Best Satellite Speakers in 2022

Last update: January 8, 2023

Are satellite speakers worth it?

If you’re looking for great sound without breaking the bank, satellite speakers are definitely worth considering. They may not have the same power and range as floor-standing or bookshelf speakers, but they more than make up for it in terms of affordability and convenience. Satellite speakers are also a great option if you’re limited on space. Their small size means they can be easily tucked away in a corner or on a shelf, and they won’t dominate your living room like larger speakers. So, if you’re looking for an

Can I use satellite speakers for Atmos?

Satellite speakers are not typically used for Atmos because they do not have a wide enough frequency range. However, some people have used them with success. If you are thinking about using satellite speakers for Atmos, make sure that they can reproduce frequencies below 80 Hz.

Do satellite speakers make a difference?

Satellite speakers are generally used in a home theater system to provide surround sound. The main benefit of using satellite speakers is that they can be placed in different locations around the room to create a more immersive sound experience. While they may not make a huge difference in the overall sound quality of your system, they can certainly add to the overall experience.

Do speakers work without a subwoofer?

Most stereo and home theater systems have at least two speakers and a subwoofer. The subwoofer is responsible for reproducing the low frequencies in movie and music soundtracks, and it adds a sense of power and realism to your listening experience. But do you really need a subwoofer? Can't the stereo or home theater speakers just reproduce the full range of frequencies on their own? The answer is no. Even the best stereo speakers can't reproduce the low frequencies that a subwoofer can. That's because the low frequencies require a lot of energy to reproduce,


Bose 301-V Stereo Loudspeakers (Pair, Black) - 29309 Review:


There are a lot of people that either love or hate Bose. I get that. I’m not going to review Bose here. I’m going to review the speakers and how they sound in the room and for the setup that I wanted.I liked the way these looked on the Bose speaker stands and how it fit the room or the concept that I wanted speakers for in the first place. My biggest fear is that I wouldn’t be happy with the sound vs. a full size set of floor standers. I wanted to build a 2.1 channel system for the room with my pool table.Watched all of the YouTube videos, read all of the reviews. The first place I go on reviews is the lowest ratings. Why did people not like these speakers? Damage during shipping, faulty products (and anyone that manufactures will have lemons), and then there were people that just hate Bose and said something else was better. I wish those types of reviews would stop. I would never submit a bad review because UPS sucks. I just don’t hold this against the product.I bought these eyes wide open, and ready to return them if I wasn’t satisfied. So...........How’d they do?They sound great. Super happy. They sound bigger than they are. They don’t blast your face off, they just sound good regardless of volume. Speaking of volume they get loud. One of the points that I gleaned out of the reviews is that they aren’t as efficient as some other speakers and that others have found that more power wakes them up.I paired them with a Harman Kardon 3770. That receiver advertises 120W x 2, and has a dedicated LFE output. Hooked that up and was super happy. Don’t know what the db ratings are, but it SOUNDED GOOD. Cranked it up louder than I need and these (relatively) little speakers sounded loud and clear. Haven’t got them to distort yet. Good details. Just sound big. I have no interest in looking at other speakers anymore. I’m that happy. Good bass for the size, and if you listen to them long enough without a sub you may very well talk yourself out of one, but..............I wanted more. I added a Velodyne Impact 12 MK2. (Newer model not available on Amazon when this was typed)Done.It MAJORLY picks up the low end that speakers this size, or floor standers with 6-8” low ends lack.I would highly recommend these to those who are looking for great sound in a compact package. If you want a nice 2.1, pair them with a decently powered receiver and a sub.They sound great on their own. The sub just fills in another level at the volume that these put out.These are not face melters. They are room fillers. I’ve returned more than a few Bose products over the years. Not a Bose fanboy. I will never return these, and for the game room that I wanted to add a classic 2 channel (2.1) I am super happy with these. I would highly recommend the Bose stands. Just looks good.One other common knock on these is that the quality of construction and components is inferior to the competition. Looking at them I would agree. Paper cone subwoofers in 2018? However they just sound good with the power I’m pushing.In the end, I was teetering between Polk Tsi500’s or Klipsch RP280f’s. Those speakers are undoubtedly better than these. But for the size, sound reproduction, and money, I’ll never think I should have tried the others. I’m really that happy, and I realize that these are perfect for the space that I put them in.



Bose 201 Direct/Reflecting speaker system Review:


I purchased these speakers about 4 months ago to use as stereo speakers and to eventually include in a home theater setup. I wanted to get speakers that wouldn’t break the bank because I also needed to purchase a receiver and a subwoofer, but I also wanted the speakers to be of high enough quality that I would not need to replace them anytime soon. I ended up choosing these Bose bookshelf speakers because they were cheaper than buying two decent-quality floor-standing speakers by Polk or Pioneer ($300 ), and I knew these would be quality speakers because my parents bought a pair of these speakers over ten years ago and they still sound great in their living room. I currently use these in my medium-sized bedroom to listen to music as well as watch movies/TV/Netflix, and they work very well for what I need them to do.InstallationWhen the speakers arrived from Amazon they arrived in a large Bose box, so make sure you leave a note for special delivery if you are worried about your neighbors seeing a huge box that obviously contains Bose speakers on your doorstep. Inside the box were simply the speakers and some documentation, so be sure to order some speaker wire if you don’t have any. I used Amazon brand speaker wire and got some banana plugs to make the connections easier. The banana plugs work just fine with these speakers and make connecting/disconnecting the wires much easier, which is convenient for moving them around when trying to find the best spot for them in your room. Installation of these speakers is essentially the same for any speakers, just plug in your banana plug or feed the bare wire into the inputs on the back of the speaker.Design/AudioOne thing I love about these speakers is that they look great in my room. I have them located within 5 feet of my TV, and they are very aesthetically pleasing. Of course they have the coveted “Bose” logo on the front of them, which is sure to impress some people although was not a factor at all when I purchased these. The black/sliver, slightly curved design is just very easy to look at and you can tell they are high quality. Now as for the most important factor…how they sound. These speakers sound beautiful. I listened to quite a few brands of bookshelves at Best Buy and these blow the rest out of the water. I listen to a wide range of music (country, rap, rock, acoustic) and I have never been let down. Where I personally think these really excel is when I use them for watching TV/movies. I paired these speakers with a Pioneer Andrew Jones subwoofer and the result is amazing. Dialog sounds crisp, sound effects are realistic and the range is incredible. In scenes when things go from very quiet to very loud it just sounds great with these. One thing is for sure; I will never be able to use TV speakers to watch movies with again. Listening to music with these is a great experience as well; I typically use them for music while I work for a few hours every day. One thing they lack is a lot of bass, thus I paired them with a subwoofer. Other than that, these speakers handle every genre of music I throw at them very well.OverallsIf you are looking for a set of mid-range speakers that will last a long time, these are a great choice. My parents have had a version of these for over ten years and they still sound fantastic. I use them for listening to music as well as watching movies, and in both instances they blow me away. They do not have a ton of bass, so if that matters to you I would suggest pairing them with a subwoofer (I choose the Pioneer Andrew Jones sub and am happy with the setup) (I choose the Pioneer Andrew Jones sub and am happy with the setup). The bottom line is these speakers look great, are not terribly expensive, and sound amazing whether you’re listening to The Doors or watching Family Guy.



Leviton AESS5-WH Architectural Edition Powered By JBL Expansion Satellite Speaker, White Review:


I purchased four of these for my living room ceiling, which was already pre-wired for speakers but lacked any speakers. Treble and the midrange are good. There won't be any thunderous bass, but that is not what these are for. It has a great surround effect.Although adapter plates are available to install these items in a single gang box, I created my own using blank decorator-size 99 cent steel plates, as seen in the image. The only advice I can give is to stack the plates, fasten them to a board with screws, then drill all the holes at once to make them uniform and save time. I have no idea if this complies with local codes, but I don't care. The main problem is ensuring sure the speakers won't short out or fall on your head, so you need to be sure of that. It might not be a good idea to use a subpar plastic wall plate for this.Depending on your preference, the ball stud can either be inserted into the base or the speaker's back, as seen in the photo. Standard push connections that can accommodate bare wire make up the wire connectors.



Acoustic Audio AA321B Mountable Indoor Speakers 400 Watts Black Bookshelf Pair Review:


DOUBT NO MORE if you had any reservations about Dolby Atmos! It is OUTSTANDING! And No, even if it fits into your budget, you don't need to buy "Official Dolby Atmos-Enabled Speakers." After doing some research, I learned that while the ceiling setup is the best recommended speaker configuration to properly enjoy Dolby Atmos, it is not required. I wanted to make sure I could experience this Dolby Atmos sound that all the cool kids were raving about. By stacking speakers on top of your left and right surround speakers and facing them upward, you can employ their 5.1.2 height or "presence" speaker arrangement. You should set them up as "Small" in your receiver so that they don't interfere with the reflected sound of the atmospheric audio, which can only be done by higher frequencies.I therefore concluded that I didn't actually require any high-fidelity speakers, such as an Andrew Jones-officiated set that would cost more than I was willing to pay, to serve as the Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers. These Acoustic Audio Surround Speakers are more than suitable for the task, and I ultimately chose them. They aren't particularly beautiful, mind you; they merely fulfill the purpose for which I bought them. And because of this, I don't believe a rating of 5 is appropriate.Despite having a higher power, I don't think they can compete with my Onkyo surround-back speakers. Of course, the quality of the speakers has nothing to do with power, and these speakers unequivocally demonstrate that. As I've clearly indicated, I believe they work best when supporting the other capable surround speakers that are already present in your system, not as the main elements that will be used as the focal point.



Bose 161 Speaker System (Pair, Black) Review:


I get a kick out of questions that think these speakers have bluetooth or an amp built in. But they are designed like old school bookshelf speakers. They need some form of amplification and your home theater receiver would work perfect. You could also use them with a bookshelf stereo receiver and whatever you drive them with, they are very flexible. They include buttons for the bottom or sides to place them on a shelf. The nicest thing about these is using the wall mount. Lots of adjustment when mounted vertically or horizontally and even include screws for the most common mounting substrates. I bought the white ones since my walls are white.Right now, I'm using on my computer that is being used as a home theater. Originally I was using a set of speakers that sounded just fine but wanted a different mounting configuration. They replaced a set of speakers that were Amazon Choice ones and a bit less expensive but when I hooked up the Bose 161's there was a real sound difference.The first difference was that voices were "muddy" on my old speakers in comparison to the Bose. So much so, that I found that I did not need the volume turned up as much on a typical movie or TV show. I know that some of the Bose TV sound systems/sound bars promote that as a feature. Even with these budget speakers, it's evident that it's part of the Bose sound and one I do like.Second of all, my older speakers had fine separation from right to left. Same a pretty much every bookshelf speaker out there. The Bose 161's seemed to give the same separation but sounds were more localised. Kind of hard to describe, but had a more 3D where you could point at the sound and my ears and eyes can follow the motion in an action movie. And even the depth to a show that I had never found with my old speakers or any other ones I have. It was a surprise which makes every show just a bit more enjoyable.Now, I know everybody wants a speaker with a lot of low end bass. And if that's what you want, you should have the equalization knobs on your receiver for that or in your device manager on your computer to get the sound you need. Out of the box, these Bose speakers are going to give you a natural sound. You can adjust frequencies as you need with the option of adding a subwoofer to your system. But on their own, they are not going to shake your room or get you tossed from your apartment. But I don't think they were ever designed to be a 901 or 602 replacement. Those are definite lease busters and need an amp to back them up. These are a quality speaker system for home and home theater use. Priced right with the flexibility to position them where you want. Also no need for speaker stands and mounting is included. All you need to buy is speaker wire. Most likely since Bose didn't know the length or color you need.I hope you get a chance to listen to these Bose speakers and add them to you home theater. I've been using them for about a month and a half and pleased with them. The only downside is that the other speakers I have are going to need to be replaced. Since I have 3 subwoofers kick'n around here, this could get pricey.



Bose Virtually Invisible 300 Wireless Surround Speakers (Pair, Black) Review:


Excellent 5.1 surround speakers. Matches perfectly with the excellent SoundTouch 300 5.1 decoding. From reading the negative reviews of these surround speakers, I'm convinced that some people have no idea what 5.1 "surround" speakers actually are for. The volume level of these surround speakers is perfectly matched to volume level of the main speakers. The sound coming from surround speakers is completely independent of the channel levels sent to the front speakers. It all depends on the positioning effect created by the sound engineer. It can make you think you're in a spacious baseball stadium (like I'm watching right now), or confined to a tight prison cell. It's all to do with the amplitude, delay, and equalization of the audio sent on the surround channels.I've been through a multitude of speaker systems over the last 50 years, from Sansui, Yamaha, Sony, Harmon Kardon, and even Bose Lifestyle. None of these even come close to the "being there" sensation created by this SoundTouch 300 system with the Subwoofer and these Surround speakers. The SoundTouch 300 and matching subwoofer, alone, do a fair job of simulating a 3 dimensional sensation, but its true capabilities shine when these surround speakers are added.



Acoustic Audio AA321W Mountable Indoor Speakers 400 Watts White Bookshelf Pair Review:


Those are some cute little rear surround speakers. They do not include anchors, only wall mount brackets and screws.



Cambridge Minx Min 12 Satellite Bookshelf Speaker - Each (Black) Review:


Beautiful sound. Perfect crossover point. Small but the best I have ever heard. Cambridge make awesome high-quality stuff including amps.Still using my Logitech Z-2300 (2004 and the best 2.1 PC speaker system ever made) in 2019. But, I have gone through a LOT of satellites before finding the one that sounded superb and could take the full power every day. The best and perfect sats for me were the Cambridge Minx Min 12 Satellite Bookshelf Speakers. Acoustic suspension baffles. About 3" square, 25-200W and $75 ea. They are awesome!!! Before finding them, I went through: Classic Take 2, Polk TL-1, TL-2- and TL-3s. They all burned up in short order, wide open vol. Looking back, I believe the Z did not have enough power to drive them. They were all 2-ways and sounded very good but the mids burned out and one crossover. I replaced parts in them for a long time. Now, these Cambridge units are my hearts desire. Beautiful match.They sound perfect at full volume, 40W RMS/channel. The powered sub contains all controls and amps. They are THX certified, not for the faint of heart. The sub gets 120W RMS and all use class A/B amps.Wish I had found these Cambridge sats long ago. They are wonderful!


Do surround speakers need bass?

Bass is responsible for the lower frequencies in music, and gives depth and fullness to the sound. While many stereo systems have built-in bass, some people prefer to add an extra subwoofer to their system for more bass. Whether or not you need a subwoofer for your surround sound system depends on your personal preference. If you enjoy movies with a lot of action and explosions, or you like your music to have a deep, rich sound, then a subwoofer would be a good addition to your system.

How can I use satellite speakers without a subwoofer?

If you have a stereo receiver or amplifier that delivers enough power to your satellite speakers, you can use them without a subwoofer. The satellite speakers will still produce full-range sound, but without the deep bass frequencies that a subwoofer reproduces. If you have a home theater receiver, you can use the satellite speakers without a subwoofer if your receiver has a "subwoofer output" jack. This allows you to send the deep bass frequencies to a powered subwoofer, while the satellite speakers reproduce the mid- and high-frequency sounds.

How do satellite speakers connect?

Satellite speakers are small speakers that are used in addition to a larger, more powerful speaker. They are typically used for surround sound systems in home theater setups. Satellite speakers can be placed on stands or mounted on walls. Satellite speakers connect to an amplifier or receiver. The receiver sends an audio signal to the satellite speakers. The satellite speakers then reproduce the sound. Satellite speakers are typically used in pairs. However, some systems may use four or more satellite speakers. The number of satellite speakers used will depend on the size of the room and the desired sound quality.

How does a full-range speaker work?

A full-range speaker is a speaker that is designed to reproduce the full range of frequencies that the human ear can hear. The vast majority of speakers on the market today are full-range speakers. Full-range speakers typically have a woofer, which is a driver that is responsible for reproducing the low frequencies, and a tweeter, which is a driver that is responsible for reproducing the high frequencies. The woofer and tweeter are usually housed in the same enclosure, and they are connected to the same amplifier. There are a few different types of full

Is 5.1 or 7.1 surround better?

There are a few things to consider when making the decision between 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound. The first is the size of the room. If the room is small, then 5.1 surround sound might be the better option. If the room is large, then 7.1 surround sound might be the better option. The second thing to consider is the type of content that will be played. If the content is mostly music, then 5.1 surround sound might be the better option. If the content is mostly movies, then 7.1 surround sound might be the better

Is a sound bar as good as surround sound?

A sound bar is a long, narrow speaker that sits in front of your TV, often on a shelf or on the TV stand. A sound bar is a good alternative to a full surround sound system because it is less expensive and easier to set up. A sound bar typically has two or more speakers that are mounted in a bar-shaped enclosure. The sound bar may also have a subwoofer that is used to produce low frequency sounds.