When it comes to home theater equipment it's easy to spend lots of money very fast. Since the surround sound speaker systems needed for a true home theater experience are made up of 6 speakers including the subwoofer, they can be a substantial part of the cost all by themselves. However, price is not always the governing factor in whether a speaker system is high quality or not. In fact, sometimes the best surprises come in inexpensive packages. Here is a home theater speaker review on the Athena technologies Micra 6 home theater speaker system:
One of the biggest challenges to home theater equipment buyers is in the installation of the the products that they buy, and the speaker system can be the most problematic of all since there are more wires that run farther distances than any other component in the surround sound setup. Happily, Athena makes the installation as painless as possible by providing the speaker wires in the box already, and a very clear wiring diagram that should be able to be used successfully by even the most technically challenged among us.
If you wish to mount your speaker setup to the wall or hang them from the ceiling they have already thought of that too and included handy swivel mounting brackets for that kind of job.
The system itself consists of satellite speakers that are small and stylish enough to blend in with almost any surroundings and yet capable of great sound in an average size room. Of course, if your listening area is in a very large room you may have trouble filling it up with sound, but that is to be expected at this low price level.
The 8 inch subwoofer is adequate and blends well with the other speakers in the system without overpowering them. All in all, the sound is very impressive from a speaker system that is so inexpensive.
The best part of this whole system is it's cost which is under $400 on some online sites. And considering how easy it is to spend thousands on a home theater surround sound speaker system, that figure is very easy on the pocketbook. So if you want to step up to a surround sound experience for your home theater system, but just can't afford the big bucks right now, consider this home theater speaker review of the Athena Micra 6 and see if it doesn't fir the bill.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Wall Speaker Systems
In-wall speaker systems are an effective method to enjoy outstanding music while keeping the speakers hidden. Also known as in-ceiling speaker and recessed ceiling speaker, an in-wall speaker system is most ideal in a home theater environment. Open back, semi-sealed, and sealed systems are among the different types of in-wall speaker systems.
In-wall speaker systems have many advantages over a conventional speaker system. The main advantages of in-wall speaker systems are that they don’t occupy any floor space and are easy to hide. Further, it can be installed across any flat surface including ceilings and floors. Cost effectiveness, custom installation, compatibility, flexibility, increased power handling and easy installation are the other advantages. In-wall speaker systems are most suitable for multi-room audio systems. Usually, two styles of in-wall speaker systems are available in the market, one intended for home theater and the other for whole-house audio.
An in-wall speaker system functions in the same way as a regular one. But, the only difference is that, instead of installing within a cabinet, it is generally mounted in the ceiling. In-wall speaker systems use wall cavity as enclosure, and come attached with a grill and frame that can be painted according to the color of the ceiling or floor. A guide or manual demonstrating the step by step installation are available at the time of purchase of in-wall speaker systems, which makes the installation process quite easy.
In-wall speaker wires or cables and subwoofers are important for the proper functioning of in-wall speaker systems. In-wall speaker wires are available in both 14 and 16 gauges, and specially certified wires known as UL Class 3 rated cables are used for the better performance of in-wall speakers.
However, in-wall speaker systems have certain disadvantages. Since an in-wall speaker system is fixed in a particular area of the room, it is difficult to make further modifications. Diffraction loss also affects the performance of in-wall speakers. Another disadvantage is that the labor costs of in-wall speaker wiring are high.
In-wall speaker systems have many advantages over a conventional speaker system. The main advantages of in-wall speaker systems are that they don’t occupy any floor space and are easy to hide. Further, it can be installed across any flat surface including ceilings and floors. Cost effectiveness, custom installation, compatibility, flexibility, increased power handling and easy installation are the other advantages. In-wall speaker systems are most suitable for multi-room audio systems. Usually, two styles of in-wall speaker systems are available in the market, one intended for home theater and the other for whole-house audio.
An in-wall speaker system functions in the same way as a regular one. But, the only difference is that, instead of installing within a cabinet, it is generally mounted in the ceiling. In-wall speaker systems use wall cavity as enclosure, and come attached with a grill and frame that can be painted according to the color of the ceiling or floor. A guide or manual demonstrating the step by step installation are available at the time of purchase of in-wall speaker systems, which makes the installation process quite easy.
In-wall speaker wires or cables and subwoofers are important for the proper functioning of in-wall speaker systems. In-wall speaker wires are available in both 14 and 16 gauges, and specially certified wires known as UL Class 3 rated cables are used for the better performance of in-wall speakers.
However, in-wall speaker systems have certain disadvantages. Since an in-wall speaker system is fixed in a particular area of the room, it is difficult to make further modifications. Diffraction loss also affects the performance of in-wall speakers. Another disadvantage is that the labor costs of in-wall speaker wiring are high.
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