Speakers

How many do you need?  First, decide if you are going to use a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker set-up.  Click here if you need more information.   

Now What?  Once you know how many speakers you need, it's time to decide which type you want to buy.  There are 5 types of speakers: satellite, bookshelf, in-wall, center channel, and tower.  You will also need a subwoofer.  When deciding which type of speaker and subwoofer is right for you, consider these 3 factors: sound quality, room decor, and price.

Satellite Speakers:  These speakers are very small and discreet.  They can be ceiling or wall mounted or placed on a stand.  They are about the size of a DVD case.  Even the best satellites can't compare with good bookshelf speakers for sound quality, but they can make up for it by their discreet appearance and low cost.  If you are not a big sound buff (audiophile), but you still want to have the home theater experience at a low price, then satellites should be your choice.

This is what a satellite speaker looks like when it is mounted in the corner of a room.

Bookshelf Speakers:  These speakers can be found in various sizes ranging from the size of your toaster to the size of a 5-gallon bucket.   Bookshelf speakers can be wall mounted, set on a shelf, or placed on a stand.  Good bookshelf speakers can provide excellent sound.  They are probably the hardest to add to your room decor though because they don't really look like they belong no matter where you put them.  Since they don't cost much more than satellite speakers,  bookshelf speakers are a great choice if you can find an attractive place to put them.

These are book shelf speakers mounted on either side of a plasma TV.

In-wall and In-ceiling speakers:  These speakers are just as the name describes them- placed in your walls and ceiling.  They are very easy to add to any room since they are almost invisible.  The sound quality of in-walls is not as good as a comparable bookshelf speaker's.  In-walls are also more expensive.  There a lot of high-end in-walls that sound great, but be prepared to pay the extra for these.  If you want a real clean looking installation and you are willing to spend extra to get the look and sound you want, in-walls or in-ceilings are the way to go.

This is what an installed in-ceiling speaker looks like.

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