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Most speaker systems are designed for 5.1-channel surround sound, with left, center, and right speakers in the front of the room, left and right surround speakers toward the back, and a subwoofer (which pumps out bass from the ".1" channel) in a corner or along a wall. But 6.1- and 7.1-channel receivers and speaker packages are an option for enthusiasts who want to take things to the next level. These add one or two back surround channels for speakers centered behind your couch. The idea is to produce a more realistic experience.

Many 5.1-channel setups can be expanded to 6.1 or 7.1 channels by buying additional satellite speakers. Just keep in mind that you'll also need a receiver that provides 6.1/7.1-channel surround processing and power for the extra one or two speakers, plus you'll have to roll up your sleeves and install those speakers, which includes running wire to each one.

If you put speakers right next to a tube TV, magnets inside the speakers can screw up the picture, which is why the front speakers in a home theater setup are magnetically shielded. (You don't have to worry about this with plasma, LCD, or DLP TVs.) While some high-end speakers use exotic technologies like planar-magnetic or electrostatic drivers, most speakers use familiar woofer, tweeter, and midrange cones and domes. Depending on the size of your room and how well you want the speakers to blend with your décor, one of the following kinds of systems will be right for you.

Sub/Sat Combos Subwoofer/satellite, or sub/sat, systems are extremely popular for their compact size, excellent value, and installation flexibility. The satellite speakers - everything except the subwoofer - can be mounted on stands, shelves, or atop a TV. And a growing number of satellites are specially designed with slim enclosures and sleek finishes to match flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs - some models can even be mounted on the wall to save floor space. A small subwoofer/satellite (sub/sat) speaker system

Sub/sat packages range from ultracompact rigs with satellites that fit in the palm of your hand to larger systems that can fill big rooms with sound. Small systems are worth a close look because many of them deliver surprisingly expansive sound for $1,000 or less. Larger or high-end packages tend to cost from $1,000 to $4,000 or more, with many great-sounding speaker systems in the under-$2,000 range. If you like the idea of putting your satellites on sleek stands, you'll need to budget some extra dough - stands are usually optional.

Beyond Minispeakers Do you have a big, volume-hungry room? Or do you just prefer beefy speakers? Either way, there are several options. For the front left and right positions, you can go with either bookshelf speakers (so named because in the good old days of stereo, small speakers were often placed on shelves) or floor-standing tower speakers, which will usually put out more bass and play louder. Then there are power towers, which have built-in powered subwoofers. The great thing about this option is you won't need a standalone subwoofer - unless you're a diehard bass freak. A sub/sat system with tower speakers for the front left/right positions

In many 5.1-channel setups, the front left/right speakers are complemented by a center speaker, and a pair of wall-mounted surround speakers handle the other channels. Of course, there are exceptions. Some systems use the same bookshelf speaker all around (except for the center speaker, which is usually horizontally oriented), two of which are mounted on the side or back walls to reproduce the surround channels.