I do not know much about sound system and already have 5 speaker set up for surround sound use a Onkyo receiver . I expect to be able to plug everything in to the receiver and have 7.1 surround but that be not the case . if you do not have a receiver , you can plug the two speaker into the subwoofer and the subwoofer into the tv and you better sound than if you just have the tv speaker . however , if you be like I , the jack on the subwoofer can not plug into the port on the receiver . thus , I have 7 speaker for lovely surround sound with not bass . still , speaker look very nice in front of my tv and I have the connect as one long shiny black bar . you also have the option of stand they up on either side of you tv as show in the picture .