Getting chintzy after spending big on a big-screen TV is definitely not the way to go.
Chances are, after spending upwards of $3,000 for a new 50-inch flat panel HDTV, you’ve got an amazing display device and are well on your way to an amazing home theater system. But don’t – and I can’t stress this enough – back it up with a $300 Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) audio system.
Granted, not many of us are audiophiles pursuing the perfect sound, which will require us to fork over tens of thousands of dollars. That’s a luxury you can’t afford unless you have disposable wealth and plenty of time on your hands.
But there is a vast sea of options between high-end audiophile gear and low-rent HTiB.
Who Buys HTiB Anyway?
If you’re a college student in a dorm, live on a limited budget or your audio system will be set up in a bedroom, by all means go with HTiB. It’s a quick, cheap option. You don’t have to think about what you’re buying, just set it up, plug it in and it goes.
Sadly, that’s the only enduring appeal.
The two big problems with HTiB are size and compatibility.
Size: Speakers tend to be small and designed for rooms not much bigger than a 12-foot by 12-foot bedroom. Even with the included subwoofer, putting that system into a room the size of the average livingroom results in anemic sound quality. The included speakers are usually tiny, micro-satellites.
No matter how high-tech a new set of micro-satellite speakers may be, there are certain inalienable laws in the world of physics that simply can’t be broken, despite what the manufacturer might say.
- Sound is delivered through air.
- Speaker drivers deliver sound to your ears by pushing air.
- Tiny drivers move less air.
Hear me?
Compatibility: The whole system is generally designed as a single unit. You can’t mix and match or upgrade components like you could if you bought them separately. In other words, you don’t really have a DVD player, you have HTiB. You don’t really have a home theater receiver, you have HTiB. You don’t really have speakers, you have … well, you get the idea.
Why is HTiB so Popular?
These days consumer electronics have become so complex that shopping has a steep learning curve.
After wading through all the decisions that must be made when buying an HDTV, most people aren’t anxious to learn the complexities of multi-channel audio sources. Generally the big-box warehouse stores where most people buy – hence learn – aren’t relaxing places to shop.
That’s why smaller business hi-fi and audio shops are much better. Staff will generally take the time to teach you because they’re usually enthusiasts themselves.
Sadly, people will continue to buy HTiB systems because it provides one quick, cheap and easy purchase.
Inside one box is the simple promise of decent home theater sound quality. It’s difficult to compete with that.
Next: Getting home theater audio on a limited budget. Be here or risk poor sound quality.
