Wireless Surround Sound A Wireless Surround Soud Sysytem can dramtically enhance your Home Theater Experience

Wireless Surround Sound Buying Guide

What makes up a Wireless Surround Sound System?

A Wireless Surround Sound System is generally a system that consists of an HDTV, a media player (such as DVD or Blu-Ray), front speakers, wireless rear speakers (no cables connected to main unit), powered subwoofer and a receiver or control unit that drives the others. The idea is to recreate the “cinema experience” at home with a big screen and quality sound.

What is surround sound?

Surround sound is obviously the main reason that most people buy home theater receivers, which is why even the cheapest A/V receivers offer Dolby Digital and DTS decoding. Dolby Digital is the de facto surround sound standard, thanks to the popularity of DVDs that adopted the format early on. (HDTV followed suit more recently.) DVD manufacturers encode each DVD with 5.1 channels of discrete Dolby Digital audio, which your receiver then decodes and sends to your home theater speakers. The format creates a rich audio soundstage that brings movie soundtracks to life with crisp dialogue, realistic-sounding special effects, and deep bass.

Although less common, many manufacturers also encode their DVDs in 5.1-channel DTS format. DTS uses higher data rates (i.e., less compression) than Dolby Digital, which leads many people to claim that DTS soundtracks sound more accurate. There's no penalty for preferring one or the other, however, as your A/V receiver can decode both.

Most entry-level receivers also offer Dolby Pro Logic II circuitry, which converts two-channel stereo sources into plausible-sounding 5.1-channel soundtracks. This is ideal not just for playing music through surround sound systems, but also for watching TV shows and VHS movies. A newer version of Pro Logic II, called Pro Logic IIx, takes it to the next level by creating 7.1-channel sound out of stereo sources. DTS offers a similar format to Pro Logic II called DTS Neo:6.

Surround sound options start to get more sophisticated once you leave the entry-level range, mostly by adding more channels. Systems with 6.1 channels offer an additional rear speaker, often located directly behind the listener; on the other hand, 7.1-channel systems have two additional rear speakers for the ultimate in surround sound versatility. To accommodate listeners with such setups, many mid-range receivers offer Dolby Digital EX--also known as THX Surround EX--and DTS-ES (Matrix and Discrete) surround formats. Each format supports both 6.1- and 7.1-channel speaker systems, and many newer DVDs are now encoded in one or both of the formats to take full advantage of the technology.

If you currently own a 5.1-channel speaker setup but are planning to upgrade to a 6.1- or 7.1-channel system in the indefinite future, it might be worth your while to invest in a mid-range receiver now so that you're well-prepared for the transition.

Other things to pay attention to:

• The total harmonic distortion (THD) of your receiver, which gauges how "clean" the audio signals will sound--a particularly important trait for people who like to crank the volume. For best results, choose a receiver with a THD level below 0.1 percent.

• The sensitivity of your speakers. The higher your speakers' sensitivity rating (measured in dB), the less power they need to produce a certain volume. Speakers with lower sensitivity ratings, by contrast, require much more power from your receiver. A speaker with an 86 dB rating, for example, requires twice as much power to play at the same volume as a speaker with an 89 dB rating. The same is true for an 89 dB speaker as compared to a 92 dB speaker.

• The impedance of your speakers. Most receivers can drive 8 ohm speakers with no problem, but 4 ohm speakers are more demanding. Make sure the receiver you choose is up to the task.

• The size of your room. Big rooms need more power to fill the space, whereas small rooms can do with less amplification.

TVs and HDTVs

Your television is obviously a major component in the surround sound home theater experience. High-definition (720p, 1080i, or 1080p) flat-panel televisions in LCD, Plasma or LED formats are the popular choices. The enormous cathode ray TVs have been replaced by light weight, thin units that can be hung on a wall like a picture.

Media Players

This is essentially anything that can play back digital video media. It can be a DVD or Blu-Ray player, but a TiVo or even an iPod dock attached to an AV receiver would also count. The idea is something that plays back stored video media of some kind as opposed to “live” television or cable broadcast signals. Blu-Ray has won the media battle with HD DVD but tends to be pricey in both player and movie discs.

AV Receivers

An AV receiver is the brain behind your home theater system. It decodes movies and music for playback, passes through (or upscales) high-definition audio/video signals, and decides how best to send the signals to your HDTV and speakers. Many AV receivers offer features that ensure an optimal watching experience, such as auto-lipsync for video, volume normalization (making sure audio doesn’t get too loud or too quiet), and more.

Speakers

Good speakers are the key to getting the best possible audio experience from your sound system. Choosing the right speaker for the job is important, and can make the difference between enduring a muddy, sonic terror or sinking into a lush, aural experience. Speakers can either be stereo or surround sound, and a home theater system might have as few as two speakers or as many as eleven (or more!). The most common home theater speaker setups are usually two to four speakers plus a subwoofer, but many combinations are possible.

Wireless Speakers
Wireless speakers allow for appropriate room placement with out having cables connecting the av receiver to the rear speakers. But the rear speakers may need to be connected (wired) to a receiver amp. Generally only the rear speakers are wireless.

Some wireless surround systems may not be what the name implies. A prepackaged wireless surround sound product may require the rear speakers to be wired to a receiver amp to drive them. This amp may require AC power. So they are not totally "wireless" but this is much more convenient than connecting the rear speakers to the receiver.

Wireless component speakers (requiring no cables) are available and are usually highly rated. There are also conversion kits to make any pair of speakers wireless.

Should I buy a bundle or each piece separately?

Home theater bundles, also called “home theater in a box” or HTiBs, can provide a huge value over buying each piece separately. They typically combine a Dolby 5.1 or 7.1 surround-sound speaker set with an A/V receiver that has a built-in DVD player. HTiB systems take much of the guesswork out of purchasing home audio. Everything comes in one package and it is easy to set up; but the nicest thing is that the speakers are all pre-matched to sound good together. They have a wide range in price and can fit into most any budget, but higher-end systems can really sing right out of the box.

If you already have a surround-sound system, or have been fiercely bitten by the home audio bug, mid and higher-end separate speakers are a fantastic way to take your experience to the next level and possibly even save you money. Cherry-picking your speakers allows you to tailor a home audio solution that meets your exact needs, particularly in cases where you have an odd-shaped room for example, or want to mix and match floor standing speakers with in-wall and in-ceiling speakers.

In addition to a TV and a receiver, what do I need for my home theater?

A true home-theater system is more than just speakers and a screen. To get the maximum performance and convenience from your home-theater system, consider the minor points of your setup that are often overlooked: remotes, AV cables, mounts and/or stands, and power protection.

Remotes

A universal remote will spare you and your family the inconvenience of a stack of remotes on your coffee table that each control different devices. A universal remote is a remote that can control multiple devices across multiple brands–a single remote for your HDTV, stereo, and media devices like a DVD player. Universal remotes vary in price and complexity, with the top tier often requiring a professional installer to program. However, thanks to recent improvements in technology and design, many excellent consumer-level universal remotes provide convenience and versatility without costly setup by a third party.

Two types of universal remotes are available: device-based and activity-based. Most universal remotes are device-based, which means they control one device at a time. Although a device-based remote can control many different devices, you usually need to manually switch between each device that you want to control. For example, to watch a movie, you push a button to switch the remote to DVD-player mode, press the Play button, and then push a different button to switch to HDTV mode in order to turn up the volume. The advantage of a device-based remote is its versatility; it often simply takes entering a code to add new devices to its control system.

Activity-based remotes function largely on what are called “macros”–preprogrammed steps that allow one button to control many devices at once. For example, to watch a movie using an activity-based remote, you would press the Watch Movie button and the DVD player and HDTV would turn on at the same time; the HDTV would turn to the correct channel or video mode and the DVD player would automatically start the movie. The advantage of activity-based remotes is their ultimate convenience, but they take longer to initially program and set up out of the box. Also, they must be reprogrammed every time you change an element of your home theater, such as getting a new TV or AV receiver.

AV Cables

Cable quality is an issue that is still hotly debated today. Does spending hundreds of dollars on AV cables really give you better performance? Ultimately, the consumer must decide for him/herself; however, it’s certain that poor cables degrade performance by distorting signals and introducing artifacts into video and sound. Even digital modes of transmission, such as high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cables, will introduce pixel artifacts and distortion if the cable itself is shoddily made.

HDMI is quickly becoming the standard for high-definition television signals, but three-wire component video cable is still common for HDTV and progressive-scan DVD signals.

One factor to keep in mind is cable length. Each additional foot of cable can potentially degrade a signal, so a good rule of thumb is that the longer you need your cable to be, the better quality of cable you should buy. This is especially true of analog or component cables.

Mounts and Stands

No matter what kind of home-theater setup you have, you need to set it on something. It’s always best to plan ahead how your home theater will be arranged in the room. Fortunately, plentiful are the possibilities–from mounting your TV directly to the wall to finding the perfect stand or cabinet to hold all of the components.

Mounts for your flat-panel TV can create an open-air feel to your room and take up much less space than a conventional entertainment center or armoire. Usually, mounts are available as flat or articulating. Flat mounts give you the slimmest wall profile, mounting your TV flush to the wall. A disadvantage with a flat mount is that there are only a few optimal viewing angles, so you must plan your mounting job around your furniture layout, or vice versa. Articulating mounts provide versatility because they enable you to pull out and adjust your TV to fit any viewing angle. However, articulating mounts are usually more ideal for corners, as it is difficult to get a slim wall profile with an articulating mount.

Stands come in all shapes, sizes, materials, and price ranges–from simple table-style stands to set your HDTV on to full shelving systems to hold the most complicated component systems. Most modern home theaters use a mount for the flat-panel TV and a simple shelf system for the AV receiver and components like DVD players. Keep weight in mind when looking for an AV stand–be sure to check each shelf’s max weight against that of your AV components.

Power Protection

Power protection is one of those things that home-theater shoppers often overlook until it’s too late. You don’t need to look far to find someone with a horror story about losing an expensive TV or AV receiver to a power surge during a thunderstorm. It’s better to be prepared than to risk having to buy the same piece of home theater equipment twice.

Surge protection comes in a variety of types, from iron-poor transformers to circuit breakers and capacitors. All kinds work, but to varying degrees, and this is an area where you really do get what you pay for. Picking out a protector system that suits you is a matter of balancing the cost of the system with the cost of losing data or electronic equipment. The key piece of information to look for is a surge protector’s Underwriters Laboratories (UL) rating: If a product doesn’t have a UL rating, it might not even have any protection capability at all! A common mistake for a first-time power-protection buyer is to buy something that looks exactly like a surge strip but is actually just an extension cord with multiple sockets. To ensure at least the minimum level of power protection and safety, ensure that the UL rating is for a Transient Voltage Surge Suppressor.

Also ensure that your surge protector has an indicator light. Surge protectors (especially inexpensive ones) will wear out over time or after repeated surges, and an indicator light will tell you if the protection components are still functioning or if the surge protector needs to be replaced.

For inexpensive electronics equipment, a lower-priced surge strip will provide adequate protection. For a full home theater, however, you might want to consider a surge station or even an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) . For the highest-end home theater setups, consider a line conditioning power center. It will provide high-level general surge protection as well as signal interference reduction and constant voltage monitoring and readouts.