 Real 5.1 Dolby Digital Soundbar Home Theatre System.
Is it worth buying a surround sound system?
Surround sound systems use multiple speakers that are built to work with one another, and that typically means that they sound best together (and not great when third-party speakers are introduced). Unbalanced audio can be really distracting, so it’s worth it to buy a surround sound system with a complete speaker set.
How many channels does a surround sound system need?
A common 5.1-channel system comes complete with a home theater receiver, a center-channel speaker, left and right speakers, rear speakers, and a subwoofer. Step up to a 7.1-channel system for a more complete surround sound. Or, you can build your own system.
What kind of surround sound do you need for a home theater?
A home theater in a box offers everything you need for true surround sound — all in a single package. A common 5.1-channel system comes complete with a home theater receiver, a center-channel speaker, left and right speakers, rear speakers, and a subwoofer.
What should I look for in a home audio system?
If you’d like to connect to streaming music directly from your receiver, choose a receiver with built-in Wi-Fi. For whole-home audio with different sound zones in separate areas of the home, consider a receiver complete with multi-room functionality.
