Philips HTS8100 SoundBar

One of the worst things about home theater is the mess of speakers that you need to place throughout your living room — that is, unless you get this. The Philips HTS8100 SoundBar Home Theater System ($1000; Q2 2007) is a simple unit that features five amplifiers and a DVD player, along with a dedicated subwoofer. The bar incorporates multiple technologies including array processing, precise driver positioning and psycho-acoustics to deliver a full surround sound experience from a single bar. It's the perfect complement to your new flat-panel HDTV.