Home Theater Knowledge Base

eb6df823-a142-4976-ac26-fa4d66e5b312 f3a33aa5-2854-4fad-bff8-227534784965

054bcf56-5aa2-4ab7-9836-28fe657d1f00 5a6aa3cd-f60f-4f83-bbf3-3b7fcb6dd1b6

244aeb5d-af1f-40cf-8a26-42cb47955943 d4281a28-3dbd-4856-b8fb-7281e6661fcf

44c92cb2-1eae-4f2d-81d4-73d84cc28fa4 80d4a4ac-6cb2-4f3d-a16f-3bf57a318745

e651e8a5-9343-4689-99fb-ef511181f19d 6262a341-b8e3-4dd4-8b6e-1333922a5939

Question I've decided to go with a sound bar for my home theater. All the photos I see show them directly under the TV. Are there any other options that make sense?   Answer Sure there are! Although sound bars are often pictured on the wall below a wall-mounted TV, many of them are shallow enough to fit on a TV stand in front of a television. If you plan on going this route, double check the sound bar's depth to make sure it will sit safely on your TV stand. If you do plan to wall-mount your sound bar, think about cable management. You'll need to run at least a signal cable, plus a power cable if the sound bar is amplified. If you don't intend to run your cables through the wall, you can just let them hang down, or use a cable-hiding raceway to cover them. But if you do want to hide the wires in the wall, here are some important things to consider: Try to avoid mounting your sound bar on an exterior wall, since these walls have extra bracing and insulation that can make running wire difficult. Follow local building and fire codes. In many cases, this means you'll need to get UL-rated A/V cable labeled CL2 or CL3. The Underwriters Laboratory (UL) looks at heat generated from current flowing through wire, how quickly the cable will catch and spread fire when exposed to flame, and the wire's susceptibility to damage from external stresses. Don't run the power cable inside the wall. If you want the power cable hidden, you'll need to hire a licensed electrician to install a recessed AC receptacle in the wall, in a location where it will be covered by your sound bar or TV, and not obstructed by the sound bar's mounting bracket. You and your electrician may also want to consider in-wall power protection units. Another option is to route the A/V cable in-wall, and use a small wire raceway on the outside of your wall for the power cord.

How close to a real home theater experience can I get with a sound bar instead of surround sound? Depending on the equipment you have, very close indeed!

Question I like the looks of a sound bar rather than speakers, but wonder how much I'm giving up on sound. Answer Those sleek sound bar-style speakers you're talking about look good with a  flat-panel TV, and require minimal space and wiring. Most models even offer built-in amplification, which means the only other gear you'll need is a DVD or Blu-ray Disc player and a subwoofer for deep bass roar and rumble. Some of  models even include a subwoofer. In a nutshell, single-speaker sound bars can deliver room-filling sound without taking up much space. This may be the solution for you if: You have very limited room for speakers or other equipment. The sound bar solution requires fewer pieces of gear than any of the other options out there, and you can easily wall-mount the main speaker right below your TV. Very simple setup is key. You only need a couple of cables to hook up these systems, and chances are they come in the box. You won't have to run wires from one side of your room to the other, either. You want the cinematic thrill of surround sound but your room can't accommodate a full-fledged surround system. Some of the more deluxe models feature advanced designs and special digital processing to create a convincing, three-dimensional sound field. However, you don't necessarily have to give up good sound for that sleek look. While some sound bars only deliver stereo sound, others create virtual surround sound. Now, they can't give you the same precise, enveloping sound you'd get from a system with five or more speakers. But they can offer more engaging audio than your TV speakers and give you a more complete sound experience. They accomplish virtual surround sound by bouncing beams of sound off your walls, or with special processing that controls timing and volume to make sound effects seem like they're coming from different directions.

This is the teaser