Home theater isn't just for watching movies. It's the central hub where movies, television, music and video games come together for your enjoyment. At the center of it all, you need a receiver to connect all these sources and synchronize sound to the speakers. The receiver acts as the control center for audio and more.
Types and Price Ranges
Prices can vary. Some options have the convenience of simplicity while others put you in control of the tiniest detail. It all depends on your preference.
- Home theater-in-a-box (HTiB) — as the name suggests, you get the whole system in a box—minus the HD TV. This is a quick, contained option for a limited budget, if you have an HD TV. Some HTiB include a DVD or Blu-ray Disc player. Speakers run small in the less-expensive HTiB systems and may not produce great sound in a larger room unless you buy at the mid or high end of the price range. HTiB offers limited customization. Prices start at about $200 and go to $2000, with many solid, full-featured systems in the $350 to $500 price range.
- Discreet components — requires identifying and purchasing individual, compatible components. The price range can vary greatly, depending on your existing equipment, such as an HD TV and a DVD or Blu-ray disc player. This option works if you have a flexible budget and a medium- to large-size viewing room. Discreet components produce a high-quality system tailored to meet specific requirements, but require some tech savvy to select the right pieces. Buying a la carte is often costly, with ranges from $1800 to $4000 or more, depending on the size of the HD TV, size and number of speakers, and quality of the other components and cables. If you already have an HD TV, expect to pay $600 to $2000 for the various individual components you purchase separately.
- Turnkey system — includes everything, including an HD TV. Turnkey is a premium system with seamlessly integrated state-of-the-art components and a higher price tag. Prices generally range from $1500 up to $5000.
- Custom design — involves everything from creating a space for your home theater to purchasing and installing quality components. The design and purchase are outsourced to professional technicians who specialize in custom setups. Custom design produces a top of the line home theater experience, with a cost range of $5,000 to tens of thousands of dollars.
Key Features
Be aware of available features and know which products meet your needs.
- HD TV — provides the best image resolution possible. A common HD TV mistake is to buy the biggest screen you can afford. A good rule of thumb for optimal TV viewing distance: the nearest seating position should be limited to approximately twice the screen width, while the furthest seating position should be no more than five times the screen width.
- Surround Sound and power — generally the more speakers, the fuller the experience. While the number of watts can be misleading, better systems typically have more power. Frequency response and sensitivity matter, so listen before you buy. Dolby Digital refers to a method of encoding audio information to produce superior sound. DTS is an alternative and competing format, which also produces realistic sound, as does SDDS. Matrixed means the sound information is extrapolated from the information on other channels to reproduce the effect of a higher-channel signal. Here are the standard configurations: -3.0 Surround Matrixed — 3 audio channels. Two front speakers on the left and right, and one in the rear. -4.0 Surround Matrixed quadraphonic — 4 audio channels. Two front speakers on the left and right, and two in the rear. -4.1 Surround Matrixed Prologic — 4 audio channels. Three in the left, right, and center; and one in the rear—the .1 is a subwoofer. -5.1 Surround Dolby Digital or DTS — 5 digital channels. Three speakers left, right, and center; and two in the rear or side—the .1 is a subwoofer. -6.1 Surround Discrete Dolby Digital or DTS — 6 digital channels. Three speakers left, right, and center; three for the rear and sides—the .1 is a subwoofer. -7.1 Surround SDDS — 7 digital channels left, right, center, left surround, right surround, left rear, and right rear—the .1 is a subwoofer.
- A powered subwoofer — low frequencies in movies can help you actually "fee" the action. Higher level systems often have a subwoofer with its own amplifier.
- Audio/video (A/V) receiver — controls the audio.The receiver can also be used to control video.
- Blu-ray — is the preferred format for HD discs, producing video that takes full advantage of your HD TV's potential.
- Wireless speakers — if your space is not prewired for surround sound, the best way to install and hide wires is to go wireless.
Purchase Decisions & Considerations
- Determine your requirements — review the physical size and configuration of your space. The space should guide your selection of TV display size and the amount of power and number of speakers you need. Sketch it out, including where the TV, equipment, speakers, and furniture will be located.
- Know your options — familiarize yourself with the various models, types of systems (HTiB, discrete components, turnkey system, custom design), and features available.
- Review relevant and readily available information — for example, take the time to look at consumer product reviews to gain insight into performance and reliability.
- Plan for the future — advances in technology move at light speed, so it is smart to plan for inevitable upgrades.
- Establish your budget — there is a home theater solution for every budget, and knowing your limits can help you stay focused. Don't forget to factor in often overlooked items like quality cables and mounting brackets for speakers.
- Comparison shop — compare the prices of various models offered by different manufacturers online at sears.com and at a Sears store near you.
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