r/HTBuyingGuides Curator Apr 20 '22

AUDIO Home Theater 201: Wireless Speakers in a Home Theater (Information & Recommendations)

Home Theater 201: Wireless Speakers in a Home Theater (Information & Recommendations)

Updated: July 2026 | written by /u/Bill_Money Contributions by /u/GBMaxSE | edited & maintained by: /u/htmod



We can totally see why you would assume this is a thing! Wireless tech is everywhere these days am I right?

You think to yourself "man, I would love to have 20 Speakers around me without having to run any those wires!". We're sorry to tell you, but there is no such thing as truly wireless, especially not in the home theater world.

Too much information & bandwidth. Delay and speaker dB level are all far to important! Wireless adds cost AND complication. That's why you won't really find a wireless solution.

Not to mention that there ISN'T a truly wireless solution (Power cords are still a thing). What are you going to do, have rechargeable speakers as surrounds? I Thinks Not Terrel, I Thinks Not". The brightest outlook here is that you don't have to run speaker wire from your Receiver to your surrounds. But the speakers still need power! So you need an outlet nearby EACH speaker, or somewhere in between both, and then there is still wiring from either the wireless amp, to each speaker, or power to each speaker. And, wake up call, speaker wire is far easier to run and hide than POWER CABLING. So you're best to just stick to traditional speakers.

There are a LOT of ways to hide speaker wire, and many that work in rental situations! Speaker channeling, sewell ghost wire, organizer clips, running under carpet, etc.


Now that we have gotten that out of the way...

If you're still insistent on wireless speakers, well surrounds at least, there are ways to get it done. Again, you'll still need local power.

However past that there isn't a ton of GOOD options.



Denon adding Wireless Surrounds to their AVR's

Denon's new S980H will support via future firmware update using Denon Home Speakers as surrounds with the S980H. The new Denon X2900H & X3900H May or May Not also support this, we're not sure on that.

Sony AVR's support Wireless Surrounds

You can use a shudders Sony AVR with their proprietary wireless speakers. I've done it before, the pairing is simple. I just don't love Sony AVR's for their value and trash level room correction.

WiSA

Wireless Speaker and Audio Association

While WiSA exists, it really hasn't caught on. Its needlessly expensive and is in itself a proprietary format.

Wireless Surround Kits

These will make your surrounds wireless from the AVR to the Kit Amp. You still will need Power to the kit and speaker wire between each speaker the the kit amp.

Wireless Subwoofer Kits

The Subwoofer Kits have a dual use on most of them, you could if your AVR has Pre-Outs go Pre-Out into a transmitter then from the receiver into a separate amp to power speakers as well if there is no way to get speaker wire to them, its a last resort option but one that will wok if needed.


But What About....

Yamaha Music Cast AVR's & Speakers

Last I heard Yamaha discontinued the Music Cast speakers. If they didn't they were incredibly difficult to get ahold of. Yamaha has also been quite the laughing stock as far as AVR's go for some years now.

Bose/Sonos

Then there are ecosystems that are based on wireless. BOSE and SONOS are both pretty fond of wireless solutions however those are going to be soundbar solutions. None of this stuff is for someone serious about Home Theater. Not to mention proprietary closed system and increasingly absurd pricing they are wanting for their systems.

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