Best Home Theater Speaker System: 5.1.2 to 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos Kits That Match

Two XT60 towers (sold each), the XT30 center, an XT15 surround pair, XT90 Atmos height modules that sit on the towers and the XT12 sub. Polk timbre matches the whole series. That is 7 amplified channels, which any 7 channel receiver below runs.

The XT60 is 86 dB sensitive, so it needs more power than horn speakers: about 60 W peaks for 95 dB at 9 ft and about 600 W for full 105 dB reference peaks. Most living rooms never get near reference level.

R-620F towers, the R-52C center, R-41M surrounds (two pairs for 7.1), R-41SA Atmos elevation speakers and the R-120SW sub. Every speaker uses Klipsch's Tractrix horn tweeter, so they blend as sound pans around the room.

Horns are efficient: the 96 dB R-620F needs about 9 W peaks for 95 dB at 11 ft and about 90 W for full reference, so even a 7 channel receiver runs them loud. 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 means 9 channels; 5.1.2 or 7.1 fits a 7 channel receiver.

In a room you can build out, in-ceiling speakers beat up-firing modules: the sound comes straight down instead of bouncing off the ceiling. Dolby places top front and top rear pairs about 45 degrees up from the main seat; in an 8 ft ceiling that is about 4.5 ft in front of and behind it. For a .2 layout, one pair just in front of the seats.

Two subs, at the middle of the front and back walls or in the front corners, give much more even bass across rows than one, according to Harman's research. A 325 W ported SVS fills a larger room.

One amplified channel per speaker, not counting subs. 5.1.2 and 7.1 need 7. 7.1.2 and 5.1.4 need 9. 7.1.4 needs 11, or a 9 channel receiver plus a 2 channel power amp.

In a room under about 150 sq ft, or where speaker wire is not an option, a soundbar with its own sub does most of the job with one HDMI eARC cable to the TV.