The thought of getting a surround sound system made up of separate speakers can be daunting and, to many, may seem expensive. But I've been scouring for deals and I've found a real winner at Best Buy.
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You can pick up a 5.1.2 channel Dolby Atmos surround sound system for $1,764.94 at Best Buy. This deal is made up of the Sony CS lineup of speakers, including floorstanding, centre, surround and Atmos height speakers, as well as a subwoofer, the Sony STR-AN1000 7.2 channel AV Receiver, which support both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. I've listed all the individual components and respective deals below.
Considering some of the best soundbars will set you back nearly $2,000, this is a fantastic way to get a separate system for your home, and after kitting out our testing lab with a surround sound system after using a soundbar, I can attest to it being a serious upgrade.
If you don't already, you'll also need speaker cable, which you can check out at Best Buy here! There's plenty of options to suit different budgets, and the cost will depend on how much you need.
Sony 5.1.2 channel surround system: quick links
Today's best Sony surround sound deal
The importance of upgraded sound
For some time now, we've been using a Samsung HW-Q990C 11.1.4 channel soundbar system as our reference audio setup, primarily for testing 4K Blu-rays as part of the Blu-ray Bounty and to compare to other soundbars.
Recently however, we changed to separates surround sound system, consiting of standalone speakers. This includes the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) 603 S3 floorstanders (for front channels) B&W 607 S3 bookshelves (for surrounds), a B&W HTM6 S3 centre speaker and a B&W ASW610 subwoofer. This is all powered by the Denon AVC-3900H AV 9.4 channel receiver.
Comparing the Denon and B&W system to the Samsung soundbar, it was clear just how much of an upgrade a full separates system was. Watching the Batmobile chase from , I heard new detail through both the 603 S3 front speakers and 607 S3 surrounds I'd never heard before, such as the rattling of leaves under the chassis of the Batmobile.
Atmos-based effects were realistic and added to the immersion, with the trajectory of a bullet spray or the swerving tires mapped with pinpoint precision to the right channel. Sound travelled from speaker to speaker during sweeping camera shots, creating a full 360-dome effect.
But really, it was the power of the Denon and B&W system that impressed. The subwoofer delivered serious heft that shook the room with every impact and explosion, while front channels delivered plenty of crunch during the chaotic and car-crash filled scene.
While the Samsung soundbar was very good, this setup made me realise just how big a difference a separates system can make, giving every element room to breathe. The Sony package above may not be as premium as our reference Denon and B&W system, but the principle is the same: separate speakers, more detail. And considering the Sony's soundbar-rivaling price, this is a fantastic deal. Now, let's see if I can fit it in my apartment...
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James is the TV Hardware Staff Writer at TechRadar. Before joining the team, he worked at a major UK based AV retailer selling TV and audio equipment, where he was either telling customers the difference between OLED and QLED or being wowed by watching a PS5 run on the LG 65G2. When not writing about the latest TV tech, James can be found gaming, reading, watching rugby or coming up with another idea for a novel.