How I Set Up a Budget-Friendly Home Theater Audio System

Configuring a home theater setup can make watching content more enjoyable, especially if you add a sound system to complement the content. While they can be expensive, you don’t need to break the bank to have a good home theater audio setup installed.

The Benefits of Having a Home Theater Audio System

Adding an audio system to your home theater has several benefits, including elevating your content-consuming experience to the next level. For one, depending on the placement of the speakers, your home theater can become an immersive viewing experience. Placing the speakers next to you or behind you—like in a movie theater—can add a layer of realism to the viewing experience and make you feel like you’re part of the action.

An audio system will also significantly improve sound quality if your TV or projector lacks good-quality speakers. Adding these can eliminate the need to buy a whole new system.

Furthermore, depending on the age and version of your home theater, an audio system may allow you to customize the audio settings further. You can adjust them according to the content playing, such as music, gaming, or movie viewing.

Connecting an audio system can help in many ways, but knowing where to start is the biggest challenge. The next step is knowing what you are spending, but luckily, you don’t need to pay a lot to get a capable sound system.

Mapping Out Your Home Theater

Before choosing the audio system for your home theater, you should map the room to consider where to put the speakers. This will help you decide which system is best and where to put it once purchased.

You don’t need to measure your room to determine its dimensions, but you should know what type of room your home theater is in. For example, you should notice whether it is small, like a bedroom, or broader, like a basement.

Noticing these sizes and the layout of your home theater will help you better choose the type of audio system you want to implement.It will help you save money by purchasing the appropriate speaker that conforms to the room’s requirements instead of buying the most expensive speaker and later realizing that you don’t need that fancy one.

Knowing the Type of Audio System That Works

Once you map out your room, you can decide which audio system to install in your home theater. I recommend either a soundbar or a modular setup.

Soundbars

I advise adding a soundbar if your home theater setup is in a bedroom or small area. A soundbar has many benefits, but it also has some drawbacks.

For starters, sound bars are easy to set up and comparatively inexpensive. Usually, all it takes to set them up is plugging one wire into your home theater setup and then turning it on. On the other hand, some don’t need to be plugged into your system and can receive audio via Bluetooth or WiFi.

Additionally, since they come in multiple sizes, you can easily find one that will fit your tight-packed or spacious setup. This will eliminate the need to purchase numerous speakers and have wires everywhere.

One of the top reasons to get a soundbar is that it improves the audio experience over your current television or projector. Most soundbars also come with subwoofers for enhanced low-frequency performance.

However, their limited sound direction is a drawback because they are just one speaker cabinet. Their design is primarily front-facing, reducing their ability to offer spatial effects like surrounding speakers.

These are also best for small rooms but not ideal for installing in larger areas or rooms. With their size and limitations, filling a big area may be difficult.

Modular Setup

A modular setup might be more fitting for bigger rooms and areas. You can combine a good audio setup with the ability to mix and match the components that are part of it—like the speakers, amplifiers, and subwoofers.

Additionally, since it’s not an all-in-one design, you can upgrade specific setup parts. This could be if one portion of the setup stops working or a new model you want to add is released.

A modular setup can be placed around your room rather than just in one section, enhancing the sound experience. This allows you to use the speakers more freely to complement the room’s acoustics and get the best sound experience.

On the contrary, while soundbars are better, they cost more because they come with more features and units.

Furthermore, since you have more freedom to position the speakers around your room, leaving the wires around might result in more disorganized clutter. This is not unavoidable, but hiding more wires requires more planning than just having an all-in-one speaker.

However, you should research the modular setup’s connection style, as it can sometimes be more complex than simply plugging an auxiliary cord into it, like a soundbar. This can include knowledge of AV receivers, speaker placement, and wiring.

The Benefit of Going Preowned

Even though these speaker options, like the soundbar, can be more budget-friendly, there is a way to get more for less. If you want more features for less money than buying a new one, consider purchasing a preowned or refurbished speaker.

Refurbished equipment is usually available on the manufacturer’s website, but for preowned equipment, try looking on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Amazon.

Before purchasing, you should do your research on the item. Look at all the items posted to prevent buying a damaged or abused speaker. It’s also important to read the item’s description to ensure it has all the ports you need and the desired features and specs.

While the lower price of preowned devices makes them compelling, another reason to consider them is that speaker technology hasn’t significantly changed over the years. This means that older models may not be as useless as you think because of their manufacturing date.

Additionally, if an older model is within your price range and in good shape but doesn’t have all the features you want, you could buy an adapter to add them. This could be the case if you’re looking for a speaker with Bluetooth, as many companies sell Bluetooth adapters that plug into the auxiliary port.

Starting Small and Upgrading Overtime

If you want to avoid spending a lot of money at once but want an excellent audio system, try starting small and building up from there. This means buying preowned or refurbished devices and upgrading them over time.

Another advantage of purchasing preowned or refurbished items is that you can continue using them and maximize their value at a significantly reduced retail price. However, if you want to swap it out for a new model in a year, you can sell your currently owned model at a fair price.

Going this route allows you not to upgrade the whole setup at once. You could have an older receiver that works the way you want it to, but you can upgrade the speakers to get better sound.

Starting trim and upgrading over time is a great way to save money and spread your spending on your home theater over time. It still allows you to get better sound than what you started with, but it also allows you to invest in your setup when you feel comfortable doing so.

Building the Audio Setup of Your Dream on a Budget

Good doesn’t necessarily mean being expensive. To achieve your desired setup, you need only find the right equipment, compare prices, and install it in your home theater.

​​​​​​Knowing where to start, your budget, and the exact specifications you want will help you purchase your setup at the price you’re willing to pay. This will allow you to turn up the sound in your home theater without breaking the bank.