Browsing the store displays for your whole home audio and video equipment can easily overwhelm you if you jump right at it without doing your homework. Chances are, the models that you have been eying for some time would have been upgraded and packed with new features and housed in more sleek casings. In not arming yourself with at least the basic criteria for picking the best equipment for your home, you will tend to get distracted with all the tempting bells and whistles and could end up paying more than your budget for what are actually mediocre sound and picture quality.
Before you shop for your surround sound system, for instance, you need to appraise the acoustics of your room. Otherwise, you will just be wasting good money on high-quality speakers if your room is not furnished with items that can absorb the sound and would instead throw it all around. Going to your nearest audio supply retailer and testing with your own ears the quality of each model in your price range, will also help you decide better. If you must splurge on something, let it be on the subwoofer. It can add the best value into your listening and viewing experience and could even compensate whatever limitations that your screen and speakers may have.
Reading up the reviews online and asking questions from the experts will also give you an edge. However, the information you would gather from these sources can be subjective. You will benefit more if you check whether the reviews, raving or otherwise, also contain specific details like frequency range, equalization, and other measurements so you will have a more accurate basis for your choices. The way that the device’s features are written or advertised by the manufacturer can also trip you if you are not careful in checking the feasibility of such claims. No matter how impressive a model may seem like, you will still get nothing out of it if these claims are not founded on definite measurements. Lastly, stay focused on your personal preferences. You are the one who will be using these items so if you rely heavily on other people’s opinion, you may find that your tastes and standards are not the same as theirs. You will just be stuck with a home theater system that would not suit your needs at all.
Source: http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/10-audioholics-commandments