Suggest 5.1 speakers for TV, around

[Elliot B.]

We have a Philips 42" plasma TV and it produces average sound at best.

We are looking to buy some 5.1 speakers to make movies sound better.

Any suggestions for around ?150?

Prefer wireless speakers but it's not 100% important.

[HawkMan]

For that pice wireless is out of the question. In fact good speakers are pretty much out of the question, you'll be lucky to get 5.1. E only 5.1 I'd suggest at that price would be to put on your computer desk with very small range.

Most decent sets today are combo sets with BD players anyway, which will bump up the price. And even then you need to go up a few sizes for good sounds. Due to living room ergonomics I had to replace my floor speakers with a samsung bd-ht (or something) 5550 system, which works great. But the smaller versions of the same system with smaller front speakers and really tiny rear speakers is absolute crap.

So if you really want that price, stick to stereo or a sound board solution.

[UKDarkJedi]

What size room are they going in? I've found rooms with smaller sound stages do not benefit from 5.1, but a good 2.1 soundbar is much better.

[Elliot B.]

What size room are they going in? I've found rooms with smaller sound stages do not benefit from 5.1, but a good 2.1 soundbar is much better.

It's a medium-sized room.

[UKDarkJedi]

Honestly think you'd be better off with a good (that's important, you can get some absolutely dire ones) soundbar than, I've got a Philips one that matches my TV (CSS2123/05 I think it is) that has a good depth of sound, and the sub is pretty good, at least on laminate flooring.

Trouble with asking for sound system recommendations is the smallest thing (like having a walled up fireplace or a stud wall rather than brick behind the listeners) can mean someone's thought of an excellent system becomes crud in a different room.

[Sir Topham Hatt]

Good advice so far but to be fair, the OP asked for recommdations.

About five years ago I purchased a good Creative i-Trigue (5600 I believe) set for a little over ?100. They're good, although the rear pair could do with a volume increase, which can't happen for just those two. I only use them for movies on the HTPC; when watching TV I see no point as the TV sound is okay.

You could look at either Creative or Logitech as they both have sets out, but they are more for computers rather than TV, but as said above, most sets come with a Bluray player these days and to get a nice set, you'd have to be looking at the ?300 mark, especially for wireless.