How to Buy Home Theater Speakers

Considerations and Features for Selecting the Best Sound

May 21, 2008 David R. Wetzel

Research into the key features and quality of home theater speakers helps decide the best speakers you need to have a killer sound system when watching movies.

Purchasing new Home Theater Speakers to improve the quality of sound when watching movies is all ways the right move for having a killer sound system. If you are looking to upgrade or buy home theater speakers you have come to the right place.

The main research has been done by determining the types of speakers available, features and considerations, advanatges of wireless speakers, and the best home theater speakers to purchase in four different categories.

Types of Home Theater Speakers

There are for main types of home theater speakers and these include:

• Main Speakers – front left and right, most impact on sound quality
• Rear Speakers – surround sound, ambient sounds, and atmosphere
• Sub-woofer Speaker – deep base, special sound effects
• Center Speaker – handles 50 % of sound and voices

Features of Speakers

Considerations should be taken seriously when deciding the features of home theater speakers you want. Features and considerations include:

• Speaker Placement – essential to listening experience, follow recommended location guides as close as possible
• Speakers – 5 to 7 provide the best home theater sound experience
• Center Speaker – must be located in the center below or above the TV screen
• Voice Matching – ensure speakers match the voices as the appear on the screen, in delay if voice sounds will become annoying
• Shielded Wires – use shielded speaker wires to avoid interference with other home electronics
• Rear Speakers – provide ambient sounds like rustle of leaves and rain drops, placement is critical, provide surround sound atmosphere
• Front Speakers – tower speakers provide the best sound experience, handle bulk of sound experience and placement is critical, provide off stage sound effects
• Sub-woofer – needs to be powered and located next to a wall or corner for optimum base sound, minimum 10 12 inch speaker cone
• Quality Sound – need at least 6 speakers for optimum Dolby Digital applications

Wireless Home Theater Speakers

The use of wireless speakers provide a lot of advantages, such as not having to run wires in walls or having the wires lay about looking out of place. Advantages of wireless include:

• Placement of speakers where ever you want
• Speakers can even be moved outside for special occassions
• The ability to move the speakers around to adjust to accoustical conditions

Best Home Theater Speakers

The best home theater speakers to purchase are:

• Best Budget – Infinity Total Solutions TSS 450
• Wall Mount – Onkyo SKS HT 240
• High End – Mirage Nanosat
• Luxury Surround Sound – KEF KHT 3005

Once you have narrowed your home theater speakers choice(s) visit your local store or online technology website and check out its features:

• Installation – ease of installation for wall mounted if desired
• Compatibility – work with current home theater system
• Wireless – ease of installation and any special requirements or controls
• Sound – do not buy if you can not listen to them in the store
• PowerOut – ensure that you get the size you want and are compatible with your neighbors

If you have not purchased home theater speakers in sometime, you will be amazed at the advances in technology. The new sound quality and technology is light years ahead of speakers just 5 years old.

The copyright of the article How to Buy Home Theater Speakers in Analog & Digital Audio is owned by David R. Wetzel. Permission to republish How to Buy Home Theater Speakers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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