Major Projects How to Build Your Own Home Cinema

Date Published:

29/05/2008

The screen is important but it's only half of the equation. For the cinema experience at home you'll need the right speaker set-up.

The more expensive your TV, the better the in-built speakers will be, but these days most telly addicts invest in home-cinema systems which give you the benefit of surround sound. Systems cost from as little as £50 to upwards of £1,000, and generally come in three different formats: 2.1, 5.1 and 7.1. The increasingly popular 5.1 should consist of a DVD receiver, five speakers (that's a centre speaker, two front speakers and two rear speakers) and one sub-woofer (the 1 in the 5.1), which provides the bass noise.

Centre speaker The speaker that provides most of the dialogue, this needs to be in a central position under your TV.
Front speakers These key speakers, from which most of the big action noise will come, should sit either side of your TV.
Rear speakers It wouldn’t be surround sound if the sound didn’t come from behind you as well as in front. These need to go behind your sofa for the best and most atmospheric effect.
Sub-woofer It’s a common misconception that as provider of the bass noise the sub-woofer has to occupy a prime position in your speaker layout. You can put it anywhere in your room – just don’t hide it in the cupboard!

Bear in mind that the more speakers you have, the more cabling you will have to deal with or hide away. You’ll also have to decide whether you want standing speakers or wall-mountable speakers. The 2.1 home cinema system is the best option if you want to cut down on wires and clutter because you just have two speakers (plus sub-woofer) to find homes for and you still get the surround-sound effect. The most popular ranges for this choice are Bose and Denon. Also see Surround Sound Guide.