Surround Sound And Home Stereo Speakers - How To Choose The Best Ones
By Pete Bradshaw
So what sort of speakers are you looking for in your room? Do you need home stereo speakers - or have you thought about surround sound speakers?
Then there are many other things like the size and design to consider such as floorstanding or satellite - these are issues which will relate to the size and type of room you have. And that's not forgetting all the technical specifications which can really complicate matters.
So as you can see, it can be very confusing when you want to buy a new speaker package for your room.
There seem to be so many choices to make that it can be difficult to know where to start. The first thing you need to do is to understand the important areas that you need to consider, and then you can use this information to narrow down your choices.
So what are the issues that we need to think about when we are choosing home stereo and surround sound speaker systems?
Well, here is a list of things to think about when you are looking to upgrade home audio systems, and once you have considered these then you will have better idea of what you need.
1. What type of configuration do you want?
- 2.0 stereo system
- 2.1 stereo system with a subwoofer
- 5.1 surround sound system
- 7.1 surround sound system
- 7.2 surround sound system with two subwoofers
2. What size of speakers do you want?
- Satellite
- Bookshelf
- Floor standing
- In-wall
- In-ceiling
3. What technical ratings do you need to consider?
- Power ratings
- Sensitivity
- Impedance
- Match these with the ratings of your amplifier or receiver
4. How do you want to buy your speakers?
- An all-in-one package with all the speakers included?
- Buy separates and put together your system one speaker at a time?
5. What make do you want? There are many high quality brands to choose from - some of the major brands are:
- Infinity
- Klipsch
- Yamaha
- B & W
- Mission
- Paradigm
- Kef
Once you have worked you way through this checklist, then you will have a much better idea if you want home stereo speakers for your home audio systems - or surround sound speakers.
It's not an easy decision to make at times because you have so many issues to consider at the same time. So the only way you are going to do this is by taking one point at a time and narrowing down what you really need - and also what will actually fit into your room - or work properly with your existing equipment.
The important thing is to take each point at a time and don't over complicate your choices. You will find it much easier to choose the best speakers for your room when you are clear with what you actually need - or what will best suit your home theater setup.
A good surround sound system for PS3?
I’ve seen questions similar to this before but I figured I’d ask my own question so I could try and get a more tailor made answer.
I would like to know what would be a good surround sound system for gaming on a PS3 I’m intending to get my boyfriend one for Christmas as he’s been raving about wanting it for a while
However we’re both students and I can’t afford more than £250 ($400) I’d preferably like to try and find 7.1 but I know this probably isn’t an option with the money I have to spend so 5.1 will do. I also know Sony are doing their own PS3 speaker but I’d prefer to have individual speakers to place round a room if possible
I know people are going to say ‘you wont get anything good for that price’ I’ve already established that but I don’t have an alternative I’d just like to know what is best for my price range.
This one is the best for u.
Logitech X-540 Multimedia Speaker System (5.1)
Technical Details
Frequency Directed Dual Driver (FDD2) technology produces a uniform soundfield anywhere in the room
Create 5.1 surround sound from common 2-channel stereo sources with Matrix mode
Satellite speaker stands rotate for easy wall mounting
Dynamic, real-time bass equalisation maximizes bass response while minimizing distortion
High excursion, ported, down-firing subwoofer displaces more air for deeper bass
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-X-540-Multimedia-Speaker-System/dp/B000LBHFMO/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1288695485&sr=1-1&tag=knapaaai-21
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What is the best quality surround sound/ home cinema system?
I am looking for a decent home cinema system that im getting someone for christmas
my budget is around £200 to £250
ive heard JVC is one of the better ones but i dont know where to go to get best value for money
can anyone help me please???
THANKS
Not sure if you’ve considered possibly the most important part of sound systems – the shape of the room – most systems today are set up to give great results, but most people don’t fully understand the importance of speaker placement to optimise the results within the space they have. Many surround systems split the sound so that appropriate parts are played through the appropriate speaker. This can take some experimenting, as different systems seem to differ in their interpretation of the incoming signal. Short answer from me is, choose a known brand – check some of the reviews out on the web and make sure you don’t just “chuck the system in”. The manuals usually cover aspects of speaker placement, but the listeners ears are the final judge. Some systems come with stands to place the speakers behind lounge furniture and still project from the best position.
Surround Sound System!?
I am looking for a surround sound system that comes with a blu ray dvd player… can someone tell me which brand is the best to get. money isn’t really a problem, I have $1000 to spend on it
With that budget I would not get a complete home theater system. They have limitations on expansion & limited inputs for other sources. Get a good receiver speaker & Blu-ray player separates. See links below. That’s really good stuff & will last a very long time. Having an all in one set up means if one things breaks, it all breaks. Those HTiB’s (home theater in a box) are usually under powered and very cheap in quality. There are some good ones, but those limitations mentioned hold them back.
what size amp/reciever do i need for my surround sound system?
i just got a Onkyo home theater system for Christmas, i have all the speakers and sub, but no amp or reciever. its a 7.1 system if i knew what that meant… and i dont really have a whole lot of money to spend on something, so what is my best solution? thanks
Sorry, its a 7.1 speaker system. it didnt come with any kind of reciever, dvd device or anything, simply just the speakers and sub. so again my question, what kind of reciver do i need to get?
If its a 7.1 home theater system it has an amplifier built in. You don’t give a model number but the type of system you probably has often combines the radio/DVD and amplifier in one box that the speakers connect to. The 7.1 refers to 6 satellite, 1 center and 1 subwoofer. I’d suggest reading the manual and you will probably have instructions on how to set it up. Good luck.
What’s the best Surround Sound Receiver for my money?
Looking at Best Buy because I can get a discount. Also looking for a 7.1 channel system.
Which one is the best for my money and why?
How does one make use of an Optical Digital Audio port on an LCD TV and a surround system with analog audio?
Hey, I am looking to set up my sound system to work with my LCD TV’s Optical Digital Audio Output port. My surround sound system has analog audio; it has separate jacks for each channel (subwoofer, right, left back speaker, etc.). Is there any way I can get my Dolby 5.1 surround sound system to work with my Xbox 360, which is connected with composite cables to my TV? In other words, do I have to get a converter (from digital to analog) to get surround sound audio to work with my surround sound system? If so, which is the best converter for the money? Will all the separate channels work correctly? Finally, if I use the Optical Digital Audio Output port on my LCD TV, then will the surround sound work for whatever is playing on the TV (For example, if I am playing 360 using this setup and I want to watch DISH, which is connected to the TV like my 360, will the surround sound work?)? Thanks in advance, and a worthy 10 points to the best answer!
You will need to decode the digital audio signal somehow, and most people use a receiver for this purpose. With the information you gave there is no way short of a receiver to accomplish what you want.
I suggest that you include more detail like current set up and model numbers.
HD SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM FOR UNDER 600?
I have a 120hz 46″ Samsung 650 Series LCD and a 80gb MGS4 ps3. I have already spent over 2100 for my HDTV and PS3 and now I’m looking for a Surround sound. I would prefer a 7.1 but a 5.1 is alright. I don’t really want to spend over 600 total on the surround sound. I know it sounds cheap most likely. However in this economy I’m trying to be semi-smart about finishing my home theater.
I am planning on buying a 5.1 Bose system once I move into a new home. However I want an audio system for now until I can get the custom bose set up for my home. Hence why I don’t want to spend a lot of money until then.
My question is where can I find an Amazing home theater system for under 600 total. I want strong bass clear loud sound. I obviously play video games and play blu-ray movies. I would prefer a system that can play TRU HD. And has amazing sound quality
So I ask what is the best? Where can I get it and how much.
10 points to best answers
Don’t be afraid to use technical terms. I am A+ Certified and built a few PC’s. I know TV’s but I’m not too familar with Audio Equipment.
Thanx for your help in advance.
1.) Bose suck. Sorry, but it’s true. Well, they don’t necessarily suck, but they’re not worth what they cost. You can get much more for a lot less.
2.) Either you build your system piece by piece, which is what I recommend, or you buy a receiver-based home theater in a box (HTIB). Yamaha and Denon make good HTIBs, but in my opinion Onkyo is the best value. You need one with HDMI switching, so I’d recommend the HT-S6100. That’s the least expensive you can go. Newegg.com has them for $699 with free shipping and no tax. Or buy the Onkyo TX-SR606 ($400 @ Amazon) and a set of 5.1 speakers. The Polk RM6750 set ($200 @ Newegg) is a great entry-level setup.
3.) The PS3 is not able to bitstream it out to a receiver, so you’ll never see the “TrueHD” or “DTS-HD MA” indicators light up on a receiver. That’s because it decodes the audio into uncompressed multi-channel PCM, which is exactly what the audio soundtrack was before it was compressed and added to the Blu-ray movie.
What is the best wireless surround sound system?
I am looking for a surround sound system that does not have a lot of wires, and that I can have speakers that are wireless. My budget is is around $500, and I really want the best for my money.
Thanks!
To be honest, wireless is never going to be as good as wired. Wireless speakers still require a wire for power so you might as well use regular speakers. You’ll get much more for your money at a much greater fidelity.
Best Blu Ray movies to buy for home theater system?
Hey guys! I’ve always been a fan of movies and I just graduated college. For the first time in my life, I have enough money to pay for things that I’ve wanted (rather than just paying the bills, food, etc) so I bought a nice TV, ps3 and home entertainment surround sound system. I typically have lots of people over for parties/social gatherings and I was wondering which blu rays are worth picking up. I am looking for good movies but I’m also open to “ok” movies as long as they have great sound/picture quality. Thanks for the help!
The Dark Knight
James Cameron’s Avatar
Casino Royale A MUST HAVE
UP
Wall-E
Planet Earth
Star Trek
what is the best surround sound system for the money?
hello, i am a home theater specialist, i hear your question everyday. it all depends on your living arrangement , if you want your neibors to hear it, do you have a hdtv, how many things are you going to hook up to it? here are some that i recomend if you have a hdtv or if you plan on getting one in the next two years
1. panasonic sc-ht740 this one can connect wirelessly and has hdmi hook ups on it. approx price 350.00
2. samsung ht-q70 this one has hdmi hook ups 5.1 surrounsound built in dvd player that upconverts the resolution.
price 450.00
if you are looking just for a ceap one just so you can get surround sound than go with
pioneer htp 2800 its 5.1 surroundsound and is about 200.00
all the one’s i just mentioned all come with speakers and the subwoofer and can be very easy to install
hope you find one you like.
Where can I buy surround sound systems?
I’m looking for an online site where I can order a decent surround sound system. By decent, I mean in the $750-$2000 price range. Best Buy only has low-end systems (Bose is a waste of money, they are not the leader in sound systems) so I need another site to visit.
All of the sites I have visited so far do not offer their systems for order through their site, only through retailers.
Also, it would be nice if the site offered me not only HTIB systems but allowed me to mix and match the speakers I would need to optimize my setup. Any site that matches this criteria and doesn’t look too shady will be given best answer.
Thanks!
Please click on the link below.
How do I set up a surround sound system?
What gauge wire should I use? Best brand for the money?
How and where do I make all the connections and such?
I have never done this before, thanks!
I already have the system, it was given to me free but has no cables and I do not know how to hook it up. Its a combo Sony and Bose.
Setting up surround sound has multiple levels to it. Here is a good article explaining it all.
https://www.installingflats.com/Articles.asp?ID=159
What is the best recent DVD movie for “showing off” the capability of my home theater (surround sound) system?
I have added some new equipment and I want to see if my money was well spent. With luck, there is a recent movie that is worth watching AND has a good surround sound (Dolby 5.1) audio track that really demonstrates the use of all 5 speakers.
Independence Day…
What is the best, reasonably priced sound system setup for a college apartment (parties/tv) ?
I am trying to figure out the best setup for my apartment’s sound system this coming year. There are 8 guys living in the apartment, but we don;t want to break the bank (we need beer money). We plan on having a lot of parties and I think we need a mix of power (for hip hop and party music) and surround sound (for tv,movies and non party music). I’ve been looking on ebay, but I don’t know exactly what to llok for as I’m not an audio expert (I do love music though). Thanks for the help!
I’d recommend an HTIB (home theater in a box) system. It would not be the best sound but it would be the easiest. If you want the best sound go with separate components. For the same price you will have better sound and more versatility with separates. But it will not be as easy to set up. Someone might actually have to read an owner’s manual. Go with the HTIB and call it a day.
What is the best surround sound system for the money?
I’m looking into buying a surround sound system for my bedroom. It’s 400 sq.ft. so it’s really big. I want something that will sound awesome but yet still affordable. What do ya’ll recommend? I was going to get BOSE, but it’s pretty pricey and I’ve heard it’s not worth the money.
logitech z 5500
Will an HDMI to DVI cable between a tv and a cable box interfere with the optical cable for a sound system?
My parents have an HDTV with a DVI hookup and a digital cabe box with an HDMI slot so I suggested that they get an HDMI to DVI cable to replace the S-in cord that they are currently using to get the best picture but tey seem to think that this might interfere with the surround sound system since HDMI cables can transmit sound too. I feel pretty sure that this shouldn’t be a problem but I don’t want to spend money on a cable unless I’m positive.
Whoa. GREAT QUESTION!. Congratulations on cluing in your parents to what they’ve been missing. HDMI does carry the sound, but that should not be your cable box’s only sound source. As long as you have an optical or coaxial (different boxes use different cables) cable running from the cable box to the surround sound receiver, then the surround sound should be intact. Yes, the dvi input does not carry sound, but that shouldn’t natter because if we’re talking about surround sound, the TV speakers should not be used anyway. If you want to be able to have surround sound, but still use the TV speakers from time to time, then connect the cable box’s red and white audio outputs to the TV’s audio inputs. Your parents are finally going to discover real HDTV, thanks to you. Good Job!
WHAT IS THE BEST SURROUND SOUND FOR THE MONEY?
Looking for a really nice surround sound system for a moderate price. Would like a 7.1 surround sound system that want break the bank.
I sound like a broken record Cambridge Soundworks. Look at the price and the reviews. They don’t have the advertising power, but boy do they make a really good product to stand by. Cambridge Soundworks is a the handy work of Henry Kloss. One of the few left in a dieing breed of old school inventors who give you more than you expect for your money, whose pride is performance over flashy looks and talk. The equipment is heavy and strong.
http://store.cambridgesoundworks.com/content/Home_Theater.htm
Best.
How can i get the best sound quality out of my surround sound system?
i have a yamaha surround sound system and i am using a fiber optic cable and 16 gauge wire. it sounds pretty good but i know there are ways to tune it for better sound quality throughout the room. i don’t want to pay all the money for someone to do it for me so does anyone have any easy tips. thanks.
Use the automatic audio calibration feature if your receiver has it. Otherwise, you can buy an inexpensive sound meter from Radio Shack, and then play the receiver’s test tones to adjust the speakers to the same level (the receiver has settings to control the volume level of each speaker).
You could also buy a meter and a home theater tuning disc. The one from “Sound and Vision” is a bit dated, but it will walk you through the audio tuning steps very easily. See the links below for more information.
best tv for home entertainment system?
My new house has a living room of about 16×20 I have a Bose surround sound system with Onkyo reciever. I want to replace my 32″ flat screen tv with an LCD or plasma. What would be a good size for this room, I am thinking about a 42″ or 47″ and what do I need to look for in a tv, what features? I do not trust the electronic salespeople. They just want to sell the most expensive model they have. One with built in surround sound I would think would be a waste of money, with my Bose.
Plasma would be a better option for you than LCD. Plasma product great black and color levels for viewing movies. 47-50″ Plasma would also be a great size range for your viewing distance. In an LCD or Plasma, you want to look at features like:
Resolution (720p or 1080p is a necessity)
Contrast Ratio: (no less than 5000:1 for plasma)
Surround sound isn’t a necessity for you but many TV’s include this anyway.
Built-in Tuners: You’ll want to make sure the HD tuner is built-in to your TV so you don’t have to purchase one.
You’ll want to make sure you have atleast 2 HDMI inputs which are the highest possible quality inputs.
Some people look for extra features like picture in picture.
Good luck buying your new TV…its always very exciting!
Deciding on a 5.1 surround sound system.?
I wanted to know which 5.1 surround sound system would be the best for the money. Right now i’m trying to decide between,
Klipsch HD 300 Compact 5.1 High Definition Theater system($399)
Polk Audio RM705 5.1 Home Theater System($253)
Klipsch HD 500 Compact 5.1 High Definition Theater system($599)
Energy RC-Micro 5.1 Surround Speaker System($399)
right now i’m thinking about getting the Polk Audio system cause of its cost but, wanted to know how much better the others really were if at all if anyone has had some experience with any of them. If someone could come up with a 5.1 speaker system that was better then this with about the same costs that would be fine too. I’m looking for 5.1 cause the room i’m in is to small to have 7.1 placed the way they need to be so whatever is best for a small to medium sized room is what i’m looking for. I’m looking for more quality sound I don’t need something really loud. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hmm…
Well, I’d say the Energy RC’s is the best deal.
All of your choices are great for your size room: small-medium.
I got a 7.1 set of Klipsch speakers at a clearance sale [was very lucky: as I had to go all around town thru the chain of stores to get all 7 - LOL -was an awesome deal!] … Mine are the reference series. I love them. My room is medium sized.
But you are accepting suggestions, so here’s a humble one.
I also have a pair of speakers setup tru the aux-headphone jack of my HTPC – and these speakers are just 2.1 – made by Audioengine – model: A2. I mention these speakers cuz I find myself using these more than my 7.1 surround sound powered by my Pioneer reciever. It’s not that the 7.1 surround is not good – in fact it’s great… but these little Audioengines are that great too! – I have them hooked up to my Klipsch subwoofer.
So suggestion is though: to look at Audioengine’s AP4 passive speakers. The A2′s are powered speakers… so it doesn’t need an amp-receiver like the AP4. These AP4′s are Audioengines newest addition to their family of “near Audiophile” quality sounding speakers.
Check them out… they are $250/pair avail in a few colours too.
http://www.audioenginusa.com
http://audioengineusa.com/ap4_home.php
As they don’t come with a sub, you’d have to buy a subwoofer – they have one as well, but it is not totally necessary to go with their subs… you can find one from Klipsch or Polk for very reasonable prices:about $200. This setup will be initially a 2.1 setup. – Any new receiver will support 2.1 also. This setup = $450
which will be sufficient amount of sound to fill your small-medium sized room for months….until you are financially ready to invest in the rest of the 3 speakers.
I know you won’t get the instant gratification of full surround sound… but I think surround is somewhat overrated anyways… nice to have, but overrated.
The thing is… the reason why I’m suggesting this is because the above systems will do a decent job… but you mentioned sound quality* — the above systems are good for budgets, but sound quality is not the best* — as their main issue is that the satellite speakers are small and not the best quality componentry goes into them: – so to be technical, they have a very high crossover freq from the subwoofer to these satellites – about 150hz. Even the Klipsch HD500′s crossover is 140hz or so — which in layman’s terms: – the system rellies on the subwoofer ALOT for the mid-low frequencies – so you will hear voices come from the subwoofer — and this causes problems with surround sound systems – as “localization” of the subwoofer will happen [which is bad effects on your surround]. Also, the sub will cause your dialogue to sound “boomy” and overly “chesty”.
The AP4′s will handle to 58hz no problem – which will mean you won’t hear voices come from your subwoofer. If someone gave me this advice – when I was buying my system, I would have went with these speakers for sure… too bad they were not available when I purchased my surround system.
Imagine this… after the last 3 surround speakers are purchased, you would have one of the best sounding systems… and you did not pay an arm and a leg for it!… Also, upgrading will not be necessary… as the AP4′s will hold their own against even the best speakers on the market! These are one of the best kept secrets in the industry!
Hope this helps!