| 1.) The Soundbar | | | | are made by speaker manufacturers. Picking an A/V |
| This is probably the fastest and easiest way to add a | | | | Receiver that has the features you want or need for |
| surround sound-ish system to your home. Why do I | | | | your home. Not having to buy everything from one |
| say surround sound-ish? Well because a sound bar | | | | company...because believe it or not most companies |
| does not actually have side or rear speakers, so it is | | | | do not do everything well. Big receiver companies are |
| surround-ish. While some units like the Yamaha DSP | | | | rarely good speaker companies, most TV |
| series attempt to create the sound of additional | | | | manufacturers should not try to make and sell |
| speakers; they cannot be completely convincing. Other | | | | speakers at all...etc., etc. You see here we are doing |
| units like the B&W Panorama are designed to | | | | the product decisions a-la-cart. You do not have to |
| provide very good sound quality but really only posses | | | | take what is in the box, you get to decide what is |
| a Left - Center - Right type of configuration; there is | | | | important to you and with our help design the system |
| no real attempt made to sound like there are side or | | | | you want. I will also go so far as to say that this |
| rear speakers. Most of these types of solutions do | | | | approach dollar for dollar will give you the best sound |
| have or provide a sub woofer output so you can add | | | | for your money. These systems are also easy to |
| bass and get a fuller sound. These types of units are | | | | upgrade and add additional components to; which |
| for situations where adding side or rear speakers are | | | | many HTIB systems are not. So if you are looking for |
| either very undesirable or impossible. A sound bar will | | | | the best bang for the buck and we can run wires for |
| give you much better sound than what is built into your | | | | the sides and/or rear speakers this is a better way to |
| television, and give you added volume but it is definitely | | | | go. |
| not real Surround Sound system. | | | | 4.) A Separates based system |
| 2.) The Home-Theater-In-A-Box | | | | This is the Holy Grail of A/V Systems. Here we are |
| The HTIB is supposed to be a step up from the Sound | | | | going to choose a Pre-Amp Processor, a separate |
| Bar approach as it will typically have side or rear | | | | Amp or Amplifiers, and the Speakers and Sub Woofer |
| speakers included. There is a very big however | | | | to make our room really sing. This type of system has |
| included in this sentence. Most HTIB systems are really | | | | the very best sound and picture, the most flexibility and |
| designed to be very inexpensive or to ultimately be | | | | the most upgradeability of all the types discussed here. |
| given away with TV's. So what does this really mean? | | | | Here we are going to look at brands like B&W, |
| It means that although there are more speakers in a | | | | Klipsch, Snell and Aerial Acoustics speakers...not to |
| HTIB the quality of the speakers and electronics is | | | | mention sub woofers from all of the previously |
| generally pretty poor, resulting in your taking the time to | | | | mentioned companies but also from Velodyne and JL |
| run wires to the back of your room and still ending up | | | | Audio...Rotel, Classe, McIntosh, Marantz and Integra |
| with a pretty disappointing outcome. In fact I would go | | | | Electronics...and more than likely an RTI Home Theater |
| so far as to say that as a rule I would probably | | | | Master Remote Control to make it all easy to use. This |
| recommend a good sound bar over a typical HTIB. | | | | is also going to be the most expensive of the 4 |
| Yes I am sure there are some good HTIB systems | | | | approaches, but if the ultimate in Sound and Image |
| out there at some price points...but if you think that is | | | | quality is your goal this is the place to be. Needless to |
| the case please read on. | | | | say we at Ask the Advisors also carry a wide range |
| 3.) A Receiver based Home Theater System | | | | of products in this category, and have the people to |
| Ok, now it is getting interesting. At this point you are | | | | help you decipher the differences and choose the |
| starting to look at some good stuff. Please keep in | | | | system that will full fill your desire. |
| mind that a system based around an A/V Receiver | | | | Hopefully this little primer on the 4 main approaches to |
| and speaker package from Ask the Advisors could | | | | A/V System nirvana is helpful. Of course we are |
| easily sell for $649.00 or so...and that includes products | | | | always happy to answer questions and play |
| from companies like Klipsch and Yamaha. So this is | | | | equipment for you at the shop. So come on in, get a |
| not all about money. In fact you may spend the same | | | | demonstration of whichever products you are |
| or less here than you could on a Sound Bar or an | | | | interested in and then go home set it all up and enjoy, |
| HTIB. The big advantages here include a few things, | | | | or have us do the install and then enjoy. |
| like getting to pick speakers you like the sound of that | | | | |