The best 5.1 home theater system on our list is the Logitech Z906 surround sound speaker system. However, the other 5.1 options on our list, like the JBL Bar 5.1 and Onkyo HT-S5800, are both excellent options. A 5.1 surround sound system uses five audio channels (hence the “5”) plus a subwoofer channel (the "1" in 5.1). 5.1 systems work through the same speaker channels and configuration, having a front left and right, a center channel, two surround channels, plus a low-frequency effects channel designed for the subwoofer. On the other hand, a 2.1 system uses 2 speakers and one subwoofer channel.