Home Building - Creating A Home Theater

Creating a home theater has become one of the hottest topics when it comes to building a new home. There’s virtually no limit when it comes to designing a home theater system, except for how much you’re willing to invest in your personal entertainment. Creating and installing a home theater is not an easy task, so if you’re planning on have an elaborate system installed you should definitely work with a home theater specialist who can help you choose and install the system that’s right for you and your new home.

When most people think about watching a movie or their favorite television show, they think of the visual image. But what really differentiates a home theater from a big screen television is the audio. This isn’t to say that the picture isn’t important, but it’s how the image and sound come together in a home theater system that creates a richer experience.

Basic Home Theater Components

The very basic components necessary to create a home theater are a 27" or larger television, a movie playing device (preferably DVD), speakers, and a surround sound capable stereo receiver. A general rule of thumb when it comes to electronics is that you get what you pay for. Since you’re starting from scratch with your new home - it’s really worth spending the extra money now, rather than wishing you had.

See our article about individual components.

Tips for setting up the system

Your main objective is to make your home theater feel as much like the real thing as possible. You can achieve this by placing your system front and center and at eye level, not off to the side. Speakers sound better when they're on stands or mounted on the wall rather than set atop bookshelves or cabinets. The three front speakers should form a line with the TV and the two rear speakers should be positioned opposite each other on either side of the listeners, slightly above ear level.

When stacking your gear, make sure there's at least 8 inches between the back of the components and the wall to allow for easy installation, servicing, and ventilation. Since your receivers generate the most heat you should place them on top of the stack or on their own shelf with at least 2 inches of headroom and a path for heat to escape.

Avoid bundling wires and cables or placing them near power cords because that increases interference and decreases signal quality. A word of caution: don’t trim your speaker wires until you test your equipment and make sure you’re happy with the sound and setup.

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