New TV, new sound or both: your Diwali home theatre list
This list has all of it: five TVs, five sound systems and a streaming device, 11 products in total, for you to pick from depending on whether your room needs a better picture, fuller sound or a smarter way to stream. Diwali is when most people go out and buy something new for their homes, and more often than not it is a new TV. For others it is a soundbar to complete a home theatre they have been building, a full sound system, or at times the entire setup in one go. Start with what bothers you most. If it is the screen, the TVs here come in sizes and styles to suit different rooms. If it is the sound, the options run from a soundbar system and a pair of powered speakers to full surround setups, one of which also plays music in other rooms. If the TV is fine but the experience feels slow, the streaming device is a small fix. You do not have to buy it all. Pick one piece, or put the whole setup together over time. Here is what each product offers, so you can decide what your living room needs.
The 55-inch R85H is a 4K smart TV from the 2026 range with AI-powered picture optimisation and intelligent sound features, in a slim body meant for contemporary living rooms. The C6 uses LG’s alpha 11 AI Processor Gen3 with a Dual AI Engine, which controls the panel’s 8.3 million self-lit pixels. LG says the NPU is up to 5.6 times faster than before, with the CPU 50% faster and the GPU 70% stronger. A Brightness Booster feature lifts highlights, and the panel carries UL-verified Perfect Black and Perfect Color, with certification for 100% colour volume and fidelity. On the gaming side it supports up to 165Hz at 4K with G-Sync compatibility and FreeSync Premium, a 0.1ms response time, VESA-certified DSC, Nvidia GeForce Now and a Game Dashboard. webOS adds an AI Hub with Multi AI Search using Gemini and Copilot, plus AI Concierge and voice profiles. The set is 45.1mm deep without its stand, and the webOS Re:New programme promises up to five years of software upgrades. The Vision 9 is the biggest Lumio TV yet, a 65-inch QD-MiniLED set from the 2026 range. It runs a MediaTek Pentonic 700 chip with 3GB of RAM, and the company says the TV boots in seconds. Storage is 64GB, which Lumio says is 50 per cent faster than before, so apps install and load quicker. On the software side, the TV runs TLDR 2.0, Lumio’s own content discovery platform, which pulls together trending titles and recommendations across apps. Lumio is also offering a free third year of warranty on the 65-inch model, and its Diwali sale offers are live on the site.
Glare Free technology, which reduces reflections, is available only on select models, and Vision AI features for picture optimisation and content experiences vary by model, so the exact feature set of a given unit is worth confirming before purchase. Lumio has put much of its pitch into speed. A Wi-Fi chip is meant to keep streaming smooth. The remote has a dedicated TLDR button to open it.
Price: Rs 1,34,990 Samsung’s Micro RGB technology uses individually controlled red, green and blue micro LEDs to manage light and colour. Price: Rs 1,60,261 Price: Rs 3,59,900 The 7 II uses what Sony calls True RGB, where red, green and blue LEDs in the backlight are controlled independently. It runs Google TV and comes in sizes from 55 to 98 inches. Lumio Vision 9 (65-inch): QD-MiniLED, 3GB RAM, and TLDR Price: Rs 71,999 Price: Rs 79,990 Hisense’s U7SE is a 4K Mini LED TV, and the 55-inch is the smallest of four sizes that go up to 85 inches. Price: Rs 39,999 The Aura 5 is a pair of powered speakers, not a soundbar. It uses 4.5-inch woofers and 1-inch silk dome tweeters in wooden enclosures, and the amplifier and DAC sit inside the right speaker, so no receiver is needed. That speaker also carries every input: HDMI ARC with CEC, optical, coaxial, USB, RCA/AUX and Bluetooth 5.4. Lumio quotes a 35Hz to 20kHz response and lossless playback up to 24-bit/48kHz. The supplied cable between the two speakers is 2 metres, which sets how far apart they can sit unless you use your own wire. Price: Rs 60,000 Sonodyne has been making audio gear in India since 1970, and the SAMA 6000 is its 5.1-channel Dolby Atmos system. The wireless subwoofer has an 8-inch driver, and total output is 700W. Price: Rs 1,10,990 The Q990H is an 11.1.4-channel system, meaning 11 front and surround channels, one subwoofer channel and four up-firing channels. The bar itself has front-firing, side-firing and up-firing speakers, and the box includes a subwoofer with dual 20.32 cm units and AI Dynamic Bass Control, plus two wireless rear speakers that can face front or back. Dolby Atmos is transmitted wirelessly over Wi-Fi with 2022 to 2026 Samsung TVs, and Eclipsa Audio is supported. Other features include Game Pro mode, Private Rear Sound for late-night viewing, HDMI 2.1 with eARC, Google Cast, AirPlay, Spotify Connect and SmartThings. Sonos Premium Set: Arc Ultra, Sub 4 and two Era 100, controlled through the Sonos app Price: Rs 1,83,997 This set bundles four products: the Arc Ultra soundbar, the Sub 4 wireless subwoofer and two Era 100 smart speakers. The Arc Ultra is priced at Rs 84,999 on its own, the Sub 4 at Rs 67,999 and each Era 100 at Rs 21,999. Price: Rs 2,39,990 The Trio is Sony’s flagship wireless home theatre system, and it takes a different approach from a soundbar. The figure of up to 24 phantom speakers applies when it is paired with the Sub 9 and Rear 9. The Sub 9 is a 600W subwoofer with dual opposing drivers, priced at Rs 94,990, and the Rear 9 has large up-firing speakers and a swivel wall-mount bracket, priced at Rs 74,990. Price: Rs 39,900 (2026 model, pre-order); Rs 16,900 (2022 model) The Apple TV 4K is not a necessary addition to a home theatre, but it is a worthwhile one. The 2026 model swaps the 2022 model’s A15 chip for an A19, adds Wi-Fi 7 and a far-field microphone for Siri AI, and works as a smart home hub with HomeKit and Matter accessories. It is on pre-order from 13 November at Rs 39,900, more than twice the Rs 16,900 at which the 2022 model is listed at one retailer, and Apple says Siri AI also works on the second-generation box and later. If you want one this Diwali, the 2022 model is the one to look for, provided it costs less than the new one.
The company says this is designed to deliver vivid colours and detailed images across different types of content, and it presents the technology as a change in how colour is reproduced and how the picture is processed. Sony says this combines the colour range of its QD-OLED TVs with the brightness of Mini LED, and X-Wide Angle Pro keeps colour and contrast steady from side seats. The XR Processor with AI handles 4K upscaling and fast motion, and the TV supports IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. A subwoofer, rear speakers or both can connect directly to the TV through BRAVIA Theatre, without a soundbar. For gaming, it offers 4K at 120fps and PS5 features such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping, though VRR support varies by model. It uses a Hi-QLED panel and a Total HDR solution for picture quality. Gamers get a native 144Hz mode, and a built-in subwoofer adds some bass without an extra box. It runs on VIDAA, Hisense’s own smart TV platform, and supports hands-free voice control. If you want a Mini LED screen and a larger size, the same series covers it. Connect it to the TV over HDMI and the TV remote controls the volume. The soundbar carries five full-range drivers for the left, right, centre and side-firing surround channels. One HDMI eARC cable connects it to the TV, and the subwoofer pairs automatically. HDMI in, optical, AUX and Bluetooth are also on offer. Three EQ modes cover movies, music and dialogue, the subwoofer level can be adjusted separately, and the system carries a two-year warranty. Q-Symphony plays sound through the TV and soundbar together, SpaceFit Sound Pro tunes the output to the room, and Active Voice Amplifier Pro raises dialogue over background noise. Sonos describes it as plug and play, with setup done through the Sonos app once the products are powered on. The speakers can be mixed and matched, so the system can serve both the TV and music in other parts of the home, and more Sonos products can be added later. The retailer lists delivery within six to seven business days. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS and integrates with compatible BRAVIA televisions. Both are sold separately. It is a small streaming box that plugs into the HDMI port of any TV above and brings Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade and Photos to the screen, with 4K Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos in supported apps. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
Dedicated left, centre and right speakers are meant to create a wider soundstage than a single bar, and Sony says the layout is aimed at today’s very large TVs.