5 Things Needed to Build a Home Theater

If you're looking to add a home theater to your new or preexisting house, there are some things you don't want to miss when it comes to creating a home theater experience that best fits your needs, your allotted area, and your desired experience, and your budget. To make your creation process simple, we’ve put together 5 things we think you need to create a great home theater environment. Check it out!

1. A dark room - blacked-out windows or windowless room

Making a room dark is the first step when trying to create a home theater experience. A windowless room or blackout curtains help to reduce the amount of light entering the room, making it easier to focus on the movie screen. Additionally, darkness helps to reduce distractions and makes it easier to immerse oneself in the film. This is a great starting point in creating a home theater room, and is one of the easiest things to create! Some people already have a “room” or area where no windows are present. This is a great place to create your home theater as long as it fits your size needs. If no non-window areas are available, using blackout curtains on a windowed area can be just as good as cutting out the light, while still providing an option for bringing light into the room when it’s not being used as a home theater. Also, consider painting the room a darker color, with a non-reflective sheen. It will help cut down on the amount of light reflection from your screen and potential windows. It will allow for the focus to remain on what you're viewing and will keep your colors and contract from washing out.

2. Screen - TV or Projector

When deciding on whether to get a big tv or projector for your home theater, there are a few things you need to take into account. First, consider the size of the room you'll be using for your home theater. If the room is on the smaller side, then a tv may be the better option since it won't take up as much space. However, if you have a large room, then a projector could be ideal in order to get a truly immersive experience. 

Another thing to think about is how often you'll be using your home theater. If you only plan on watching movies or tv shows occasionally, then a big tv may be more accommodating. But if you're looking for a genuine “theater” feel in the room, a projector will definitely make it feel like you’re bringing the movie theater to your home! If the projector route is what you decide on, there are a number of free calculators you can use online that will allow you to take your room dimensions, the distance your projector will need to project its image (aka throw distance), and your target screen and make sure they will all work together. The calculators will also help you see how big or small of a projection screen you can go with whatever projector you want and what your room size is. One of our favorite calculators to recommend can be found here: https://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm

Lastly, a big difference in screen options is your price range. There is a  big difference in quality between cheap projectors and quality projectors. Also, large TVs are becoming more and more affordable as time and technology go by. Because of TV technology increasing, it’s becoming easier to get a large TV, with better resolution than any projector could hope to emit. 

Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what you'll be using your home theater for most often. If you're still undecided, then it might be worth consulting with a professional to get their opinion!

3. A place to sit - couches or theater seats

Comfortable seating is important for a home theater. It should be easy to relax and enjoy the movie without having to worry about being uncomfortable. Recliners, bean bag chairs, or even pillows on the floor can create a comfortable environment. Recliners or bean bag chairs are often used in home theaters as they allow viewers to relax and enjoy the movie. Placing the seating in the “sweet spot,” where you're sitting the perfect distance away from the screen and speakers can also help to create a more immersive experience. You can even find genuine or reimagined theater seating that can be installed into the theater if your goal is to bring the most realistic movie experience home. Your seating options are endless when it comes to designing and arranging your home theater to best fit your needs and design.

4. Speakers and Subwoofer - understanding theater speaker setup and theater-grade speaker options

When it comes to setting up your home theater sound, there are a few different ways you can go about it. One option is to use multiple speakers, which will allow you to get surround sound. Surround sound system setups are explained by using numbers in a specific sequence. For example, a speaker system with 3 speakers (LCR is most common) and one subwoofer would be a 3.1 system. A system with 5 speakers, 1 sub, and 2 Dolby Atomos speakers would be called a 5.1.2 system. So what’s the benefit of a Dolby Atmos system?

A Dolby Atmos system allows movie producers the ability to send surround sound effects through speakers over your head making it feel as if you are living inside the movie! Dolby Atmos is used in most movie theaters and would bring that feeling of the theater directly to your home by adding another dimension of sound.

Ultimately, it's up to you how you want to set up your home theater, and there are a variety of ways to do it. The most important thing is that you take the time to figure out what will work best for you and your space. 

After your system is calibrated, you'll be able to sit back and enjoy your home theater. You'll be able to watch movies and TV shows in surround sound, and you'll be able to experience the full effect of Dolby Atmos if you have it set up. If you take the time to set up your home theater correctly, you'll be able to enjoy it for years to come.

The world of speaker and subwoofer options is truly endless when it comes to quality, design, features, mobility, and performance. At TruAudio, we’ve tried to keep it simple by tiering our home theater speakers in a way that makes it easy for you to choose the best sound system based on your budget and quality desire.

TruAudio has taken a “Good, Better, Best” approach to home theater speakers to give you many options, without feeling overwhelmed by choices. Under our good selection would be our REV/GHT speakers. ​​The GHT speakers are in-wall speakers, while the REV speakers are in-ceiling speakers. A system can be made up of all GHT's or all REV's; or they can be combined with the GHT's for the LCR (Left, Center, Right)  and REV's as the rear in-ceiling as surround sound. These are good, affordable speakers for your home theater!

Coming in as better is our ELITE series speakers. These speakers sound amazing and come in different sizes and options to make your theater experience customizable. Whether you want ELITE speakers installed in-wall or place them in “cabinet” options with different finishes; ELITE speakers come with enough options and style to blow your movie-loving mind!

TruAudio’s SELECT series speakers are our highest-end speakers for home theater. These speakers are specifically designed to bring the best, most high-quality sound imaginable. No expense was wasted in mastering the SELECT series and the sound and power they can bring to your home theater experience. The Select Series, like the ELITE series, is available in in-room (cabinet speakers) or in-wall options.

So we’ve touched on speaker options, but what about subwoofers? 

Using the same methodology of good, better, best; here are the following subs you can pair with the speakers above: 

Good: SS Series - The SS stands for Slot Sub. This sub comes in size options of 8”, 10”, and 12” and is a good choice for a basic home theater!

Better: CSUB - CSUB is a compact subwoofer that packs a huge punch. This sub also comes in sizes of 8”, 10”, and 12”. Pairing this sub with ELITE series speakers would create a great home theater experience!

Best: SELECT Series - The SELECT series subwoofer brings the cleanest, pure, and powerful sound available in modern sound from TruAudio. This sub is available in the SC12 or the W12, with the W12 being the stronger amplifier. These subs are best utilized with the SELECT series speakers mentioned above to bring the highest grade of home audio available from TruAudio. The SC12 can come in different styles and finishes as well to bring the design element to your home theater that suits you! Different style cabinets and multiple finishes bring a whole new look to subwoofers!

5. Amplifier/Receiver - what are my options?

A receiver is a piece of audio equipment that contains a preamplifier, a tuner, and an amplifier all in one unit. It's the central component of any home theater system, as it takes audio signals from input sources like Blu-ray players and game consoles and amplifies them so they can be sent to your speakers.

You may also be familiar with the term "amplifier." An amplifier is a device that increases the amplitude of an audio signal. This is important because the louder you want your music or movies to be, the more amplification you'll need.

As we mentioned, receivers are designed to be the central component of a home theater system. They come with a variety of features that make them ideal for this purpose, such as:

Most receivers have a preamplifier built-in. This allows you to connect multiple audio sources (like your TV, Blu-ray player, and game console) to the receiver, and then use the receiver to control the volume of each individual source. This is convenient because it means you don't have to adjust the volume of each input device separately.

Receivers are where your speakers connect to bring your movies to life! Most receivers are designed to handle many speakers and subwoofers. If you’re looking into a 5.1 speaker system, there are receivers best suited for that set up! The same goes for a Dolby Atmos system setup of 7.1.2 for example. You will choose your receiver based on your speaker and subwoofer design!

WHERE TO START?

We realize all this information can be overwhelming but have no fear! TruAudio has experts for all of these components (yes, even the blackout curtains). When you’re ready to bring your home theater to life, click on the link below to get started!

https://www.truaudio.com/dealer-locator/