What home theatre system should you choose?

published 15 August 2013

Sony BDV-N7100W

Consisting of a 3D Blu-Ray player, 5.1 surround sound speaker system and a bunch of connected features, this package from Sony is a great way to turn your lounge into a mini cinema. Each speaker produces a 1,000 watt of hi-fi quality audio – free of distortion, while the 4K upscaling tech makes sure your movies look as good as they sound. There's NFC support, full access to Sony's Entertainment Network and it wins a few points in the style stakes as well.

Price: £649 | Sony

LG BH9430PW

While the yellow coloured, Amarid Fiber speakers may not be to everyone's taste, this system from LG definitely packs a punch in both the features and audio departments. There is LG Smart TV functions, 3D Blu-Ray playback, Ultra HD up-scaling and it can even convert 2D content to 3D – proving this system is truly high-end. Standing 130cm tall, the two main speakers have a domineering presence, while the audio comes from 9.1 channel CINEMA Sound, which incorporates nine speakers and a subwoofer.

Price: £699 | LG

Panasonic SC-BTT460

This bargain priced home cinema system is a great choice if you're looking to beef up your living room audio, yet don't want to spend big bucks. It's a pretty feature packed piece of kit, with Blu-Ray, 3D and a selection of TV streaming and film on-demand services. Cinema Surround tech sends sound through 30 real and virtual speakers, filling the room with pretty impressive audio, while a LincsD-Amp aids in reducing pesky distortion. There's support for DNLA streaming, along with a nifty iOS and Android app that can replace your remote.

Price: £350 | Panasonic

Pioneer BCS-SB626

This system ditches a large amount of speakers that need to be placed around your room, replacing them with a simple soundbar, 3D Blu-Ray player and 2.1 virtual 3D surround sound support. There's a cradle made specifically to dock your iPhone, Bluetooth, DLNA streaming and, of course, a microphone input for karaoke. If you're a fan of singing along to 70's ballads, this is the system for you. Audio wise, this set-up sounds crisp and detailed – though it does lack online streaming content when compared to its rivals.

Price: £349.99 | Pioneer

Samsung HT-F9750W

Samsung's latest home cinema system flagship comes with a whole host of features in tow, along with a rather high price-tag as-well. Their Smart TV platform is among the best, with everything from iPlayer to archive BFI footage included – so it's great to see it here, as is the 4K up-scaling tech. A GaN amp ensures audio quality is impressive, whilst giving a natural and distortion free sound. 3D Blu-Ray playback, DNLA streaming and Bluetooth are all present too, which should be expected at this price-point.

Price: £1,499 | Samsung