Many home theatre buyers wonder which one is the best. But it can be hard to pinpoint one theatre system for all shoppers as “the best.” Instead, it is wise to enlist the help of experts in your area who can guide you through a home theatre installation that provides the specific benefits you seek.

Smartspacehomeautomation.ca is a good example of this type of service, one that customizes each theatre system to the homeowners’ unique space and needs. After all, a great theatre experience is more than just a big screen and sound. It should also consider lighting, seating, climate and other smart controls just as important. That is why we turned to their experts for some advice on one great home theatre system to recommend for the mainstream shopper, your theatre site unseen.

Criteria for the Best Home Theatre

Obviously, there must be some criteria for selecting one theatre system for all homes. Although one size does not fit all, our choice has to fulfill basic needs across all categories and do so while providing an enjoyable theatre experience.

The clearest need for a theatre system is a good television or projector with a screen. That is individual to your wall space and budget. But you also need multi-dimensional surround sound. You should feel your entertainment experience as much as you see and hear it. That is achieved through high-quality audio. This is why a top-quality home theatre installation focuses heavily on the audio components, the bulk of what our best pick includes, here.

Your theatre audio must include a great receiver designed specifically for the home theatre environment. You also need speakers, including a front set of a center, left and right speaker. This set is supplemented by a rear collection of right and left speakers. Special effect or “height speakers” are critical to the fully immersive experience, particularly for Dolby Atmos, along with one or two subwoofers.

Here is the breakdown of what your home theatre installation needs, beyond the screen and video source:

• Home theatre receiver
• Front center speaker
• Front right speaker
• Front left speaker
• Rear right speaker
• Rear left speaker
• Special effect or height speakers
• One to two subwoofers

Our Pick for Best Home Theatre: Sonos Arc 5.1 System

Everything is “smart” these days, putting more control in your hands for the least disruption to your entertainment experience. Our choice for the best home theatre is really smart in a multitude of ways.

This system includes:

• Arc wireless sound bar with Dolby Atmos
• Apple Airplay 2
• Built-in voice control
• SUB wireless subwoofer (generation 3)
• Two OneSL speakers
• Power cords
• HDMI cable
• Colour options of black or white

This system is almost fully wireless. Only the main power and HDMI output are corded. This means you have no bird’s nest of cords to hide. It also features the Sonos app, widely considered the top in the industry. Standard is Apple Airplay 2 on this system that streams virtually everything you need through over 50 music services. You can also integrate Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control.

Like any home theatre system, this one requires a financial investment. But you will certainly get your money’s worth. The price is just under $2000.

Other Great Home Theatre-in-a-Box Options

If buying a home theatre in a box is your preference, consider these other top-quality options available on the mass market:

• Bose Soundbar 700 with Bass Module 700 and Surround Wireless Speakers, with leading wireless capabilities
• SVS Prime Satellite 5.1 Package, for small rooms
• Klipsch 7.2.2 Reference Premiere Home Theater System, top among Dolby Atmos options
• Focal Chora 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos Home Theater System, top-notch surround sound