Home Theater Systems With Less Wire™

"Wireless" home theater  When it comes to home theater, there is no such thing as a 100% wireless home theater system! Instead, this website showcases the best home theater in a box and component audio systems that require less wire to properly set up than the "conventional" hard-wired 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound speaker systems. Even the ultra-stylish $1800 Panasonic SC-ZT1_wireless home theater system pictured to the right requires AC power for each of the four super-slim floor speakers and the AV receiver/transmitter.

"Wireless" surround sound speakers on this site refers to being able to "wirelessly" connect the two side/rear surround effects speakers to the rest of the 5.1 channel home theater system without needing to run/ fish/ hide long speaker wires from the back of the home theater AV receiver across the room to the two rear surrounds. Usually each of the other speakers (left, center, right, and sub) are connected to the receiver with speaker wire and a subwoofer cable. This type of wireless home theater system utilizes a wireless transmitter and receiver that requires access to an AC outlet located behind your seating area for actually powering the rear speakers.

A virtual surround sound system attempts to create much of the excitement of a "conventional" 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound speaker system without the need for purchasing and wiring for six or eight separate speakers.

2.1 speakers refers to a sound system with a matched pair of stereo speakers that are typically placed or wall-mounted to the left and right sides of, or directly below, your television screen, plus a (powered) subwoofer for producing the deep bass, and some form of virtual surround digital audio processing technology. A 2.1 speaker system lacks the center channel speaker and rear surround speakers of a 5.1 system.

1.1 speakers, then, is a single long/thin "sound bar" speaker that is designed to virtually disappear from view when placed or wall-mounted directly below or above your television screen, plus a subwoofer for bass. A 1.1 system eliminates the left and right front and rear speakers all together!