Shopping Tips It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that you should listen to and price as many models and brands as you can - especially speakers. A/V gear offers better value per dollar today than ever before, and competition is fiercer than ever, both of which benefit you.

Before heading for the stores with your wish list in hand, here are some fundamentals to keep in mind.

Stick with Reputable Brands and Retailers Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true - especially online. While megastores can offer a big selection and big discounts, specialty retailers may have dedicated home theater demo rooms and can offer much more personal service.

Consider Spending a Little More than You'd Planned Like anything else, in home theater you get what you pay for, and spending more now will very likely yield a system that will make you much happier in the long run. So resist the urge to buy a cheap all-in-one "home theater in a box" system. Get out and experience a few home theater demos at a nearby specialty dealer.

Bring Demo Discs You Know and Love There are big differences in the recording quality of CDs and DVDs, and you'll get a better handle on a speaker system's sound if you bring your own discs to the store. Leave your heavy-metal discs at home and instead try to use recordings with mostly acoustic instruments and vocals since it's easier to compare the sounds of these instruments and the human voice with their real-life counterparts. The Sound & Vision Home Theater Tune-Up DVD is excellent for evaluating a system's audio and video performance. Also, try to listen to everything at the same volume, because what's louder always seems to sound better.

Take Your Time Don't let anyone rush you. Sure, you'll probably want to buy something right now, but resist those impulses. This is especially true when you're buying speakers - there's no way you can make a good decision in a few minutes.

Remember: Speakers Will Sound Different at Home than at the Store It would be easier if all rooms were the same, but they tend to differ a lot in size, shape, and acoustical characteristics - so where you put the speakers and how you position them has a lot to do with how good they sound. While some retailers carefully set up speakers for the best possible sound, many stores simply line up dozens of models on a shelf where they can't even come close to performing at their best. Ask if the store will let you return speakers if they don't sound good in your space at home. That way you can try different setups to make sure you're happy with the sound.

Don't Neglect the Boring Details Make sure the speakers will fit into your room and the receiver will fit into your equipment cabinet or rack. Sounds obvious, but...

And make sure you have enough cable and the right mounting hardware or stands. Once you get your gear home and are ready to set it up, you're not going to want to go back to the store to get more speaker wire, an extra interconnect cable, or a mounting bracket you forgot.

Back to Surround Sound Overview | Back to Resource Center Home