Speaking of the best home theater systems, Nakamichi Shockwafe pro 7.1.4 beats them all. It has the most advanced surround soundbar which gives you the best in terms of clarity, depth, base, and height.
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In the modern world of today, sound systems are very important as we as a species have evolved into loving brilliant sound production, and with rising demand for true surround sound when listening to your favorite music it is important to know and have some knowledge of what to look at for and with this guide we will teach what is what about that.
Having the best 7.1 home theater setups surround sound system (see also the best wireless subwoofers) is best described for audiophiles as the setup that brings you heaven on earth with clarity of the vibrant sound coming at you from all 360 degrees is amazing, audible, and bass from this system brings you a cinematic experience that you’ve never felt before.
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Comparison of the Best 7.1 Home Theater Setups
| Best Overall for 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | Nakamichi Shockwafe Pro 7.1 | See On Amazon |
| Best Bass for 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | KLIPSCH 7.1.2 System | See On Amazon |
| Best for Mobile 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | Samsung Harman Kardon 7.1.4 | See On Amazon |
| Best Premium 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | Fluance Elite SX51BR | See On Amazon |
| Best Baffle Finish 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | Klipsch 7.1 RP-250 | See On Amazon |
| Best Wireless Setups for 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | Axiim Q UHD 7.1 | See On Amazon |
| Best Surround Sound 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | Sony STR-DN1080 | See On Amazon |
| Best Mid-Range 7.1 Home Theater SetupsSee On Amazon |  | Onkyo SKS-HT870 | See On Amazon |
Reviews of the Best 7.1 Home Theater Setups
Connectivity Technology: RCA, HDMI
Speaker type: Soundbar
Brand: Nakamichi
Model Name: Shockwave Pro 7.1 SSE
Audio Output Mode: Surround, Stereo
Its eight sound speakers and rear sound speaker guarantee you maximum surround sound flowing in three dimensional in the room. This allows you to enjoy a 360 degrees Dolby surround flow that hits all corners of the room giving you a cinematic feel and experience. Sound effects are directed to the floor thus allowing maximum distribution and flow of sound in all directions in the room. This ensures sound clarity of music and movies.
It has two-way rear speakers that produce the most powerful bass ever with the support of the inbuilt tweeters that amplify high frequencies to be more clear with the aid of a full-range driver that ensures surround effects are up to industry standards.
This home theater is compatible with all QLEDS HDTVs and OLEDs with the ability to connect up to 6 devices via HDMI ARC 3 HDMI, one optical, and one coaxial input.
Klipsch’s sound system has the best home theater package of all time. It comes with a very nice setup of Dolby Atmos 2 floor standing speakers with an inbuilt elevation channel that is meant to reflect sound off the ceiling.
Brand: Klipsch
Speaker type: Subwoofer, Bookshelf, Center Channel, and Tower
Mounting type: Floor Standing, Bookshelf and Ceiling Mount
Audio Output Mode: Surround, Stereo
Speaker Size: 12 inches
The two standing premier speakers have 10-inch Cerametallic woofers and a Hybrid Tractrix Horn. This brings movie dialogue and music to life and with a great experience.
Also in this setup is one center channel speaker with four 5.25 inch Cerametallic woofers and a Hybrid Tractrix horn, and four bookshelf speakers, 1-inch Titanium tweeter, that delivers credible sound effects that fill your room with superb crystal clear sound and bass incomparable to any other speaker.
This system is perfect and gives you an immersive experience which no other system in the market can offer. It comes with a Dolby Atmos soundbar remote control system, a battery HDMI Cable, and a wall mounting kit that ensures the safety of your sound system. Connectivity to the subwoofer and the rear speaker is through Bluetooth which provides the added benefit of you enjoying music from your mobile devices.
Brand: Samsung
Model Name: Q90R/ZA
Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth
Speaker Type: Soundbar
Its 17 speakers with Dolby Atmos and DTS X-technologies make audio sound evenly distributed in all directions, thus bringing a cinematic experience to the living room. This technology enhances voice clarity on low tone thus adjusting it to be even within the room.
This system is a good component for gamers as it has a game mode pro that supports and boosts game sound and is also perfect for QLED, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X technology with the aid of the soundbar Q90R will walk you through the cinematic and beautiful pictures in your room.
It has a built-in 4K pass that enables connection to UHD 4K and HDR10 sources to give the best audio and video content within the room.
This 7-speaker sound surround system is fairly priced and comes with premium components that ensure sound reproduction within the room. The system comes in a three-way floor-standing tower speaker with in-built high-frequency tweeters, dynamic midrange, and a subwoofer. All these components ensure no sound distortion arises and that surround sound comes out clear and as sharp as possible.
Brand: Fluance
Speaker Type: Subwoofer, Surround, Centre Channel, Tower
Surround Sound: 7.1
Fluance Elite series are highly accurate in surround sound production and with big frequency response and low discords.
Its center channel enables sound radiation and with its rich timber, leads to top surround sound production in music, games, and movies. All these give you the best listening experience to your movies, music, and games as the fluency elite series takes it on another level.
Its MDF wood cabinets are finely designed to produce music naturally thus giving the listener a good experience. All the speakers in this system provide the best output that suits your need no matter at what volume the sound.
The Fluance Elite system produces the best and high sound notes rich in clarity and precision thus allowing you to enjoy your music to the fullest. Its vocals are highly energetic which come from the midrange drivers that aid in the reproduction of fine music within the room. This system is a fit match for your home for its MDF wood design lessens cabinet resonance and the distortion of your favorite music.
This home theater is characterized by the number of speakers it has, being well and nicely packaged with a combination of RP-250 speakers that come with a speaker maximum output power of 500 Watts hence giving crystal clear surround sound.
Speaker type: Standing floor, center channel, subwoofer
Brand: Klipsch
Surround Sound channel: 7.1
Audio output mode: Surround
Speaker maximum power output: 500 Watts
In this package is also included an R-11SW sub, which is no slouch and comes hand in hand with a separate wireless kit hence needs no direct connection to the receiver (see also our receiver recommendations for Klipsch here). The beauty of this system is its baffle finish on the center channel speaker and central speaker.
This wireless home theater series comes in a package of 1 UHD wireless media center, 1 center speaker, 2 tower speakers, 4 bookshelf speakers, and one 10 inch subwoofer. All these components make the Axiim 7.1 WM series a very powerful system which therefore produces the best and most stunning surround sound with clarity and precision.
Using 2018 CES Award-winning Axiim Q 4K UltraHD technology, you will be able to hear clarity and power with stunning sound. The home theater can be set up within a matter of minutes without the need to run the speaker wire, which makes this a good option for wireless setups.
The Axiim 7.1 WM supports multiple audio formats which include Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD master audio. In addition, it has 6 different HDMI inputs and its own HDMI output for TV support. The Axiim is compatible with its own native IOS and Android mobile app. Its WM loudspeakers use WiSA compliant audio connection thus no need to have speaker wires.
This home theater channel features flexible speaker solutions with DTS:X and Dolby Atmos technology with the STR-DN1080 enabling reproduction of great surround sound with the cinematic experience. Its 4K pass-through allows data to pass through without distortion of image quality, the surround sound is incorporated with many audio decoders, as this makes for an easy experience to full 360 degrees surround sound.
Brand: Sony
Connectivity Technology: Wired
Control Type: Voice Control
Another great feature of this series is the voice control which allows you to control Sony’s audio products. This feature also serves as security to this product as it cannot be operated on without a password on a google home account.
The system also comes in hand with Sony 7.2 Dolby Atmos wifi network, receiver, Atmos-enabled speakers, 3 driver bookshelf speakers, 3 driver center channel speakers,
10-inch subwoofer, and 2 stereo floor standing speakers.
The Onkyo SKS-HT870 gives you the best audio impact in movies, games, and music. It features a pair of dual-drive 130 watts total output, 2-floor standing speakers meant for visual and aural impact, and a subwoofer. These features allow you to enjoy the surround sound of the system to the fullest.
Brand: Onkyo
Model Name: SKS-HT870
Speaker Type: Floor standing, Subwoofer.
Audio output mode: Surround Sound
The SKS-HT780 is one of the best mid-range speaker sets and gives you the bang for your buck. The system is THX certified, meaning you are assured of quality and that you are hearing the audio as the media producer intends for you to hear it. Moreover, this system is compatible with the Onkyo RZ A/V receiver, which allows you to enhance your experience even further.
What to look for when selecting the best home theater
There are some basic considerations to look out for before, during, and after the purchase of your sound system, things such as;
Setup
The setup of your home theater should be unambiguous irrespective of the home theater system you choose, it should be super easy to set up.
A home theater using an HDMI cable only requires plugging in and then switching on the system. The setup should include everything including, remote, consumer manuals, warranty, and all cables needed to make the set up complete.
Price
The prices are distinctive between each sound system. As a consumer, it is important to lodge at the back of your mind the price of a home theater system that suits you best. A 7.1 home theater sound system is priced high compared to a 5.1 home theater sound system.
Your budget is a major determinant of your purchasing power which allows you to make the best decision and it is of great essence in determining the taste of a home theater you want.
One major reason for the pricing of such a system is the cost of the components associated with the product such as its connectors, audio technology, build design, and the number of speakers.
Warranty
Ensure you are given the warranty to cover your system for at least six months. In case of any technical hitch, you will be compensated or replace the faulty system with another home theater system.
You’re required to be keen on details provided in the warranty before signing any agreement. The best warranty option is to make sure it covers your home theater for a longer period or at the most, the life period of your home theater.
In case of any default, return the faulty system for replacement as this should be done within the time frame written in the warranty.
A warranty also shows how trusted a brand is to its consumers as no brand would wish to lose its market share as a result of improper service of its customers’ warranty.
Design and components
Most 7.1 surround home theater systems are designed with excellence in mind but as consumer tastes are different so there is a variety of systems with different components installed in them such as HDMI cable, receivers, Amplifiers, Cables, and interconnections, therefore making a wise decision as to which design suits you better be it a system that can be wall-mounted, or in-ceiling system (see also the best in-ceiling speakers here), or external speakers compatible with bluetooth connectivity. Each choice of a given connection of the speakers has its ups and downs.
For example, embedded speakers are ideal for those having a shortage of space, also external speakers can and will produce thunderous bass, which is super-accurate as this is enhanced by the built-in full-range drivers of the 7.1 and the 5.1 home theater system, the former appears to be the best due to its additional components and serves well in a large room to bring clarity of the music with precision. The 7.1 setup has more speakers than the 5.1, which also means the former is better suited for large venues and large rooms.
Sound Quality
There are a lot of factors that impact the sound quality of the systems which is what our experts will explore in this section. Some of what we will cover include the digital audio technologies in surround speakers and the placement and how it impacts audio performance and quality.
Surround Sound
Get a super home theater that offers you the best surround sound, clear and with good bass that suits your needs. It is important to get a product that makes you happy and satisfies your sound hunger, therefore, have some patience in sampling sounds produced by different systems before purchase.
You might also want to know the difference between surround sound and stereo.
Audio technology
Choose the best technology that will reproduce the most powerful sound range from the loudspeaker. Dolby Atmos technology is undoubtedly the most renowned in this category.
Room acoustics and size
Another important factor to consider is the dimensions of your floor, ceilings, the walls, as well as the furniture and other fittings. A room-sized 350sq feet and above is preferable for your choice of the home theater system. A bigger room with a high ceiling is good for your home to have a great sound experience. With the help of acoustic technology, you’ll be directed where best to place your center speaker for maximum surround sound production.
Compatible connections
Consider getting compatible connectors for a smooth setup of your 7.1 home theater sound system, AV receiver, HDMI connection cable and your home theater system speakers upgrade to plug and play mode.
We also have an article here on how to connect soundbar to TV without optical cable.
Number of channels/speakers
Does your choice of the home theater well suit your room? Surround sound should come from all corners. Therefore, select a system that will serve you best, with the maximum number of speakers for your room.
When you need to add additional stereo speakers, I recommend that you use an HDMI audio extractor. This can improve your listening experience very significantly.
FAQs
What is a 7.1 surround sound system?
This is a home theater system that has seven speakers and a subwoofer; as these are a center channel, a subwoofer, two surround sound speakers, two front speakers, and two rear surround speakers, all these components are what make a 7.1 home theater surround system.
Is 7.1 surround sound the best?
The 7.1 system is a superb system. As consumers, we have a variety of tastes and preferences, but we believe that this brand of Home Theater Surround sound system will meet the desires of the majority of customers. This system is meant for large rooms where its sound output is of great quality, when compared to a 5.1 system, it is truly the best.
A 7.1 system is expertly designed with a great finish that enhances its sound delivery making it have thunderous sound production, hence, bringing the best music experience.
Sound production is clear and comes from all directions due to the high number of speakers placed at corners or ceiling from above or mounted to the wall.
This system varies in price, but that is nothing compared to the quality of surround sound output that the 7.1 system produces.
Is 7.1 or Dolby Atmos better?
Dolby Atmos adds overhead sound and with the aid of its calibration software makes the sound deeper compared to the 7.1 system.
Is a 7.1 system worth it?
YES. It is a great system with great features any consumer may desire.
What is the difference between 5.1 and 7.1 systems?
7.1 systems are the better surround sound compared to a 5.1 surround. A 7.1 system has 2 more channel components than a 5.1 sound system hence suggesting that it’s a powerful system compared to the latter. A 7.1 sound system is better suited to large rooms with adequate space to accommodate all the components.
Does 7.1 surround sound do anything?
Yes. It allows you to visualize an object’s position with sound.
Conclusion
Sometimes, price is not the only determining factor as other systems will fit in perfectly with your existing setup if you know what you are looking for in particular. Remember to always go for what will serve you best to meet your expectations.