Best Bose surround sound systems for home theater

Top pick: Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar — the heart of a Bose home theater. It's a single Dolby Atmos bar that does convincing height and width on its own, and it's the piece everything else in Bose's lineup pairs with, so you can build out later without replacing it.

Who the others suit:

• Bose Surround Speakers 700 — add these behind the couch when you want true rear channels rather than virtual ones.
• Bose Bass Module 700 — for anyone who wants real cinematic low end; the bar alone won't shake the room.
• Bose Lifestyle 650 — a complete, all-in-one 5.1 system with its own console; best if you'd rather buy one finished package than build up.
• Bose Surround Wireless Speakers (pair) — the simpler, cheaper route to rear channels if the 700s are overkill.

One thing to know: Bose's current approach is modular — bar, bass, surrounds — so "a Bose surround system" is usually those pieces together rather than one box.