I will admit that home theater has gotten easier over the past decade or so. And by easier, I mean unless you are doing an entire house set-up or building an actual theater in your home, you can get away without hiring a company to do it for you. Home theater used to be so complicated that you almost had to have help in setting it up. But the manufacturers have gotten so good at these plug-and-play home theaters that virtually anybody can do it.
The nice thing about this is that the systems have become more affordable, just like high-definition televisions have over the past decade. Also, with the way that the television manufacturers skimp on the speakers in these new televisions, it is almost necessary to have some sound system to enjoy your purchase fully.
There are three basic options, the first being the easiest and most popular. It is not true surround sound but simulated surround sound with a 2.0 or 2.1 channel sound bar. It is the simplest to set up; plug it into the outlet and the television with a mini-jack or optical line. It can also include a sub-woofer that sits on the floor next to the television, which is a good option to add some real punch to the sound.
Your next two options are 5.1 surround sound or 7.1 surround, which most people are familiar with. It has been around for quite a while, but the new systems are less complicated than in the past. You don’t have to, but you can still build your own system. But if you don’t want to pick out a receiver such as those here, as well as a sub-woofer and speaker set-up, you can get an all-in-one system. At least you know the all-in-one will complement each other and not have to worry about picking the wrong components.
5.1 and 7.1 are very similar in set-up, but 7.1 is obviously higher end because it is the audio equivalent to high definition. Where 5.1’s sound sources are the sub-woofer, center channel, and two front and two rear speakers, the 7.1 channel set-up is one step above. It has all the same speakers but adds two side speakers to immerse you in the high-definition sound coming from whatever source you are using. Not all formats support 7.1, but one day it will be the norm, just like high-definition televisions have become the norm, and soon 4K will be the norm.
