6 Questions to Ask when Buying a Surround Sound System
What can surround sound systems give you? In one word, they can give you pure entertainment when you are watching TV or a movie and when listening to music. You can have all these benefits and more, provided that you choose the right system. Ask these questions and use the answers to make the best choice.
1) What kinds of surround sound systems are suitable for me?
The standard 5.1 surround sound systems are the optimal choice for home entertainment. Such a system includes five speakers, one center speaker, two front ones and two rear ones and a subwoofer. It is essential for you to get a subwoofer as it produces low frequency effects typical for sci-fi movies and games.
If you have a home theatre room and can afford it, you can readily get a system with 7 standard speaker channels. Having 7 speakers instead of 5 will certainly add more to the entertainment. In general, you can choose from surround sound systems with 3 different surround sound specifications and namely 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1.
2) How do I choose a receiver?
You need an audio/video receiver so that your surround sound system can be connected to a TV, a DVD and a stereo and possibly even to audio musical instruments. Many receivers nowadays even have an iPod docking station. In general, you can readily find a system that can be connected to different small appliances apart from iPods, such as MP3 players.
You can opt for a 5, 6 or 7-channel receiver, depending on the number of speakers you want to have. The item you select has to have a frequency effects LFE channel so that you can connect the subwoofer to it as well.
You need a receiver with at least a standard surround processing mode, such as Dolby Digital. If you want a model with a more sophisticated processing mode, such as Dolby TrueHD, you should be prepared to pay more. Just remember to get a receiver that has HDMI connectivity. Make sure you read the fine print on the model to confirm that it can accept audio signals via HDMI and convert other sources to HDMI output.
3) Can I get a surround sound system with a smaller number of speakers?
Yes, you can. There are a number of home theater sound systems, known as home theatres in a box (HTIB), which use virtual surround speakers. Such a system uses only three or even two speakers compared to the standard five. You can readily choose the best virtual surround sound systems among the models of the top brands. Just keep in mind that the virtual systems do not have a full range channels.
4) Does size matter?
Yes, the size of the speakers matters when you are choosing between surround sound systems. In general, the bigger the speakers are the better the surround sound experience is. Still, you have to take into account the size of your room and the furniture in it. Large 38-inch tall speakers are great for home theatre rooms. They will complement perfectly a large high definition television set. Still, the stereo shelf systems with speakers measuring between 12 and 15 inches are the best choice for standard leaving rooms measuring …… They can be readily placed on low TV stands and on shelves.
5) Can I get a wireless surround sound system?
Yes, there are wireless surround sound systems available. The signals are transmitted from the receiver to the speakers via infrared light or radio waves. In most wireless systems, only the rear two satellites are not connected to the receiver via cables. Still, it is worth pointing out that even though the rear speakers are wirelessly connected to the receiver, they will still need to be plugged into a power outlet using a cable.
6) How do I position the surround sound speakers?
The positioning of the speakers of surround sound systems is often as important as their quality and size. You should position the front three speakers at one level. They should also be at one level with the ears of the people who will be watching TV or listening to music. It is best to position the rear speakers three to four feet higher than the front ones.
Now you know how to choose between surround sound systems asking the right questions and using the right answers.