A
home theater amplifier
is a component that
most consumers won’t be adding to their home theater setups.
For audiophiles who want to boost the output of their system,
it’s a great way to go, but most of us don’t need
it.
Usually, the amplifier is one of three
components that are included in a home theater receiver. The receiver
also incorporates a radio tuner (often HD or XM-satellite ready) and a
preamplifier.
The preamplifier controls and switches the
selected audio
and video sources. (DVD player, CD player, etc.) It also processes
incoming signals for stereo sound or surround sound and distributes
them to the proper amplifier channels and subwoofer output.
The home theater amplifier is the third
component located within the receiver. This serves to distribute the
sounds to the appropriate speakers.
The central speaker receives
on-screen sounds, such as conversation and special effects that are
happening on screen. The front speakers receive the soundtrack of the
film or TV show. They also play the music from your CD’s when
you’re using the system solely for audio.
The rear surround
sound speakers take on the ambient sounds and the sounds of special
effects that are occurring off-screen. These are the speakers that give
the listener a sense of immersion in the movie or television show.
The
speaker system may be a 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 channel system. This refers to
the number of speakers – five, six, or seven – and
the one subwoofer. The subwoofer handles the very low sounds, also
known as bass.
If you decide you want to “amp
up” your system with an external home theater amplifier,
you’ll want to do your research. At this point,
you’re going with a more complex system, so if you
don’t have a lot of experience with home theaters, it may be
a good time to call in a professional for either a consultation or a
professional design.