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What do you consider when buying a Home Theater sound system?
Recently, I purchased Surround Sound speakers, for 5.1 surround sound (Durabrand @ $40). Although I do like the sound quality that these speakers produce, I feel that there are better sound systems out there. I would appreciate any advice on what to look for when buying a home theater sound system; one that delivers the kind of sound quality that I’m sure movie and DVD makers intend to be delivered. Thank you.
Dang Romez awesome answer.
Might I add THD, THD, THD!
THD should be the first thing to look at, it’s the single most important rating an an amplifier, or a receiver. Digital audio, fiber optics & $10,000 speakers don’t mean spit if the amplifier, or receiver is sending too much distortion to the speakers.
An amplifier, or receiver should have a THD rating of 0.05% THD @ 20 Hz – 20 KHz or less. You should never buy an amplifier or receiver that has a THD rating of 0.1% THD @ 20 Hz – 20 KHz or more.
Don’t worry about how many watts a surround sound receiver puts out, there isn’t enough difference between surround sound receivers’ wattage output to even look at what the wattage output of a surround sound receiver.
Only buy Bose for the prestige of having the Bose label, because that’s what you are paying for. Anything of equal sound quality to Bose is priced a lot cheaper than Bose is priced & will still be going strong long after Bose has either died & been thrown away, or has been repaired, or rebuilt at least 2 or 3 times.
Buy speakers with your ears. Nobody can tell you what speaker sounds best. What one person thinks sounds good, anther person may think sounds bad.
If you’re blowing speakers it’s not because you have an awesome amplifier that’s putting out so many watts that you’re blowing speakers left & right. It’s because you have a piece of junk amplifier that’s clipping so bad it’s blowing speakers left and right.
Monster cables are good cables, but Monster is way over priced. You can buy as good & even better for less.
Don’t hook up $10,000 worth of AV equipment to a $5 or $20 power strip & expect it to do any good at protecting your equipment. You need to buy a real surge protector (power conditioner / voltage regulator) that’s designed for protecting electronics. They can be found in computer stores, music stores & high end audio dealers & cost between $80 & $1,000+. You should be able to find a good that suits your needs for under $200.
Surround sound is for TV, music sounds best in stereo. If You Want to listen to music switch from surround sound mode to stereo mode… or even better yet, do your ears a favor listen to music on a real stereo system instead of a home theater sound system.
Trance – 009 Sound System Dreamscape
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2004 Sound Surgical VASER Amplifier Liposuction Ultrasound system $16,500.00 |
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BAND KARAOKE DJ PA PRO SOUND SYSTEM YORKVILLE PARALINE PSA1 EQUIPMENT SOUNDCRAFT $14,900.00 |
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BAND KARAOKE DJ PA PRO SOUND SYSTEM YORKVILLE PARALINE PSA1 EQUIPMENT SOUNDCRAFT $14,900.00 |
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Acoustic Systems BB-142MC Audiology Sound Booth Isolation Broadcast Sound Booth $12,500.00 |
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Sound Commander® 1300 Command Pack Portable Loudspeaker System $3,577.77 |
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JBL 5.1 Surround Sound System $3,439.00 |
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JBL 5.1 Surround Sound System $3,439.00 |
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JBL 5.1 Surround Sound System $3,439.00 |
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Sound Box Professional Studio Broadcasting System – DJ Radio Broadcast $2,846.34 |
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JBL JRX 115 JRX 118S Club DJ Live Sound Crown PA System Extended Warranty $2,578.40 |
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Karaoke system dj professional sound system pa club bar ( laptop ready ) mp3 cdg $2,572.74 |
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Kapture Group Laser Beam & Sound Trigger / Tripper System W/ Delay – SAVE 15% $2,545.75 |
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MCLAREN TECHNOLOGIES SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM MT-512 DIGITAL THEATER LIMITED EDT $2,500.00 |
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EAW PA Speakers Sound System Great Condition Live Church Club Audio $2,500.00 |
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BRAND NEW BOSE ACOUSTIMASS 15 HOME THEATER SURROUND SOUND SPEAKER SYSTEM WHITE $2,199.99 |
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BOSE V-30 SURROUND SOUND HOME THEATER SYSTEM WITH HDMI CONNECTIONS AND ADAPT-IQ $1,999.00 |
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Star Sound Phonic Ear Theater IR Headphone System PE400 $2,010.99 |
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Geneva – Model XL – Sound System Black $1,999.00 |
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GGeneva – Model XL – Sound System Red $1,999.00 |
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Geneva – Model XL – Sound System Red $1,999.00 |
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Kurzweil 250RMX 250 RMX Complete System! ALL SOUND BLOCKS & MORE! $1,999.00 |
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VW GOLF R32 Titanium Exhaust System Super light 7kg only F-1 sound $1,788.48 |
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KEF T305 HOME THEATER SYSTEM COMPLETE!! AUDIOPHILE HIGH END SOUND W/SUBWOOFER $1,799.00 |
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Bose LifeStyle 48 DVD/CD 5.1 Surround Sound Home Theater Entertainment System $1,748.00 |
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APS Brand SYSTEM JRX JBL PORTABLE SOUND SYSTEM $1,819.00 |
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Cambridge – Minx S525 Mini Sound System In Black $1,799.99 |
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Cambridge – Minx S525 Mini Sound System In White $1,799.99 |
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NEW KEF KHT5005.2 Surround Sound System Speakers $1,798.99 |
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KARAOKE LAPTOP KARAOKE SYSTEM KARAOKE EQUIPMENT DJ SOUND SYSTEM MP3 DIGITAL CDG $1,754.91 |
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Williams Sound FM Tour Guide System w/ 10 Receivers $1,747.95 |
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AmpliVox Sound Systems Titan Wireless Portable PA System in Black APLSW800 $1,737.99 |
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DJ Sound System/ Yamaha MSR400′s, Behringer VMX1000USB, Gemini CDX2200 $1,700.00 |
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Yamaha YSP-4100 5.1 Channel Digital Sound Bar Projector Home Theater System NEW $1,699.99 |
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Cuisinart DCC-2600 Brew Central 14-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker with Glass Carafe $92.99 Coffee lovers will find all their favorite features in this extra%2Dlarge capacity coffeemaker%2E Flavor is a matter of taste%2C so Cuisinart now offers both regular strength and bold settings%21 And since temperature is important%2C too%2C we%92ve included an adjustable heater plate that keeps coffee at the temperature selected%2E With a built%2Din 60%2Dsecond memory in case the power goes out%2C… |
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Watts Premier RO-Pure 4-Stage Reverse Osmosis System $199.99 This four stage reverse osmosis system consists of a stage 1 five micron Sediment filter that traps particulate matter like dirt, rust, and silt that will affect the taste and appearance of your water. Stage 2 is a five micron Carbon Block filter that helps ensure a greater reduction of chlorine and other materials that cause bad taste and odors (these are called PRE-filters because they filter in… |
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CDN Audio Visual Refrigerator Freezer Alarm $10.99 CDN TA20 audio/visual refrigerator/freezer thermometer alarm. Designed to monitor refrigerator, freezer, and air temperatures, these thermometers offer a high level of accuracy and convenience. They feature target range indicators for proper food storage that can prevent accidental defrosting or degradation of refrigerated or frozen food. Instrument Range: Signal sounds at 15° or 46°F/-9.5° or … |
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Ultimate Sleep System $2.97 … |
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Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing (The Self Healing Series) $14.77 A complete course of eight breathing exercises that Dr. Andrew Weil uses in his own life, and has prescribed to hundreds of patients over the past two decades. In plain language, Dr. Weil explains the secret of breathworks power over our health, and its remarkable ability to influence and even reprogram the nervous system. A practical introduction to this crucial aspect of self healing, pr… |
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Meditations2Go Guided Audio Meditations CD Set 1 $14.99 Meditations2Go CD Set 1 features two full-length, fully immersive guided audio meditations (synchronized music and narration) on a single Audio CD. Track 1: “Restoring Balance and Clarity” (26:48 minutes). This guided audio meditation helps restore your natural calm and balance, emotionally, mentally, and physically, gathering in your strength, your energy and your clarity. It’s excellent as a ge… |
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Bill Nye the Science Guy: The Planets Classroom Edition [Interactive DVD] $21.26 BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY:PLANETS – DVD Movie… |
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The Magic School Bus Gets Lost in Space [VHS] $6.93 When the planetarium is closed for a field trip, it’s no problem for Ms. Frizzle–star of Scholastic’s award-winning Magic Schoolbus series. She simply takes the class to outer space on the Magic-School-Bus-turned-spaceship. As she puts it, outer space is “the only planetarium open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” The kids explore each of the first four planets with Ms. Frizzle, until they hit … |
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KINYO SW-8119 2.1 Multimedia Sound System $33 This KINYO 2.1 sound system is the perfect companion for any multimedia or entertainment on your personal computer. This 2.1 sound system features a unique modern design with quality speakers to deliver highs, mids and lows with brilliant clarity. |
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iPod/ MP3 Player Shower Speaker with AM/FM Radio $35.99 Sing along in the shower with this iPod/MP3 speakerSound system is water resistant Speaker feature compartment with external volume controls |
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Trilleon 2.0 Universal Tablet Sound System with Bass ReNu $0 Kinyo’s innovative Bass-Renu technology creates a rich and deep bass power, without the use of a subwoofer. This Trilleon II tablet speaker utilizes two passive sub-drivers that boost up the bass and sound quality for the ultimate in sound experience. |
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KINYO SW-3216 2.1 Multimedia Sound System $25 Subwoofer system delivers powerful bassPower and volume controlsEquipped with 3.5mm headphone jack for private listening |
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KINYO SW-817 2.1 Multimedia Sound System $27.99 Experience true multimedia soundPerfect for your desktop computerPower and volume controls |
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KINYO SW-803 2.1 Multimedia Sound System $35 Experience true multimedia soundSubwoofer system delivers powerful bassPower and Volume controls |
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KINYO SW-6217 2.1 Multimedia Sound System $43.49 Experience true multimedia soundPerfect for your desktop computerPower and Volume controls |
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KINYO SW-806 2.1 Multimedia Sound System $38 Experience true multimedia soundSubwoofer system delivers powerful bass Power and Volume controls |
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Pyle 4-room In-ceiling Speaker System $269.99 Add a sound system to your home with this Pyle speaker systemHome audio system comes with equipment for up to four rooms Speaker set comes with in-ceiling speakers |
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Pyle PLMCA60 Motorcycle Radio/ MP3 Mount plus USB Charger System $119.99 Sound system includes two chromed-aluminum, bullet-style speakersPyle audio accessories turn your bike into a mobile music machineSturdy electronic device charges MP3/iPod players via USB connection |
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Cell Phone Speaker Dock $22.99 Cell phone speaker dockTurns your mobile phone into a sound systemCompatible with Samsung, Motorola V3, and more |
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Crosley CR224-PA Explorer XM Radio $129.99 Take your home entertainment back in style with this classic looking stereoXM stereo features AroundSound system with three built-in speakersDigital AM/FM tuner lets you listen to crystal clear programming |
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Metallic Grey Matte Lacquered Audio Rack $229.99 Extra deep audio rack accommodates the latest high-end componentsEntertainment center holds up to 234 pounds of electronics, DVDs and CDs (not included)Sound system stand features four (4) shelves |
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As Seen on TV Hipbox Portable Music Box $27.49 Get your music anywhere anytime with the world’s smallest true high-fidelity sound system. This portable music box is ideal for traveling, park, beach or pool. |
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Multimedia Fold-up LED Light Show Speaker System $13.49 Jam to your favorite tunes anywhere with these synchronized LED pulse speakersSpeaker dock pulses light according to your player’s rhythm, frequency and volumeSound system use with iPods, MP3 players or even as computer speakers |
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Pyle iPad/iPhone/iPod 2.1 Channel Sound Tower System $151.49 Share your music in style with this 2.1-channel tower sound system. This tower provided the perfect way to display and charge your Apple iPad. |
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Pyramid 100-watt MDC5 4-inch Dual Speaker Pair $17.49 Enhance your sound system with this dual waterproof speaker pairElectronics device boasts a 4-inch dual conesSpeakers features a frequency response of 100 Hz to 18 KHz |
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PylePro 4-inch 200 Watt Bookshelf Speaker System $99.99 Add music to any room in the house with this 200 watt bookshelf speaker set. This sound system features a pair of 4-inch mini cube speakers. |
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BrandX 3380Watt Mono Block Digital Amplifier W/ Digital Voltage/Amperage Display $151.99 Complete the sound system in your car or boat with this powerful 2-channel amp. This powerful amp utilizes a bass boost circuit to enhance your listening experience. |
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Pyle PLMRKT2A 2-channel Waterproof 6.5-inch Marine Speaker System $87.49 The Pyle PLMRKT2A 2 Chanel Waterproof MP3/iPod Amplified 6.5 inch Marine Speaker System is perfect for adding a sound system to your boat. |
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BrandX 1204 Watt 4 Channel Mosfet Amplifier W/ Digital Voltage/Amperage Display $136.99 Complete the sound system in your car or boat with this powerful 2-channel amp. This powerful amp utilizes a bass boost circuit to enhance your listening experience. |
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PylePro PT600A 300-watt Stereo Amplifier (Refurbished) $109.99 Rock the party with this 300-Watt stereo amplifierPylePro DJ equipment will satisfy any aspiring musicianEnhance your audio/video experience with this stereo amplifier |
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BasAcc Black 4 x 1 HDMI Mini Switch with Remote and Toslink $53.99 This is a black 4 x 1 HDMI mini switch with remote and Toslink/ coaxial audio output. It will enhance your auditory experience as you listen to your favorite sound system. |
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PylePro PT1201X 1400-watt Professional DJ Power Amplifier $145.99 1400 watt professional DJ power amplifier includes dual output level controls and illuminationAmplifier features protection circuit and indicatorSound system boasts dual-color LED output level display |
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TheraPure 1-person Hemlock Carbon Heater Infrared Sauna $960 Relax while building up a nice schvitz in this 1-person Hemlock Carbon Heater Infrared Sauna from TheraPure. This sauna offers a sturdy construction, a deluxe radio/CD/MP3 plugin sound system, and an interior reading light. |
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Black 4 x 1 HDMI Mini Switch with Remote and Toslink $42.49 This is a black 4 x 1 HDMI mini switch with remote and Toslink/ coaxial audio output. This set will enhance your auditory experience as you listen to your favorite sound system. |
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OSC Smart Cart Lectern with Sound $429.28 This Smart Cart lectern with sound features a built-in sound system with a 25-watt amplifier for classroom/conference room presentations. This mobile podium is available in a variety of colors to match your board room. |
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BrandX 588 Watt 2 Channel Mosfet Amplifier W/ Digital Voltage/Amperage Display $135.49 Complete the sound system in your car or boat with this powerful 2-channel amp. This tri-mode capable amp utilizes a bass boost circuit to enhance your listening experience. |
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Digital Concepts SPC204 Black Sound Case $14.99 Turn any CD/MP3 player into a portable sound system with the Digital Concepts sound case. This case protects your audio player from wear and tear while listening to your music directly from your carrying case. |
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Digital Concepts SPC204 Blue Sound Case $12.99 Turn any CD/MP3 player into a portable sound system with the Digital Concepts sound case. This case protects your audio player from wear and tear while listening to your music directly from your carrying case. |
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Sud Sound System – Ultimamente $21.79 Disc 1:Segnu Te RiconoscimentuKeep On MovingBisogno D`amoreCasa MiaVivoLei E` – (featuring Ms. Triniti)Lu Mare Na TaulaChissa` Se…Nu Me Fannu Paura…UltimamenteLampedusaEne C… |
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Samsara Sound System – Ritual Of Carousel $13.11 Description Not Available |
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Massilia Sound System – Parla Patois $18.12 Disc 0:No track list available |
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Church Sound Systems $12.82 This easy-to-understand book is for everyone involved with church sound: sound people, worship teams, clergy and others. Whether you want to design a new system or get the most out of the one you have, this handy guide will help you let your message be… |
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Afro Celt Sound System – Volume 1: Sound Magic [9/23] $13.85 Disc 1:Saor/Free/News From NowhereWhirl-Y-Reel 1 (Beard and Sandals Mix)Inion/DaughterSure-As-Not/Sure-As-Knot (Jungle Segue)Nil Cead Againn Dul Abhaile/We Cannot Go HomeDark Moon, High TideWhirl-Y-Reel… |