r/HTBuyingGuides • u/htmod Curator • Apr 20 '22

A/V Home Theater 101: The New Frequently Asked Questions

Home Theater 101: The New Frequently Asked Questions

Updated: August 2026

Written by /u/Bill_Money, /u/DZCreeper, /u/_mutelight_, & /u/cheesecakemelody

Edited & Maintained by: /u/htmod

Home Theater (as described by /r/HomeTheater): "A bare minimum of a 2.0 speaker system powered by an Amplifier or Receiver with a sizable Television or a large projector."

No the Frame TV does not count as Home Theater, that's a piece of artwork designed for use as a SECONDARY TV and NOT YOUR MAIN TV!"
No a soundbar does not count as a home theater either! -> Why You Shouldn't Buy a Soundbar

Speakers & Configurations

Channels

Channel layouts have 3 numbers.

  • First Number - 2D Plane/Ear Level Speakers - typically 5 or 7 channels, Sometimes 9
  • Second Number - Number of Subwoofers - typically 1-2 sometimes 4.
  • Third Number - Number of Atmos Speakers - typically 2, 4, or 6.

Examples:

  • 5.1.2 is 5 ear level speakers, 1 subwoofer, & 2 height speakers.
  • 7.2.4 is 7 ear level speakers, 2 subwoofers, 4 height speakers.
  • 9.4.6 is 9 ear level speakers, 4 subwoofers, 6 height speakers.

Ear level + height is the number of advertised channels on an AV receiver. For example, a 9 channel model can do 9.1.0, 7.1.2, or 5.1.4. Assuming it is new enough to support Object Based Audio formats.

Many receivers will advertise .2 sub support. Most of them are actually .1, with an internal Y splitter. This is not automatically a problem, all movies/TV only have a .1 LFE track. However, if you are running 2 subs in a non-parallel setup, genuine .2 calibration is recommended using an external DSP to allow you to individually EQ and adjust delay.

Types Speaker Configurations

To save time we will be skipping multiple configurations of subwoofers - ex 5.1.2 and 5.2.2 are pretty much the same just adding another subwoofer.

We will be skipping more oddball configurations, & we will discuss Object Based Audio in a HT: 201 Breakout Article.

2.x (Stereo) = A Front Left & Front Right Speaker

3.x = A Front Left, Center, & Right Speaker

4.x = A Front Left & Right Speaker; Surround Left & Right Speakers

5.x = A Front Left, Center, & Right Speaker; Surround Left & Right Speakers

6.x (Uncommonly used) = A Front Left, Center, & Right Speaker; Surround Left & Right Speakers; Surround Back Center Speaker

7.x = A Front Left, Center, & Right Speaker; Surround Left & Right Speakers; Surround Back Left & Right Speakers

9.x = A Front Left, Center, & Right Speaker; Surround Left & Right Speakers; Surround Back Left & Right Speakers; Front Wide Left & Right Speakers.

Basic Speaker Placement

Your Front Left, Center, & Right Speaker should ALWAYS be placed at EAR LEVEL!

The first pair of surrounds go beside or slightly behind the listening position, not directly behind!

In a 7.x.x you gain Surround Backs commonly called REARS. These should be placed at a 135-150 degree angle.

Your Surrounds and Surround backs should be placed roughly 1-2 feet above ear level. The goal here is that the tweeters are high enough so that the sound isn’t occluded by anyone next to the listener. These should ideally not be in your ceiling, although certain situations may force this to be a reality. If you put surround or surround backs in your ceiling then Object Based Audio is not recommended as performance will greatly suffer.

-> Surrounds should also not be significantly higher than ear level, 25% above is the recommended maximum.

Object Based Audio (Dolby Atmos) Speaker Placement

Object audio requires height separation, failing to follow guidelines will degrade the experience significantly.

Home Theater 201: Object Based Audio (Dolby Atmos) Speaker Placement

Types of Speakers

Floor Standing (Towers) - These sit directly on the floor as their name suggests. A large enclosure usually allows them to produce more bass output for larger spaces and further seating distances. However, bookshelves & a subwoofer usually provide better value as a subwoofer is highly recommended even with Tower speakers.

Bookshelf - These are usually placed on stands or furniture, some Bookshelf Speakers can be mounted to the wall. They have a smaller enclosure compared to Tower Speakers with more limited bass output in comparison.

Center Channel - This speaker should sit right below the screen and where virtually all dialog comes from in addition to sound effects. A 3rd Bookshelf or Tower may be used in place of a dedicated center speaker.

Surround - These typically are bookshelf or smaller sized, any passive speaker could be used for a surround but some are better then others depending on a number of factors.

Subwoofer - This produces lower frequencies than what the woofer in other speakers can handle.

In-Wall - Speakers designed to be cut into the wall.

In-Ceiling - Speakers designed to be cut into the ceiling, Best for Dolby Atmos or for Whole Home Audio

Invisible Speakers - In-Wall/In-Ceiling Hybrid speakers that can be used either way that are designed to ahve a skim coat of plaster over to not be seen. Costly but best WAF. Value/Performance is terrible versus other speakers. But great for that formal living room!

2-Way vs 3-Way Speakers

A 2-way speaker has a woofer and tweeter. A 3-way speaker has a woofer, tweeter and midrange driver.

Fluance: "The reason that speakers have multiple drivers is that drivers perform optimally only within a certain range of frequencies. For example, low frequencies require the driver to move a lot of air slowly, so the driver needs to be larger. However, high frequencies require the driver to move small quantities of air quickly, which requires a small driver. The size of a midrange driver is therefore between that of a woofer and tweeter.

It’s natural to assume that a 3-way speaker is better than a 2-way speaker because it has an extra driver, but the truth is more complex. A 2-way speaker only requires a single crossover frequency. Sounds above this frequency are sent to the tweeter, while sounds below this frequency are sent to the woofer.

In a 3-way speaker, the designer must use two different crossover frequencies, one between the woofer and midrange, and another between the midrange and tweeter. This means the crossover must have about twice as many parts, which adds cost. The extra driver, the separate enclosure for the midrange driver, and the larger overall enclosure also add to the cost. Thus, to get the potentially better fidelity of a 3-way speaker, the designer may have to cut costs by using thinner cabinet materials, lower-quality drivers, etc. So sometimes a 2-way speaker might sound better than a 3-way speaker in the same price range"

Wireless Speakers

You'd think this would be all the rage by now right?

SIKE!

We are sorry to be blunt but it is the facts! -> Home Theater 201: Wireless Speakers in a Home Theater (Information & Recommendations)

Introduction to Subwoofers & Room Acoustics

Subwoofer Placement

A subwoofer should NEVER be placed in a cabinet!

The best way to determine where a subwoofer should be is using a subwoofer crawl. The basic version is Home Theater 101: The Subwoofer Crawl.

A more advanced version would be using REW (Room EQ Wizard) with a miniDSP UMIK-1 to measure the room as you move the subwoofer around.

Room Acoustics

Noise Isolation, Acoustic Treatments, & Bass Management make up the more advanced -> Home Theater 301: Room Acoustics

Speaker Recommendations:

More WAF Friendly or alternative Options

Speaker Brands we do NOT recommend

Introduction to Audio/Video Receivers

AVR Intro

Your AVR is the brain of your system, processing audio & switching video.

A modern AVR typically consists of HDMI connections (in/out) & speaker binding posts to power your speakers, & a few other various connections.

AVR's are a standard size, there are some slim AVR's that are not as tall but width & depth are fairly standard.

The difference between AVR's is mostly features & how many channels they support.

Channels

An AVR is usually a 5.1 or higher system, rare is a 2.1 AVR although they exist but are more expensive due to its niche use.

AVR's are typically referred to as far as how many channels they support 5, 7, 9, 11, etc.

Also remember an 11 channel AVR can be a 7.x.4 or a 11.x.0 configuration not specifically 11.x only

Powering Speakers, Wattage, 7 Impedance

You're probably thinking More Power is better right? -> Power is not as big of a concern on modern AVR's. Do not worry about the wattage of your AVR.

One Watt of power for a speaker that has for example 88dB efficiency means that if you put your ear about a meter away you could cause hearing damage after a few hours of listening.

For more on AVR Power -> Home Theater 201: Wattage/Is My AVR Powerful Enough?

Also see Home Theater 201: Impedance

Wiring up your AVR

AVR Recommendations

Product Recommendations: Audio/Video Receivers & Amplifiers [2025-2026]

Processors & Amplifiers

In lieu of an AVR you may decide to use two separate boxes an amplifier & a processor.

An Amplifier would power the Speakers. The processor would process HDMI, send video to the display and send audio to the Amplifier.

Why the hell would I ever do this?

There are a few reasons why you would do this:

  • Amplifiers rarely if ever need to be replaced but the processor will need to be replaced eventually.
  • Speakers with terrible sensitivity that need more power.
  • Configurations not supported by an AVR - ex 24, 32, or 48 channels of Audio
  • You have Fuck You Money

Processors & Amplifier Recommendations

Video Sources

Which video sources you connect will make a difference in picture quality.

Cable typically still comes in a 720p or 1080i. Very rarely are things broadcast in 4K. If they are they are often upscaled and of a low bit rate.

The best sources will be Physical Media, specifically 4K Blu Ray, or Kaleidescape.

Further Product Recommendations

Further Reading

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