Home Theatre Kits – Everything You Need to Turn Your Living Room Into a Movie Room

A home theatre kit provides everything you need to transform your living room or media room into a high-quality movie room. Depending on your needs and budget, you can choose from an inexpensive starter kit that includes a surround sound AV receiver and speakers or a more sophisticated system that uses a wireless soundbar with surround speakers and a subwoofer. Regardless of the type you choose, a home theater kit will offer great value for your money.

A quality TV with a high-resolution screen and a good picture is the foundation of any home theater system, but you also need a surround sound setup to fully enjoy your favorite movies, sports, and music. A surround sound system is the easiest way to upgrade your television’s audio. These systems can be configured to deliver 5.1, 7.1 or even Dolby Atmos surround sound for immersive, lifelike audio that puts you in the middle of the action.

Home theater kits are a convenient way to get started with a surround sound system, and they usually come with a wide range of inputs for multiple devices. They also typically include a remote control for easy operation of your TV and sound system. Many models can be used with a smart speaker or other add-on device for streaming access to a huge library of content.

For those who are on a budget, a starter kit like the Monoprice 10565 offers superb value. This affordable system includes a 5.1-channel receiver, five powerful speakers and a subwoofer. The receiver has four HDMI, composite and analog video inputs, as well as built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capability to support your streaming audio needs.

If you want to go all-in with a high-end home cinema system, look for one that supports Dolby Atmos surround sound. Dolby Atmos is a new audio technology that lets you hear audio effects coming from anywhere in the room, not just around the speakers. It’s becoming increasingly popular, and most modern films and TV shows support it, so it’s a must-have for any true home theater system.

The most important part of a surround sound system is the center channel. This is the speaker that plays the main dialog, action, and most of the music in a movie or TV show. Make sure it has an exact timbral match with the front left and right speakers, and that the bass is handled by a dedicated subwoofer.

A 5.1-channel surround sound system is the minimum for a great home cinema experience, but some systems are available that can provide an even more immersive experience. These are called Dolby Atmos home theater systems, and they can be configured to include an array of specialized speakers that simulate the sound of objects moving in three-dimensional space.

While it’s tempting to buy a complete home theater system, we suggest you hold off until you have a better idea of how often you plan to use it. Most music is mixed for two channels, so using a five or seven speaker system to listen to a two-channel mix is a bit like taking the motor out of a Ferrari and driving it in your lawnmower.