Thanks for tuning in to Week 3 of the Holiday Tech Gift Guide. In case you missed our previous installments, be sure to check out Best of NJ‘s picks for the holiday season’s top smartphones and cameras. Our Gift Guide is designed to make holiday shopping for all your technologically literate loved ones as easy as possible.
This week, we’re looking to turn living rooms into home theaters with a look at some of the best, and budget, home entertainment systems available. Whether you’ve got room for towering speakers or compact subwoofers, this guide should have you covered.
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Monoprice 8247
If you’re looking for a 5.1 speaker system (don’t be afraid, 5.1 is just the common term for how most multichannel surround sound systems are currently designed) but have a limited budget to spend, the Monoprice 8247 is nearly impossible to beat. The drawback to settling for ultra-budget speakers is in the plastic cabinet design, which honestly doesn’t have as nice a finish as more expensive models. But the upside is that the sound quality is surprisingly good. While it won’t nearly mimic the incredible HD audio that comes standard at the movie theater, the sound quality certainly goes beyond what most folks would expect for under $100 bucks.
Monoprice 8247 Specs –
- Pieces: 6
- Towers: None
- Subwoofer: 60 Watts
- Surround Speakers: 4 two-way satellite speakers w/ swivel wall mounts
- Total Power: 125 Watts
- Estimated Retail Price: $89.32 (according to the Monoprice website)
Samsung HT-J5500W
For those who want to spend a few hundred dollars on a higher quality setup, the Samsung HT-J5500W is both a mouthful, and a safe bet. The six piece set comes with a center speaker which can be turned on/off wirelessly via Bluetooth. It also comes with a 3D Smart Blu-ray player, with built in WI-FI and access to Samsung’s apps and media (which near totally replaces the need to also have a Smart TV… though you’ll still need a 3DTV to use the 3D functionality). The fun thing about the Bluetooth connectivity is that it also allows you to wirelessly stream music from your smartphone, tablet, or computer directly to the speakers. It’s a great value for great sound, designed by a top brand.
Samsung HT-J5500W Specs –
- Pieces: 6 (plus a Blu-ray player)
- Towers: 2 front speakers
- Subwoofer: Passive
- Surround Speakers: 2 wireless rear speakers
- Total Power: 1000 Watts
- Estimated Retail Price: $329.99 (according to the Samsung website)
Pioneer SP-PK52FS
The Pioneer SP-PK52FS comes with quite a pedigree: It’s designed by renowned speaker designer Andrew Jones. He’s responsible for designing some of the world’s most ultra-high-end speakers (which can cost upwards of $80k if, you know, you have that lying around in between the cushions), and it’s that expertise that he brings to this relatively affordable model. The sound quality is rated to be among the absolute best you can buy for the price range, and then some. If there is a single drawback to the SP-PK52FS, it’s the sheer size of the pieces. The towers only come in one finish and are rather bulky, which limits the appeal in most living room settings. But if you have the space, and the appropriate color palette, there’s no better home entertainment system for the price range.
Pioneer SP-PK52FS Specs –
- Pieces: 6
- Towers: 2 front towers
- Subwoofer: 100 Watts
- Surround Speakers: 2
- Total Power: N/A
- Estimated Retail Price: $629.99 (according to the Pioneer website. Currently $549 on Amazon)
Stay tuned next week for another installment of Best of NJ‘s Holiday Tech Gift Guide!
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Hero (Top) Feature Image: © Milles Studio / Dollar Photo Club
