When shopping for the ideal audio system for your home, there are a few factors you should take into account. These include sound quality, speakers and additional features like voice assistants.

You can opt for a wireless set-up, which eliminates wires and keeps your room tidy. However, keep in mind that it may not be as reliable as a wired connection, making it unsuitable for watching movies.

Sony HT-S493OUBL

If you’re looking to upgrade your home audio system without skimping on features, the Sony HT-S493OUBL offers excellent sound quality at an attractive price point. Its 2.1 channel design lets you play a wide range of content including streaming videos and music files with ease.

Its X-Balanced Speaker Units deliver louder subbass, better vocal clarity and lower distortion, as well as a wider soundstage due to its rectangular shape. Plus, there’s also a room correction feature which analyzes your home acoustics and adjusts the bar’s output accordingly.

When it comes to surround sound, the HT-A7000 supports all common formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. But it has one special trick up its sleeve: its vertical surround engine allows any audio content to take advantage of up to 7.1.2 channels.

That’s especially helpful when watching movies in formats like Dolby Atmos, where objects can seemingly emerge from nowhere and give the listener a multidimensional sense of realism. For instance, in Dune, the ornithopters had their directional effects spread across the soundstage with remarkable accuracy and presence.

The HT-A7000 supports Sony 360 Reality Audio, a virtual Dolby Atmos mix designed to give you an immersive sense of space around you. Plus, it has S-Force Pro Front Surround, an always-on surround mode which employs psychoacoustics principles to further widen the soundstage.

By default, its default settings provide balanced mids and treble for clear dialogue and instruments onscreen. While its low bass isn’t quite as powerful as the HT-G700’s, you can add a wireless subwoofer to amp up that bass response.

With so much power at your disposal, you can expect a spacious soundstage almost as wide as your TV screen – an enormous improvement over traditional soundbars which usually cover less than half of it.

At our tests, we played a variety of movies and music on the HT-A7000, from blockbusters to streaming films. We also tested out Immersive AE (Top and Side Firing Drivers) which expands soundstage with Atmos audio as well as stereo audio. This enveloping realism was especially apparent when listening to Atmos content or other object based media but it’s equally effective when listening to stereo audio.

Bose Wave SoundTouch

If you’re searching for an excellent audio system for your home, Bose Wave SoundTouch is one option worth considering. It is part of their extensive line of wireless products and it can play music across multiple rooms using one network connection.

The Wave SoundTouch from Bose boasts exclusive technologies that deliver powerful audio in any room of your house. Plus, its slim design makes it ideal for smaller spaces like nightstands or kitchen tabletops, offering plenty of room to move.

This Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled speaker allows you to stream your favorite music services on-the-go, plus it works with an app for remote control of the system from anywhere in your house.

SoundTouch app makes it easy to access your music library, Internet radio stations and streaming services like Spotify and Deezer from one convenient place. Plus, you can create presets so you always have easy access to the songs you love most!

Amazon Echo Dot voice integration now lets you control the music without ever lifting a finger – start playing a playlist in the kitchen, turn up the volume or ask what’s playing.

The Wave SoundTouch is an ideal option if you need a reliable system that can accommodate various music formats, from CDs to digital files. Plus, it’s one of the few systems we’ve seen without needing an external speaker in order to fully utilize its features.

This system comes with an infrared remote that you can use to navigate radio and CDs, as well as connect other devices. It also has dual alarms, making it ideal for couples who have different schedules and must wake up at different times.

SoundTouch app for smartphones and tablets allows you to customize the listening experience with personalized favorites, streaming music, and Internet radio stations. Plus it features six programmable presets so that no music is missed out on. Plus you can use voice commands from your phone’s microphone to playback and control music directly.

Yamaha YHT-4930UBL

If you’re searching for an excellent home audio system at an affordable price point, the Yamaha YHT-4930UBL is worth considering. This complete package includes an AV receiver, surround speakers and powered subwoofer so it’s simple to get started with this setup.

This unit boasts the latest video processing, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio for an enhanced sonic experience. Plus, it has wireless streaming capabilities for easier listening convenience.

The YHT-4930UBL is a complete home theater package, including an elegant black gloss 5.1 channel speaker system and powerful 6-1/2″ 100 watt powered subwoofer. Additionally, it includes the receiver and all necessary wires for setup.

This receiver features an enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD master audio, providing unrivaled detail in sound output. Furthermore, it supports AirPlay 2, so you can stream music from your Apple devices directly to the receiver without needing to connect a separate device.

Additionally, its discrete amplifier configuration and low-jitter PLL circuit enhance its sound clarity. Furthermore, it can auto-adjust the dynamic range of audio bitstreams (Dolby Digital or DTS) for optimal performance.

Finally, CINEMA DSP technology brings a movie theater-like audio and visual experience into your home. Utilizing measured sound field data from renowned concert halls and music clubs around the world, this technology reproduces the spaces of an actual theater right in your own living room.

The YHT-4930UBL features a wireless bass module that utilizes Quite Port technology and advanced DSP to reduce distortion, producing clean, strong bass sound. It also comes equipped with an onboard remote control to adjust volume as well as adjust bass and treble settings.

The Yamaha YHT-4930UBL boasts a sleek and stylish design that blends in perfectly with any decor. Plus, it’s lightweight so you can move it around your house easily; plus, its wall mounting capabilities eliminate the need for floor-standing speakers altogether! Available in black or white, you can pick which color best suits your room.

Sharp XL-BH250

The Sharp XL-BH250 is an ideal option for those searching for an affordable home stereo system. It’s small enough to fit in any room and comes packed with plenty of features, including a 5-disc changer, radio and Bluetooth capability.

Additionally, this device supports NFC technology, so it will automatically pair with any wireless device that has this feature. Furthermore, you can use a 3.5mm audio cable for non-Bluetooth devices as well.

The XL-BH250 boasts two 4″ speakers each capable of producing 25W RMS power, making them surprisingly loud and capable of filling most rooms with quality audio.

Another advantage is its remote control, so you don’t need to get up from your chair to change discs or navigate menus. Plus, you can use it for volume adjustment and track skipping if desired.

If you appreciate CDs and want a home stereo system that will play them, the Sharp XL-BH250 is an ideal option. It features a 5-disc changer, digital AM/FM tuner and 40 preset channels.

It is compatible with all CD-R, CD-RW, WMA and MP3 formats. Furthermore, it features Bluetooth capability which enables you to stream music from either iOS or Android device.

The receiver is well designed and straightforward to operate. There’s a large rotary control on the front that makes volume adjustment much simpler.

Finally, the XL-BH250 features a sleek black design that complements most decors. Plus, its removable grilles make cleaning simple – no more streaky surfaces!

The XL-BH250 is one of the top home stereo systems on the market and it’s affordable too. It can handle large rooms without worrying about speakers bouncing around too much, plus it has Bluetooth and NFC technology so you can stream your favorite tunes from any place in your house.