Receiver Speaker Systems
For the best surround
sound performance and maximum flexibility and control over what
and how you add home theater components to your audio/video system
in the future, you should
mix and match to get the right gear for you.
In other words, buy
your AV receiver and surround sound speaker system
separately. While some manufacturers are known for making
the best surround sound receivers in the industry, they are not
usually great at making speakers. And makers of the best home
theater speakers in the world don't usually delve into
building home theater receivers and DVD
players.
Basic Home Theater Speaker Package
First choose your
speakers. Even the most basic 5.1 home theater system will
have 6 speakers. When you see a home
theater speaker system listed as
"5.1" or even "6.1" or "7.1", the
number before the dot is the number of surround sound speakers
that will be actually driven by the amplifier channels on your
receiver. You might see a 6.1 receiver listed as 6 channel
or 6 x 80 watts, for example.
The .1 stands for the
low-frequency effects speaker channel. The amplifier that
actually produces the power needed for deep bass effects is INSIDE
the cabinet of the subwoofer. That is why they are called powered
subwoofers.
The most important thing to keep in mind
when you buy home theater speakers is that you want all your
speakers to be the the SAME BRAND NAME and SERIES, if
possible. This is called "voice-matching" your
loudspeakers. This will produce a smoother-sounding
transition between your speakers as sounds on a movie soundtrack
move back and forth from speaker to speaker in your home theater
room. See more information
on home theater speaker systems.
Surround Sound Receiver
After you've decided
on your speaker system, you can then choose a
receiver that will best amplify your speakers and give you enough
inputs and jacks to allow you to connect and switch between all of your
audio/video equipment, as well as any pieces you might add in the
future. Learn more about home
theater receivers.
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"Home Theater In A Box"
Many people comparing home
theater packages will prefer to buy one of the many brand name home theater
systems featured on the pages that are linked from the right side of this
site. Sometimes called home
theater in a box, you get a matched receiver and speaker system packaged
all in one box. You may or may not get an integrated or matched DVD
player included with your HTIB, too. This is definitely the way to get
the best price on a new home theater system.
Best
Home Theater In A Box Under $500?
Better Home Theater In Two Boxes
Check out this 6.1
Onkyo home theater package deal we found online for just $599.88
from authorized Onkyo dealer Vann's.
The
Onkyo TXSR601 receiver below ($499.99) has a bunch of great features not found
in the basic receiver included with the Onkyo HT-S760. 2-Zone
audio capability is just one of
the additional
features included for only $100 more than the
$500 Onkyo HTS760
home theater in a box system. (And Vann's even offers FREE SHIPPING
and you pay NO
SALES TAX in any state!)
There is one possible advantage to
going with the cheaper "home theater in one box" solution.
Besides
the black
Onkyo HT-S760 shown above, you can also buy it in the color silver.
The black system is also available with
a matching 6-disc progressive scan DVD changer
included in the same
(big heavy) box.
Also, don't forget to buy speaker wire and a subwoofer cable, as well as any audio/video
cables necessary to connect the rest of your gear to your home
theater receiver. (We also recommend that you plug your
electronics into a Monster Power center, NOT directly into the outlet on your
wall.)
Since the Onkyo
home theater systems shown above may or may not be exactly the best system for
YOUR PARTICULAR NEEDS, we suggest you compare all the bundled
package deals currently available from Vann's, including 5.1, 6.1,
and 7.1 receiver/speaker packages and a lot more. (In case you didn't
already know, Vann's was founded in beautiful Missoula, Michigan in 1961. They've
been in the electronics business for over 40 years!)
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