A home theatre system may improve your movie and music-watching experiences by providing immersive sound and picture quality in the comfort of your own home. However, with so many options available, it can be tough to know what to look for when deciding on the best system. In this post, we’ll walk you through several crucial criteria to help you make an informed decision on How To Choose The Best Home Theatre Speaker System for your needs and budget.
1. What is a home theatre speaker system
A home theatre speaker system is a collection of speakers designed to create high-quality audio for a home theatre system. These speakers are designed particularly for use in a surround sound setup, in which multiple speakers are deliberately placed across the room to create an immersive audio experience. A home cinema sound system typically includes a centre channel speaker, front left and right speakers, back left and right speakers, and a subwoofer. Home cinema speaker systems come in a variety of sizes and configurations that can be adapted to individual preferences and space constraints.
What does a Home Theatre speaker System Comprise?
A home theatre speaker system consists of a number of speakers that are designed to work together to produce a cinematic audio experience. Those that have spoken up include:
The centre channel speaker is a specialised speaker that produces speech and other vital audio from the centre of the soundstage. It is frequently located above or below the television and is critical in enabling clear and understandable conversation.
The left and right front speakers are in charge of producing ambient noises and effects that correspond to the action on the screen. They are located on either side of the TV or screen and provide the left and right audio channels.
The back left and right speakers are located behind the viewer and contribute significantly to the sense of immersion by providing surround sound effects such as ambient sounds and directional audio. They generate the audio’s left and right surround channels.
A subwoofer is a dedicated speaker that creates deep bass tones and improves music quality overall. It’s typically placed on the floor and can provide dramatic and intriguing sound effects like explosions and music.
In addition to these speakers, some home theatre systems may include height speakers or in-ceiling speakers to give a more immersive audio experience. Typically, the speakers are linked to a receiver or amplifier, which interprets the audio signals and transmits them to the proper speakers.
Depending on personal preference and available space, a home cinema speaker system can be installed in a variety of locations throughout the house. Here are some popular rooms where a home cinema speaker system could be installed:
- The living room is a popular location for a home theatre system because it is typically the largest room in the house and where the family spends the most time. Place the speaker system around the TV or screen for a spectacular viewing experience.
- Home theatre room: Some people may have a dedicated home theatre room in their home designed specifically for watching movies and television shows. In this case, the speaker system might be installed throughout the room to give a fully immersive audio experience.
- Bedroom: A speaker system can be installed in the bedroom for a more personal viewing experience. This is very useful when watching movies or TV shows in bed.
- Basement or rec room: If you have a basement or a rec room in your home, this is a perfect location for a home theatre speaker system. These rooms are often large and can be used to entertain guests or host movie nights.
- Some home cinema speaker systems are designed for use in outdoor locations such as patios or decks. These weather-resistant speakers may be used to create a dramatic audio experience while resting outside.
2. How to Select the Best Speaker System for Your Home Theatre
Select an amplifier
There are a variety of amp lines available on the market today, including karaoke amps, stage amps, and movie amplifiers. With a large choice of movie amplifiers ranging in price from around $ 200 to $ 1500, and many various brands such as Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer, and so on.
Consider the following while selecting a movie amplifier:
If you prefer to listen to music rather than watch movies, a 2-channel amplifier with a fair price and simplicity is recommended. A 2-channel amplifier, on the other hand, does not match the requirements for surround sound with multi-dimensional sound effects. When shopping for a multi-channel amplifier, look for one that can handle two stereo channels.
To experience appealing sound when viewing movies, get a multi-channel amplifier with a huge capacity and multi-dimensional surround sound technology. Furthermore, you should select high-tech amplifier lines that are compatible with a variety of HDMI connection standards, 4K clear image processing, wireless networking, and so on.
Some manufacturers to consider when purchasing amplifiers for cinema rooms include Denon, which has an amp for viewing movies 70% of the time and listening to music 30% of the time.
Choosing Speakers
With hundreds of thousands of models and models from various brands, the worldwide speaker industry is incredibly diverse and rich. Most speakers can play music and watch movies, but speakers designed for specific uses sound significantly superior to generic speakers.
Use speakers with as many channels as possible, capable of building up a system ranging from 5.1 or 7.1 to the ultra-high-end Atmos 9.2.4.
As front speakers, select column or bookshelf speakers suitable for watching movies:
- Column speakers are massive speakers with a plethora of internal speaker parts. Each speaker will have its own frequency range. Column speakers have a deeper bottom response than bookshelf speakers.
- Bookshelf speakers include two woofers and one tweeter in a relatively small package. Bookshelf speakers, unlike column speakers, should be installed at certain heights, such as on bookshelves or tables.
The buyer can choose the best type of speaker based on the user’s requirements.
To save money, bookshelf speakers should be utilised as front speakers if the cinema space is less than 20 square metres and serves only one use (watching movies). If the room is large, the column speaker should be used as the front speaker.
Many people feel that column speakers are always better than bookshelf speakers. For a series of bookshelf speakers intended specifically for small spaces. This speaker line currently features numerous updated points and higher sound quality, making it suitable for use in medium-sized spaces. Bookshelf speakers also outperform column speakers.
Column speakers and bookshelf speakers have their front speakers built in quite distinct ways. A column speaker should be placed on the floor, but a bookshelf speaker should be placed at the ear level of the person watching the movie.
The size of the home theatre room
Consider the size of the projection room before acquiring speakers to set up a movie theatre for your family.
For rooms measuring 20 to 30 square metres, a 5.1 sound system with 6 speakers is adequate.
- The centre speaker should be above or below the screen, and the front speakers should be on either side of the screen (if using column speakers, keep the speakers away from the house’s corners).
- Surround speakers mounted on both sides of the wall have a listening position that is roughly 0.8 – 1.2 metres higher than the ear, but the Subwoofer may be put behind the listener at will.
For rooms greater than 30 square metres, users should use a 7.1 sound system with 8 speakers. This sound system should be set up similarly to the 5.1 system.
A 7.2 sound system with two bass speakers should be employed if the cinema room is too large. However, establishing this system is somewhat hard and necessitates the assistance of experts.
Choose a speaker with adequate power
In general, the louder the sound, the more powerful the speakers and amps. Consider what the speaker system will be used for and whether it needs to be loud or just enough when choosing a speaker. Furthermore, high-quality speakers will deliver the highest sound quality and reproduction.
Options for 5.1 or 7.1 sound systems
The majority of modern sound systems support 7.1 audio, with some higher-end audio lines additionally supporting 9.1 or 11.2 audio. In the home cinema room, a 5.1 sound system with a standard design that fully meets the needs of spectators is typically employed.
- Most Full HD films use just 5.1 sound systems now.
- Use a 7.1 sound system only if the area is greater than 30 square metres and you are sitting 1 metre from the wall, in which case the two Surround speakers in the back will successfully promote their function.
Connection ports
There are different connecting ports for various sound systems on speaker lines and music amplifiers. Specifically:
The HDMI connection is one of the most important audio connection ports. For systems that support the Blu-ray format, at least one HDMI port and one OUTPUT TV port are required. Buyers should seek a sound system that includes two or more HDMI ports.
MHL interfaces and USB interfaces: USB interfaces are utilised to play music and photos. Furthermore, the connector supports HD movie formats from hard drives and external USB ports such as AVCHD, DIVX,.WMV,.MKV,… Some listening devices will also require the addition of an MHL connection standard to help with audio and video conversion from an external device to the screen.
Wi-Fi connectivity: Depending on the price range, many audio systems, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, are available. Users can use Wi-Fi to access the content of computers connected to the same network without acquiring a separate HD playback device.
If users do not want to utilise a lot of wired equipment, they should choose sets that use wireless Surround speakers and Subwoofer. The transmission quality of this device, however, is not comparable to that of other standard-linked devices.
The audio formats that a home theatre system can support
If you have good financial resources, you should get an audio system that supports high-resolution formats. As a result, users must pay special attention to the formats supported by the sound system. Blu-ray and 3D technologies are two examples of image formats to consider.
If you lack financial resources, don’t be too critical of new technical forms because you, too, do not require them. Currently, content sources are in HD, 3D format from Blu-ray format, or external HD drives.
Blu-ray home theatre systems may display high-resolution images and offer better audio signal decoding. Supports next-generation surround sound systems such as Dolby True HD and DTS HD, as well as others, allowing for more accurate sound effects than the previous Surround format.
Make a budget for audio equipment
When choosing a sound system, consider matching the budget to the equipment so that you can save money while still using high-quality speakers. You should actively research the equipment to locate the best option for your budget and financial situation.
Divide the speaker system budget as follows: 40% for twin speakers, 25% for the amp, 20% for a CD player, and 15% for different accessories. This is the most prevalent method of budget allocation.
FAQs
The ideal location for speakers in a home theatre system is determined by the size and layout of the room. The front left and right speakers should be placed at ear level, equal distances from the TV or screen. The centre channel speaker should be above or below the television, and the rear speakers should be at the same height as the front speakers and facing the listening position.
Although a subwoofer is not strictly necessary for a home theatre system, it can enhance the audio experience by adding deep, dramatic bass to the soundtrack. If you want to recreate the movie experience at home, a subwoofer is a recommended addition to your home theatre system.
The number of speakers needed for a home theatre system is decided by the size and shape of the room, as well as the level of auditory immersion sought. At the absolute least, a home theatre system should include a centre channel speaker, front left and right speakers, and back left and right speakers. Some people, however, may choose to install additional speakers, such as height or in-ceiling speakers, for a more immersive music experience.
A receiver or amplifier is not always included with a home theatre speaker system. Some speaker systems are designed to work with existing audio equipment, whilst others are sold as a complete package that includes a receiver or amplifier. When shopping for a home theatre speaker system, be sure the speakers are compatible with your existing audio equipment or that the package includes a compatible receiver or amplifier.
Yes, a home theatre speaker system may be used to play both music and movies. However, it is important to realise that home theatre speakers are designed to create a powerful and immersive audio experience, which may not be ideal for all types of music. Some people prefer to listen to music through headphones or separate speakers.
Above, Casual Living USA has introduced to you How To Choose The Best Home Theatre Speaker System that you should know. Hope to bring you useful information. Thanks for reading!