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The very best - with looks and sound to prove it $5,000 and up

At these prices, you are into the crème de la crème of speaker systems, with models made of the finest materials, typically with furniture-grade cabinets finished in matched woods and using exotic technologies. These systems incorporate the most powerful subwoofers, for the tightest, deepest bass, and some even come with multiple subs for smoother bass response. The MartinLogan Fresco system ($5,970), reviewed in January 2004.

Very few full-size speakers share the flat-panel cool of plasma TVs, but MartinLogan (martinlogan.com) doesn't manufacture just any speaker. Its new on-wall Fresco (click to read the January 2004 review, "Speaker, Speaker on the Wall.") features an Advanced Thin Film driver to create sound meant to be exceeded only by its appearance. Wall mount five of them, throw in a 10-inch, 250-watt Grotto subwoofer, and be the envy of the neighborhood for $5,970.

THX standards were established to ensure that what you hear in the movie theater and in your home theater is consistent with what the filmmakers heard in the mixing room. The Atlantic Technology System 6200 (atlantictechnology.com) is THX Select-certified to deliver this level of performance. The 6200 LR left/right front speakers, the 6200 C center speaker, and the 12-inch, 300-watt 642 SB subwoofer come in a standard black finish but can be customized with maple, cherry, or gloss black. Add the 6200 SR switchable bipolar/dipolar surrounds, and you'll bring the movies home for $5,720 to $7,020, depending on trim.

If your room measures over 3,000 cubic feet, consider Jamo's (jamo.com) THX Ultra2-certified D 7PTX suite ($6,399). Three D 7LCR speakers handle the front channels, while the D 7SUR speakers handle the surround channels, leaving the deep-bass duties to the 15-inch, 400-watt D 7SUB.

The new on-wall speakers from KEF (kef.com) use Acoustic Compliance Enhancement to achieve a depth of bass normally found only in much larger speakers. The unique mounting system for the KHT 9000ACE allows full height adjustment, and when it's mounted on a wall, a filter automatically engages to compensate for the wall's effect on the sound. Five identical 9000ACE speakers paired with a 12-inch, 500-watt PSW 4000 sub run $6,500. The JBL HT-Series system ($6,550), reviewed in September 2003.

More commercial movie theaters use JBL (jbl.com) speakers than any other brand. Its HT - Home Theater - Series is all about bringing that level of performance home. Build your own cinema with two HT4V L/R speakers, an HT4H center speaker, two HT5 surrounds, and two THX-certified HTPS-400 subs that each house a 12-inch driver and a 1,000-watt amp. Price of admission: $6,550. (See the review in "Sonic Signatures," September 2003.)

The B&W (www.bwspeakers.com) 700 Series speakers feature wood cabinets in five finishes - maple, cherry, walnut, rosenut, and black ash - that you'll want to proudly display. Use the Model 703 towers with the HTM7 center speakers and the DS7 surrounds, which can be switched from monopole to dipole operation via a 12-volt trigger. The 1,000-watt, 12-inch ASW750 sub shares the same cabinetry and rounds out the $6,850 package. The Definitive Technology BP7001SC system ($5,695), reviewed in July/August 2003.

Definitive Technology (definitivetech.com) is practically synonymous with tower speakers with built-in powered subs. The SC series uses the new SuperCube subwoofer design for louder, tighter, more punishing bass. Make sure your house is well secured to its foundation when you connect the BP 7001SC towers (which each include the same 1,500-watt, three-driver complement found in a standalone SuperCube 1 sub), the CLR3000 center speaker (which also includes a 10-inch, 150-watt sub), and the BPVX surrounds. That's 3,150 watts of bass and a whole lot more for $5,695. (See the July/August 2003 review on our Web site.)

The eXpanding Array drivers in the XA System from Snell (snellacoustics.com) are designed to control vertical dispersion while allowing a broad horizontal image, producing what reviewer Daniel Kumin called "terrifically dynamic, high-definition sound" ("Sonic Signatures," September 2003). Whether it's movies or music, the XA60 towers, SA55CR center speaker, SR30THX surrounds, and 10-inch, 330-watt PS.10mk2 sub should be up to the task. Pay $7,250, and your ears will thank you.