Shopping for Home Theater Speakers


Ever go into one of those large warehouse chains that sell home theater gear and a demonstration in progress makes you turn your head? You might have been shopping for software but you hear familiar sounds from a movie you know and love. They're demonstrating the part of the movie where things get loud and you soon discover you're not the only one turning to see what's happening.

Step into the home theater demonstration area and you're suddenly enveloped by the film's ambience echoing all around you; objects thrown off screen seem to crash next to you. Suddenly you find yourself imagining this sound in your own living room.
This is where your skeptical thinking cap is required. A speaker's aggressive tonal quality that grabs your attention from across the room could grate on your nerves about an hour into a film. Be sure to judge speakers by listening to a variety of your own source material. How well speakers capture the breathy ambience of Isabella Rossellini's rendition of Blue Velvet is just as important as the impact of exploding giant insectoids in Starship Troopers.

Often a demo room is geared to emphasize the speaker's strengths. Consider how likely you can recreate the listening environment at home. Some ideas:

Finally, when you've narrowed down your choice to a few favorites, it's time to examine build quality of the speakers you may take home. Speakers might sound good now but you want them to sound good for years, even decades to come. Learn to examine build quality and how to spot a cheap set of speakers.