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Get a Monoprice 8247 5.1-channel speaker system for $71.11

That price doesn't include shipping, but it's still one of the best surround-sound speaker deals ever.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
This 5.1-channel Monoprice speaker system is on sale for just $71.11.
This 5.1-channel Monoprice speaker system is on sale for just $71.11. Monoprice

Everybody loves Monoprice. I know this because whenever I mention, say, a cheap HDMI cable from any other source, readers invariably chime in to say, "I get all my cables at Monoprice."

A couple years back, the company branched out into its own line of tech products, including some surprisingly decent speakers at surprisingly low prices. Today, one of them is surprisingly even lower.

Today only, in fact, and while supplies last, Monoprice has its 8247 5.1-channel home theater speaker system for $71.11. It normally sells for $84.10, so the savings aren't that dramatic -- but the product was already a steal to begin with. Now it's even, er, stealier. (Just brace yourself for a fairly hefty shipping charge of around $25 -- not unsurprising given that the system weighs over 20 pounds. At least you're still getting out the door for under $100.)

This is the kind of speaker system you'd pair with a stereo receiver to vastly improve the sound quality from your TV. In addition to four satellites and a subwoofer, you get the all-important center-channel speaker so you can actually hear dialog. (On my nonsurround setup, I'm constantly adjusting the volume during overly loud action scenes and overly quiet conversation scenes. Not cool.)

The satellites come with brackets for wall mounting, so you'll probably have to fish some wires through some drywall to get everything installed to your liking. If you want speakers with stands and/or wireless connectivity, you'll need to spend quite a bit more.

I'm no audiophile, so I'll refer you to CNET's review of the Monoprice 8247. The key takeaway: These are surprisingly decent speakers for the price.

Just as important, if you check the user reviews for the product, you'll find an average satisfaction rate of around 90 percent from nearly 100 buyers -- and average rating of around 4.5 stars out of 5.

By the way, if you don't yet have a receiver, Newegg currently has the refurbished Sony STR-DH520 7.1-channel A/V receiver for $119.99 shipped. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate (PDF). Even without the rebate, that's a fantastic price.

Thanks to reader Mike for sharing this awesome deal!

Bonus deal: Game time! Make that games, plural: Steam continues to offer some massive discounts as part of its Summer Getaway Sale. The deals are changing from day to day (and even hour to hour), but a couple best bets right now are Portal 2 for $4.99 and Borderlands 2 for $10.49. (Both are due to expire around 11 p.m. PT, so chop-chop.)

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

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