Which is the best wireless home theater: LG, Philips, Samsung or Sony

Wireless speaker systems allow you to forget about the problem of tangled cables, as well as the fact that the wires can quickly deteriorate due to pets and the equipment will fail. Wireless technologies are much easier to manage and take up less space.

• What's included in a home theater set with wireless speakers?
• Pros and cons of this technique
• Types of home theaters with wireless acoustics
• How to choose a wireless home theater
• Rating of the best models of the year

What is a wireless home theater?

This home appliance can be stationary, that is, with or without wires, which ensures easy installation and ease of use. Wireless home theater has many advantages:

• if you purchase it, there will be no unnecessary hassle with hiding the wires;
• the external aesthetics of the room will be completely intact due to the absence of wires;
• the ability to completely remove the equipment after use so that there is no clutter in the room.

However, it should be understood that equipment devoid of wires does not mean a complete absence of cables, but only the longest ones, which in the standard case are needed to connect rear acoustic emitters. In this case, the acoustic emitters work through the use of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, thanks to which you can get high-quality communication due to the uninterrupted operation of the devices.

Important: wireless home theater provides an optimal combination of picture and sound background due to the presence of large TV screens and audio systems. In this case, the maximum acoustic effect is achieved through the use of 5 to 7 channels.

The configuration of each equipment depends on the pricing policy and class of the device, but on average it consists of:

• set of emitters;
• subwoofer;
• Blu-ray player;
• USB port;
• satellite radio;
• audio player;
• If the room is small, only a soundbar is enough.

A device with autonomous emitters will differ slightly in the quality of background sound.

Model comparison table

To compare the presented models, pay attention to the table below.

Sound quality of bluetooth cinemas with wireless acoustics

The sound quality in home theaters with wireless speakers with Bluetooth is still inferior to stationary wired cinemas, since the sound when using this method must additionally undergo encoding and decoding, which, of course, affects the sound quality of the rear speakers. To choose the best home theater for yourself, you need to consider the following features of Bluetooth operation:

• the presence of any high-frequency sound emissions in the room can lead to distortion of its operation;
• increasing the distance between the transmitting device and the equipment weakens signal transmission;
• doors, windows, or any partitions may become an obstacle;
• various household appliances, such as a microwave oven, fluorescent lamps, an Internet adapter, can also degrade audio quality;
• the presence of a large electric field influences the transmission of good bass;
• when using several gadgets with Bluetooth at the same time.

Wires

To connect the receiver to the speakers you will need wires. The cables must be strong and of good quality, otherwise they may negatively affect the sound quality. For home theater use, 6N copper (the least polluted) and silver cables are recommended. Gold and platinum cables are also available. They are the most expensive, but at the same time they guarantee very good sound. When placing speakers in a room, keep in mind that cable length is also important. The shorter they are, the better, although the difference in sound quality between 2 and 3 meter cables is not too great.

Receive audio files via bluetooth

The output of sound files from any transmitting gadget is carried out using the following technologies:

• transferring audio files from any equipment that has a bluetooth chip to the receiver;
• decorating the signal and dividing it into channels, and then branching;
• transmission to the amplifier, and then through a set of wires to the front and central emitters;
• transmission of sound through channels to the rear, where after processing the sound is broadcast. Using the rear components, you can control the volume and time delay of the sound.

Ideal sound occurs in 5.1 format systems, where the total transmission of acoustics reaches 1,000 W.

FAQ

Q1: How to connect home theater to TV?

There are many ways to connect your home theater to your TV. Some use an analog system, meaning the connection is made using cables to inputs such as Jack or RCA, or to digital inputs, of which HDMI is the most popular.

Connection options depend on the number of inputs available on both the receiver and the TV side. Some receivers also have a SCART input, which is great when you need to connect your home theater to a slightly older device. Some devices allow you to connect peripherals wirelessly, such as Bluetooth.

Disadvantages of a wireless system

Wireless home theaters have a number of disadvantages, primarily due to the presence of an autonomous signal transmitter. Among the disadvantages are the following points:

• inaccurate transmission of reproduced audio sound by wireless speakers, lack of clarity of audio stream frequencies;
• insufficient power of the rear radiators, which is stated by the manufacturer, for example, speakers with a power of 1460 W, which is the best option, but not always feasible;
• delay in response to user commands.

In addition, shortcomings may appear in the configuration of the equipment, for example, an insufficient number of elements for transmitting sound in order to achieve maximum effect. Or a minus in the quality of the material used to produce the product, but absolutely any equipment has such shortcomings, here the question concerns the manufacturer’s brand.

Connectors and interfaces

To get the most out of your home theater system, the receiver should have several basic connections, such as:

USB port - allows you to connect a flash drive, external drive and similar devices;

HDMI output - used to connect a modern TV, laptop or game console;

Analog RCA connector - allows you to transmit an audio signal, used, among other things, to connect a subwoofer;

S-Video and Component - allow you to transmit a video signal, but the image quality in the case of the S-Video connector is slightly worse;

Headphone output - connects headphones.

In addition, receivers increasingly support interfaces such as Bluetooth, Ethernet and Wi-Fi. This means that the home theater can connect to smartphones, tablets and even your home Internet network.

What to consider when choosing

Having decided to acquire such a device, you need to initially study all the features of its use, for example, the type of room and the presence of certain equipment in the house, which can become an obstacle to sound quality or playback. Before purchasing, you should consider the following points:

• To avoid distorting the sound quality during viewing, do not touch or move the transmitting device;
• there should be a minimum of furniture in the room;
• sound emitters should be at the same distance from each other around the perimeter;
• to achieve positive sound, it is enough to have 5 speakers and a subwoofer; for this, purchase a 5.1 version of the device;
• for larger areas, in order to obtain high-quality bass, it is necessary to use 8–11 acoustic elements.

Important: sound can be output via any mobile gadget with Bluetooth.

In addition, it is important to take into account that wireless elements do not work for long without recharging from the network, so it is important that there are several sockets in the room.

Moreover, the rear elements are truly wireless; other floor and wall elements are connected using short cords, so it’s not possible to get rid of wires completely. Also, when choosing equipment, in addition to the features of the room, it is important to take into account the features of the model:

• acoustic format;
• body material;
• connection options;
• compatibility with modern formatting methods;
• correct work with various types of digital media;
• total acoustic power.

Leading manufacturers usually combine all of the above indicators in one device.

Cinemas equipped with a 5.1 system

Samsung HT-J4550K

Despite the fact that this product has a very high quality audio system, almost all users note its quite reasonable price. This cinema is able to fully satisfy even the most experienced film fan. In terms of sound, everything is at the highest possible level, all frequencies are presented excellently, but the high frequencies may fall a little short. However, this will be quite enough for watching movies. The total power of the speaker system is 500 W - enough for a medium-sized room; in a small room the sound will even be excessive. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module is provided, although today it is almost impossible to surprise anyone with this.

Externally, the products look very interesting and beautiful: rear and floor speakers are installed on vertical stands. This allows you to completely get rid of the resonance coming from the floor or walls. There are more than enough slots for connecting external media, and there is also an optical drive with support for DVD and Blu-Ray. Video files are played in high definition formats - HD, Full HD, and it is possible to view films in 3D. If necessary, you can connect two microphones to the device at once, so that you can sing a duet in karaoke; a Power Bass mode is provided.

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Advantages:

• The speakers are mounted on stands, so the sound is as clear as possible;
• Expanded functionality of the equipment;
• Attractive and even luxurious appearance.

Flaws:

• The menu is not very clear; it takes a long time to figure it out.

Samsung HT-J4550K

Onkyo HT-S5805

The products of this company are deservedly considered one of the best in the Hi-Fi product industry. In fact, this home theater includes a full-fledged receiver, an active subwoofer and speakers, the housing of which is made of natural wood, which has a positive effect on the final sound quality. During development, it was decided to include in the device the most modern technologies that can only be found in premium class products. The speaker system supports Dolby Atmos Enabled System, thanks to which it works with an object-oriented sound format. It found its implementation not only at the software level, but also in terms of physically connecting the speakers to the amplifier. In particular, each of the front speakers is connected directly to two pairs of terminals located on the receiver. From one of them the signal will be transmitted to the front channels, and from the second it will go directly to the speaker, which is located at the top of each speaker. This sound will be reflected from the ceiling surface and reach the user's ears, providing maximum presence.

If desired, the user can additionally purchase special ceiling speakers, which will be connected through a second pair of terminals. The system operates at the sharpest 4K resolution. All automatic on/off functions for various components work correctly regardless of the complexity of the audio being transmitted. One of the most original aspects is the special microphone included in the kit, which allows you to calibrate the sound depending on the acoustic characteristics of a particular room. All wires are quite long, so the system can be placed in a room whose area reaches 26 square meters. m. The subwoofer is connected to the receiver using an RCA cable, there is only one connector for HDMI. The receiver has an information liquid crystal display, under which there are physical control keys.

Advantages:

• For such a wide functionality, the cost is very reasonable;
• All acoustics are carefully thought out;
• Supports 4K resolution.

Flaws:

• Missing connector

Onkyo HT-S5805

Sony BDV-E6100

The speakers in this home theater are made of fairly high quality plastic, and not a single user had any complaints regarding the assembly. When playing low frequencies, not a single element begins to rattle. In principle, you can find a similar model with a wood body, but it will cost much more. In total, this equipment has five speakers and one subwoofer. Four of them are installed vertically, and one is recumbent; it must be used as a central one. The subwoofer power is very high. In theory, the product can be used without a TV, connected to it as a music center. The height of the speakers is 120 cm - quite enough to prevent interference from the floor. The multimedia playback console allows you to work with various USB media, and the connector for connecting them is located as conveniently as possible, but its lid is quite tight.

The device can also work with optical media - there is only one disk drive, but it is universal: it can read CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays, which gives the cinema additional versatility. The player has a large number of inputs and outputs of various types, so you can connect additional speakers if desired. The total power of the speakers is 1000 W, and the sound is deep and very clear. The bass can be felt even through the floor. The speakers perfectly reproduce the entire sound range. The setting is software, has many modes. There is a remote control.

Advantages:

• Optimal price-quality ratio;
• Made from the highest quality materials;
• A large number of different connectors.

Flaws:

• The settings are not very clear - we recommend reading the instructions for the product first.

Sony BDV-E6100

Onkyo HT-S7805

This home theater package includes a state-of-the-art receiver and a complete set of speakers that supports object-based playback formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The manufacturer managed to achieve a similar effect not only by installing certain decoders in the amplifier, but also by developing special built-in sections in the main pair of speakers responsible for stereo playback. The satellites and subwoofer have quite acceptable overall dimensions, so they can be easily placed in an ordinary living room or in a more compact room. The configuration here is improved 5.1.2, with its help it is possible to achieve a three-dimensional sound space that will be optimally perceived in the central part of the room. The receiver has 8 HDMI inputs at once, and there are two more with support for playback in 4K format and HDCP 2.2 - this will be quite enough for most fans of watching movies in high definition.

The set of analog inputs and outputs is quite familiar; of course, there is a jack for connecting a USB storage device, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless modules are provided. Music can be played not only through networks, but also by connecting to streaming services. The speakers of the central stereo pair have a two-way configuration with bass reflexes. There is also a full-range speaker that is directed upwards.

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Advantages:

• Quite a powerful receiver;
• Support for modern audio formats;
• You can connect a variety of media;
• It is possible to work with streaming services.

Flaws:

• Quite a high cost.

Onkyo HT-S7805

Minus receiver

“WiSA is quickly becoming the new de facto standard in wireless immersive audio,” the association wrote in a press release. Now it’s difficult to say how quickly, but as a fact, this technology claims to be a new standard and may well be successful. After all, she proposes to replace the home theater set in the format “TV/projector + AV receiver + set of acoustics” with a compact combination of the type “TV/projector + set of active acoustics”. As a result, the user will get rid of a bulky AV receiver and a bundle of speaker cables.

All speakers, like the subwoofer, are, of course, active; they receive the signal from a small central WiSA unit via wireless communication (and we wrote above that there are already options built directly into the TV), the acoustics only require power. But for many people, plugging a plug into the nearest outlet is easier than pulling an acoustic cable across the room to an AV receiver located somewhere near the front wall.

In addition, not just a home theater - in an interview with Sound&Vision, WiSA Association President Tony Ostrom Fr.