I’ve always been very finicky about sound (clarity and quality), whether it’s my car, home or the movies. Though, I can’t change the sound system that are installed at cinema halls, I can always setup my own at home. And with that started the search for the perfect sound setup to enjoy movies, music and concert like sound at home.
I could have gone to all the stores and demoed the performance of each and every sound system (home cinema system, sound bars etc) but I chose the easier and better way out. I visited the Currys website, as it has a great selection of home cinema speakers and sound bars.
Once I zeroed down what I wanted to buy as my home entertainment/sound system, I went to the Currys store in the neighbourhood for a demo. This is also known as ROPO – Research Online Purchase Offline. Tip for you all: To get the optimum sound experience at your home, its not necessary to buy a 7:1 or a 5:1 surround home cinema system, there are options like Sound bars, Soundstage etc. To decide which one you should go for will depend on many criteria’s like:
- Size of the Room – Large rooms can accommodate 7:1 or 5:1 systems whereas Sound bars and Soundstage are great for smaller rooms
- Features you need – Wireless, NFC, Bluetooth, Miracast etc
- How much are you willing to spend
To help you decide better, I’d like to explain the three types of Home Cinema Systems:
- Home Cinema Sound System – For a true surround sound experience, 7:1 or 5:1 home theatre systems are recommended. Look out for Aramid Fibre Cones and Valve Amps for more lifelike sound, while 3D compatibility and upscaling expand your entertainment. Stay Smart with built-in WiFi, web browsers and much more.
- Sound Bar – A sound bar gives you virtual surround sound in a compact design that fits anywhere. Bluetooth models let you stream music wirelessly, and some models include NFC one-touch pairing and DAB radio. Add a wireless sub for enhanced bass and that cinematic effect.
- Soundstage – With its flat design, a soundstage fits neatly under your TV or on a shelf while outputting rich, detailed virtual surround sound. Advanced models include 3D compatibility, 4k Ultra HD upscaling and Bluetooth with NFC for wireless streaming.
Once you have made-up your mind, which type of home cinema system you want to purchase, you will have to decide which company to go for. Most popular options include:
After all the research, I decided to buy myself a BOSE Cinemate 120 Sound Bar for all its features and pristine sound quality but £999.95 price tag made me settle for a less expensive SAMSUNG HW-H750 5.1 Wireless Sound Bar for £499.99
There is no doubt the SAMSUNG HW-H750 5.1 Wireless Sound Bar is value for money product and provides a superb sound quality for each buck. But someday, I hope to upgrade to a BOSE sound system and experience my favourite Hans Zimmer’s Inception score on the engineering marvel.
With songs like ‘Dream Is Collapsing’ and ‘Mombasa’ driving Cobb and co. deeper and deeper into the labyrinth. The “Inception” soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal. The score is like a character in itself. It’s powerfully loud, yet also incredibly beautiful. Not only does it keep you vastly intrigued throughout the film, but it also lends to the depth of the narrative. Johnny Marr lends his talents with his energetic and raw sounding electric guitar sounds to contrast Zimmer’s pounding synths.
For now I’ve a pretty good setup at home with my Samsung Sound bar thanks to installation by experts from Currys.
