Nowadays, it’s difficult to imagine a house without a room dedicated to entertainment (aka the media room). The video technology is quite affordable and advanced enough to support the best movie & game quality, and the audio technology is so amazing that it truly creates a cinematic experience.
But, if you truly want to be the proud owner of a home theater, it takes more than just the right technology. As such, today we’re going to list some of the best practices for setting up an amazing home theater.
This way, you’ll be able to enjoy the latest movies, video games, and music albums in the comfort of a fantastically-set up media room.
Find Your Sweet Spot
Given the huge variety of TVs and audio systems out there, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting the best, biggest, or loudest.
But this won’t help you create the ideal experience for your needs!
Start with measuring your room. This will give you an idea about the size of the TV & speakers or it will let you know the type of video projector to buy (both options are great for home theater systems).
According to specialists, the sweet spot is located between 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal screen measurement away, with an approximate 30-degree viewing angle. This means that, once you know where the screen would be placed (on which wall), you’ll also know the location and configuration of the seating area.
By default, once you know this information, you will also know how to position the speakers, in order to create a true surround sound experience.
The Seating Area
According to Seatup.com, the theater seating you select, its arrangement in the room, and the type of accessories have an equally important role in the experience.
Now, depending on your budget, you could go all-in and order recliner chairs, with built-in massage systems, cup holders, and more. However, if you’re not that invested in spending money on furniture, a regular couch, with several comfortable armchairs spread around, should do the trick.
We also recommend adding a small table for snacks, remote controls, and other similar items.
Quick tip: before buying any furniture, make sure to check the viewing angle of your TV (check how much you can see from the sides). Most modern devices have quite a wide viewing angle, which allows a great experience from the sides, but it’s not always the case. So, before you decide on the furniture type and configuration, make sure you have all the data.
In addition, if you plan on watching 3D content, it’s best to get yourself a chair with a rigid back that prevents slouching and lounging. With 3D, your viewing position is important, and you need to avoid tilting your head or losing the straight line of sight.
The Audio System
Once you have the TV up on the wall and the seating area installed, it’s time to build up the audio part. If you want the cinematic experience, you need to think about a system with a powerful subwoofer (for a wall-shaking sound). Now, it’s important to place them on the floor, against a wall (preferably in a corner). This way, the bass will become a satisfying rumble that’s transmitted throughout the room.
You will also need several speakers that can take care of directional sound (left, right, center, rear left, and rear right). You can easily do this with some high-end bookshelf speakers that do their job marvelously without taking up too much space.
Lastly, modern TVs also allow users to connect wireless headphones, which can be a great way to enjoy a movie like Resident Evil without waking up the whole neighborhood.
Quick tip: if you go with the wall-shaking bass system, it’s best to use acoustic foam on your walls.
Wrap Up
There is a lot more we can discuss on home theatres, but the video settings, the seating area, and the audio setup are the core. Once you got these right, it’s easy to build up your precious media room and make it your own.
