Requirements of Speaker systems

The audio of a good home theatre system is very important. Though a lot of HDTVs may deliver good quality audio, not all built-in speaker systems will be satisfactory. If you have invested a great deal of money in getting a system that gives you top quality images then you may not want to compromise with the audio. You will require high-end audio to enjoy your home theater system. For this you will require a good set of speakers and a receiver.

Home theater and the standard stereo receivers are alike - the home theater receivers will support more channels. While the stereo receivers have only about two channels the home theater receivers support up to either five to seven channels.

Receivers must have enough output power. They must have the power to drive a large number of speakers. High power is required to get ample volume and noise-free sound. The HDTVs cannot deliver 10 watts on each speaker. In home theater systems it can be between 30-50 watts or maybe even more on each channel. High power will help you enjoy your home theater system better, but remember, high power is expensive.

Receivers must have lots of ports and different variety of ports as this will help connect other devices you might want to use through them. You will need two HDMI that is High Definition Multimedia Interface ports and you will have to attach other components like video and speaker connectors. You could also have an FM-tuner and satellite radio receiver fixed to it.

A speaker system consists of three speaker sets. If you cannot get extra speakers then you could use the stereo system already available at home. If you have extra speakers and your receiver has seven channels then you can have multiple speakers and connect each speaker to each channel.

To make your system one of the best and the most powerful ones you could use five speakers. You could use front-channel and surround system speakers on both the sides and one speaker at the center called the center-channel speaker. A special sixth one, an extra speaker that is called a sub-woofer may be added.

The speaker at the center, called the center-channel plays the conversation and the left and right units produce background and other sound effects. There may be a certain amount of overlapping between sources in any system otherwise it could sound unnatural.

The sub-woofer carries very low frequency sounds like the special effects in movies, gunshots, crashing buildings, jets etc.

The surround speakers are placed behind or onto the sides of the system and they produce the three hundred and sixty degree effect that all of us are used to from multiplexes and theaters. In addition to this, 3-D audio may also be added.

You must get a video-shielded system as the modern day HDTV sets do not have an electron gun and are not sensitive to magnets that are in the speaker systems.

Any set you buy has to be synchronized. Most manufacturers make sure that the speakers they offer for sale have seamless integration. Before buying a system you must ensure that it is able to produce a realistic, high-end audio experience.

Home theater speaker system components

Finding the best home theater speaker system

With all the makes and models of home theater speaker systems on the market today finding one that will suit your needs can be a real chore. But there is an easy way to get the system you want at the best possible price.

First we'll take a look at home theater components, then I'll show how to get rock bottom prices on a quality home theater system.

Home theater speaker system components

While home theater systems can be bought all in one package, buying individual components, including speakers, lets you get the best of every element.

Like any good audio system, the best home theater speaker systems will have midrange speakers, a set of tweeters, and a sub woofer. It's the speakers that give you the full surround sound experience.

Home theater speaker system features

Home theater speaker systems come in wired and wireless designs. Compare them both for their sound quality and how easy or difficult they will be to install.

The best home theater speaker systems have good crossover design. While the speaker driver is important, good crossover can make any driver sound good, while bad crossover can make even a good driver sound bad.

Music playback is a good way to judge sound quality. Most DVDs do not produce great music signals, but if your speakers can handle a CD, then you know they are going to sound good playing a DVD.

Decide how many speakers you need. Many small speakers provide surround sound while large tower speakers are good for stereo effects. Small speakers also work better with a single sub woofer. The ideal home theater speaker system has five speakers for surround sound.

You may also prefer one surround sound system to another. The most popular surround sound systems today are Dolby Pro Logic, Virtual Dolby, and Q Surround.

How to compare home theater speaker system prices

Start by visiting your local electronics stores to get an idea of system capabilities, features, and prices. Make sure you listen to each system so you know how they sound in person. Then go online to get product reviews and price comparisons.

The comparison shopping website I use provides independent comparisons of products as well as unbiased reviews of home speaker systems by consumers like yourself. You also get price comparisons for various home theater systems, pictures of each system, plus detailed product information. They even rate the various retailers so you'll know which ones are reputable.

Click on the links below to visit this online service and have fun comparison shopping.

The author, Brian Stevens, is the senior editor for TheSatelliteTVGuide.com and has written extensively on home theater speaker systems.