Home Theater Speakers: Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentHome Theater magazine covers a wide range of speaker systems, from budget alternatives to those that cost as much as a compact car. Regardless of price, speakers are thoroughly tested and analyzed in detailed and fully documented reports. Some technical details will qualify as informational overkill for the less experienced, but conclusions and recommendations are clear. Several home theater speaker packages are awarded the magazine's Top Pick award.

Our AssessmentConsumerReports.org rates nine moderately priced surround-sound (5.1 channels) speaker systems as part of a larger review. An overall rating accompanies a brief breakdown of rating categories, but discussion is woefully thin and the report is growing dated.

Our AssessmentWhat Hi-Fi? is a well-regarded audio publication from Britain. Most of the products reviewed are U.K.-only, but a few of the systems they examine are available in the U.S. as well. One example is the Cambridge Audio Minx S215. The editors call the speakers close to invisible and a good -- though not quite perfect -- choice, especially for listeners with small rooms or small budgets.

Our AssessmentRobert Silva reports on speaker systems, including home theater units, in reviews that vary quite a bit in quality. On the downside, some evaluations aren't much more than product information fortified by Silva's take on how the speakers should perform. Other reviews are fully fleshed out, right down to full details of the test systems used in the review. One of these is Silva's report on the Cambridge Audio Minx S215, which is evaluated using both movies and music. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

Our AssessmentAudioholics.com reviews all manner of speakers, including some home theater packages. Reviews vary greatly in quality. Some are based on manufacturer specifications and the reviewer's opinion of what those mean for the listener. Others are based on extensive formal and auditory testing.

Our AssessmentAVGuide.com is the online home of web-based and print magazines such as The Perfect Vision and The Absolute Sound. Reviews of home theater speakers here are fairly detailed, although very few moderately priced newer systems are covered. Detailed ratings relative to comparably priced home theater speaker systems are provided, and the very best systems are clearly identified with a Recommended tag. However, evaluations are interspersed with reviews of other types of audio/video gear and the site's sorting tools don't do the best job finding the most current reports. Among more moderately priced systems, the Definitive Technology ProCinema 800 gets kudos for performance and value.

Our AssessmentCrutchfield.com's owner-written reviews aren't particularly plentiful, but the site goes above and beyond in providing product information, including detailed descriptions of features and what they mean. Informational articles, like one on good speaker placement, are also helpful. The staff makes selections for budget-friendly, customer-favorite and staff-favorite home theater systems, but doesn't indicate how the recommended speaker systems are chosen.

Our AssessmentJR.com is another retailer site where owners can post reviews of home theater speakers. The amount of commentary is about the same as at Crutchfield.com, but JR.com doesn't have that site's informational articles.