So, you want to improve the audio capabilities of your home. Whether this is your first attempt at building a home audio system or you’re merely looking for an upgrade, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide I’ll run through the most important topics to consider before going out to spend your money on expensive equipment. We’ll start by assessing the major factors to consider in building your own realm of audio bliss.
Usage
This is a huge consideration, and will dictate everything that happens from here on out. The main usage will affect which speakers you should invest the most in.
For music you need some nice front speakers and probably a high-quality subwoofer, but really not much else beyond a receiver to power your speakers.
For home theater you’ll probably want a large subwoofer or two, as well as an excellent center speaker, but the fronts matter a lot less than for music. If you’re mixed usage, buy great fronts and an excellent center.
Budget
Self-explanatory really, but how much can you afford to spend on this project. There are ways of stretching your budget without making long-term compromises, such as spending what you can on quality components and adding the rest at a later date, or buying last year’s models at a markdown price.
A high-quality setup for music from a retailer like Best Buy can run you a grand, while beefy home theater equipment can add another grand on top of that. More budget friendly options exist however, such as DIY speaker kits and secondhand or refurbished equipment.
Usage Environment
Where will the equipment be used? A large room might benefit from large speakers if you want the fullest sound, but if you’re listening in a closet then that goliath 15” subwoofer might not even fit, let alone be necessary. Other factors are important here too, such as bothering the neighbors if you live in an apartment, or finding a suitable location for all 7 of your new surround speakers before you buy them.
Basic Components of Home Audio
Next we’ll consider the basic parts of an audio setup and the theory that will impact your buying decisions for each component.
I highly recommend following each of the links embedded in the following sections if you want to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on your next setup.
A/V Receiver
Your receiver handles all your inputs and outputs. It receives and enhances the signals from your TV or CD player, using built-in Digital Signal Processing software to correct for your room before forwarding the signals to your speakers as well as supplying the power they need to create sound. The type of receiver you need will depend on how many speakers are in your setup, but for most people a 5.1 channel receiver is the place to be. Higher-end receivers will have significantly better DSP and more speaker channels, but at the expense of your wallet. For an in-depth guide on picking a receiver, click here.
Front Speakers
The front speakers are king in terms of music appreciation. Most music is mixed in stereo, meaning it only requires your fronts to get the full range, though a subwoofer can be incorporated as well to great effect. If you listen to a lot of music you really don’t want your front speakers to be lacking. For those using them purely for home theater they’re less important, but they still need to mesh nicely with your center speaker. Learn more about choosing the right front speakers here.
Subwoofer
The one component of your system likely to actually shake the house, your subwoofer brings the grunt and muscle for the low-end that most people love. Action movies and electronic music just aren’t complete without chest thumping bass, so for the best immersion possible your subwoofer should be near the top of your spending list for both home theater and music applications. Good subwoofers don’t always come cheap, but the end result is so worthwhile. Read more about picking the right subwoofer here.
Center Speaker
One of, if not the most, important speakers for a home theater setup, the center channel handles 80% of the dialogue in any given movie or show. The center speaker anchors the dialogue to the screen, making it feel like the people on screen are actually in the room with you. It’s possible to set up your front speakers in a way that creates a ‘phantom center’ if you don’t have one, but this is not a great solution as it’s really only an option for a single seating position.
You want the front sound-stage to be timbre matched, which means your front and center speakers should all be from the same manufacturer, have similar output capabilities and even be from the same model-line and generation if you can swing it. You don’t need a center if your only goal is to play music.
Surround Speakers
Surrounds are probably the least important speakers on this list besides Atmos, which are essentially height surrounds. You can have two surround speakers, known as a 5.1 system, or two side surrounds and two rear surrounds for a 7.1 system. In general it becomes a hassle to find good speaker placement options for a 7.1 without a dedicated room, and the benefits are relatively slim. Most people will be perfectly happy with just two surround speakers. These speakers don’t have to match the front sound-stage, but it makes your life easier if they do.
Simply buy some lower-end speakers from the same manufacturer, a $100 pair of speakers with around 4” woofers will be plenty to get the job done. Surround speakers don’t really get too much content, and in fact some people with limited space and funding skip the surrounds entirely to run a 3.1 system. It’s really personal preference at this point. Do whatever makes your life the easiest.
Atmos Height Channels
Similar to surround speakers, Atmos speakers add the option of sound from above, for such occasions as an airplane flying overhead and the like. I personally don’t have any Atmos speakers, and if you’ve never experienced them you won’t miss them, though they’re a great addition in terms of immersion. Atmos speakers should be the last thing on your list, as they’re far from necessary to have a great experience.
If you do want height channels there are a few options. Upwards-firing Atmos drivers built into or placed on top of your other speakers are a hot new item, while in-ceiling or wall mounted speakers are a more direct option. I’ve heard that the Atmos drivers have superior dispersion, in that it’s much harder to pick out the speaker the sound is coming from, but that in-ceilings can be more enveloping. As I’m not experienced with Atmos I’ll leave that debate to others. Here’s a link to Dolby’s Atmos Guide for those interested.
Wiring
Your system won’t work without wiring, so it’s important not to forget it! Check out my wiring guide if you need help figuring out what you need to buy to get these things all pieced together.
Getting the Most Out of Your Setup
Once you’ve got all your equipment there are still plenty of things to think about in order to get the best sound. I’ve outlined some of the key things to think about below.
Speaker Placement
This is an important consideration in terms of sound quality. Sure, your speakers will make sound from wherever you plop them down, but to really get the best sound there are a lot of setup procedures to follow.
First thing’s first, if you have any bookshelf speakers you should buy properly fitting stands for them. Check out my Speaker Stand Buying Guide for assistance in finding the right stand.
Once you have any stands you need, you’re ready to place your speakers. Dolby has a comprehensive array of setup guides that can be found here. For the best sound try to have your speakers a few feet away from any walls, especially if they’re rear-ported.
For optimal placement of the subwoofer the ‘sub-crawl’ is a must. Here’s a great article for further reading on subwoofer placement.
Like the rest of your speakers, you ideally want your center’s tweeter at ear level, but often this turns out to be impossible unless your TV is mounted too high. A common compromise is to place the center below the screen and angle it up towards ear-level.
Room Acoustics
After your speakers are bought and setup properly, there’s still one major factor that could be degrading the audio quality in your home, and that’s the room itself. High-ceilings, hardwood floors and even things like doorways and furniture all affect how sound is absorbed and reflected in your listening space. Simple things like adding an area rug to the floor and hanging a heavy tapestry on the wall at the point of first reflection can have a positive effect.
More aggressive options like bass-traps and wall paneling can be used to get the most out of your system, but can cost you a fair bit of money in the process. Just remember that the space you’re in has almost as much effect on the sound as the speakers you buy. There are lots of guides out there on the best way to manage your room acoustics, so make sure you do your research.
Configuring Your Receiver
Most modern day receivers have built in DSP programs that allow you to use a microphone to automatically change the settings based on your room. These programs are far from perfect, so it’s best to comb through the settings after and make sure that everything is set to your liking.
For example, some receivers like to set bookshelf speakers to large in the settings, which means that when playing in stereo mode the subwoofer isn’t utilized. You can manually switch them to small speakers easily enough, but only if you know enough to check. It’s also good to make sure the distances set for each speaker from the seating position are accurate.
Finally, if, for example, you like a lot of bass, then you’ll have to go check the level settings to make sure your subwoofer is turned up and not stuck at -7db. Without manually checking these settings you’ll be left wondering why that $800 subwoofer is so lacking, when in reality you just haven’t given it a chance to let loose.
Get Listening!
Hopefully this information has been useful to you, and if you’ve made it this far then thanks for reading! Before blasting your music I recommend buying a sound level meter and consulting this chart: Dangerous Noise Levels. You only get one set of ears, so treat them well if you want them to last!