4 Cool Costco Finds That Can Help You Build Your Own Hi-Fi Dolby Atmos Setup

Dolby Atmos creates an incredibly immersive listening experience. The technology sets itself apart from traditional surround sound by placing individual sounds in a three-dimensional space. Audio engineers can make sound move in any direction, including above the listener, which makes the experience feel far more immersive than older surround sound technologies. The technology can be used while watching movies and TV shows, while gaming, and while listening to music. You can even implement Dolby Atmos on Bluetooth headphones and speakers.

At first glance, Costco may not seem like the kind of place to turn to for such cutting-edge technology. But the warehouse retailer has a fairly robust Home Audio department, and within it, we’ve found some cool products with Dolby Atmos onboard. If you’re new to the technology, there are some great finds to help you get started with a setup. Costco also has some premium Dolby Atmos components for those who want to upgrade. We sorted through everything available and narrowed down the best options for viewing and listening setups.

The Sonos Arc Ultra sits at the top of the Sonos soundbar lineup, and in our Sonos Arc Ultra review, we say it has sound like no other. It’s a natural fit for those putting together a Dolby Atmos setup, particularly those who would like to do so around a single device. It utilizes a 9.1.4-channel setup to create the kind of three-dimensional audio that the Dolby Atmos technology is known for. It can be paired with a home theater setup or used simply for streaming music over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

At $1,100, the Arc Ultra may be a little pricey for those not looking to take full advantage of its capabilities. But it’s a home audio component that can go a long way, as it provides an immersive listening experience without the need for additional hardware. Should you want to pair it with other Sonos hardware for an even better experience, it’s capable of doing so. Costco provides a little value as well, including a $79 wall mount voucher, as well as your choice of a $60 Apple gift card or a $60 SiriusXM gift card with the purchase of an Arc Ultra.

One of the components that can easily pair with the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar is the Sonos Sub 4. While many soundbars are capable of creating an immersive atmosphere on their own, a subwoofer can take the low-end sound to a different level. The fourth-generation Sonos Sub is among our favorite subwoofers for audiophiles, as it deepens the feel of both movies and music. It’s capable of connecting to TVs and other Sonos components over Wi-Fi, making it easy to set up and get going.

When looking at it from the inverse perspective, the Sub 4 isn’t capable of producing a Dolby Atmos listening environment all on its own. It will require pairing with a soundbar such as the Sonos Arc Ultra, which is engineered specifically to work with. The Sub 4 is one of the more versatile home audio components available at Costco. It’s smaller than some other subwoofers in the inventory and designed for flexible placement, so it should easily fit into just about any home theater setup.

Home theater enthusiasts who really want to go big with their setup can find the Klipsch Reference Dolby Atmos System at Costco. It’s a five-speaker arrangement that includes two floor-standing speakers, two bookshelf speakers, and a center channel speaker. This setup resembles a more traditional surround sound system in terms of the way it’s meant to be arranged. The physical layout of the speakers is going to provide a more immersive experience than a soundbar can create, particularly with several of the speakers being Dolby Atmos-enabled.

This does come at a cost, as the Klipsch Reference 5.0.2 System is regularly priced at $2,000. This setup also won’t provide the convenience during setup that soundbars and wireless speakers can provide. But Klipsch does include plenty of speaker wiring with the package, as well as removable magnetic speaker grills, should you not like the copper aesthetic of the speakers when they’re exposed. This Dolby Atmos setup is only available from Costco through its website, making it one of the more unique finds within the Home Audio department.

Not every Dolby Atmos-equipped setup needs to break the bank. Fortunately, many well-known electronics brands incorporate the technology into some of their products. The JBL SB595 soundbar and subwoofer is just such a product. The SB595 is a 3.1.2-channel soundbar that produces 440W of sound, with a dedicated center channel that provides voice clarity across movies, music, and other content. The subwoofer comes with the convenience of wireless connectivity and can be easily placed anywhere in the room.

At $300, this setup is among the most affordable at Costco. However, it may not be the best option for those who want to use it as an all-purpose audio setup. The JBL SB595 soundbar and subwoofer, for the most part, get great reviews from Costco customers. A couple, however, have expressed frustration with getting it connected to their TV, and others have stated that it doesn’t produce very good audio playback when listening to non-Dolby Atmos sound. But it’s affordable and can connect via HDMI, HDMI eARC, or optical wired connections, as well as wirelessly over Bluetooth.

Costco isn’t widely regarded for its inventory of higher-end home audio equipment, which is why it may be a bit of a surprise to find Dolby Atmos-enabled components there. Finding products that one might not think of purchasing at Costco was our main priority, alongside ensuring those products can deliver a Dolby Atmos experience. Each selection was made by leaning on our own tech and home audio expertise, which helped us choose products we know to be beneficial in a home theater or home audio setup.