4 Home Theater Speaker Myths Ruining Your Movie Nights
Enjoy Immersive Audio With The Right Speaker Installation
Have you lost patience with your home theater audio? Are you tired of dealing with muddled dialogue and weak bass? Many homeowners think the solution is to invest in more expensive speakers. But while speaker quality is definitely important, investing in the biggest and loudest speakers (or simply the one with the highest price tag) won’t be enough to fix the issues.
That’s just one of the common misconceptions we hear from our clients. Here we outline four common myths about home theater sound and the real secrets to getting immersive surround sound.
Myth #1: Higher Price Immediately Means Better Sound
The number one misconception about home theater speakers is that more money gets you better results. We would never advocate going cheap, but the flagship model from a high-end manufacturer isn’t always the best choice. Take, for example, our partners at Bowers & Wilkins. They’re known for their flagship 600 series, but for your home theater, we probably wouldn’t recommend those. Within high-end companies like B&W, there are dedicated home theater speakers that will work better. And even then, the speakers alone won’t result in great sound. You need to pair them with high-quality projectors and sources to make them shine.
Myth #2: Good Speakers Can Overcome a Bad Room
Many clients think that if they buy the best speakers, it won’t matter what room they choose for their theater. But we’ve all heard the axiom, “You can’t put lipstick on a pig.”
Good speakers aren’t enough to overcome bad acoustics. Many of Maui’s popular design elements (tile floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, etc.) help create harsh echoes and muddy dialogue. Rectangular rooms exacerbate issues by adding bass buildups in corners.
So to pretty up that pig, you need more than lipstick. You need foundation, eye shadow, and some eyeliner. Sorry, we may be getting carried away with the analogy. But what we’re saying is you need to think beyond the speakers. You’ll need acoustic panels to absorb sound and speaker layouts that address your room's design.
Myth #3: More Speakers Will Result in a Better Experience
For many prospective clients, the easy answer to sound issues is more speakers. We’d love it if that were true and we could sell more products, but what really matters is calibration, speaker quality, and speaker placement.
For example, in open-concept Hawaiian homes, we angle speakers inward toward the listener to minimize sound reflecting off large glass walls or sneaking out of the room. This helps create a consistent soundstage even when the room lacks a traditional fourth wall.
Myth #4: Speakers Already Come Calibrated
Many speakers and AV receivers come with auto-EQ technology. They have a built-in microphone that helps to calibrate the components to the room. But this auto-EQ software often fails to account for a room’s specific frequencies or even the alignment of subwoofers.
A professional performs a full calibration for delay, frequency crossover, and gain, so that all speakers work together to achieve that golden sound. This is important for creating a realistic three-dimensional soundstage rather than just hearing sound coming from specific boxes in the corners.
Achieving the perfect home theater experience requires more than a plug-and-play approach; it requires a deep understanding of acoustics and professional integration.
Ready to hear the difference that professional calibration and premium speakers can make? Contact the experts at Control Freaks Hawaii to schedule your consultation with our theater experts.
