Speaker Wiring - Choosing Home Theater Speaker Wire

If you have a home theatre system or a pair of loudspeakers then you will want to get the best possible sound quality and maximum potential from your speaker system. The good news is that you can get a noticeable sound quality difference from your speakers with a minimal investment in good quality speaker wires. In this article we will show you the benefits and explain, in understandable language, the reasons for you to decide if you want to upgrade to the optimum speaker cable to enhance your audio listening experience and overall system sound quality.

Choosing home theatre speaker wire is not an exact science but there are simple rules that you should follow when selecting speaker wire for your audio and hifi system. Many high street hifi shops are happy to sell you expensive speaker cables which may or may not suit your audio system and it is possible to waste hundreds of pounds or dollars on wiring that is certainly unjustified in making any audible difference on most home hi-fi and home cinema systems.

So what should I look for when choosing home theater speaker wire - best tips?

Firstly, you should know how to choose the right gauge of speaker wiring and this is easily done by understanding that a thickness of wire is relative to the gauge or size of the copper conductor/s inside the speaker wire. The gauge number, which is available by the standard AWG or American Wire Gauge, identifies the cable thickness. However, you should note that the lower the gauge of the wire the thicker it will be.

The lower the AWG gauge number of a speaker wire indicates the capacity or ability to more better pass the electrical audio signal through the speaker wiring conductor. The general standard or accepted range of wiring is from 12 to 18 gauge.

When selecting the right gauge speaker wiring for your home theatre, cinema system or hifi then you should take into consideration the general reputation of a supplier and cable manufacturer and the level of sound quality you wish to achieve within your own budget. You will also need to work out the length of your speaker cable installation and how much cable is required to connect the speakers. If you are installing a home theatre and require surround sound system at the back of your room then longer cable runs will be required and you should understand that a long wires runs cause their own problems in relation to loss of sound quality due to electrical current loss through the cable.

As a rule of thumb it is advisable to select speaker wire gauge from the following guideline of distance vs cable gauge:

(1) Distance from hi-fi / home cinema system to loudspeaker (Less than 60 feet)=16 gauge.
(2) Distance from hi-fi / home theatre system to loudspeaker (Less than 60 to 180 feet)=14 gauge.
(3) Distance from hi-fi / home audio system to loudspeaker (More than 180 feet)=12 gauge.

With home theatre speaker wire it is worth considering thicker gauge cable as it can really help you achieve good sound quality results and also as thicker wire handles the electrical signal much better it reduces the resistance of the cable and therefore puts less strain on your amplifier or audio visual receiver thus giving longer life of your amplifier component and providing a better quality sound output which is delivered more easily to your speaker / surround sound system.

Thinner speaker wiring, generally less expensive, is obviously easier to work with when installing around skirting boards or under flooring and choosing a good quality 16 gauge speaker wire will still achieve fantastic results for rear surround sound speakers providing that the cables are made from good quality components and this extends also to the correct use of cable terminators on both amplifier and speaker ends.

Projectors for a Home Theatre

There are many types and brands of projectors for a home theater and it's the utmost importance for you to have some knowledge in this field if you're planning to be a future owner. Before you buy one, you need to understand what usage you have with your projector. With that said, this article will serve the purpose of enlightening you about the world of projectors.

By now you should be aware that there are many types of projectors for sale. To name a few, you can find projectors that serve different purposes such as desktop models, home theater models, overhead models and slide models. So, the question is how can you differentiate between projectors for a home theater with projectors for data purposes? With the entire craze for HD movies, most home theater projectors have HDMI connectors while data projectors come with a VGA input. Of course, another major difference is in the image processor. A home cinema should provide you with better quality looking images and color to support movies in comparison to a data projector.

After knowing the differences between projectors for your home and data projectors, it is important for you to understand more on the different types of home projectors. Generally, there are 3 different types of projectors in the market; CRT, LCD and DLP. CRT projects the highest quality picture and resolution. It is also the most expensive projectors out of the three. Therefore, you may want to think twice before buying it. The most common types for home cinema unit are the LCD and DLP. Usually, a LCD projector is small, light and consumes less power. Meanwhile, a DLP projector has the best contrast ratio among all making the transition from light to dark scenes almost fluid. So, the type of projector with the right price for a home theater is the DLP projector.

Knowing the different types of projectors available in the market is only half the way.

The most confusing area while purchasing the projector is determining which brand is the best. BenQ, Sony, Sharp, Mitsubishi and Yamaha are a few brands worth considering when you're thinking about buying a projector. You can almost never go wrong with these brands. However, if you are seeking a personal opinion, one of the best buy projector brands will be Mitsubishi. They offer a variety of projectors a home theater ever needs with astounding quality at an affordable price.

Finally, check with your local dealer if they offer 1 to 1 exchange warranty in case something goes wrong with your projector or you have to wait for it to be repaired which might take weeks. These are some information on projectors for a home theater that may help you when you decide to invest in a home projector.

Buying A Home Theatre Receiver? Read This First!

No home theatre system is complete without a proper Home Theatre Receiver - sometimes called an AV receiver. What this unit does is that it interprets audio and video information, and then sends the information out to the speakers and the TV screen. Think of it as the brain of the home theatre where everything is connected to form a central system.

The Onkyo home theatre receiver is something that you must have in your home entertainment system in order to get the most out of the experience. While not a brand that is instantly recognizable, Onkyo has created a solid and reliable name for itself, particularly with regards to the home theatre receiver. Their products have consistently received good ratings from reviewers and have proved to be very reliable.

The Onkyo TX-SR607 is a critically acclaimed receiver, chock-full of features that are surprising to find in a mid-ranged home theatre receiver. This 7.2 receiver comes with Dolby True-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby PLIIz, along with DTS-HD Master audio decoding. It also has Audyssey Dynamic EQ support. Another audio feature it has is its height speakers satellite speakers that are placed above the standard left and right speakers for greater effects. Its Cinema Filter technology allows it to adjust the tonal balance of the music as well. Its HDMI pass-through helps users manage home theatre clutter by getting rid of the extra cabling. It is also able to get rid of the artifacts on your screen, so you can be sure of a clean viewing experience. It also has five HDMI ports situated at the back to support multimedia devices.

The Onko TX-SR608 picked up where the 607 left off, bringing all of the features that both critics and users alike have loved about the earlier Onkyo home theatre receiver and adding more features and bringing a few upgrades to the mix, the most significant being the 3-D support. It has the same black/silver finish as the Onkyo TX-SR607, but the display panel has been slightly enlarged so that users can easily see what is being shown. The volume dial was also made slightly larger. It has five HDMI inputs, making it compatible with just about any device, from Blue-ray players to gaming consoles.

The great thing about Onkyo is that they have been so willing to move with the times. The company is constantly coming up with ways to develop their technology to meet the needs of their clients, so users are guaranteed that they get top-of-the-line products for a good price.

Don't Say New TV, Say Home Theatre

Installing a custom home entertainment center for your personal entertainment purposes will give you and your family high quality viewing experiences with state-of-the-art audio technology. By setting up a free consultation, the professional installers can show you all of your options when it comes to televisions, surround sound systems, and interior design for a luxurious home theatre. With one of these setups, you will never want to go to the movies again because you can have it all from the comfort of your home.

When you choose to customize your home entertainment system, you will receive the highest quality services from a specialized design and installation team that will provide you with their expert advice. Depending on your desires, you can have high definition projectors with screens or plasma televisions on which to enjoy your favorite movies and programs. These installers offer the best technology, so you are guaranteed to be completely satisfied, and they will give you free demonstrations for using your new television system to prove how easy and simple a home theatre can be.

With your new visual setup, you will want an audio system that matches the high definition screen with surround sound options and other technological features. Professional installers use acoustic engineering to provide your theatre with the clearest sound and other features for the best experiences. The designers can install specially designed fabric into your walls that heighten the sound experience while dampening the noise from the other rooms in your home.

With home theatres, the technology is important, but the design and comfort of the room is absolutely necessary. You must have the right kind of lighting and seating arrangement to differentiate a TV room from a home theatre. Designers can recommend luxurious seating options while the installers work on setting the right tone for lighting. Many theatres use rows of couches that can be slightly elevated for better viewing conditions. Dimmers can be installed on your lighting setup to give you the ability to raise or lower the lights depending on what you are watching.

Some residents shy away from installing a home theatre because they are under the impression that the setup will be too complicated. With professional installation, you can have everything controlled by a single remote for easy access to your home theatre. The features are automated for your convenience and to make everything that much easier for the new user. The professional team will give you a full demonstration for how to use your new custom home theatre and will make sure you understand after the installation is complete.

Creating Your Own Home Theatre

With technology advancing, it is not unusual for people to build their own cinema experience at home -- but wanting to do it, and achieving a great result are two different things. For those of us who love a good movie, appreciate surround sound, and revel in a recliner -- but aren't technologically minded -- the decision to set up our own home theatre system can mean a lot of money, for little outcome. In order to get the best set up for your needs, your home and your space, you need to do your research, plan, budget, shop around and get advice. Also remember, this equipment is not cheap, so check your content insurance to make sure you're covered.

Two options to get you started:

1. A simple set up
The simplest set up to get you started is probably not far off what you have now -- unless you're still watching an old, boxy black and white television. This set up simply involves your television, DVD player and a few added extras to improve your experience. When setting up your room, consider placement of each item, as light, reflections and foot traffic can really impact your viewing pleasure.

- Your television. When setting up your home theatre, invest in a television that presents the best clarity of image, high resolution, strong sound and a BIG picture. While plasmas and LCD screens are a great start, newer LED flat screen televisions offer you a clear picture unlike any other screen. LED screens come in a range of sizes and when setting up a home theatre -- the bigger the better!

- Your media player. A good quality DVD player is a great start, but these days you can do better. Blue ray players combined with a good television offer even better than cinema quality picture, and clarity of sound. Movies are increasingly being made available on Blue ray disc, so do it right the first time and get the best media player available.

- Audio. Combine your fantastic picture with cinema-like sound by using a surround sound system.

2. The real cinema experience
While option one can deliver a great viewing experience and bring your movie to life, the next step is going bigger and better. This means leaving convention behind, forgetting the television and getting your own cinema screen.

- Projectors and screens. Rather than a television, combine a quality, large screen with a top-rate projector -- or just project onto your clean lounge room wall. Projectors are not only for the rich, with most electronics and home entertainment stores now stocking a range of options to suit your room size, requirements and budgets.

- Audio. Combine your projector with surround sound for the ultimate cinema experience. High quality speakers and great set up will mean you hear every part of the action.

- To top it off... The one and only piece of equipment your cinema is now missing is a suitable cinema recliner, and these days, it's not hard to get one! Popular furnishing stores such as Harvey Norman offer cinema style lounge suites, with three seater sofas, including drink holders and recliners. Finish of the setup by getting home insurance so all your hard work doesn't go to waste in the case of an emergency.