Creating the Movie Theater Experience

Let us not forget a very valuable and integral part of the home theater. The speakers are a sometimes forgotten component of an excellent home theater system. Without the speakers, all that is heard is the one-directional sound being produced by your television. While it may be broadcasting in stereo sound, it is still depriving the audience from a symphony of sounds and effects. Having the appropriate stereo speaker system for your home will provide the "movie theater" experience you so rightly deserve.

A decent, right out of the box, straight from the manufacture, home theater speaker system will include at least five speakers. For the front of the room there will be the left, right and center. The back of the room will have left and right speakers as well. Last, but not least, is the powerful subwoofer.

The front and back left/right speakers will provide the user with the overall surround sound effect. These speakers are strategically place throughout the room and they come various shapes and sizes. Some speakers stand alone and are mounted a base, some are a degree smaller and usually placed on bookshelves or other furniture and some of the smallest speakers which are commonly called satellites, are mounted on the walls. Practicing good speaker feng shui will add to the user's enjoyment. Testing the speakers in different positions throughout the room will help produce the sound that is most desired. Furthermore, some of the high end system dealers actually install the speakers into the walls of the room - for a price of course. Most will be visible but some can be made to be barely noticeable. Wireless satellite speakers are also becoming more commonplace as the technology advances, giving them better sound quality.

The center channel speaker is usually located in the same position in the room as the television. The center speaker is often overlooked; however, it does a great deal of the work as it provides the ambient sound needed to give the film a true, real life sound. I also helps to negate any tinny sounds that might come from the smaller satellite speakers. The center also provides for the fifth direction of sound that essential to any surround stereo system.

The subwoofer or 'sub' as it is commonly called, provides the user with the deep, rich and explosive sounds needed to complete any home theater speaker system. Subwoofers also come in different sizes, depending on how much "woof" is desired.

The price ranges for these dynamic systems really depends on the needs or wants of the consumer. The price range of home theater speaker systems can be anywhere between one hundred dollars to thirteen hundred dollars. And as always, research the home theater speaker system that fits the needs and quality desired so that going to the movies is as easy as staying at home.