Surround Sound in a Box

Surround sound, from one device, without the hassle of setting up multiple speakers and stringing wire around the house... is it possible? Certainly. For people who love music and multimedia audio but lack the time and patience required to set up a sophisticated surround-sound home theater system, the following four products provide an intriguing, and simple, alternative. Each works differently: One enhances the audio your connected devices generate to simulate surround sound on your devices' existing speakers, while the others contain multiple speakers (in a single box) that boom out the sound. Despite the different methods they use, each lets you achieve louder, better audio, whether you're watching the news, enjoying an action movie, or listening to a classical CD.

Xitel Soundaround

Incorporating principles of psychoacoustics, the Soundaround is supposed to trick your brain into hearing surround sound by delaying and varying the intensity of the audio that your TV's or stereo's main speakers emit. This petite device, 5.8 inches wide by 1 inch high by 4.7 inches deep, has one set of coaxial analog audio inputs and outputs for connecting it to a television, DVD player, PlayStation 2, Xbox, satellite or cable set-top box, or digital video recorder. You simply plug the supplied standard audio cables from the component you're using into the Soundaround box and then connect the box to your television or stereo.

The unit definitely works: Audio from a TV or from stereo speakers was enhanced, with greater detail and nuance. But the sensation of hearing actual surround sound was absent, and the audio was certainly less powerful than you'd expect from a true multichannel speaker arrangement. Still, the Soundaround's easy setup, included remote control, simple operation, and moderate effectiveness make this product worth the money for undemanding audio types who want to invest a little in their home stereo system.