I’ve been stuck with PC 2.1 speakers for 10 years now. I really want to make the jump for a 5.1 or 7.1 system, but I don’t know where I am to place such a system for best acoustic results as my room is not that big. However, speaker manufacturers still make 2.1 speakers that try to emulate 5.1 systems. I haven’t yet tested such tricky setups and I tend to think they don’t really rise to an audiophile’s expectations. Take for example one of the latest systems in this category coming from Onkyo.

Onkyo’s new home entertainment system that looks to be specifically designed for people who think extra wires might not be a good idea for their house, while wireless speakers cost a fortune. The new system is dubbed GKW-2.1HD and consists of two 30W front stereo speakers, a 60W subwoofer plus a spiffy control unit and a remote for comfy use. It comes with standard support for 2.1HD audio, but Onkyo also made it possible for you to later add a few extra speakers in case you really need a 5.1-channel surround sound setup.

The main connectors are based on the HDMI 1.3 standard, with two inputs and a single output. There are also connections for adding in the extra surround speakers. The GKW-2.1HD also supports audio formats such as Dolby NR TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, taking full advantage of the integrated 24-bit/192kHz DACs.

The GKW-2.1HD is expect it to hit worldwide stores on June 21st for around $509.