Selecting SPEAKERS for Home Theater

Selecting speakers for a Home Theater or Media Room  
The picture on the screen is only half the story. Great sound is also an important part of the home theater experience. The actors’ dialog, the musical sound track, and special effects, all combine to give the movie its emotional impact. And more than any other part, it’s the speakers that determine the quality of the sound.

So selecting the best speakers for your home theater is important, but with a little knowledge and some expert help, it’s not all that difficult. So let’s take a look at the basics of a surround sound speaker system, and then some specific examples of speaker technology that may help you make your choice.

Part one: The front speakers 
In a home theater surround sound speaker system, three speakers are placed in the front of the room. One goes to the left of the TV screen; another to the right; and the third one goes directly above or below the TV.

Part two: The rear surround effect speakers
In a five-speaker surround sound system, two speakers are positioned behind the seating area. They create the special effects that are so important to the home theater experience. A seven-speaker surround sound system adds two more speakers for the side walls, in slightly in front of the rear speakers.

Part three: The subwoofer
For a home theater surround sound system to have real impact, a subwoofer is a must. It’s a specialized speaker that reproduces just the deep, low sound the sounds. These are the sounds that you feel as much as you hear.

Different types of speakers for surround sound
Now let’s look at some specific speaker categories and learn about how they can be used in a home theater.

Floor standing speakers—Most of our very best speakers are floor standing models. In general, they exhibit the best bass response as well as superior imaging (the ability to pinpoint exactly where the sound is coming from). Of course, they are also bigger and take up some floor space, which sometimes can be problematic.

Bookshelf speakers—Take a floor standing speaker and shrink it down in size to fit on a shelf. That’s a bookshelf speaker. The downside is that the bass they reproduce is not as deep and rich as its bigger brothers, but they can be easily placed on a shelf—a huge advantage in many home theaters.

In-wall and in-ceiling speakers—In smaller home theater rooms, or in applications where larger speakers simply won’t work, in-wall and in-ceiling speakers are a great solution. The latest models are great improved and really sound good, and when installed correctly give the room a clean appearance.
Invisible speakers—In-wall or in-ceiling speakers still not stealth enough for your? Try our invisible speakers. They completely disappear into the wall. Believe it!

SONOS Sound bars—In a bedroom home theater or in a very small media room, a sound bar is an excellent speaker for surround sound. A single sound bar takes the place of either the three front speakers (left, center, and right) or the entire surround sound system (including the rear surround effects speakers).

Find out more about home theater speakers
Of course, this is just scratching the surface. We have more in-depth tutorials about the different types of speakers that you can check out. Or call us or click help to enlist the help of a Sound Advice expert. Either way, you’re on your way to a great-sounding home theater.