SPEAKER PACKAGES
GOOD SURROUND-SOUND IS A MOVIE-MAGIC MUST
Wharfedale DX-3 HCP £499
Best speaker package under £500, Awards 2023 ★★★★★
The DX-3 HCP delivers sound above and beyond what most soundbars are capable of while being half the price of most models that we recommend. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 12 x 31 x 12 cm Finishes 2
Q Acoustics 3010i 5.1 Cinema Pack £895
Best speaker package £500-£1000, Awards 2020 ★★★★★
The subwoofer needs a bit more kick, but this fantastic sub-£1000 5.1 package delivers a clear, well-balanced and expressive performance. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 15 x 43 x 22 cm Finishes 4
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP £999
Best speaker package £500-£1000, Awards 2023 ★★★★★
Large enough to provide cinematic scale with a wide soundfield, but affordable enough to be accessible, this is a fine choice for music and film. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 15 x 43 x 22 cm Finishes 4
Sony HT-A9 £1159
January 2021 ★★★★★
Successfully combines the ease and streaming features of a soundbar with the consistency and immersion of a traditional surround package.
Size (hwd) Speakers 31 x 16 x 15cm Finishes 1
Q Acoustics 3050i 5.1 Cinema Pack £1275
Best speaker package £1000-£1500, Awards 2021 ★★★★★
Add in floorstanders to the above, and this speaker package hits the sweet spot with an infectiously musical and powerful performance. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 15 x 43 x 22 cm Finishes 4
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 HCP £1299
Best speaker package £1000-£1500, Awards 2023 ★★★★★
Wharfedale’s Diamond 12 range delivers another top performance with this dapper 5.1 package that’s mature, stylish and practical.
Size (hwd) Centre speaker 18 x 48 x 21cm Finishes 4
Elac Debut 2.0 5.1 Home Theatre System £1499
October 2019 ★★★★★
This Elac package is a real match-winner, whether for your two-channel or the full surround. You’ll be hard pushed to find better at this price. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 18 x 54 x 22cm Finishes 1
“What’s astonishing is the realism of the soundscape – a delightfully balanced audio image that lets the equipment melt away”
Dali Oberon5 5.1 £1699
Best speaker package £1500-£2000, Awards 2023 ★★★★★
These are clever performers: lean, attractive, interesting and unfussy. And those words stand for both the aesthetics and the acoustics. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 16 x 44 x 30cm Finishes 4
Q Acoustics 5040 5.1 Home Cinema
February 2024 ★★★★★
Q Acoustics has delivered an excellent home cinema package for those who value convenience and an exciting, lively sound.
Size (hwd) Centre speaker 16 x 43 x 24cm Finishes 2
Bowers & Wilkins 606 & 607 S3 £2496
Best speaker package over £2000, Awards 2023 ★★★★★
We are taken aback by how good this package sounds as a whole. Clear, detailed, rich and dynamic – this speaker system ticks all of our boxes. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 16 x 48 x 25.5cm Finishes 3
Wharfedale Evo 4.4 5.1 £2799
Best speaker package over £2500, Awards 2022 ★★★★★
Large it may be, but packed as it is with sophisticated speaker technology, we think the Evo 4.4 5.1 system represents superb value for money.
Size (hwd) Centre speaker 25 x 75 x 35cm Finishes 3
ATC C1 5.1 £3595
Awards 2016 ★★★★★
We’d like a bit more authority in the bass, but we’re delighted by the detailed, agile sound, focused surround steering and power on offer. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 16 x 41 x 28cm Finishes 2
PMC Twenty5.23 5.1 £10,290
Best speaker package over £5000, Awards 2019 ★★★★★
Analytical and fun in equal measure, this gorgeous PMC system – also our current reference speaker package – is entirely worth the high asking price. Size (hwd) Centre speaker 17 x 55 x 31cm Finishes 4