Multi-unit surround sound systems take up too much room and are unsightly. Luckily, single unit sound plates and corner-filling sound bars can push TV sound to another level…
YAMAHA YSP-2500
Your ears will be almost overwhelmed with the sound-bouncing qualities of this set up, which comes closest to delivering that all-around-the-room surround audio you’re after. With 16 speakers inside the bar itself and a wireless sub unit to add bass to your experience, there’s also an app to help you control its plethora of features. £799
SONOS PLAYBAR
If you set up this sleek-looking sound bar to your home’s main TV set, you’ll enjoy sumptuous sounds. Link up one of the many other “family” members in the Sonos range though, and you’ll soon be streaming music throughout your abode, with each member of your clan able to access different tunes from your music services and allowing you to set a different mood in each room. Quite clever indeed. £599
BOSE SOLO TV SYSTEM
Don’t be fooled by the demure looks of this black box – it may not be the supermodel in our line-up, but it still delivers way more sound detail than your TV set will. Sitting under your set, this box simply plugs in and brings some of those subtle sound effects to life. It comes complete with a standard four-button remote so you can settle down for longer too. £299.98
JBL CINEMA SB100
Use this budget box to improve the audio to your PC or spare-room telly. The delivery from this unit is pretty decent for a sub-£100 set and, although attempting to replicate a 360-degree sound from a single box is no mean feat, this one doesn’t do too badly at all. At this affordable price, it might be a useful introduction to superior sound for your guests. £79.95
PANASONIC SC-HTE80 WIRELESS SOUNDSTAGE
This piece of kit from Panasonic has a more conservative price tag, but it punches a little above its weight – we weren’t expecting the clarity of sound improvement it delivered. The purpose of these systems is simply to improve what you get from your TV set rather than delivering surround-sound levels, and judged on that basis, this gadget is really quite good. £249.99
LG LAB540
WIth an exhaustive feature list, this latest sound plate from LG is certainly looking to occupy that space under your TV set and see off other newcomers for quite some time. There’s a built-in Blu-ray player, on-board WiFi allowing it to soak up all manner of content, a subwoofer unit to add real boom to your bass and Bluetooth functionality so you can stream music its way from your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy high-definition listening at last. £499.99