Buying Guide to Home Cinema

As TVs have got slimmer the sound quality has been more difficult to maintain. But with a Home Cinema system, not only can you enjoy the high definition picture, you can immerse yourself in the ultimate sound experience too.

Home Cinema is a way of bringing a new sound experience into the home, giving you a clarity and depth of sound you won’t have heard direct from the TV.

What are the benefits of a Home Cinema system?

• Allows you to recreate the cinema experience from the comfort of your home
• Makes special effects feel more realistic
• Voices and dialogue can appear clearer
• The use of strategically placed speakers make you feel part of the film

There are broadly two systems of Home Cinema; 2.1 and 5.1.

Whether you choose a simple 2.1 system with all the speakers next to the TV, or go for a 5.1 system with rear speakers, you will be able to enjoy the soundtrack and effects exactly as the director had intended.

2.1 Home Cinema systems

A simple 2.1 Home Cinema keeps things neat and tidy, with two front speakers, one each side of the TV and a sub-woofer.

The sub-woofer is the speaker that delivers rich, deep bass, adding drama and realism to any movie. The sub-woofer can be positioned wherever is convenient as the bass sound produced is non-directional.

Benefits of 2.1 systems

• 2.1 Home Cinema systems use acoustics to bounce the sound around your room, making them ideal if you are limited on space, as there are no rear speakers or additional wires
• With 2 speakers and a subwoofer there is limited wiring to do

5.1 Home Cinema systems

For the ultimate rush a full 5.1 surround sound layout will put you at the centre of the action.

Benefits of 5.1 systems

The addition of a centre speaker at the front enhances speech, and two rear surround speakers left and right, truly immerses you in a cinematic sound experience.

It’s worth considering that most 5.1 Home Cinema systems require cables to be run to the rear speakers from the front of the room.