5 essentials for every good home theater

With all the advancements in TV and home theatre over the last few years, it’s kind of mind-blowing how amazing the image quality of some modern screens is. 4K Ultra HD TV and 8K TV are so lifelike. It’s hard to imagine what they’ll come up with next, but when you want a truly cinematic experience at home, you have to go one (or five) steps beyond just choosing a great TV.

5 essentials you need for an immersive home theatre

Here’s a quick list of what you need to create an immersive home theatre.

1. Sound quality is key

When it comes to creating an amazing movie-watching experience, sound quality is right up there with image quality. You know how they do that thing at the start of a movie in the theatre where they show off how impressive their sound system is? They really want you to notice, because they know your home audio is nowhere near as good.

If you really want to elevate your home theatre game, it’s time to think seriously about investing in a standalone audio solution.

Home theatre audio kits

There are a number of home theatre audio kits you can quickly and easily add to your system. They are available from renowned audio specialists like Bose, Polk Audio, and Onkyo. These kits use an array of smaller speakers which can be easily mounted, allowing you to minimize the visual footprint of your system. They pair with a main unit that can be hidden from view and still produce big sound.

2. Add a pair of tower speakers

A home audio kit is a big step up, but if you want to really impress your guests consider a pair of tower speakers. Put a couple of these beside your TV and you’ll be off to the next audio dimension. You’ll want to pay particular attention to those by Klipsch and Polk Audio if you’re seeking some of the most highly-rated speakers in stock.

Not only do tower speakers look super cool, they really do produce an impressive sound. Note that they are generally sold as single items, so make sure you buy two for the full stereo effect!

3. Great speakers need a great receiver

One item that we can’t overlook is the receiver that powers your speakers and enables them to deliver ear-throbbing, glass-shattering audio.

It is possible to hook up your speakers to the back of some TVs, but you’re never going to get the optimum audio experience that way. You need a receiver to take the signal from your TV and ‘amp it up’ to power those hungry speakers. The receiver is essentially an amplifier with extra components on top like a pre-amp and a radio tuner. The advantage of using an amplifier is that you can also use it to listen to music by attaching your music input like turntables or streaming wirelessly from your phone. Receivers give you a listening experience that is hard to match.

Best Buy offers two types of receivers.

• Stereo receivers – designed primarily for music-playing purposes
• Home theatre receivers – designed to take the signal from your TV, Blu-ray, or DVD player, and process it to give you the best possible audio output

Some receivers are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible so you can wirelessly stream music from your phone or any device that can connect to your Wi-Fi network. Marantz is my own personal favourite amplifier brand, and I have a wonderful 1970s model that still produces great sound. Be sure to check out the Denon range too, another very highly regarded amp manufacturer.

4. A soundbar is an easy way to improve sound quality

I may have exceeded your budget with the tower speakers and high-end receiver, but don’t despair—home theatre audio is still within your grasp! Sound bars have become very popular in the last few years as a simple and effective way to improve the sound of your TV.

They don’t take up much space and are generally placed discretely beneath your TV. A lot of sound bars come with a subwoofer to give you plenty of low-end bass action. You can place any subwoofer discretely to minimize clutter. Whatever you do though, don’t use it as a plant stand—the vibrations will eventually knock the plant off!

Samsung has a plethora of options in the sound bar department, with a price point to suit every budget. Sonos has also stepped into the sound bar space with some really interesting offerings.

5. A good home theatre needs good seats

Finally, what home theatre is complete without comfortable seating? My wife took to the kids to the movies recently and they had reclining seats that were so comfortable she actually fell asleep!

Make sure you check out the full range of home theatre seating available at Best Buy. You’ll find reclining seats with LED-lit cup holders and ambient floor lights so you know what you’re doing in the dark. There are even seats with USB chargers so you can endlessly share your thoughts on social media while you’re watching in real time.

5 essentials for an immersive home theatre

I’ve just shared 5 essentials you need to create an immersive home theatre. What are your thoughts on what can be added to your new TV to make your home theatre the best it can be? Be sure to check out the vast array of home theatre and audio options available at BestBuy.ca to create your own dream home theatre!