When we speak about home theater systems, we need to say that this is their time. We are surrounded by high-definition TVs, Blu-ray players, various high-quality streaming services and with all these options easily available the manufacturers have started to compete to provide a cinema-like experience with their home theater systems. The main problem here is audio and how to make it sound just like in the cinema. 

When we are building our home theater in most cases, we pay too much attention to the screen. Whether we want to use a flat-screen TV or a projector we have to be aware that the built-in speakers are simply not so powerful to provide excellent sound experience. The truth is that although the picture quality is important, the sound is even more important. 

Therefore, investing in good quality audio equipment for your home theater doesn’t mean you will need to spend a fortune. Here are our recommendations.

Sound Bar

Soundbars have become very popular and their performance has improved drastically over the last few years. Now they are an affordable option if you want to improve your audio experience at home.

We can describe the soundbars like tube-like speakers that are usually placed in front of the TV. They can be mounted on the wall and there are also soundbars designed to serve as a stand for the TV. Soundbars don’t take too much space and if they are in the form of a stand, they can elevate the TV for a few inches. The good thing about them is that they don’t block the remote-control signal and they don’t need a receiver to be powered. 

In the most basic design, the soundbar has a left, center, and right channel. Some of them come with a subwoofer to improve the bass frequency. At the same time, there are models that come with rear speakers to create true surround sound. However, although the subwoofer can be wireless it has to be connected to a power source just like other remote surround speakers. 

The soundbar can drastically improve the sound quality of the TV speakers. However, don’t expect wonders if you connect a cheap soundbar to a high-end TV. If you decide to buy a soundbar that can be used as a base for your TV check whether it can support the weight of the TV. And one more thing, if you love using streaming services it is good to check whether the soundbar you want to buy supports Bluetooth connectivity.

Home Theater System in a Box

Home Theater in a Box was a great choice at one moment because it was a handy, easy to use and affordable home audio system. To be honest, it was the real thing, and it still is for some people.

The home theater in a box consisted of a receiver, speakers and a subwoofer and its main disadvantage was that it was impossible to add additional components or upgrade them. The sound quality was not so good because of lack of power. 

Although these home theaters in-a-box systems were hated by audiophiles, people who like simple and easy to install systems still find them attractive. 

In case you decide to buy such a system, it is important to take care of the following things and try to avoid them. For example, two-in-one devices like a receiver with an integrated Blu-ray player should be avoided. The main reason for this is that in case one of these components stops working you need to replace them both or buy a new system. The box you are going to buy needs to have a dedicated receiver with additional ports for the TV, CD player or just connecting additional speakers. 

Buying Separate Components

The last step in this case is to assemble the complete system on your own. To make this happen you will need to buy a subwoofer and speakers that fit your home design and a receiver to power them up. It will cost more than the options we have mentioned above but the final result is a home theater system that will really boost your listening experience. And this system can easily handle large rooms and deliver cinema-like audio quality. 

When you decide to buy the receiver make sure it supports 7.1 channels and multiple HDMI inputs. Wireless connectivity is also a recommended option because it will make it easy to upgrade when the time comes. 

When you are choosing the speakers, make sure to pay special attention to their sound quality, size and design. The market is flooded with speakers of various designs, sizes and colors that can easily blend into your home design. There are also speakers that can be practically hidden, but you need to be aware that such solutions often offer lower sound quality. 

When you are buying separate components, you need to be aware that price and quality are closely connected in this case. Because of that we strongly recommend that you start with the speakers first. There are many different kinds of speakers to choose from. Later you can find a good receiver that can easily handle them. However, it is important not to go crazy here and buy more than you really need, your neighbors don’t need to listen to the same things you do. 

If you are on a tight budget, we recommend buying just the left and right speakers. After that gradually add a center channel speaker, surround sound speakers, a subwoofer and so on. We say this because just the left and right speakers will deliver much better sound than the built-in TV speakers.