Shopping Tips

Stick with Reputable Brands and Retailers
Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true — especially online. While megastores can offer a big selection and big discounts, specialty retailers may have dedicated home theater demo rooms and can offer much more personal service.

Consider Spending a Little More than You’d Planned
Like anything else, in home theater you get what you pay for, and spending more now will very likely yield a system that will make you much happier in the long run.

Take Your Time
Don’t let anyone rush you. Sure, you’ll probably want to buy something right now, but resist those impulses. There’s no way to make a good decision in just a few minutes.

Stereo or Surround?
If you’re going to use your system just for music listening over two speakers, you’ll want a stereo receiver. Besides accommodating two-channel sources such as CD and cassette, some stereo receivers even include a phono input for those who still enjoy listening to vinyl records. Some models also include video switching so you can connect your TV and a video component, such as a VCR or DVD player, and enjoy better stereo sound than the TV’s own speakers can provide.

Traditional stereo receivers are going the way of the turntable, however, as most people choose an audio/video receiver to serve as the hub of a home theater setup. A/V receivers not only play stereo sources but can also deliver surround sound from DVD players, satellite receivers, VCRs, and other multichannel or stereo sources. An A/V receiver offers at least five channels of amplification plus volume control, surround sound decoding, an AM/FM tuner, and connections and switching for a variety of components.

Inputs and Outputs
Make sure you have enough audio and video inputs for all of your source components. Figure out how many sources you’ll need to connect — and then allow for future additions to your system. Since you have to use the digital audio connections from your source components to get surround sound — except for DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD playback — make sure the receiver has enough digital audio inputs. (For DVD-Audio and SACD, you’ll usually need a receiver with a multichannel analog audio input.) And make sure your receiver has HDTV-compatible component-video inputs so you can use it to switch between high-def sources.

Check Out the Remote
You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your receiver’s remote control, so consider how easy it is to use. Most receiver remotes can also operate other components in your system, so be sure to ask the salesman about that. And make time while you’re in the store to navigate the onscreen menus and operate basic receiver functions from the remote. If the remote feels awkward or seems too difficult to learn, you might want to consider a different receiver.

Don’t Neglect the Boring Details
Make sure the receiver will fit into your equipment cabinet or rack. Sounds obvious, but...

And make sure you have all the types and lengths of cable you will need. Once you get your gear home and are ready to set it up, you’re not going to want to go back to the store to get more speaker wire or an extra interconnect cable.

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