John Sciacca

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Fast and simple setup
Long transmission range
Zero detectable latency
Minus
Optical input doesn’t support Dolby or DTS bitstreams

THE VERDICT
XStream works exactly as promised, beaming audio around the home with little effort. Easily integrates with existing audio distribution systems or functions standalone.

Thanks to companies like Sonos and Bluesound, wireless audio distribution systems are gaining real traction in the marketplace. And if you’re starting from ground zero, these can be terrific options for sending music around an existing home.

But what if you have an existing audio system you want to expand on? Say an older Elan, Niles, or Russound housewide system that’s feeding multiple rooms that you want to add to? Or if you purchased a multi-zone A/V receiver and want to add music to a far bedroom or porch? Or maybe you just want to add some surround channels to the back of a room or new Dolby Atmos speakers that wouldn’t be possible or cost effective to do with traditional wiring? If any of those sounds like you, Russound’s new XStream X1 wireless audio system might be the perfect solution.

A computer in the living room? Madness! Computers are big and noisy. They aren't reliable, they aren't remote-controllable, and they can't even handle high-def. Keep them the hell away from my media room!

Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics
Value

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Supports Dolby Atmos/DTS:X up to 11.1.4
Immersive surround sound
Impressive subwoofer performance
Lots of adjustment options
Minus
Limited front panel display
No on-screen display
No room correction/test tones
Adjustments with remote are cumbersome

THE VERDICT
The newest version of Samsung’s top-of-the-line Atmos soundbar maintains the exceptional sound quality, performance, and style of its predecessor. However, the new model comes with some added features, such as 4K/120 Hz HDMI support, making it an even more capable product. It’s an effortless recommendation for anyone seeking a high-performance soundbar solution.

Soundbars have advanced beyond their initial role of making TVs sound better. At the highest levels, the current generation of flagship soundbars includes virtually all the features of AVR-based multi-channel surround sound systems, often including higher channel counts, the ability to decode modern immersive audio systems, far easier installation and operation, and a lower cost.