Buying the best home cinema system

A sleek black soundbar on a white cabinet, next to a marble bowl and vase, against a minimalist background.
Modern soundbar on a stylish wooden cabinet with a sleek marble bowl, blending technology with design.
Buying guides
Which home cinema system do I need? Recreate the cinematic experience at home with immersive surround sound. Here's how to choose the components you need. And if you need a little help to set up your home cinema, an installation service is available when you buy in our shops or by phone. Call 0345 604 8835, or visit your local John Lewis.
Sound bars
A sleek black Bose soundbar with a matching remote control placed in front, set against a white background.

This long narrow unit contains surround sound decoding, amplification and multiple speakers. Position in front of the TV or secure it to a wall. It usually comes with a subwoofer, which enhances bass and sound depth. Subwoofers can be wired or wireless, depending on the brand

If you...

  • Already own a DVD or Blu-Ray player

  • Don’t want the fuss of installing a large speaker setup, but want the same power

  • Want something compact and versatile that could hang on the wall

  • Also want to listen to music in stereo 

Then consider a sound bar.

DVD and Blu-Ray players

Most home cinema systems come with Blu-Ray players, but if you’re choosing a sound bar or sound base you may need to purchase one separately.

Upgrading to Blu-Ray or Ultra HD Blu-Ray players is also a great way to get smart functionalities and play your old DVDs in better quality.

DVD Players
A sleek black Blu-ray player on a dark wooden TV stand next to a television displaying a classic car.

We no longer sell DVD players, but if you need to replace yours and you have a large DVD collection, a Blu-ray player will play your DVDs perfectly well - they just won't be of an enhanced picture quality unless they're actually Blu-Ray discs.

Blu-Ray Players
Slim black Blu-ray player with a sleek design, featuring control buttons on the front panel for easy access.

Blu-Ray players can play your existing DVD collection, upscaling them so they sparkle on your HD TV. If you buy one with a built-in recorder, you can burn your own high definition videos onto Blu-Ray.

4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Players
Sleek Panasonic Blu-ray player with THX certification, featuring a modern design and reflective finish.

These are more like complete entertainment hubs than players. You can experience 3-dimensional sound and cinematic picture quality in the comfort of your home (compatible speakers and TV needed).

A 4K UHD Blu-Ray player is a great way to upscale your DVDs and standard Blu-Rays (even from 2D to simulated 3D), plus, with built-in Wi-Fi you can access a range of features and online content - from gaming apps to favourites such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and YouTube.

Modern living room with sleek TV stand holding a flat-screen TV, soundbar, and electronic devices, on wooden floor.

Glossary

2.1 vs 3.1.2 What do the numbers mean?

  • The first number refers to the number of speakers in the actual soundbar

    The second number refers to the number of subwoofers

    The third number details the number of upward-firing speakers. Not all soundbars have this, but they do, they support Dolby Atmos to create an immersive sound experience.

    Front left and right channels deliver dialogue

    Separate surround speakers reproduce on-screen sounds and surround effects

    The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) channel provides low frequency bass for sound effects such as explosions

Centre speaker

  • A loudspeaker which generally sits above or below your TV

  • Reproduces dialogue and other front-oriented sound effects

Dolby Atmos

  • The latest sound format that uses superior surround sound technology

  • Isolates sounds and effects come from every angle, including from above

  • Available in a number of sound bars and TVs with sound base units

  • 5.1 and 7.1 become 5.1.2 and 7.1.2 if you add two speakers for height

  • 5.1 and 7.1 become 5.1.4 and 7.1.4 if you add four speakers

DTS

  • A type of 5.1 surround sound created by Digital Theater Systems

  • Uses less compression than Dolby Digital, so it gives a slightly clearer sound

Subwoofer
  • A loudspeaker which reproduces very low frequency sound i.e. bass
Surround speaker

  • Reproduces sound effects

  • When used as a pair, position them above and behind the sofa

Multiroom

  • Create a seamless audio experience throughout your home, using your Wi-Fi network

  • A multiroom system can begin as small as you want it to be, with one compact speaker for example

  • As time goes on simply pair up additional speakers of the same brand

  • You can group selected sound bars, bases and speakers to create your own 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1 cinematic sound system - check individual product pages for compatibility

Bluetooth & NFC (Near-Field Communication)

  • Bluetooth and NFC connectivity allows you to play music wirelessly

  • Use your device to connect to your home cinema system speakers

  • Play from streaming services such as Spotify and Soundcloud

  • Pair up via Bluetooth or connect NFC devices with one touch

  • NFC enabled speakers have a ‘touch-point’ whereby you simply ‘tap’ your enabled device to establish a connection

  • Quicker than Bluetooth, NFC has the ability to sync multiple speakers to create a stereo sound

  • Bluetooth connections are seamless and very high quality

Acoustic beam technology

  • Mixes and delivers sound so it appears to come from the exact point where the action happens on screen

  • Allows sound to flow through the pipe, which makes each hole act as an individual speaker. Theis helps to control the direction that the sound travels

  • Creates a surround sound and panoramic experience 

Ordering

What are my delivery options?

Standard delivery for smaller items is free when you spend over £50, otherwise it's £4.50. Delivery of larger items is £19.95. You'll see the delivery options available to you at checkout.

Delivery by our approved supplier means your delivery will be made by the manufacturer, or their chosen courier, and they will arrange delivery with you.

Click & collect is free for orders of £40 and over.

Installation Services

When you buy your home cinema in our shops, we can:

  • Unpack and connect your home cinema system

  • Set the right sound levels

  • £55, or £29.99 if you include this with another TV installation service.

Owning

Tip

Does your room have wooden floorboards? Consider laying down a rug or hanging up thicker curtains to help absorb audio and stop sound distortion.

Guarantees

All our home cinema systems and DVD / Blu-Ray player include a 2-year guarantee at no extra cost.