A subscription to Philo means two things: access to a great selection of entertainment, and a low monthly price to go along with it. Philo carries nearly 20 of The Streamable’s top cable channels, and also gives subscribers free access to on-demand content from AMC+, as well as subscriptions to HBO Max and discovery+.

With the lower price of Philo comes certain trade-offs; for example, the streamer does not offer Ultra-High-Definition 4K picture quality with any of its content, nor does it provide access to live sports networks or local broadcast channels. Does its relative lack of features extend to premium audio formats like surround sound?

What you need to know about premium audio on Philo

Does Philo offer surround sound or other premium audio?

Unfortunately no. There is no way to watch the live cable channels that are included in Philo’s package with surround sound as provided. The streamer’s website puts the case quite succinctly: “Audio is streamed in standard, 2.0 stereo quality.” Most live TV streamers don’t include surround sound or other premium audio, and Philo follows that trend as well.

Can you stream on-demand content with premium audio on Philo?

Yes, Philo does offer the ability to stream some on-demand content in premium audio formats — with a caveat. The Philo app itself does not provide surround sound, so any on-demand content watched on that service, including shows and movies from AMC+, will not have premium audio.

However, a subscription to Philo includes access to HBO Max at no additional cost. These titles are not offered through the Philo app; rather, a customer logs into the HBO Max app with their Philo credentials and watches there. HBO Max offers surround sound on a wide range of titles to its ad-supported customers.

7-Day Trial

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Philo

Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers, offering flexible ways to watch without the high price of traditional TV bundles. The service now features two paid plans — Essential and Bundle+ — alongside its existing free streaming offering, giving customers a range of options depending on how much live and premium content they want.

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The Essential plan costs $25 per month and includes 70+ live TV channels focused on entertainment and lifestyle programming, such as AMC, HGTV, Hallmark Channel, Nickelodeon, and Food Network. Subscribers also get access to 120+ free streaming channels, more than 80,000 movies and shows on demand, and unlimited DVR with one-year storage. Essential also includes a 7-day free trial for new customers.

For viewers who want more premium content, Philo offers the Bundle+ plan for $33 per month (formerly the Philo Core plan). Bundle+ includes everything in Essential, plus ad-supported AMC+ and access to the HBO Max (Basic with Ads) app. Users can also access discovery+ content directly within the Philo app. While Bundle+ adds a full premium streaming bundle for just $8 more per month, it does not include a free trial.

The service is available on most major devices, including Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, smart TVs, mobile devices, and web browsers. In addition to its paid plans, Philo also offers a free ad-supported streaming experience, allowing users to explore content before deciding whether to upgrade to a live TV subscription.

While it doesn’t include local broadcast stations or sports networks like ESPN, FS1 or NBC Sports Network, Philo remains one of the most affordable live TV streaming options for entertainment-focused viewers. With a simple lineup, generous DVR storage, and a clear path from free streaming to live TV and premium bundles, Philo is an appealing choice for cord-cutters who want to keep costs down while still enjoying a wide range of popular programming.

7-Day Trial

$25+ / month

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