I’m a home theater enthusiast and even with a limited budget I have managed to spend nearly $18,000 over the last 10 years on my home theater. So what have I learned after years of research and countless thousands spent? Well, I learned that I will never be satisfied with my system because there will always be something better in the horizon. However, the good news is that I also learned that most people can not perceive and do not care about the insignificant flaws that my acute sense of observation manages to notice.
The Projector
So, how do you build a $2000 HD projection home theater that will be the envy of all your friends? Well, you start by allocating $1000 towards the projector. The best deals vary from day to day, so your best bet is to do your research when you are ready to buy. Start by reading web reviews (Projectorcentral.com is a great source for reviews). Find the best reviewed $1000 720p or higher projector and then hunt down the best web price you can find (be careful with the cheapest web vendors…). Keep in mind things like throw distance, light output when deciding between comparable projectors.
The Magic Screen
I’ve used alot of projection screens and read countless reviews. I have fantasized about spending thousands of dollars on a high end Grayhawk screen, but in the end I found a truly magical screen that will mesmerize almost anyone and provide you with 106″ of bright and vivid images. I am referring to an entry level Da Lite High Power 106″ screen (with the cheapest mounting system available by Da Lite). Experts always talk about contrast and neutrality and it is true that expensive gray screens will provide technical improvements in those areas. However, those screens add contrast by robbing you of precious visible brightness, whites that look really white, and colors that just fly off the screen. High power screens work their magic by greatly enhancing the visible light output of your projector and in doing so, they create perceived (if not real) improvements in contrast, brightness and color. So unless you own a $10,000 light canon, chances are that you will not just prefer, but be blown away by the difference that a cheap high power screen can do for your home theater.
The Sound
We all want speakers that sound like your sitting in the middle of a concert hall, are powerful enough to wake the neighbors, and are either big enough to intimidate a DJ or so small that people don’t even notice them. The pursuit of aural nirvana has caused me thousands of dollars. I’ll confess that I have spent nearly $2000 only on cables over the years and although that may not seem like much to some, it will seem crazy to others. So what have I learned? Same as before, most people do not perceive enough of a difference to justify an expensive system (and even if they do, they need professional help to set things up so that they can take advantage of the added fidelity). So with only $700 dollars left, your goal is to dedicate $250 to purchase a surround receiver on sale or clearance (do some research first…). That may not sound like much, but if you look for a clearance sale you can buy a receiver that will really satisfy your ears. Just make sure that you do not pick it based on watts or power output. It is specially common in cheaper receivers for low quality brands to attempt to increase appeal by claiming greater watt output. Watts do not equal quality. A good entry level Harman Kardon with only 60 watts per channel will sound way better and may even be louder than a 100 watt Panasonic, JVC, Pioneer, or Jensen. Some good brands to stick with at these prices are Yamah, Harman Kardon, and Denon if you can find one at this price point (these brands seem to be consistent in providing great sound quality at any price point). Stay away from designer brands that appeal to your ego, they almost always provide really poor dollar to quality value. This is specially true for favorites like Bose and Bang & Olufsen (greatly over hyped, over priced, and over exagerated in advertising). Don’t believe the hype.
Next up are the speakers (dedicate approximately $550). Now here you have some important decisions to make. A typical surround system today has between five and nine surround speakers, but you can get great surround sound with as little as four. My advice is if you are on a budget start with four of the best speakers you can afford and configure your receiver for a four channel surround mode. The receiver will simulate a center front and center rear channel and that small compromise will provide you with more money to spend on the quality of your speakers instead of the quantity (you can always go back later to add the rest…). So the drill here is the same look for clearance or really discounted sales and stay away from designer brands. Good bets in this price range are Yamah, JBL, Klipsch, and Acustic Research (but read the reviews, always read the reviews…).
The Wires - No Monsters allowed
Yes, I have spent a couple of thousand dollars on cable. No, it was not really worth it. So go out and spend your last $100 on entry level wires. Remember to stay away from Monster and any other cable brand that promises to increase fidelity with gold plated connectors (you won’t be able to tell the differnce unless you are a professional). Instead go to Home Depot and buy 18 – 12 gauge speaker wire on a roll. Or better yet, order the same thing on the web and save even more. You can also go cheap on your video and audio connectors (trust me the compromise at this price point is insignificant).
Be warned that to get the most out of your system you will have to spend time tweaking each component and experimenting with all of the available settings. So be prepared to read all of your manuals if you want to build a truly great home theater.
