Home theater systems can easily cost thousands of dollars, even if you set up the equipment yourself. If you add a professional custom installer to the equation, you can quickly run into five- or six-figure prices.
However, it doesn’t have to be this way. You can build a home theater system with a large-screen 4K TV, surround sound, streaming service connectivity and the smart TV platform of your choice. Here’s how to do it in three easy steps.
1. Start with TV: Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, Hisense U6N or Roku Plus Series
Hisense 65U6N (Credit: Will Greenwald)
You should aim for a large television as the centerpiece of your home theater. However, big is relative, given that you can now find screens as large as 75, 85, or even 100-plus inches. For the best balance of size and price, go with a 65-inch model. This size is one of the most common for TVs and gives you the widest selection of choices.
If you temper your expectations, there are some good brands for affordable TVs. Many companies offer 65-inch screens for less than $500, but those models aren’t necessarily the best choices. You shouldn’t skimp on picture quality if you want to really enjoy your home cinema, so here’s where you should spend a little within your budget, if possible.
We recommend a TV in the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED, Hisense U6N or Roku Plus lineups. They all offer fantastic colors that rival much more expensive models, though the Hisense beats the other two when it comes to lighting by a landslide and is our overall budget pick. Amazon and Roku TVs are slightly cheaper alternatives that are significantly dimmer, but they may be more suitable for you if you prefer the Fire TV or Roku TV smart TV platforms over the U6N’s Google TV. The Roku Plus offers the added bonus of optional surround sound upgrades for cheap (more on audio in the next section).
The 55-inch versions of these three TVs retail for $450 to $650, but if you look for sales, you can find 65-inch models in that range, usually during shopping holidays like Black Friday and Prime Minister’s Day. If you go the Amazon or Roku route, be sure to look for the Fire TV Omni QLED and not just the Fire TV Omni, or the Roku Plus and not the Roku Select. Cheaper models have much worse picture quality, and the low-end Roku doesn’t support Roku wireless surround sound.
2. Upgrade your audio: Go with Roku or Vizio for Big Sound
Vizio 2.1 Soundbar (Credit: Will Greenwald)
Most TVs have mediocre speakers, so you should buy a soundbar to dramatically improve the volume and audio quality of your home theater. However, if you want to stay within budget, your options will be limited.
The biggest benefit of an affordable soundbar is increased power, especially at the low end of the frequency spectrum. For that, we recommend the Vizio 2.1 Soundbar, a $170 package that includes a subwoofer. The soundbar itself is a simple stereo speaker that won’t drastically improve your audio quality, but the wireless subwoofer delivers some couch-shaking thunder that your TV on its own won’t be able to provide.
Getting surround sound is a more expensive option, and you won’t get any height channels for spatial audio, while keeping the total price for your home theater under $1,000. This is where you might want to consider the dimmer Roku Plus Series TV over the Hisense U6N, because it can work with Roku’s wireless speakers for an inexpensive surround sound experience. The Roku Wireless 2.0-Channel Soundbar ($150) sounds a bit better and more powerful than the aforementioned Vizio 2.1 soundbar. You can pair it with the $130 Roku Wireless Bass or the larger $180 Roku Wireless Bass Pro subwoofer for more bang, along with the $150 Roku Wireless speakers as rear surrounds for a 4.1-channel experience.
The best affordable soundbars
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (Credit: Will Greenwald)
If you still have cable or plan to stream everything over Wi-Fi, you can probably stop reading now. All the TVs we recommend have fully functional streaming platforms that enable you to access almost every major service.
However, your TV’s streaming platform may not have every feature or service you want. Amazon Fire TV and Google TV are the best-equipped platforms, both with excellent voice assistants (Alexa or Google Assistant, respectively). Google TV supports Google Cast for local streaming, and some TV manufacturers that use the platform, such as Hisense, add AirPlay streaming support. Amazon Fire TV is just as robust as Google TV in apps, services, and voice control, but it doesn’t support AirPlay or Google Cast. Roku TV has AirPlay, but no Google Cast, and its voice search function isn’t as good as Alexa or Google Assistant.
Different platforms also have different interfaces and don’t include content in their menu systems in the same way, so you may want to get a separate media streamer that best suits your needs. Two of the top three options cost less than $50. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Roku Streaming Stick 4K are both available and can add Fire TV or Roku platforms to your TV, respectively. However, the sticks don’t have a hands-free voice assistant or search. The $100 Google TV streamer doesn’t support hands-free Google Assistant or Apple AirPlay, so it’s not as budget-friendly or attractive.
If you want to use Roku-based surround sound, be aware: You can’t do this with a Roku Streaming Stick. Roku wireless audio devices only work with Roku TVs, not Roku media streamers, so you can’t take a non-Roku TV and use everything through the stick.
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The best home theater setups for your budget
You can mix and match home theater components to your heart’s content, but we’ve put together some recommendations for what you can get for under $1,000. Just note that these recommendations are based on list prices as of this writing and may fluctuate.
If you prioritize picture quality and screen size ($970)
With this combination, you get a big, bright picture and powerful sound. This sound is in stereo with the Vizio 2.1 Soundbar, but the subwoofer will really enhance the experience.
If surround sound is a must ($950)
This package unlocks true surround sound, though you’ll have to make concessions on the size of the TV or spend a little more than $1,000 if you can’t find any of the components for sale. The 55-inch Roku Plus Series TV needed to drive the wireless speakers costs $500, while the 65-inch model is $600 and the three speaker products total $430. However, these can often be found at a discount.
How to make everything you watch look and sound its best
Once your home theater is up and running, you’ll want to make sure everything looks and sounds as good as possible.
Fortunately, you don’t need professional calibration to get the best picture from your TV. Follow these steps to adjust simple settings that will make your movies, shows, and even games look better than ever.
Whether you’re using a single wireless speaker or a multi-channel home theater setup, how you place your speakers can have a big impact on how they sound. Check out our tips for the best possible audio quality.
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About Will Greenwald
Principal Analyst, Consumer Electronics
