Paweł Koper
In the world of audio, there is a belief that you have to pay a lot for "true" 5.1. However, we know that most of you just want the answer to the question: "Which soundbar for the television?", while not losing the magic of Dolby Atmos or DTS:X surround sound. The market has recently been saturated with models of "little speakers" that instead of digitally simulating sound behind you, simply place physical speakers there.
Let’s take a look at the sets that fill this gap. You can treat this overview as a loose compilation of what you will find in the shop today, and regard the order in which the soundbars are listed as random.
Are rear speakers in a soundbar necessary?
If you care about something more than just a "louder and stronger television," then yes. Physical satellites make a colossal difference in sound perception. Here are 3 main reasons why it's worth choosing a set with rears:
1. True surround sound
The biggest advantage of sets with satellites is true surround sound. Many soundbars try to fool us by "bouncing" sound off walls or ceilings to create the illusion of space. In practice, this effect depends on the shape of the room or the arrangement of furniture and is very, very rarely perfect. By choosing a set with satellites, we can be sure that when someone approaches a character from behind in a film, we will hear it exactly where the director intended.
2. Aesthetics
Additionally, such systems are designed with the aesthetics of contemporary, and let’s not forget, increasingly smaller apartments in mind. Forget about the jumble of cables running through the entire living room. The rear speakers are usually wireless. They are slim, compact and discreet, so we don’t have to clutter the living room with five large speakers the size of wardrobes. The only thing you need to remember is that in some of the cheapest options, the rear speakers need to be connected to each other with a very thin speaker wire.
3. Price
It will not be a surprise when we say that such sets will objectively perform worse than professional home cinemas costing thousands. However, for 99% of users, the difference compared to the standard speakers built into the television will be stunning. For a fraction of the price of a decent audio set, you still receive a solid bass hit, clear dialogue, and surround effects that transform an evening viewing into a cinematic experience, and for the television itself, producing such sound is simply not possible.
Best recommended soundbars with satellites
This is a selection for those who want to buy a solid audio set for years but do not intend to spend several thousand on a home cinema. You get here the best possible value for money. These models offer great sound and true wireless satellites that just need to be plugged in (or simply charged).
Samsung HW-Q990F
If you are looking for the absolute number one, the choice has remained the same for years, although with each generation it becomes even more perfect. The Samsung HW-Q990F is undoubtedly the most popular and refined option on the mainstream market. At least that’s what many publications claim. For more than a decade, Samsung has maintained a leading position in soundbar sales for good reason – and their flagship series showcases "technological" dominance over the competition within the same budget. The Q990 model offers a powerful 11.1.4 system, which, thanks to 22 built-in speakers, creates a sound dome around the viewer (see the video below). This is equipment that calibrates itself to the room, and its integration with televisions means that operating the entire home cinema comes down to just one remote control. It is a "safe" choice because it is simply flawless in its class.
JBL Bar 1000
For fans of physical impact, the JBL Bar 1000 is a better choice. It has a powerful 10-inch subwoofer and a unique approach to the absence of wires – the rear satellites are detachable and have their own batteries. You can place them anywhere during the viewing and then plug them back into the base. This is a set designed for concerts and action films, where dynamics and bass take centre stage.
Polk Audio MagniFi Max AX SR
An interesting alternative to mass-market brands is Polk Audio. The MagniFi Max AX SR model is a proposition for those who prefer natural, musical sound rather than digital effects. Polk has an excellent VoiceAdjust system that allows you to enhance the volume of dialogues without drowning out the rest of the background. This is a very sensible choice if you often complain that the speech of actors is not clearly audible in films.
TCL Q85H Pro
The line-up of more expensive soundbars (although this one is not that pricey at all) is topped off by the TCL Q85H Pro, which is the perfect complement for owners of QD-MINI-LED televisions from this brand. It offers an enormous power of 860 W in a 7.1.4 system and a proprietary Ray-Danz technology, ensuring that the sound is wide and clear. This is a solid example of how you can create powerful, modern sound without spending a fortune.
Cheapest Recommended Soundbars with Satellites
In this "cheapest" category, the most important fact is that at a reasonable price, you can obtain true surround sound in DOLBY ATMOS format thanks to external satellites, rather than just its digital simulation. This solution completely transforms the experience of watching films. However, it is worth remembering one technical aspect: in budget sets, the rear speakers usually require a wired connection (to each other or to a separate module). Although they connect wirelessly to the soundbar, saving us from dragging cables across the entire living room, a small "tangle" may still remain along the back wall.
Samsung HW-QS750F
The Samsung HW-QS750F is a great choice for those seeking intelligent solutions. The system operates in a 5.1.2 configuration and generates 465 W of power. The biggest enjoyment from this set will be experienced by owners of Samsung televisions thanks to the Q-Symphony feature, which combines the power of the soundbar with the speakers in the TV housing. This is the only "rotatable" model available on the market. The main soundbar can be rotated by 90 degrees, making it even slimmer. However, it is important to consider the issue of speaker mounting: although the satellites communicate with the soundbar wirelessly, in this model they are connected by wires, which we need to hide somewhere at the back of the room.
Hisense AX5140Q
Hisense AX5140Q is the cheapest model in this comparison, offering a completely wireless connection. Each of the rear speakers only requires plugging into the power, which eliminates the need to hide signal cables on the floor. The AX5140Q features four upward-firing channels (5.1.4 system) and a powerful total output of 600 W.
LG S70TR
Although LG is not associated with sound, you can still find something sensible at a reasonable price. In the S70TR model, LG has opted for a unique solution: an additional upward-firing centre speaker. According to the manufacturer, this solution ensures that dialogues do not "drown" in sound effects, and the actors' voices seem to come directly from the screen. It integrates excellently with the webOS system in LG televisions.
Bravia Theatre System 6 (HT-S60)
The compilation of cheap soundbars with satellites is concluded with a classic of the genre, Sony's HT-S60. The set offers as much as 1000W and a real 5.1 system, but in the traditional format: the satellites are wired to the subwoofer. Although this requires a bit of planning when laying out the cables, in return, you get a powerful punch.
Top soundbars with satellites
Here we focus primarily on performance, genuine reviews and opinions without considering the price. Although their quality-to-price ratio does not always compare favourably to traditional home cinema systems, they are a great option for those who do not want to fiddle with setting up large speakers and running thick cables.
Sony Bravia Theater 9
This is a proposal for those looking for uncompromising sound quality for Japanese televisions. The Theater 9 is a powerful soundbar that costs quite a bit on its own and is usually sold separately. However, the true power of spatial sound is only revealed when paired with a complete setup – by adding a subwoofer (e.g., SA-SW5) and rear speakers (SA-RS5). This is equipment for those who want to build a home cinema in stages, aiming for the highest standard of sound that can easily fill even a very large living room.
Sonos Arc Ultra
If budget is not an obstacle and aesthetics are as important as sound, the Sonos Arc Ultra is unmatched. It is a system for those who do not want to waste time on complicated setups – it simply needs to work and look good. By adding satellites from the Era series and a subwoofer, you will create a set that perfectly blends into modern interiors. This is high-end in a “user-friendly” version, where you pay for design, ecosystem, and excellent spatial experiences.
As you can see, the choice is truly vast, and what we have described here is just a fraction of what can be found on the market. The best part is that true surround sound is no longer reserved only for those with an unlimited budget. Today's offerings are so broad and diverse that regardless of whether you have a living room the size of a hangar or a small studio flat, you will definitely find a set that will perform perfectly for you. Home cinema in 2026 is no longer just a tangle of cables and large speakers, but above all convenience and sound that simply gets the job done.
