| Are you ready to buy a home theater audio | | | | surround sound, or primarily movies? |
| system? Here are several tips to help you | | | | |
| find the right audio system for you. | | | | 3. Spend a few hours looking around on key |
| | | | sites and forums and you will know more than |
| 1. Spend some quality time with the room you | | | | most. Friends, family, trade and consumer |
| are going to put your new home theater audio | | | | magazines and inquiring jaunts to your |
| system. Believe it or not but the room is as | | | | favorite electronic store will help you gain |
| much a component in your home theater system | | | | customer leverage. Do not buy anything at |
| as any of the electronics you will ever buy. | | | | this point. Get as much information stuffed |
| Ask yourself which room you will be putting | | | | into your brain that will help you when the |
| your new system in. Consider whether or not | | | | time comes for you to buy your system. |
| this room is going to be used solely for you | | | | |
| system or will it be used for other | | | | 4. Revisit the drawing of your room and your |
| activities. Will there be any size | | | | research. You will ultimately end up with |
| considerations for the components and | | | | two, possibly three choices. By now you |
| speakers you plan on using with the | | | | should be a confident consumer. Decide what |
| dimensions of the room? | | | | you absolutely want. |
| | | | |
| Consider drawing a map of your room and | | | | 5. There are values out there the trick is to |
| sketch the possible placements of your | | | | be an expert on home theater audio systems. |
| furniture, components and speakers. Measure | | | | Keep your eyes open for great deals. Big |
| the room's dimensions and write them down. | | | | electronic stores offer promotions, online |
| Make a list of all the inputs you currently | | | | manufacturers can offer radically lower |
| have and will continue to use. Make a list of | | | | markup than retailers and online auctions |
| the inputs you intend to add to your new | | | | offer access to deals all over the world. |
| audio system. You should write down which | | | | |
| components are going to need cables and | | | | 6. Don't get stuck with a mismatched TV size |
| wires. Also, write down the approximate | | | | for your room. The key here is balance. If |
| lengths of those cables and wires. Once all | | | | the TV is too big then you tend to see the |
| of this is worked out carry this information | | | | details of the screen, not the image. If the |
| and map with you when you go out to buy your | | | | TV is too small you might feel like you're |
| new audio system. | | | | sitting in the nosebleed section. Here is an |
| | | | equation to help you decide the best screen |
| It is important to arrange your room for | | | | size for your room. |
| optimal picture and sound by reducing screen | | | | |
| and hard surface reflections. Do not forget | | | | 2.5 x The size of you TV screen = Suggested |
| the TV picture is not very pretty when light | | | | viewing distance |
| is reflecting off the screen. Also, audio is | | | | |
| not so wonderful when sound waves are | | | | For example: If your TV is 36" then according |
| reflecting off hard surfaces like bare walls | | | | to the equation you should sit about 90" from |
| and windows. | | | | your TV (36 x 2.5 = 90). Note that this chart |
| | | | in only a reference. |
| 2. Decide on what you want to experience when | | | | |
| you settle down on your couch with your | | | | Good luck finding the home theater audio |
| partner and a big bowl of popcorn. Ruminate | | | | system to fit your needs. Enjoy shopping and |
| on the experience you want before you | | | | make the experience fun. |
| ruminate on your budget. Is it stereo, | | | | |