Welcome to the home theater system store.
A home theater system is designed to be a simple way of getting good quality surround sound in your home.
Although you can often get a higher quality sound by buying a separate disc player, AV receiver and speakers - for many people the convenience and simplicity of buying an all-in-one system that comes with all the necessary components a much more appealing prospect.
Home theater systems can be known by a number of different names. You will also come across the terms home theater in-a-box (HTiB), all-in-one or simply a home entertainment system.
Whatever the name, if you are looking to buy a home theater system, then the most important thing before you buy is to be clear exactly what you want from your equipment.
The main reason for this, is that along with different names, these systems will often have slightly different components.
A true HTiB should have a disc player (DVD or Blu-ray), a receiver (to power the speakers and to connect some extra sound sources like your cable TV or games console), some speakers and all the necessary cables.
It won't come with a TV unless you buy an all-inclusive package with a TV and HTiB system.
However, be careful as you will find some 'home theater systems' which only have a receiver and speakers - while others may only provide a speaker package.
If you want a more detailed guide the HTiB systems, then why not first check out our guide to choosing a home theater surround sound system.
However, if you already have a good idea of what you are looking for, then go straight to the store. You can click on each product link and get more technical information on the device, plus user reviews and ratings.
Finally, here's a brief buyers guide to remind you of some important things to consider.
Home Theater System Buyers Guide
1.
Which speaker configuration do you want? You can often choose between a
soundbar, 2.1, 3.1, 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system. Go to the
surround sound setup guide for more details on these speaker layouts.
2.
Many HTiB systems will have limited inputs for connecting external devices. If you need to connect another source into the speaker system, such as your iPod or cable TV box, make sure the model you buy has the right inputs for you to do this.
3.
Some models come with wireless rear speakers - do you need this? A cable can sometimes be more reliable, but can also be a little harder to install around your room.
4.
Unless you have a really big room, 50-100 watts output per channel should more than enough for most people. However, don't get fooled by some of the quoted power figures as they can sometimes be misleading. A bigger number doesn't necessarily mean a system is louder! See the page on
amplifier power specifications for more details.
5.
Decide which type of disc player you want with your system. Blu-ray players will be more future proof as they will play Blu-ray, DVD and CD. However, if you don't want to play Blu-rays, then a DVD-based system will probably be cheaper. If you already have a good disc player, maybe you don't need an all-in-one system, and you could
buy an AV receiver and some surround speakers.
Click on each product link to get more technical information on each system - to find user reviews and ratings - and also to add the product to your shopping cart.
From the UK?
Go to our Home Cinema System Shop
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