Surround Sound Systems

How do surround sound receivers contribute to enjoying full audio and vide entertainment at home? These are the devices that allow you to connect your TV, DVD, stereo and other devices to the surround sound speakers. They power the speakers and allow you to switch to the different entertainment options while adjusting the sound to your needs. Follow these steps to get the best receiver for your home.

1) Choose between a theatre and stereo receiver.

As the names of the two types of surround sound receivers suggest, the theatre ones are for use with LCD and plasma televisions, DVDs and Blu Ray devices and stereo devices, while the stereo ones are designed exclusively for listening to music. In general, a theatre receiver product is recommended since it is more universal. No matter whether you opt for a theater receiver Yamaha, Sony or Samsung, you will find the entertainment options it provides more comprehensive.

2) Choose the number of channels you want the receiver to have.

You can choose from surround sound receivers with 5, 6 and 7 channels. You can connect 5, 6 and 7 satellite speakers to the different types respectively. The specifications are formally 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1. The point one is put to indicate that the device can support a subwoofer as well, even though most subwoofers today do not need to use the receiver’s amplifier. In general, it is recommended that you choose a type of receiver in line with the number of speakers you need. For a standard living room, 5 speakers are more than sufficient. If you have a home theatre room, however, you may want to 7 speakers.

3) Select the sound decoding format you want.

The two standard surround sound formats at present are Dolby Digital and DTS. Every model on the market works with either Dolby Pro Logic or DTS technology. There are more advanced formats for surround sound receivers as well. You can get a model that features Dolby TrueHD or one with DTS Master Audio decoding. These advanced sound processing options are available on a range of Blu Ray high definition video discs and players.

4) Pick a model with a large number of inputs.

The larger the number of inputs the larger the number of devices you can plug into the receiver. According to experts, most surround sound receivers, such as the Yamaha surround sound models for instance, have a sufficient number of video inputs. However, many of the models have only two to three audio inputs. If you want to be able to listen to music from your stereo, MP3, iPod and a number of other devices, you need to look for a model with more audio inputs.

5) Choose a model with HDMI connectivity.

You need HDMI video conversion because the HDMI components of your TV and video playing devices will send only such top resolution signals. When your receiver is equipped with such extensive connection capabilities, you will be able to switch to different inputs more easily and conveniently. It is worth pointing out that HDMI is the best connectivity option for watching 3D TV and movies.

6) Get a receiver with high clean power.

Just like connection capabilities power is major factor, when choosing between surround sound receivers. The more powerful the device is higher the surround sound quality is. Take a look at the full bandwidth power rating of the different models and select a model with a high rating. The cleanliness of the power is determined with a measure called total harmonic distortion (THD). The models with THD lower than 1% are a good choice, but you may look for a model with 0.1% THD. The latter have the cleanest amplification.

7) Pick a receiver from a top brand.

Top brands such as Sony, Samsung, Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon and Pioneer, to name a few, guarantee the quality of their surround sound receivers. They also have advanced features, such as PQLS precision quartz technology. There are plenty of models to choose from such brands as well.  You can readily opt for some of the more popular models, such as Pioneer Elite VSX, Yamaha Neohd YMC and Harman Kardon AVR or go for a receiver that matches your specific needs perfectly.

Now you know how to shop for surround sound receivers and choose the best one.