We’ve been working on our $2,000 home theater guide for a while now, but some people have a larger budget. For those people that are looking to spend around $5,000 on their home theater, there are a number of other options available that offer improved performance. 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 far 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.
$5000 TV System | $5000 Projection System | $5000 Lifestyle System
$5000 TV System
LG C8 55” OLED TV
An OLED TV looks better than any LCD TV we’ve used, and most LG OLED TVs offers the same image quality. Because of this, the LG C8 OLED will save you money by not giving you features you don’t need, but still giving you the best image quality you can buy, 3D LUT calibration, as well as Dolby Vision compatibility.
Option: If you have a room with lots of windows and no shades, you might want a TV that gets brighter than an OLED. The Vizio PQ65-F1 comes in a 65” size, can do HDR highlights up to 2000 nits, has 128 zones of full array local dimming, and also looks fantastic.
Denon AVR-X1500H Receiver
For a receiver, the Denon AVR-X1500H is our pick by offering 7.1 channels in case you decide to update to Atmos later. 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, and the HEOS integration offers lots of streaming services for internet audio.
Upgrade: The Denon AVR-X3500H has more HDMI inputs and Audyssey XT32 calibration for superior room correction, but it’s hard to do better without spending 2x as much.
KEF Q-Series Speaker System
Two of us run KEF speakers in our home theaters, and the updated Q Series offers lots of that performance thanks to its UniQ driver. A system using the Q350 Bookshelf for fronts, Q650c center channel, and Q150 for surrounds will offer seamless, detailed sound that sounds great no matter where you are sitting. KEF offers matching Atmos modules for object-based surround if you want to add DTS:X and Atmos support. We also pick bookshelf speakers over towers to allow better placement of the speakers and subwoofer for overall superior sound.
SVS PB-1000 Subwoofer
The SVS PB-1000 offers fantastic bass for the money and integrates well with the KEF speakers. It will fill your room with deep bass during movies and offers fantastic detail with music as well.
Upgrade: Instead of getting a single larger sub, you’re almost always better getting two subs to provide more even bass response for the whole room. You even get a small discount when getting a two-pack of the SVS PB-1000.
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
$5000 Projection System
Epson Home Cinema UB5040
The Epson Home Cinema 5040 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 Epson models to produce better contrast ratios. Its image quality is a good step-up from the models selling for just a few hundred dollars less. It also looks much better with 4K content than those $2,000 “true” 4K DLP models because of better contrast ratios and wide color support.
Upgrade: Going to true 4K with projection is expensive, but the Sony VPL-VW295ES does it more affordably than anyone else, and based on our viewing of it in person it looks fantastic. It will take the entire $5,000 budget to get one, though.
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.
Denon AVR-X1500H Receiver
For a receiver, the Denon AVR-X1500H is our pick by offering 7.1 channels in case you decide to update to Atmos later. 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, and the HEOS integration offers lots of streaming services for internet audio.
Upgrade: The Denon AVR-X3500H has more HDMI inputs and Audyssey XT32 calibration for superior room correction, but it’s hard to do better without spending 2x as much.
ELAC Debut 2.0 Speakers
The updated Debut 2.0 speakers from ELAC offer superb sound at a low price. The finish isn’t as high-end as other brands, but those cost savings have been put towards the sound quality which is amazing for the price. We’d recommend using the Debut 2.0 B6.2 for fronts and surrounds, and the matching C6.2 Center Speaker, but they also offer an on-wall surround for a cleaner looking system and the A4.2 Atmos modules as well.
SVS PB-1000 Subwoofer
The SVS PB-1000 offers fantastic bass for the money and integrates well with the KEF speakers. It will fill your room with deep bass during movies and offers fantastic detail with music as well.
Upgrade: Instead of getting a single larger sub, you’re almost always better getting two subs to provide more even bass response for the whole room. You even get a small discount when getting a two-pack of the SVS PB-1000.
Accessories
The same 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. We use this one from Peerless because it’s easy to install, hold almost any projector, and makes lining it up with the screen perfectly a simple task.
$5000 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.
LG 65” C8 OLED
LG OLED TVs, like the C8, offer a beautiful picture and are incredibly thin and stylish. Paired with an invisible flat panel mount from our accessories list, it will float on the wall and you’ll hardly notice it’s there. But when you watch it you won’t be able to take your eyes off it.
Option: Samsung’s The Frame is an LCD TV designed to look like a work of art you hang on the wall. The image quality doesn’t match the LG OLED, but you can get it finished in a variety of frame options to match your decor and on the wall it doesn’t look like a TV at all, even displaying art if you would like.
KEF LS50W Speakers
The KEF LS50W is the wireless, powered version of KEFs award-winning LS50 speaker. It handles audio from your TV, streams from Spotify and Tidal, has Airplay and Bluetooth, and even analog for a turntable. It comes in a variety of finishes to match your decor as well.
Upgrade: Improve the LS50Ws by adding a subwoofer for extra bass. The Power Sound Audio S1500 comes in a number of attractive wood finishes and delivers plenty of bass.
Option: If you’d rather have a sound bar and surround audio, the Bluesound Pulse sound bar sounds great and comes in black or white finishes. It sounds wonderful and you can add a pair of wireless speakers for surrounds for a true surround system.
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.