If you're a music lover and you want to enjoy your music collection the way that it was recorded to be enjoyed, you're going to need a quality stereo system. No, not one of those all-in-one mini systems, but a component system that you assemble yourself, for the perfect sound. There are a variety of considerations when you first start and it can seem like a long process, but once you begin testing and purchasing equipment, it will become a quick addiction.
Instructions
Equipment
1. The first thing that you'll need to do is determine a general budget. A stereo can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several million. The cap is entirely up to you, so it is really important to know ahead of time how much that you intend to spend. This way you can focus on shopping for the right equipment.
2. Besides budget, some other considerations are size of the room where the stereo will be set up, type of music that you listen to, type of format that you listen to most (CD, MP3, satellite radio) and whether or not you would like to use the system for home theater as well.
3. Do some research before you begin shopping. Check out buyer's guides and online review sites to get an idea of quality components that are in your price range. Get familiar with brands and products that you like, so that you can go out and audition them at the shop.
4. Begin your shopping. In general, it's best to try out a few different stores and pieces of equipment to compare. If you intend to spend less than $1000.00 on your entire system, you will find the best selection in larger electronics stores such as Best Buy and Circuit City. These stores have a large variety of less expensive components. If you have more money to spend, be sure to visit specialized home audio shops, as well as the big electronics stores. The audio shop will have more expensive, high quality equipment that you won't find in larger chain stores. Use your local phone directory to find nearby stores.
5. Speakers are the best place to start, as they are the focal point of your system. Bring your own music and audition the speakers at the store. If you like a variety of music genres, bring a sample of your collection to see how the speakers perform with different instruments and frequency levels. There are hundreds of different speaker brands on the market, many of which you may not have heard of. In general, look for brands that specialize in speaker manufacturing as opposed to larger electronics companies. In the end, use your audition to determine the speakers that sound the best. Discuss the size and shape of your room with the salesman, as larger rooms will require a larger, more powerful speaker for best performance.
6. Next you will have to purchase a receiver (or individual components) to power your speakers. The receiver will serve as a middleman in processing the input from your audio input (CD Player) and relaying it to your speakers. If you are new to home audio, a receiver is the most simple and least expensive way to go; essentially, it includes all the components (preamplifier, amplifier, AM/FM tuner) in one. If you are looking for the best sound, and have the money, purchasing separate preamplifier, powered amplifier and optional tuner is something to consider. For the purpose of this introduction, we'll assume you'll be using a receiver.
7. When you begin shopping for a receiver, double check the power input(measured in watts) that your speakers require. Every speaker has a power range measurable in watts. Make sure to pick out a receiver that delivers enough watts-per-channel to supply your speakers with the power they require. Also consider other features of a receiver that you may want, such as built-in satellite radio tuner, number of channels (5.1, 6.1, 7.1--essentially the maximum number of speakers you'll be able to power) and supported formats and options (dolby digital 5.1, dts, THX).
8. Again, do your research and read the reviews. Ideally, you will also be able to test your receiver in conjunction with the speakers that you've chosen, to see how they perform together. Some quality receiver manufacturers include Marantz, Yamaha and Onkyo.
9. Unless you have already become a picky audiophile with a highly distinguished ear, you can spend less time with audio inputs. An inexpensive CD player or MP3 player will do. You can even just buy a cable to connect your iPod to your receiver or use a DVD player that you already own. Remember that CD's will have much better sound than a compressed file like an MP3, however.
10. Lastly, don't forget the cable. You will need speaker cable to hook the speakers up to the receiver and audio connections to hook your audio inputs to the receiver. You could spend a whole lot of time and thousands of dollars just for speaker cable, but less expensive speaker cable will do. A smaller gauge relates to a larger size cable that can carry more information and improve sound. Cable ranges from 12 to 18 gauge. As far as audio connections, use digital coax or optical cable when possible; otherwise, analog cable (red and white audio inputs) will suffice.
Set-up
11. Now that you've purchased your equipment, you're just a few simple steps away from hours of musical entertainment. Ideally, you'll want to place your speakers at opposite corners in front of the listening position (sofa or chair) about a foot or so away from the wall, however, your room shape may not allow for this, so determine the best placement you can based on your room. Different speakers may require different placement, so discuss this at the store when you purchase them. In general, the speakers should be slightly angled and pointing at the "sweet spot" where you'll be sitting. You can move the speakers around and listen for the best sound. It shouldn't take too long.
12. Hooking speakers up to the receiver is very easy. The speaker cable will have two individual strands of wire, labeled as positive (+) and negative (-) (at least one side should contain markings). Connect the positive cable to the left positive (red) input terminal on the receiver and left speaker and the negative cable to the left negative (black) terminals. Be sure that none of the strands of positive are touching strands of negative or your speakers will short and not play any sound. Repeat for right speaker.
13. Now, just hook up your CD player or other audio input to the receiver (the receiver will have marked connection terminals for various audio inputs), and you're all set up. Put in your favorite CD or song, sit down and enjoy.
Tags: your speakers, will have, audio inputs, speaker cable, cable will
