Last Updated on May 25, 2023 by Waino Miller
No Surround Sound Setup Is Complete Without Them
Best Satellite Speakers: When it comes to home theaters, people generally want the best. With good reason. It is nice to be able to sit at home and listen to music or your favorite movies and feel as though you are surrounded by sound.
In its most basic form, setting up a surround sound system will require approximately five speakers. They include the front speakers, which should be on the left and right near the front of the room. Then, you add in the surround speakers which go to the sides of your seating area and behind them. The center channel speaker should be placed between the left and right speakers. It is responsible for reproducing dialog when you are watching a movie. As a final step in creating the ultimate system, you can add amplifiers and subwoofers if you choose to.
Each part of the process beyond the original five is going to be optional. Some satellite speakers need it and others may perform well enough without it. To help you get started planning for the best setup for your home, we have searched for the best satellite speakers.
Our 3 Top Picks
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VIDBOX Video Conversion Suite
Brand - Polk Audio
Speaker Type Satellite
Color - Black
Easy to Setup
Item Weight 6 pounds
JBL Professional JBL Control 52
Brand - JBL Professional
Color - White
Speaker Type Subwoofer
Compact Size
Item Weight 3.56 pounds
Bose 161 speaker system
Brand - Bose
Easy to Install
Great Sound Production
Good for All Sound Needs
Item Weight 8.5 pounds
Our List of the Best Satellite Speakers
1. Polk Audio Signature Satellite Speakers
These Polk speakers promise to deliver a reliable and impressive sound. This is due to their dynamic balance and a 4″ driver along with a 1″ Terylene tweeter dome. They are the perfect blend of passive speakers for your surround sound setup.
In every way, from how they look to how they sound, these are top of the list for creating a theater experience. They are also fully compatible with a variety of setups. These speakers measure 6.1″(D) X 5.4″(W) X 8.4″(H) and have an overall frequency of 67 Hz-40 kHz. Their sensitivity is 87dB.
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Conclusion: With a name like Polk, most people expect high-quality speakers. These are no exceptions. They are awesome according to most people. However, they do miss some of the lower-spectrum sounds. This could be because of their size. If you want that, you may need to consider this as a possible downside.
2. Monoprice 5.1 Channel Home Theater Satellite Speakers and Subwoofer
This 5.1-channel home theater system has four satellite speakers with 3″ cones and a 1/2-in dome tweeter. The center channel speaker has 3″ cones. This provides mid and high-range audio with ease. You top it off with an 8-in subwoofer and even lower frequencies are covered.
All in total, these 8-ohm speakers can handle up to 125 watts of power at frequencies from 150Hz to 20kHz. The subwoofer alone is powered by a 60-watt amp and a downward-firing 8″ cone. It handles 50 Hz to 250 Hz and features crossovers and volume balance controls.
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Conclusion: These satellite speakers are a great fit for most people since they do provide such high-quality sound. However, there are many who say that after a year or two of use, the subwoofer may start to have issues. If you feel you will want an upgrade by then you will love these. If you want your forever-ish speakers, you may want to consider other options.
3. Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800
This little home entertainment speaker is only 8 inches tall, but it still packs a powerful punch. It has 4-1/2 BDSS driver that is coupled with a 4-1/2 pressure-driven planar, and a 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter. Altogether, it means awesome audio and powerful bass sounds. You can set this speaker on a shelf or mount it to the wall. It can also be mounted on the ceiling. There is a keyhole slot to ensure that it will stay mounted anywhere. If you want to amp up the sound, you can use the ProCenter 2000 center channel, a ProSub subwoofer, and the 4-8 ProMonitor 800 speakers.
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Conclusion: Most everyone who hears this little speaker says it is awesome in every way. However, there are others who say that it is missing something. They feel it has very little to no bass. Deciding who to believe is a choice that only you can make.
4. Fluance SXBP2 Home Theater Bipolar Surround Sound Speakers
Fluance provides you with a speaker setup that can create a movie theater effect using immersive bipolar surrounds. This means that it will create the optimum surround imaging so that things sound natural. They have a sensitivity of 88db and a frequency response of 130Hz-20KHz.
They are expertly crafted with MDF wood cabinetry. This reduces resonance. You can choose the color you want for your home. Options include black ash, natural walnut, or white.
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Conclusion: If you want high-quality sound, these speakers could be ideal for you. They perform well according to most people and have great sound. They are a little difficult to mount and have odd keyholes. It simply depends on what you are willing to deal with.
5. Bose 161 speaker system
These speakers are able to keep up with whatever you choose to enjoy. This includes music and movies, both of which will have a clear sound. They can mount on the wall (wall speaker) or stationed on a bookshelf. If necessary, you can even mount them near your television because they are magnetically shielded. One of the things that makes these speakers sound so good is the articulated array design that precisely positions the drivers in a consistent sound field.
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Conclusion: There are many people who simply love Bose speakers. They would say that these are the reason why. High quality in a small package. However, there are others who disagree and feel that they could be so much better.
6. Dayton Audio SAT-BK 3-3 Audio MC2.5B
These mini cube speakers are designed to impress. They feature a dual pivoting array so that you can aim them in any direction, even if they are mounted on the wall. This speaker contains a 4.5-inch driver with a rubber surround. They are also covered with a metal grill. They have an RMS power of 60 watts.
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Conclusion: When you want cute speakers that blend in with your home’s decor, these can be a great addition. They also sound great, which is a double bonus. The downside is that though they can install easily, not all wiring setups will work easily. This could be a problem if you already have everything set the way you want it.
7. Cambridge Minx Min 12 Satellite Speakers
This speaker features easy-to-use terminals, which makes them great for people who would rather keep it simple. They implement 4th generation BMR technology and have proven to be very versatile. They can handle a wide range of frequencies. However, it is recommended that you pair them with a digital subwoofer if you want to completely enjoy the effect. They are small and discreet. No one will ever have to see where the sound is coming from. It will simply be all around you. Read more on our Klipsch 7.1 Home Theater Speakers.
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Conclusion: These speakers are not designed to work without the help of a subwoofer. They are meant to be a part of your surround sound setup. If you are working to create a surround sound experience or need replacements for another setup, these could be worth a second look.
8. Polk Audio TL 1 Satellite Speaker
This speaker by Polk Audio puts the acoustic centers on the same plane. The fact that they have the tweeter and mid-bass driver there ensures superior sound, especially if you take advantage of how the TL1 satellite rear port and use it with a subwoofer. It has a 2-1/2-in long throw driver that uses Dynamic Balance Driver Technology. The silk dome tweeters are 1/2-inch in size. Together, they provide a crisp, clear, sound that most people will love. To install, you can use the brackets and keyhole.
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Conclusion: As it pertains to their purpose and their size, they do not have a lot of low-end performance. This is where the recommended subwoofer comes in. If you are looking for a speaker that provides the low-end, you need to consider other options. With that, if you are simply looking for a way to enhance your surrounding experience, these should work well enough.
9. JBL Professional JBL Control 52
This pair of JBL speakers promises to provide the perfect complement to your subwoofer while being stylish and unobtrusive. They are available in black or white to blend in with their surroundings. As to how they perform, you should know that they have an impressive 16 Ohms. They also have a frequency range of 140Hz-20 kHz. This comes from a 2.5-inch driver, a secondary bucking magnet, and a rubber half-roll surround.
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Conclusion: These satellite speakers are designed to be just that. They need a little help to sound great. For most people, understanding this is not hard to do. If you are one who understands what you are getting with these speakers, then they are worth considering for most people.
10. Cambridge Audio Minx Min 12 Bookshelf Satellite Speakers By JBL
This speaker from Leviton features a two-way magnetically shielded speaker with a 2.5-inch woofer and a 1/2-inch tweeter. Both of which are powered by Cambridge Audio. It is available in white. To install, you use the included architectural grade mounting bracket. It is a little bigger than most satellite speakers at 7 x 6.7 x 5.7 inches, but most people do not seem to mind.
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Conclusion: These speakers have nothing to offer as front or center speakers. They should be used for their intended purpose if you want the best quality sound. In all other ways, they are worth considering for most people since they do complete the surround sound effect.
Final Thoughts :
One thing we see most when looking at these speakers is that there is no perfect satellite speaker for everyone. We all seem to want different things and have expectations that may not be met by all of us. We have to keep in mind that satellite speakers are not designed to work as solo speakers. They all share a common purpose. They are designed to help the speakers that are there to do their job.
On the other hand, it is a piece of the puzzle and you have to respect that part of them. If you try to use them in any other way, it will not be a satisfactory experience for you. When you use them as intended, the best satellite speakers can be your dream come true. They can be installed and will surround you with sound. It does not matter whether you are enjoying your favorite tunes or your favorite movies. They are generally easy to set up, can mount or placed on a shelf, and add the right amount of sound to every setup. You simply have to figure out which one you like the most and give it a try.
