What we liked
- The true 360° immersion with just four speakers
- The compact design, easy to fit into any living room
- The quick and easy configuration
- The clear, perfectly centered voices
- The competitive price/performance ratio
We would have liked
- Compatibility with an external subwoofer for larger rooms
- A slightly wider soundstage
- Backlit keys on the remote
- Universal calibration (without Hisense TV)
Our expert’s opinion
With the HT Saturn, Hisense has succeeded in offering an innovative, compact and immersive wireless home theater system, combining ease of installation, discreet design and sonic performance. It features a 4.1.2 configuration based on four speakers and a subwoofer, supported by Devialet's expertise and efficient audio processing to create a true three-dimensional soundstage, where Atmos and surround effects come to life with power and realism. While we may regret the lack of compatibility with a separate subwoofer and the spatialization that's a little less extensive than that of the Sony Bravia Theater Quad, the Hisense HT Saturn makes up for it with a more dynamic sound, excellent dialogue clarity and a very convincing price/performance ratio. It's an all-in-one solution for those who want to experience cinema to the full at home, without the constraints of a traditional home theater system.
While the majority of wireless home theater systems are based around a soundbar with surround speakers, Hisense is shaking things up with the Hisense HT Saturn. This compact system, calibrated by Devialet, promises immersive 360° surround sound with just four separate speakers and a wireless subwoofer. Priced at €1,490, this model is positioned as a more affordable alternative to the Sony Bravia Theater Quad, forerunner of the 4-speaker wireless home theater system. Does this Chinese challenger have what it takes to rival the industry benchmark?
Introducing the Hisense HT Saturn
A clutter-free cinema experience
Since the launch of the Sony HT-A9 in 2022, the Japanese brand has established itself as one of the most innovative players on the wireless home theater scene. This system made its mark by inaugurating a 360° surround experience with just four independent speakers, without amplifiers or complex wiring. In 2024, Sony took the concept one step further with the Bravia Theater Quad, an optimized and perfected version of the HT-A9, as detailed in our dedicated review.
With the Hisense HT Saturn, the Chinese brand becomes the only competitor to take on this wireless home theater giant. Based on the same principle of immersive sound from four physical speakers (two at the front, two at the rear), this latest-generation system stands out for its included subwoofer, as it is optional with Sony systems. It also boasts a total power output of 720W, surpassing the 504W developed by the Sony Bravia Theater Quad.
In a contemporary living room, the compactness of a home theater system is an essential criterion, especially when it comes to integrating several speakers without cluttering up the space. Hisense has understood this well with the HT Saturn, whose design emphasizes minimalism and discretion. Each speaker adopts a compact rectangular format, just 19cm tall and 12cm wide, a much smaller footprint than that of the Sony Bravia Theater Quad speakers, which are almost 30cm tall and 29cm wide. Thanks to their matte black finish and clean lines, the HT Saturn speakers blend harmoniously into all types of interiors, whether modern, classic or minimalist. Their format allows them to be placed on a piece of furniture or wall-mounted using the inserts provided.
The wireless subwoofer is also unobtrusive, measuring just 39cm high and 19cm on each side. It slips easily behind a sofa or next to a piece of furniture, without requiring precise adjustments thanks to automatic phase and frequency management.
A 4.1.2 system for 360° sound
Behind its apparent simplicity, the Hisense HT Saturn conceals a highly intelligent design. The 4.1.2-channel architecture is based on four compact speakers finely tuned by the manufacturer Devialet, marking its first collaboration with Hisense. Each speaker is equipped with several drivers directed in different directions, including on the top to reproduce Atmos and DTS:X effects by reflection off the ceiling. These drivers are driven by powerful DSPs to effectively reproduce the effects in space and give the impression that multiple speakers are installed throughout the room. We were plunged into the heart of a highly realistic sound bubble, without the need for center or Atmos speakers, and without having to precisely position the surround speakers.
The Hisense HT Saturn wireless home theater’s speakers are backed up by a subwoofer equipped with a 6.5 inch driver and powered by a dedicated 280-watt amplifier. Capable of going down to 40Hz with impact, it works in perfect harmony with the satellite speakers to add substance and credibility to action scenes. Its use is essential for a correctly balanced reproduction, as the compact size of the satellites limits bass response.
While the Hisense HT Saturn offers excellent performance in all configurations, Hisense TV users can go even further, thanks in particular to Hi-Concerto technology, which enables the TV’s speakers to be used as a central channel. Another advantage is the RoomFitting Tuning calibration available on some of the brand’s TVs, which measures the acoustic characteristics of the room to automatically adapt the sound reproduction.
For other users, there are five audio modes (music, sports, gaming, cinema and AI) to adapt the sound reproduction to the program being viewed. An integrated equalizer allows you to fine-tune the bass, treble, dialogue clarity and Atmos effects. All these options are easily accessible via the well-designed remote control. The latter is pleasant to hold, and incorporates a small control screen that makes settings clear and intuitive, without the need to go through a TV menu. The only drawback is the lack of backlighting on the buttons, which can make it difficult to use in the dark, especially during movie nights.
How to connect the Saturn HT to a TV
The four speakers and the subwoofer of the Hisense HT Saturn home theater are combined with a control box designed to receive and transmit sound from the TV and paired sources. To do this, it features an HDMI input and an HDMI eARC/ARC port. It supports the latest cinema formats, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. As for video, the control box adopts an HDMI eARC input and output, both certified HDMI 2.1 and UHD 4K compatible. There’s also an optical input to connect an older-generation TV. Finally, Bluetooth enables music to be streamed from a smartphone or tablet, for example.
Installing the Hisense HT Saturn home theater
Installing the Hisense HT Saturn takes just a few minutes. Each speaker is assigned to a specific channel (front left, front right, rear left, rear right), clearly identified by a pictogram on the underside of the base. Simply position them where indicated, plug them into the mains, and you’re ready to go. Once the main hub is connected to the TV, synchronization is automatic: the system is immediately operational, with no need for tedious configuration.
Thanks to its HDMI eARC connection, the Hisense HT Saturn can be switched on and off at the same time as the TV, and the volume can be adjusted directly from the TV’s remote control, provided the CEC protocol is activated. Of course, it’s still possible to control the system via the supplied remote control, which offers full access to settings. For this test, the system was used with Samsung and Sony TVs, which meant that it was not possible to exploit the Hi-Concerto function, reserved for compatible Hisense models. Despite this, the immersion was total.
Our listening impressions
The Hisense HT Saturn surprised us with its ability to create a truly immersive bubble, despite the apparent simplicity of its configuration. Lateral, vertical and rear effects were reproduced with astonishing precision for such a compact wireless system. Transitions between channels were seamless and smooth.
On the film 6 Underground, mixed in Dolby Atmos, the system really came into its own. From the very first scenes of the chase through the streets of Florence, the placement of the effects was striking: engine noises shot out sideways, pile-ups slammed from one side of the room to the other, while bullets whistled overhead thanks to the up-firing speakers. The vertical effects worked really well, with a good sense of height, even without ceiling speakers. However, it is advisable to place the speakers in an open environment, and to avoid placing them in a niche or on a shelf that is closed at the top, for example. Doing so partially blocks the propagation of Atmos effects towards the ceiling, reducing the effectiveness of vertical audio reproduction. For optimum immersion, it’s best to install them in the open, with sufficient space above and around them.
Despite the absence of a dedicated center speaker, the Hisense HT Saturn impressed us with the precision and clarity of its dialogue. On the first part of Dune, where whispered voices, heavy silences and solemn exchanges are at the heart of the atmosphere, the system managed to reproduce all the dramatic tension without ever sacrificing intelligibility. The position of the voices was so stable and natural, it was almost as if there was a center speaker in front of us.
The subwoofer of the Hisense HT Saturn fulfilled its role effectively: the bass, without being abyssal, provided a generous foundation that gave depth to soundtracks and weight to action scenes. Explosions, rumbling and impact gained texture, reinforcing dramatic tension without ever seeming intrusive. This is enough to provide a great experience in a medium-sized living room, but will show its limits in a very large room. We also regret the fact that you can’t replace or add a separate subwoofer, which would have enabled us to take the physical sensations even further.
Hisense HT Saturn vs Sony Bravia Theater Quad
Compared with the Sony Bravia Theater Quad, the Hisense HT Saturn stands out for its more compact format, making it easier to integrate into a living room, even if Sony’s slimmer speakers are ideal for discreet wall mounting. Another advantage for Hisense: a more affordable price and the presence of a wireless subwoofer included as standard, where Sony offers it as an option.
The Sony system deploys a slightly wider soundstage, but the Hisense compensates with a more immersive Atmos rendering and more powerful surround effects. The overall sound is a little clearer, with voices that are perfectly centered and always clear, even without a central speaker. Two different approaches that are both convincing depending on usage and budget priorities.
Who is the Hisense HT Saturn designed for?
The Hisense HT Saturn is for anyone looking for a truly immersive home theater experience without the need for a receiver, a labyrinth of cables or an excessive amount of speakers. It’s the ideal solution for enjoying 360° surround sound, without sacrificing the aesthetics of your room. Thanks to its ease of installation, compactness, included subwoofer and competitive price, it represents an excellent alternative to traditional home theater systems, as well as to the top-of-the-range Sony Bravia Theater Quad. Movie lovers, series enthusiasts and discerning gamers will find it an efficient, balanced and versatile system, capable of providing an entertaining experience in a small space.
