Shop for surround speaker systems

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The Vizio VHT215 looks sleek, sounds good, and is packed with inputs, making it one of the top budget sound bar choices. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Active

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.5 stars Spectacular

  Overall score: 9.3 (4.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 25 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Energy Take Classic 5.1 is the best budget speaker system we've reviewed, earning our Editors' Choice Award with its outstanding sound quality and exquisite looks. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, High-gloss black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 89 dB, 200 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The ultraslim Haier SBEV40-Slim sounds surprisingly good for its size and features two HDMI inputs, making it one of the best budget sound bar options. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Wireless, Black, Active, 40 Watt, 80 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.0 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The Energy Power Bar sounds better than most sound bars when playing music, but there are better overall sound bars available for less money. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Wireless, Satin black

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 10 reviews

The Bottom Line: While we'd prefer more input options, the Vizio VHT510 adds rear speakers to the traditional sound bar design, resulting in outstanding sound quality at a very affordable price. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Wired, Active, 75 Watt, 25 Watt, 60 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Harman Kardon SB 16 features a premium price tag and some remote control quirks, but its excellent sound quality and exterior design make it worth the extra cash. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Active, 25 Watt, 100 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.8 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 13 reviews

The Bottom Line: Anchored by its minitower speakers, the Aperion Intimus 4T Hybrid SD is an exceptional surround speaker system that ably combines good looks and superior sound. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Medium cherry, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 150 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.8 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 15 reviews

The Bottom Line: KEF's stunningly styled egg-shaped speaker package, the KHT-3005, boasts audiophile-quality sound for music and impressive home-theater performance. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, High-gloss black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 100 Watt, 250 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.5 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Klipsch HD Theater 500 is a stylish and compact 5.1 speaker system, but better-sounding systems are available at this price. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 100 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Bose Acoustimass 6 Series III speaker system delivers a big sound from exceptionally small speakers, but its high price keeps it from being a good value pick. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 4/8 Ohm

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.6 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Energy Speakers RC-Micro 5.1 speaker system delivers superb sound quality from incredibly tiny speakers. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, High-gloss black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 240 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.1 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 28 reviews

The Bottom Line: The VSB210WS, Vizio's very first sound bar system, delivers reasonably full-bodied sound for a very affordable price. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Wireless, Wired, Active, 15 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews

The Bottom Line: The LG LSB316 is a sleek sound bar and its Bluetooth support enables AirPlay-like streaming, but its sound quality is only so-so. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Wireless, Wired, Active, 140 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.4 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: Innovative engineering solutions propel Mirage's MX 5.1 Home Theater System to the top spot in the small system/big sound sweepstakes. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, High-gloss black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 200 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 24 reviews

The Bottom Line: You can't beat Fluance's rock-bottom pricing, solid construction, and sound quality, which rivals that of more expensive speakers. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Beech, Passive, 8 Ohm

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 28 reviews

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The Boston SoundWare XS 5.1 is an exceptionally compact system and sounds great for its size--although larger systems sound even better. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 100 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 2 reviews

The Bottom Line: The powerful Definitive Technology ProCinema 800 satellite/subwoofer package redefined our expectations of what a small surround speaker system can do. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Gloss black, 2-way - Passive, 8 Ohm, 89 dB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.1 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 52 reviews

The Bottom Line: This five-piece home-theater speaker package offers shockingly good sound for a mere $199. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Black ash, Passive

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 14 reviews

Specs: Speaker system, Wired, Black, Active

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 6 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 surround speakers pack a mighty wallop for their small size, but the system needs some extra care during setup to sound its best. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Gloss black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites, 250 Watt

• CNET Editor rating:
  0.0 stars

  Overall score: 0.0 (0.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: Sound bar system

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Vizio VHT210 sound bar sports an uncommonly compact design and sounds better playing music than the average in its class, but its input options are limited. Read review

Specs: Sound bar system, Wireless, Wired, Active

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 6 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Onkyo SKS-HT540 is the best-sounding surround-sound speaker package you can get for less than $300. Read review

Specs: Home theater speaker system, Wired, Black, Active subwoofer, passive satellites

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The JBL SB 300 is a plus-size sound bar with excellent sound quality, but its unconventional style won't please everyone. Read review

Specs: Sound Bar, Wired, Wireless, Active, 100 Watt