What’s The Best Set Up for Home Entertainment?

Are you looking to set up a home entertainment system but don’t know where to start? It’s a common problem. Your set up can have a big impact on your overall experience and therefore it’s important to get it right. Whether you're a movie buff, a gaming enthusiast, or a sports-mad fan, the perfect setup can easily be achieved. Let's dive right into what you need to consider for every element of your home entertainment system.

Display

Having a great home entertainment system starts with your display. The first step is choosing the size, which should simply be as big as your space allows. Then you want to choose a resolution. 4K should be the minimum for a sharp image, but you can now go up to 8k. You’ll also want a High Dynamic Range to get the most vibrant colors and contrast available. Added to this, you’ll want to have a refresh rate of 60Hz or higher and an OLED or QLED screen will give you the greatest color accuracy. This should be your main investment as you can’t have a great home entertainment system without a great display.

Sound System

Once you have the display you need, your attention should turn to your sound system. This involves the strategic placement and calibration of your speakers to get the optimal sound quality for your space. This starts with a left, center, right (LCR) configuration. Place the left and right speakers equally distant from your central seating area, with the speakers pointed toward the listener. Then, you'll want a speaker directly above or below the screen. You can then build on this set up. A subwoofer is required for enhancing the bass notes. These are less directional, so positioning is less important, but they are usually placed near the screen and close to the wall. Now, we can add the surround speakers. A 7.1 system is the best setup, with seven speakers and one subwoofer. We've already covered where three of those speakers should be with the LCR configuration. Two other speakers should be at the side of your seating area, pointed towards the listener. The other two speakers should be behind you, the same sideward distance away from your TV as your two speakers on either side of the screen. All of these speakers should be at the ear level (or slightly above) of a seated listener. If seven speakers are too much for you, there is the 5.1 system. Here, the extra two speakers are placed behind you but further out to the side. If you had a square room, with the seating area in the middle, they'd be towards the back corners. Once you have it all set up, make sure to calibrate your system. The receiver should have an auto-calibration feature, but you can also use a sound level meter for this. Finally, hide cables along baseboards or within walls for a clean setup.

Comfortable Seating

When creating your setup, you need to consider how to work around your seating area. Will you have a standard sofa set up, or are you opting for something a little different? Make sure you choose a seating system that will work well with your speaker positioning. The seating will also be dictated by what you want to want to do with your space. A sofa would be great for sports, a recliner fantastic for music, a gaming sofa/chair perfect for gaming fans, or cozy home theater seating for movie lovers. Whatever you choose, ensure the seating is arranged for optimal viewing angles.

Ambient Lighting

The basic aspect of lighting a home entertainment system is that you want a balanced, glare-free environment. The best way to do this is with dimmable lights, as this will allow you to adapt to whatever type of entertainment you are enjoying. The latest in lighting is smart lighting that can sync with what you're watching on the screen and provide an immersive experience. However, many people find this distracting, so make sure this is really what you want before going ahead. Soft lights (often called bias lighting) behind the TV are a popular way to enhance contrast and reduce glare. It's also a good idea not to have any lightbulbs shining directly into the room, so the likes of wall sconces or recessed lighting can be a great choice.

Room Acoustics

Hopefully your room already has great acoustics, but this may be something you need to think about. Sound reflections can be an issue, but it can be easily solved by using things that can absorb excess sound, such as soft furnishings like carpets, rugs, curtains, or plush furniture. If you’re still getting echoes, you can buy acoustic panels or bass traps on the walls and corners. You’ll also want to avoid placing speakers directly against the walls, as this can distort the sound. You don’t want your room design to be too minimalist as you want to have objects that diffuse sound waves, such as bookcases, storage solutions, and side tables. This can also help with soundproofing, as it will help to absorb the sound.

Soundproofing

If further soundproofing is required, there are several ways to do it. If you’re worried about noise traveling above, you can insulate ceilings with acoustic tiles or even create a suspended ceiling system. For underneath, you can use soundproof underlays beneath the flooring. Your walls can be covered with many different types of soundproofing materials, such as acoustic foam or mass-loaded vinyl. These will also help to improve sound quality by absorbing excess noise. Check for any gaps around door and windows, as they can be filled with weatherstripping or acoustic sealant. You may also wish to install heavy solid-core doors if that is a weak point in your soundproofing. Finally, use rubber mounts on your speakers to minimize vibrations.

Customizing Your Space

During your entire set up, you need to consider how you’ll be using your entertainment system. This includes what streaming services or games consoles you are going to use. Make sure you have a display cabinet that can fit in everything you want. If you have a lot of physical media, ensure you have adequate media storage and organization solutions. Whether it is media consoles, shelves, or cabinets, minimize clutter while maximizing your access to content. Finally, think about smart home integration. Voice-controlled assistants can control your multiple devices and make using your entertainment system much easier. This will allow you to enjoy the space hands-free to make the experience as immersive as possible.