Take The Guesswork Out Of Home Theater Speakers

So you've decided on an HDTV, an A/V receiver, a DVD player, and 7.1-channel surround sound. You'll need eight speakers to get that job done. Don't hunt around for different speakers from different manufacturers that might be compatible with one another, not when everything you need is available in one package like the Onkyo SKSHT540. Onkyo, one of world's largest speaker manufacturers, puts years of expertise into every speaker system they make, resulting in some of the best sounding speakers available in any home theater package from any manufacturer.

You Get It All

With the SKSHT540 package, you'll get two front, one center, two surround, and two rear surround speakers all rated at 130 watts, all sonically and stylishly matched, plus a companion 230-watt powered subwoofer. The two-way, bass reflex, front and center speakers feature dual 5-inch woofers with the original OMF (Onkyo Micro Fiber) diaphragm technology. The speaker cones use a pure cotton weave to absorb vibrations combined with a thin flexing diaphragm for extremely fast and accurate response. OMF cones achieve improved midrange clarity and imaging for astonishingly vivid, natural sound. And you'll hear--and feel--every LFE (Low Frequency Effect) as the 10" bass reflex subwoofer pumps out thunderous bass.

Easy Setup--Really

Each of the eight speakers has a two wires that connect to the receiver at one end and the speaker at the other. That's a lot of connections! But not to worry, Onkyo knows a 7.1-channel system can be daunting to set up, that's why they color-coded both the terminals and the wires. You don't have to be an audio technician to set up your SKSHT540 package--it wouldn't even help.

Included With Purchase

Speaker cables and instructions.

Comparison Specifications

• Power Rating: 130 Watts All, Except Powered Subwoofer--230 Watts
• Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms All, Except Subwoofer--15 kOhm/Line
• Front (2)/Center (1) Speakers: Dual 5.00" OMF Diaphragm Woofers, 1.00" Balanced-Dome Floating Tweeter
• Surround (4) Speakers: 3.13" Cone Woofer, 0.75" Ceramic Tweeter
• Subwoofer: Bass Reflex, 230-Watt Powered, 10" Cone
• Crossover Frequency: 4.5 kHz (Front/Center), 10 kHz (Surround)
• Frequency Response: 55 Hz-50 kHz (Front/Center), 60 Hz-20 kHz (Surround), 25 Hz-150 Hz (Subwoofer)
• Cabinet Design: Two-Way Bass Reflex (Except Subwoofer)
• Magnetic Shielding: Front/Center
• Mounting: Bookshelf Or Wall (Brackets Not Included), Subwoofer--Floor

Additional Specifications

• Sensitivity: 86 dB/W/m (Front/Center), 82 dB/W/m (Surround)
• Subwoofer Auto Standby/On
• Color-Coded Terminals And Cables

Manufacturer Specifications

• Dimensions: Front/Center 6.19"/17.06" W x 17.06"/6.19" H x 7.88" D
• Dimensions: Surround 6.88" W x 10.44" H x 4.00" D

Dimensional Specifications

• Dimensions: Subwoofer 10.81" W x 18.63" H x 17.69" D
• Weights (Each): Front/Center 8.4 lbs, Surround 3.1 lbs, Subwoofer 25.4 lbs

Onkyo SKS-HT540(B) Warranty Details

Two-Year Parts And Labor Warranty

More reasons to buy the Onkyo SKS-HT540(B) from Vanns.com

• Free Shipping!
• No Sales Tax!
• Vanns.com is a Fully Authorized Dealer (Learn More)
• The Onkyo SKS-HT540(B) is Brand New
• The Onkyo SKS-HT540(B) Ships in a Factory Sealed Box

Right on the money

Reviewed By: Kevin Reppe - Oro Valley, Arizona

I ordered this Onkyo 7.1 surround after alot of online leg work and found it to be the best in quality and price point. This system is easily up there with more expensive models. I matched it with a Denon 1610 5.1 av receiver with 7.1 capabilities and a Panasonic 50G10 plasma. I am in TV heaven. The music is secondary for me but its great as well with these speakers. I have it set up in my great room and the sound fills the room nicely. I put the order in at Vanns 128 and it came the 1215. During the holiday rush I find this to be remarkable. Thanks to Vanns first and Onkyo a close second.

great value

Reviewed By: Steven Buuck - oroville, cA

good value cant beat that price can handle the power running a onkyo tx-nr 1007b. I blew up a way more expensive spearer system well all but a couple of em anyway. bought these until i decide what to replace them with but i like them for the price an they sound good I am running larger wire than that supplied with the speakers. i would recommend these as a good starting speaker system

Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 Channel Speakers

Reviewed By: Dirk Miller - Cheyenne, WY

These speakers were perfect for me. I wanted a 7.1 system and couldnt afford to spend a fortune. They sound great and look great in my family room. They, along with the Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver, really round out my new home theater system. I could spend more but am really happy with the performance of this system.

Great speakers!

Reviewed By: Brian Daley - Wading River, New York

These are awesome speakers. Hooked all of them up to a Denon AVR2808CI and the sound is amazing. There is no other 7 speaker PLUS subwoofer set of this quality for anywhere near this price. I had my shipment from Vanns in a few days and hookup was done in about 30 minutes due to using 16 gauge speaker wire and banana plugs instead of the wire that came with these speakers. That would be the only drawback to these speakers but even top quality $1,000 speakers dont come with wire or connecters. These speakers do but I wanted a higher quality speaker wire and connector but what is supplied with also work and its color coded for easy installation. Bottom line, great speakers for ANY price and a fantastic buy from Vanns at their price and service!

Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 Channel Speakers

Reviewed By: Michael Lind - Prentice, WI

Im very impressed with this speaker package. As other reviews state, this is the only 7.1 matching speaker package that contains 7 speakers left and right front, center, left and right surround, and rear speakers, plus a decent subwoofer. I did have to recalibrate once with my Sony STR-DG920 AV Receiver, but after I did that, everything sounded a lot better with the subwoofer.

This is an amazing set of speakers for someone not looking to spend a lot of cash, but also want a very nice sound to watching movies or playing video games. I would definately recommend these.

Great Value for the Dollar

Reviewed By: Terry W. Townson - Decatur, Alabama

I purchased the Onkyo speakers to mate with my Onkyo receiver and am very pleased. I didnt want to invest a small fortune but wanted a respectable sound quality, the Onkyo speakers met the bill.

Vanns service and information updates on the shipment status is excellent. I will utilize Vanns in the future.

Onkyo SKS-HT540B

Reviewed By: Alfredo Gonzalez - Fresno, California

I never really give reviews but I had to on this system it hands down the best home theater in a box for the price. Especially now since Vanns made them cheaper there the right choice for people who looking for quality speakers without busting your budget. I paid more with the Onkyo receiver and was worth it. Im sure now you can save by buying a better cheaper receiver or upgrade. The only con that I can think of are the surround sound speaker their not effeciente, their not as loud as you want them to be and they dont have a tweeter for the high frequency effects but they will do if your not extreme audio enthusiast like me. Over all speakers fantastic the subwofer is loud and heavy.

These Speakers are Great for the money!

Reviewed By: William Kivett - Simi Valley, CA

The Onkyo 7.1 speaker system SKS-HT540 is waaay better than the price would indicate. Full rich sound, from the larger speaker cabinets than the ones that come with the 907. I almost bought that system, but Im very happy that I waited, did more research, and got these. I just don't think that the tiny satellite systems, and I listened to many, can reproduce the same quality that having larger speakers can do! They all sounded too tinny, not enough low end. These speakers rock, or can provide excellent classical music as well. The subwoofer is a delight, goes into standby mode by itself if it is not needed. Excellent value, made even better by Vanns low price! Thanks Vanns

Best speakers on the market under 300.00!

Reviewed By: John reindl - Fox Island, WA

I recently purchased this speaker setup for my new 7.1 surround sound system which includes the Onkyo TX-SR604 receiver. This set of speakers is a great match with this system and I am happy to have found such a great deal at Vanns. The package arrived one day early too!

The subwoofer sounds great and it is accurate and powerful. I have no problem with the size of the speakers or subwoofer and I think it actually helps with the quality of the sound these things put out. I have a large room with a cathedral ceiling and it fills it up remarkably well.

I researched speakers for quite some time before making this purchase, including going down to CC to compare the systems I was looking at in person. I have to say, these spaekers are as good as those costing upwards of 1,000 in a live comparison. I was willing to pay more to get the speakers I wanted, but after hearing these I realized all I was spending more money on was a label. Onkyo has outdone themselves with this setup!

Real Home Theater Speakers

Reviewed By: James C. Hilty - Finleyville, PA

I received these speakers about a week ago from Vanns. Yes, they are large, but these are real home theater speakers, not single 3 woofers in a plastic shell.

The dual woofers in the front and center speakers allow you to use a lower crossover frequency for sounds that go to the subwoofer. You may say why not send all low frequencies to the subwoofer since it is a 230 watt powered sub. By having your other speakers share the bass, you have a smoother low frequency response across the entire sound field. On some receivers Onkyo especially, you can set the front speakers to full range and actually double the bass by having the bass that is playing through the front speakers to simultaneously also play through the sub.

The front and center speakers and the sub are worth the price alone.

These speakers are set up with an Onkyo 604 receiver, an Optoma HD70 front projector, a 106 screen and a Toshiba A2 HD DVD player. The room size is 20 x 22. The speakers are great. The sound now matches the great picture .

Once again, these are home theater speakers.

AWESOME! don't buy small satelites with small sound!

Reviewed By: RJ F - Los Angeles, CA

i carefully read reviews and researched these speakers before buying and im NOT disappointed. i was looking to replace a 7.1 setup from Denon that had small stylish satellie speakers. well, the sound matched the speakers -- SMALL! yes, these Onkyos are a little larger than most common surround sets. but big sound resonates best from bigger speaker cabinets. if the Bose concept is so great, why dont movie theaters and rock concerts use tiny little speakers?? bottom line -- because you cant get the same big sound and resonance from tiny speakers. sound is based on vibration, and bigger speakers give bigger sound vibration. these Onkyos have full rich sound with deep bass and great highs as well. a lot of speakers can handle mid-range and bass fine, but fall by the side when it comes to higher registers. i often listen to Native American music with flutes and rich high tones. these Onkyos reproduce the full spectrum of these elegant flutes in full detail. and the price cant be beat. you wont be disappointed!!!

Incredible Price, Great Sound

Reviewed By: David Smith - Kansas City, Kansas

Ive been searching for a great sounding surround sound on a budget. Bought this Onkyo system and am blown away by it. I read several reviews on it and was impressed on how well it scored. I debated about buying it due to the size but really isnt that bad once everything is in place. The sound beats other systems I looked at that cost 4 times as much. I especially like the 7.1 set up. This system went into a large 18x25 family room with our tv in a corner. The music had to fill a large space which this does exceptionally well. I especially like the color coded speaker wire, made installation an ease. Wish the subwoofer cable was longer but that is easily replaced. The reviews are correct, the best system for the price and beats most HTIB.

Very good speakers

Reviewed By: cesar avia - Doylestown, PA

This speaker system is very good, great sound when playing music and also when playing dvd moovies, the subwoofer is great also, I like the fact that it goes on stand by when it senses no sound, the only beef i have with this speaker system is the size of the surround speakers, these are a bit too big, but the sound is very good, overall very good speakers

Unbeatable sound and looks for the money

Reviewed By: Scott Upmal - Neptune, New Jersey

I ordered this from Vanns 2 weeks ago - got it within a week and since then I am still amazed by the price I paid for so much - Vanns price dwarfed the competition first off - then to see what I got for it - for anyone looking for a large scale 7 channel speaker set - this is absolutely it - the sound is awesome - the looks of the speakers are outstanding - the subwoofer is huge! and it turns on and off by it self - anyone looking for a large subwoofer? This thing itself Id say is worth at least 75 of the price I paid! I have these hooked to a Yamaha HTR-5890 and the sound is excellent - hook up is self explanatory - this is the only system I could find that had 7 matched speakers, a decent subwoofer and power handling above 100 watts these can handle 130!. So anyone looking for a great looking affordable 7 channel system - who wants more than just your average tiny speakers - this is it.

Great speakers with ONE exception

Reviewed By: Jerry Cummings - Lewiston, Idaho

I originally bought these a few weeks ago and was surprised on how big these were. The photos do not show the true size of the big front and center speakers. If they had, I would not have bought them at all.

The main complaint I have is the lack of any mounting hardware for the satellite speakers besides that keyhole attach point on the backs of them. I do not wish to drill holes in the speakers nor do I want to hang them on the walls.

Other than those issues, they perform fairly well.

awesome speakers

Reviewed By: ted nelson - Towson, maryland

I have these hooked up to a Denon AVR-2309ci.They are loud. They are awesome. I also ditched the 22 AWG wire that comes with the set and got 16 AWG wire. I couldnt have used the provided wire if I wanted to any way since each of the 7 wires are only about 15 feet in length and Im running the wire around the base boards of the floor and around the door frame so I have an average length of about 40 feet to each of the 4 surround speakers.

The front speakers carry a lot of deep, rich tones while the rear speakers are noticeably thinner both in actual dimensions and in sound quality. That is to be expected though since the speakers are a bit smaller and have only 1 mid-range woofer as compared to the 2 in each of the front speakers. This is all fine though because the idea is to provide surround noise which is usually background noise. You dont want the surround speakers which may be relatively close to your ears drowning out the sound of the front speakers which usually carries the main sound.

One thing I didnt like too much about the speakers was the ability to mount them. The 4 surround speakers each have 1 single screw hook at the very top of the back of the speakers the kind youd think to find on the back of a picture frame or something else youd hang on the wall. I have my 2 couches arranged in an L shape with 1 couch being against the wall so the 2 speakers on that side were no problem. I had speaker mounts that attached to 2 points with screws and then I mounted them on the wall. The other 2 are on stands which was tricky. Those 2 speakers are on the Sanus Hover series HF1B speaker stands. I got them because you can put the bent poles in and angle the speakers downward so I can match the angles of the other 2 that are mounted on the wall. The problem is that the only bracket the stands come with that are compatible with the bent poles assume 2 things about your speakers they are half this size at the very largest and they have have a screw hole or mounting bracket between 1 and 4 inches from the bottom of the speaker, not 8 inches from the bottom or 1 from the top as is the case here. I just had to use 2 screws and washers in each of the speakers to make sure they dont fall off the mounts 1 speaker already did with just 1 screw! yikes!. There is no hardware provided at all for the front 3 speakers so you are going to have to put them on stands or shelves of some sort unless you want to get creative. Also make sure you have room for the center speaker. I have a Samsung 46 LCD sitting on its provided pedestal on a tv stand. The center speaker is also on the tv stand but is taller than distance of the stand to the bottom of the tv screen so there was about half an inch or so of the bottom of the screen being blocked by the speaker until I got a couple of boards and propped the tv up.

Before I go I must say to all the naysayers on other reviews Ive read about the subwoofer, Onkyo states the subwoofer is 230W and some claim the back states its 130W or 140W. The fact of the matter is the subwoofer is powered by an amplifier that delivers up to 140W of its own power along with up to 130W of power from the LFE channel of your receiver. In my case I have 100W coming from the receiver so the subwoofer has up to 240W of power going to it. Now obviously there is not as much bass as there would be in more expensive speakerssubwoofers but this package is pretty much a starter set. If its any consolation, I have literally shook the floor and knocked things off bookshelves with the bass.

Overall, these are great speakers and if youre willing to be creative and put in a little work, they will look and sound much better than their price tag suggests.

Onkyo 7-1 speakers HT540

Reviewed By: John E. Hess - West End, NC

Speakers sound fine so far. Still working on the balancing. Setting this up is new to me! I liked the Wire color coding but on advise brought some 16 wire. If this [Better wire] and plugs for the back of the receiver were included the install would be a lot easier. I believe the system will be fine once I work out the balancing and learn all the avaible adjustments on my onkyo [604] receiver.

More than meets the price.

Reviewed By: Andrew Smith - Windham, ME

My first impression of this 7.1 Speaker system from Onkyo was that the packaging was done quite well. None of the speakers experienced any nicks, abrasions, or scratches during the shipping process an exceptional feat considering the packages weight. The visual of the speakers is pretty much par for the course, the quality isn’t as high as you’d get from an audiophile grade speaker. With that said they appear to be well made and look pretty nice to my eye. The subwoofer seems nice and stout also.

Upon hooking up the speakers I was saddened to see 22AWG cables included with the speakers. With an 8 Ohm speaker the cable runs to the surround speakers offer an unacceptable amount of electrical resistance. I’ve upgraded to 14AWG speaker cables for everything and used an upgraded cable for the subwoofer pre-out. I’d suggest anyone buying this speaker package do the same, while the fronts sound the same I noticed a nice increase in sound quality from the rear speakers due to the larger wiring. With the budget price of these speakers, you really can afford to go out and get better cables. I actually look at the included cables as just a completely unneeded bonus, and their color coding really makes hook up easy.

I attached my 7.1 speakers to my Onkyo TX-SR605 and fired up X-Men 3 on Blu-Ray. Needless to say for the price this is a very big sound system! This completely blows away some of the HTIB speakers systems I’ve heard priced as much as 4 or 5 times the cost of this system. The sound really fills my living room, which is roughly 600 sq ft with cathedral ceilings and it doesn’t seem to struggle. The subwoofer is pretty accurate and offers plenty of power. I found a HD broadcast of a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert and found myself completely enveloped in warm sound from every direction. I didn’t expect the sort of music performance this system offers, and I’m extremely impressed.

As far as the speakers go, the surrounds are actually pretty small and thin, offering easy wall mounting. The fronts are also pretty small sized, but without wall mounts. I’d recommend getting some speaker stands for the R&L channels. The center channel is a good size speaker, although to me it’s the weakest link of the system. I could imagine the center being the first place I upgrade, and while dialog seems pretty accurate, a little more sensitivity in the center channel wouldn’t have hurt. I’ve increased the gain a bit on the center channel and it seems to have helped clear up the dialog a little, sometimes though it still blends in too much with background noises.

In closing this system is basically an unreal deal, for someone looking to get into home theater you really can’t afford not to start with this package. Onkyo should sell a lot of these systems at this remarkable price point.

Onkyo Speakers SKS HT540

Reviewed By: Richard L. Zureick - Cincinnati, Ohio

I searched my local retailers and then the web, the people at Vanns gave me the best deal and then threw in Free Shipping. The speakers arrived four days before they said they would.

The speakers sound fantastic. With our new HD video the family room really does seem like a theater, only more comfortable and convenient. DVDs, television, CDs, and games come through the speakers with all the effects built into them. Thanks again for the great deal and the great service.

Very cheap 7.1 speaker set

Reviewed By: Kristopher Branson - Tucson, AZ

I bought these speakers to replace my 5.1 Sony HTIB speakers Ive had for 5 years. At first I really had to find a place to put the front 3 speakers because they are very large, honestly too large. I thought to myself if these speakers are large and have woofers in them they should put out plenty of soundbass, I was wrong. I was actually disappointed in the amount of bass the 7 speakers put out for the huge speakers in them. The subwoofer that is in this set is a pretty good sub and the best part of the set, except it rattles at high volumes maybe a defect. I also had to change the surround speakers to small in my receiver to get needed bass in the sub, which totally defeats the use of large front speakers. I ended up using my old front 3 speakers SONY MSP2 because the voices and dialogue were MUCH clearer and easlier to understand then the center in this set.

For the price, it is a GREAT starter set of 7.1 speakers. I would recommend this set to someone that only has 2-3 hundred for speakers. However I am an audiophile now and these just dont cut it. If you plan on keeping these, plan on buying a new center channel, and maybe a bigger subwoofer for a larger room. Im going with the SUB-12 now.

All in all I am now selling these speakers but as an entry level speaker set it was a great smoking deal, if even just for the subwoofer. You cant find any 7.1 speakers for the price at Vanns. Shipping was fast from Vanns as always.