Tips for Shopping Top Brands of Home Theater Systems

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By Kurt

Buying a home theater system? The market is awash with so many choices you probably shouldn't have a hard time making your pick. Or maybe not. Too many choices spoil the decision and you might need help navigating through all those fancy names and new technologies. Here's a guide to help you pick the top brand(s) for your home theater system:

Buy the package

Home theater systems are that - systems. Meaning, you can mix and match different models and even different brands. Having a Pioneer DVD player and some Bose speakers isn't a crime, as long as they work together. However, if you're experiencing a steep learning curve trying to find which is which, simply buy home theater systems in packages. Everything you need is here and manufacturers have made sure the system works perfectly on its own.

However, you'll need to beware of a few things. Home theater packages sometimes don't perform as well as buffet-style components. For a package at that price, something has got to give and sadly, it's often quality. For example, you could have a great package but have a problem with your speaker quality.

That being said, shop around and try the systems to see which ones are to your liking. Bring your favorite movie or CD and put it on. Notice how the system will perform. Some top brands that offer the best packages in terms of value include: Panasonic, Sony, Pioneer and Kenwood while brands such as Yamaha, JBL, Denon, Onkyo and Bose are also worth checking.

Mix the best functions.

Again, mixing and matching is allowed in a home theater system. This is to find the best possible combination that will deliver the highest entertainment value for you. Take for example a home theater system from Sony - sleek, elegant, simplified and performs like a dream when it comes to DVDs but it doesn't perform as well with audio CDs. It's good enough, but if you're more of an audiophile than a videophile, you might want to either pick a Denon instead or simply supplement your system with another brand that satisfies you aurally.

The receivers and speakers

Most home theater systems are packaged with your basic receivers and speakers. By basic we mean that the features and functions have a tendency to be limited, unlike the more varied possibilities you can get with stand-alone receivers.

Also standard offerings are the speakers, most of which are 5.1 - that's a set of 5 speakers and 1 subwoofer. If you prefer a more smashing sound, you might have to buy a separate set of surround sound speakers, either of the same brand or from another manufacturer.

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