Most people can’t afford to spend $10,000 on a home theater, but if you can there is a large selection of gear to choose from. Having used so many things that work for a system like this, we certainly have preferences on what you can use to get the most value for your money. Just like with our previous piece, we are going to offer both TV and Projection systems since the two can be very different. We’ll also offer a few more expensive and cheaper options for both video and audio. Some people care more about one than the other, and so this way you can customize it how you would like. We also offer a lifestyle option if you want a system that looks and sounds fantastic but also doesn’t dominate a room.
$10,000 TV System | $10,000 Projection System | $10,000 Lifestyle System
$10,000 TV System
Sony X900F 85” LCD TV
The Sony X900F is a wonderful TV and the 85″ version gives you the largest HDR image you can get for the money. You don’t sacrifice performance to get a large size screen, and unlike an HDR projector, you can easily watch this during the day. From movies to sports to video games, everything looks good on the X900F.
Option: The LG C8 OLED comes in a large 77″ size, but it costs more than the Sony X900F and isn’t as large. It offers a better image, but the extra size and lower price of the Sony makes it the overall pick.
Denon AVR-X3500H Receiver
For a receiver, the Denon AVR-X3500H offers 7.2 channels and improved room correction with Audyssey XT32. It is easy to set up as it walks you through everything, can drive any speaker you’re likely to use it with, has very good room correction, offers AirPlay2, and the HEOS integration offers lots of streaming services for internet audio.
SVS Ultra Bookshelf Speaker System
When I reviewed the SVS Ultra Bookshelf speakers I was very impressed by their performance. They are impeccably built with sturdy cabinets, a beautiful finish, and a 6.5″ woofer that manages to put out plenty of bass even without a subwoofer. Paired with a matching center and surround, it will not disappoint when watching movies or listening to music.
Alternative: The KEF Q-Series can have better time coherence thanks to the UniQ driver, but won’t offer the same impact with movies that the SVS system can. A system composed of the Q550 tower front, Q650c center, and Q150 for surrounds will easily satisfy and they also offer a matching Atmos speaker.
SVS PB-4000 Subwoofer
The SVS PB-4000 offers fantastic bass, integrated EQ, and Bluetooth control so you can dial in the subwoofer from your listening chair. The PB-4000 isn’t a small sub, but you’ll feel that it’s there whenever something happens on-screen.
Upgrade: If you want the absolute best, the JL Audio f112v2 pair is still the best subwoofer we’ve ever reviewed. They completely disappear in your room, calibrate quickly and easily, and blend perfectly with your speakers. Compact in size, but when they’re called upon you’ll instantly realize they are there and on.
Accessories
For your AV system, there might be a few accessories you’ll need to round it out.
- Monoprice speaker wire does the job for a low price, and speaker wire is almost all the same
- Monoprice banana plugs make it easy to hook up speakers if you plan to move them around
- For a subwoofer cable, we use this basic Tartan model and have never had interference in our houses
- A Sony UHD Blu-ray player lets you watch 4K HDR content with lossless audio, including Dolby Vision content. Or our reference 4K Blu-ray player is the Panasonic UB820 that offers superior HDR image quality.
- The Apple TV 4K is the best media streamer we’ve used and offers Dolby Vision to pair with the LG OLED.
- The Harmony Elite remote offers a touchscreen for quick access to commands, but also physical keys to make it easy to use in the dark. It also controls your smart home devices as well.
- HDMI cables from Monoprice and Amazon work perfectly and are cheap
- A flat panel mount where you hide all the cables in the wall can create a clean setup
- A power bridge setup lets you hide the cables inside the wall for a clean setup
$10,000 Projection System
JVC DLA-NX5R
The JVC DLA-NX5R is JVCs least expensive 4K projector but in no way does that make it cheap at all. It can playback 4K HDR content but shines with 1080p content as well. A fully motorized lens system makes it easy to setup, and the dynamic iris is much improved over prior JVC models to produce better contrast ratios. No other 4K projector in the price range can come close to the native contrast ratios and it is the projector we would put into our home theater if we could.
Option: The only other competition for 4K at this price range is the Sony VPL-VW295ES. Sony has improved over their prior models, and it is 15-20% less than the JVC, but can’t do the contrast ratios that the JVC can.
Silver Ticket Screen
A basic white screen is easy to design and Silver Ticket does the best job for the price. Easy to assemble, neutral with no color tint, and a price that is much less than any screen that comes close to the performance. Available in standard 16×9 and 2.35:1 aspect ratios, so it can pair perfectly with the Epson 5040UB’s motorized lens for cinemascope content.
Speakers and Accessories
The same receiver, speakers, and accessories from the TV system also apply here, except you might want a nice projector mount that’s easy to adjust instead of the TV mount. Right now we don’t know what size the JVC will need, but Chief usually makes a custom version just for JVC and we would recommend that.
$10,000 Lifestyle System
You want the high-performance system but you don’t want it to dominate the room. The lifestyle system offers true high-end performance while still blending into the room.
Sony X900F 85” LCD TV
OK, so an 85″ TV won’t just disappear into the room, but we’d still go with the Sony because the size and performance can’t be beaten. If you decide to size down there are some more options, but we’d probably go straight for the LG OLED below since the Sony Master Series OLED won’t mount as flat against a wall.
Option: The LG C8 OLED comes in a large 77″ size, but it costs more than the Sony X900F and isn’t as large. It offers a better image, but the extra size and lower price of the Sony makes it the overall pick.
KEF R300 Speakers
The KEF R300 served as the main speakers for our home theater review system for many years. It is a wonderful speaker that looks and sounds beautiful and comes in a variety of finishes. We look forward to testing the new R3 model soon and will see if this recommendation gets updated then.
Upgrade: If you want a full range speaker that will deliver amazing sound and kill the urge to upgrade, I’d look at the GoldenEar Reference Series. They are expensive at $8,500 a pair, but that makes them the cheapest Class A speaker for Stereophile by nearly $10,000. Having heard them many times over the past two years, they sound phenomenal with movies, rock, classical, jazz, and everything else. What I’d love to put in my living room for music and never have to worry about upgrading again. Contact Value Electronics for information.
Naim Uniti Atom Integrated
One of the products that most surprised us this year was the Naim Uniti Atom. It is impeccably designed, with a great user interface, a powerful and musical amplifier, and supports streaming, a subwoofer, and HDMI CEC for audio from a TV. The compact size and attractive design makes it easy to place on a table in a living room without it looking like the big, black box that most receviers are.
Accessories
- The OmniMount OE120IW mount lets the TV fit flush against the wall, making it almost invisible. Don’t forget the OPK2 kit to also hide the power cables.
- The AppleTV 4K offers the best streaming experience right now and supports Dolby Vision to pair with the OLED display.
- A Harmony Elite makes it easy to control the TV, speakers, and even lighting in the room.