A home theater is a complex system that consists of many components (TV, audio system, etc.) which together create a true cinematic experience in your home. Thus, when you buy and install a home theater, it’s easy to overlook some details. So, if you find yourself thinking that your system is just not good enough and you want something better, it’s a high time for some improvements. There are many ways on how you can upgrade your home theater system. Some of these ways are expensive, the others require minimal investments, and the others are completely free.
We have created a list of top ways to improve your home theater system:
1. Upgrade your receiver
Even the best speakers in the world won’t sound as they should if your receiver isn’t powerful enough. Besides, even mediocre speakers can sound better when being connected to a high-quality receiver. Plus, action scenes in movies require more power as well. However, don’t judge a receiver only by its power. Some manufacturers also tend to lie about the true power level of the receiver, claiming that it provides 100W per channel when in reality it provides only 60W per channel, for example. Thus, it’s recommended to be careful when choosing the best model, considering its other features as well. You can find the best AV receiver under $1000 after reading some detailed reviews.
2. What about speakers?
If your system has only two speakers, it’s quite enough for listening to music. However, if you want the full-fledged reproduction of surround sound that accompanies Blu-ray and DVD Audio, DTS CDs, modern movies, TV shows and games, having only one pair of speakers is clearly not enough. For this purpose, you need a multichannel sound.
Buying some additional acoustics (for center and rear channels, for example), you need to choose an equipment from the same manufacturer as your existing speakers. In the case if your speakers are very old, it’s better to replace them with newer ones. If you choose the right acoustics, the sound will flow smoothly from one speaker to the other, creating a more realistic and immersive sound.
3. The importance of subwoofer
Subwoofer is one of the most important parts in a home theater, especially for those who like watching action movies or listening to heavy bass, like in rap and metal, such as Snoop Dogg or Metallica. It endows the sound with depth and richness and, therefore, provides more credibility. Of course, you can just redirect the sound of your speakers to low frequencies, but it won’t give you real improvement. Thus, if you watch something except for soap operas, the additional subwoofer will be useful for you.
4. Good amplifier
Great speakers won’t show all their qualities if connected to an insufficiently powerful or outdated amplifier. Even if you don’t need high volume level and powerful sound, modern music and movie soundtracks are recorded with a very wide dynamic range. For its correct reproduction, the amplifier must have a significant level of output power, otherwise the sound will be spoiled by distortion.
5. Correct placement of acoustics
This is the easiest way to improve your home theater system as it doesn’t require investments. Many beginner movie enthusiasts just don’t know how to properly place all the components of the acoustic system. The speakers shouldn’t be placed in the very corners of the room. The center channel speaker should be placed near the center of the TV screen or projector. The rear speakers will provide better sound if placed in the sides of the room. If it’s impossible to place all the speakers in the right way, use the auto-calibration system of your receiver.
6. Create better acoustic conditions
If you are fully satisfied with your home theater system but still feel like your sound is missing something, maybe you should change the conditions in which your speakers work. The abundance of flat, hard surfaces (walls, ceilings, windows) in a large space cause a negative effect on sound, distorting it and making it unnatural. To reduce this effect, you can place curtains on the windows and install sound-absorbing panels on the walls. Of course, this will significantly affect the interior of your living room, but will improve the sound quality in a great way.
