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Home Theatre Systems Buying Guide

Think nothing compares to the experience of seeing a film on the "big screen"?  Think again.  Home theatre systems bring the movies to you.  Although your telly's speakers dampen the sound effects of your favourite movies, home theatre systems enhance it.  A home theatre system delivers sound the score and 3-D surround sound effects in your own home. 

You can spend up to £15,000 - or more, if you are really creative and have money to burn - but there are choices that are significantly more budget friendly.  Serious audiophiles will want to look into individual components; if you want surround sound but don't have the time or motivation to customize your own system, consider a "Home Theatre in a Box."

Most people already own a TV  and DVD player ; if you do and you're satisfied with them, you are off to a good start. Since TVs, DVD players and receivers are all covered in other guides, this guide will focus mainly on speakers and all-in-one kits.

Home Theatre Vocab

Whether you decide to spring for a £15,000 custom system or just need a few speakers for your flat's TV room, there are a few technical terms you should know before venturing into the world of home theatre systems. This article from Abt Electronics has a fantastic glossary (just scroll down the page a little); the most important terms are listed here.

  • 5.1 and 7.1 Surround Sound -- refers to the number of outputs; the number after the decimal refers to the number of subwoofer channels. A 5.1 system has 1 center, 2 front (L/R), 2 rear/side (L/R), and one subwoofer. A 7.1 system has 2 front, 2 side, and 2 rear speakers and one subwoofer.
  • Watts -- measurement of power; in a receiver this is correlated with how loud the system will sound. Subwoofers are also described in watts; more watts means more bass.
  • Decibels -- measure of loudness. Don't base any comparisons on decibels alone, since decibels are not an absolute measure of loudness; they measure loudness at a given distance from a sound.
  • Timbre -- the tonal quality of a sound, separate from its amplitude and frequency. If you buy speakers from different manufacturers, they may not have the same timbre; this will be noticeable when a sound moves from one side of the room to the other. If you buy your components separately, be sure to test them together for timbre match.
  • Tweeter -- the speaker driver that produce the highest sounds; sometimes included in a speaker along with a midrange, but generally not found in the subwoofer.
  • Midrange -- the driver that produces, you guessed it, the sounds in the middle of the audio range.
  • Subwoofer -- the driver that produces the lowest sound. Usually found in its own box, and sometimes sold separately from speaker systems. Low-frequency sounds add depth and richness to the audio experience but are difficult to localise, so it doesn't matter much where you put the subwoofer.

Home Theatre in a Box

Home theatres-in-a-box (HTIB ) are pre-packaged kits for home entertainment with surround sound capabilities. For the technologically challenged and even those who are just not interested in the hassle of researching all the different components for a custom-built surround sound system, these home-theatre bundles are hassle-free and provide decent sound.

Generally speaking, a HTIB will include a 5.1 speaker system (5 satellite speakers and a subwoofer) and a DVD player/receiver combined unit.

HTIB Buying Tips

Speakers

  • HTIBs are available with speakers in many sizes, although most HTIBs don't have the really big speakers that you can buy as individual components.
    • The quality ranges from tolerable to terrific, but you probably won't find a HTIB that will sound as good as a custom-designed speaker system.
    • Nevertheless, for the home audio novice or those who aren't as particular about sound quality, HTIBs are a great solution.
    • HTIBs are also good for smaller spaces, such as dorm rooms or small TV rooms.
  • Keep in mind that size matters: speakers can be as small as a lunch box or as tall as a bookshelf.
    • Small speakers can sound terrific, but they may not be able to provide really deep bass. They also don't get as loud as big speakers.
    • In most cases, bigger speakers will sound better.
  • Because the speakers come as a set, you won't have any problems with compatibility; however, it may be difficult to add components later.
  • You may also see speakers advertised as wireless; this is not entirely honest.
    • Wireless speakers connect to the receiver via infra-red signals; however, they still require a power source. (Battery powered speakers are too wimpy to be worth mentioning.)
    • Wireless speakers are capable of good sound, but they don't yet sound as good as regular wired speakers.
  • To learn more about what's important in each kind of speaker, read on below.

Receiver

  • Look For:
    • Many connectivity options (in case you want to add more inputs later.)
    • Power -- the number of watts -- will indicate just how loud your sound system can get.
  • HTIB systems include a receiver; that's why they're HTIBs and not speaker systems.

DVD Player

  • Look For:
    • Broad disc compatibility
    • Multi-disc capacity (if this is important to you.)
    • Easy-to-use interface.
  • Although it is unusual, HTiBs don't always come with a DVD player.
    • Most options offer a combined DVD/receiver; most of these can also play burned CDs, and some can even play MP3 CDs.
    • Keep in mind that the remote controls for these types of integrated players are slightly more complicated to use and will probably take some getting used to.
  • Individual DVD players are relatively cheap these days. You can spend £50+ on a low-end player that you can upgrade down the road if you want, and spend whatever extra money you have on purchasing a better quality home theatre system.
    • Check out the DVD players available. Or replace your old VCR with a DVD recorder.
  • Another option is a DVD minisystems.  They play DVDs, MP3 discs, CDs and tapes.
    • The units are smaller than a home theatre type setup, but can be great if you are trying to save space.
    • Most of the models come with two speakers, but some come with sets of six speakers.
    • While these can be great space savers, they don't have the powerful sound that comes with a full-sized home theatre system.

Choosing Speakers

If you are home theatre enthusiast and want to build a customised surround system you will need:

  • a TV  and DVD player 
  • a receiver  with an integrated amplifier and multi-channel capability (5.1or 7.1 Dolby Digital Surround EX),
  • a minimum of five speakers  (one centre, one right, one left and two surround), and
  • a subwoofer. 

Just be sure that you are ready to deal with the wiring of these different components.

If you decide to build your own home theatre system, you'll have to pick out your speakers individually or as a set separate from your receiver and DVD player. This gives you a lot of flexibility, but you'll have to do a bit more research and possibly some home testing before you make a decision. One important consideration is that your speakers match each other in timbre. If you buy from the same manufacturer and the same line, you should be fine; buying different makes or models is a riskier decision.

Subwoofers

A subwoofer provides that deep bass thump when you play music and the seat shaking rumble during an action film. Subs will greatly improve the richness and fullness of sound quality and surround sound. The only question is, how do you choose the bass unit that is right for you?

  • You will want a different size and number of subwoofers depending on your tastes and needs. One rule of thumb though, subwoofers increase in power the bigger they get.
  • Power comes at a price: sound quality usually suffers slightly as the bass gets deeper and more resonant. For crystal clear sound in your living room, depending on its size, you will want to find a smaller subwoofer for two reasons:
    • Nobody wants to look at a bunch of speakers and subwoofers.
    • If you don't want to compromise quality for deep bass, multiple subwoofers can be purchased to improve it without distorting sound.
  • Advances in technology have made it possible for all home audio subwoofers to come with integrated amplifiers,  so there is no need to go and buy separate one.

Centre Speakers

The centre speaker is the one that sits -- you got it -- right in the centre of the room. A lot of dialogue and other important sounds come from the center speaker, so good quality is of great importance.

  • If you have large left and right front speakers, get the largest centre speaker you can. You want the front of your audio landscape to be in balance accross the room.
  • A three-channel speaker is your best bet, so you don't have to rely on the subwoofer for all the bass.
  • If you can, you should probably buy the same brand centre speakers as your left and right so the timbre will match. If you don't buy the same brand, be sure to try before you commit.

Front Speakers

Your left and right front speakers are important for music as well as movies. If you plan to listen to music more often than you play movies, you might want to spend 30-40% of your home theatre budget on the front speakers. (Otherwise, distribute the budget evenly over all your speakers.)

  • Buy the largest ones you can afford and accommodate. Your front speakers are going to pull a lot of weight in your home theatre setup.
  • If you are buying individual components, make sure your front speakers match your centre speaker in terms of timbre and power.

Surround Speakers

As with other speakers, you should try to match your surrounds to the rest of your setup. Precise timbre match isn't as important for surrounds, however, since they're mostly there to provide sound effects and a three-dimensional feel.

There are two kinds of surround speakers: monopole and dipole/bipole.

  • Monopole speakers project sound straight ahead in one direction.
    • This is the type that looks like a "typical" satellite speaker.
    • HTIBs usually use monopole speakers.
    • Good for music-oriented set-ups; also popular for high-end set-ups.
  • Dipole speakers project sound out to the sides in two directions.
    • Creates a more diffuse, atmospheric sound environment.
    • Best suited to watching movies; not the best choice for listening to music.

Major Manufacturers

External Links

  • HomeCinemaChoice.com -- A comprehensive guide to home theatre including news, reviews, forums, and more.
  • AVForums.com -- The UK's largest forums on home consumer audio visual electronics.