HDTV gets the glamour, but surround-sound makes a home theater go 'round.

If you're investing in a 5.1 surround system - two front speakers, a center-channel speaker, two rear-channel speakers and a subwoofer - use your ears as a guide.

Alan Lofft, former senior editor of Audio magazine in New York and for 13 years editor of Sound & Vision magazine in Canada, has a simple five-point formula for buying a surround system.

1.) Don't buy speakers in a rush, even if you're only buying two for a stereo setup. Listen to them with your favorite recordings.

"Vocals are a good test," says Lofft, now resident expert for Axiom, an online-only loudspeaker company in Dwight, Ontario.

Guidelines For Choosing Home-Theater Speakers

Visit several retail stores, using the same recordings. Stores may favor recordings of their own that have enhanced bass, an unrealistic test of speakers.

2.) Beware of "home-theater-a-box" systems that include speakers and a DVD receiver. "The electronics," says Lofft, "are usually fine - the DVD player and receiver - but more often than not the speakers are really mediocre to poor."

Instead, look for recognizable brand names, companies that specialize in building speakers. For a home-theater receiver, Lofft recommends these brands: Pioneer, Denon, Harman/Kardon and Yamaha.

3.) Be realistic about matching loudspeakers to your room. "Tiny cubes are décor-friendly," says Lofft, "but if you try to put them in a big room and want to get any impact, forget it."

Lofft says bookshelf speakers suit a room smaller than 2,400 cubic feet (that would be 20 feet long by 15 feet wide with an 8-foot ceiling). Larger rooms demand floor-standing speakers.

4.) Want to hear the deep-bass sound effects on DVD soundtracks? A subwoofer is a home-theater essential. In a smaller room, get one with a 10-inch driver. A larger room requires a 12-inch driver.

5.) Budget the same amount of money for an HDTV and surround system. You'll get sound quality that matches the high-definition, high-resolution image from your HDTV.



- Kevin Hunt (hunt@courant.com)
Source: http://www.courant.com