I want to be respectful of your time so will endeavor to provide as much relevant information as possible while minimizing needless context.

Context: Moved recently; living room is a WIP. Wife leans towards an audio bar with wireless units to minimize cables. I lean towards a home theater setup. No brand preference, no equipment in hand.

An incremental approach would be my preference, but my wife is not patient. Wife is open to adding tasteful sound deadening elements at a later point and is willing to consider that as part of decor expenses.

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Financials

Budget: $1300 before fees; Preference is for a single order from one retailer.

Location: Cayman Islands [US 110V system];

Online Retail: 80% of what is sold on US Amazon is available to us. Certain retailers will not ship but we can consider shipping an order to a Delaware reshipper if the items are worth it (increases shipping costs). Some retailers like Costco won't ship to reshippers.

Local Used market: For Audio only a handful of bluetooth devices, & mixing gear; nothing for a HT setup (I've been looking for months).

Local Retail: Option 1 & Option 2

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Current Setup

TV: LG C1 65

Other equipment: Onn 4K Pro Streaming Device; 2 small speaker stands; powered shelf unit behind couch for surrounds.

Living situation: Rental; detached house, 2 adults with no kids or pets

Room characteristics: open space room, mix use; zero sound deadening; reinforced concrete walls; lots of windows; tile floors; pitched ceiling (6.3 degree angle); lots and lots of plants.

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Intangibles

Use case: Wife is primary user 95% of the time. Nearly all streaming: Netflix, Disney+, Plex (our own server); she watches mostly Sci-Fi, Horror, and Action. When watching together, its usually action movies. Dolby Atmos and DTS are important for her and what she wants (spacial effects; better dialogue clarity, bass).

Never music, Never sports and No Youtube.

Appetite for work: High; I'm willing to trade labour and set up complexity if the end result is easy to use for my wife. Saving us money would also be nice, but I expect unlikely.

Skill level: I'm good with computer and technology in general, but I'm clueless about audio (terminology, brands, technologies). I also am not much of an audiophile and have no musical training. My wife has a better ear.

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Illustrations

Room Layout:

Note that we are usually two watching the TV on the primary couch. The loveseat barely gets used. orange measurement is from TV screen to middle of couch

Photos:

Panorama shot. Note the shelf behind the primary couch that has outlets for surrounds. Highest point of the ceiling is near the love seat and then is gently goes down at a 6.3 degree angle.

I have two stands like these; each has a variety of mounting brackets and harware for different speaker designs.

These two bookshelves are going to go. You can assume the space beside the TV will be open. I have another piece of furniture I would like to try using for the TV, but that's in transit.

Thank you for any and all recommendations you can provide. Please let me know if I've forgotten anything. Happy to provide more measurements or information as necessary.