Surround Speakers

Surround sound speakers work together to create the sound experience you hear in a movie theater- in your home. There are many brands and models of surround sound systems at various prices that will do a good job of reproducing sound. However you want to make sure that the various speakers in your home theater work well together. Voice-matching is also very important to a surround sound system. Voice-matching ensures the sound moves effortlessly around you, creating a seamless effect.

5.1 System
This system has six channels: five full range channels, a low frequency channel (the .1 of 5.1) that is usually expressed through a subwoofer. Most DVDs and digital broadcasts are in a 5.1 soundtrack which closely mimics movie theater sound.

Subwoofer Choices
Subwoofers come in either powered or passive versions. A powered subwoofer has a built-in amplifier that provides all the power, instead of needing a separate amplifier. A passive subwoofer requires a separate amplifier. A passive subwoofer requires a separate amplifier for power or an A/V receiver.

6.1 or 7.1 System
The most advanced home theaters feature six (5.1 plus a back center) or seven (5.1 plus a left back and right back) full-range channels. These allow you to take full advantage of Dolby Digital EX and Dolby Pro Logic llx decoding for greater realism.

Speaker Sizes
There are two types of surround systems that you can get. Compact speakers offer good sound in a small package. They'll pretty much fit in any room situation. Full-size speakers give you a fuller sound, including the low end bass. The only drawback is that they're much larger.