Home Theaters

As we accumulate items on our quest for the perfect home theater, we tend to think in terms of components, connections, and content (software). Few manage to think ahead for the display and housing of this stuff that brings so much pleasure, but can end up being a problem to keep up with, or in severe cases, an eyesore.

We, of the married persuasion, all know how the clutter of the typical stack of audio and video gear makes the significant others significantly upset. It also makes the items less than easily accessed, and can lead to overheating problems.

It seems normal that looking for furnishings to put the equipment in would be a part of our quest. We want to keep things tidy, and safe, both from a aesthetic and ecological standpoint (keeping the peace is a big part of anyone’s ecology).

While some will want to build in equipment, most will know that this route has many drawbacks. First, it is costly, and people tend to move from house to house more than they used to do. Allowing that some have lots of cash to throw around, it still is not financially sound, as what you spend to build in equipment is not able to be recouped in the price of house sale, and you certainly cannot take it with you.

So…furniture of some sort is the choice for most people, no matter what amount of discretionary cash is available. One of the things that was popular 8-12 years ago, and from my standpoint, should still be, is the setup that consists of 2 piers, which hold the main equipment, and a bridge, which sits above the television. While nowadays it would probably be a necessity to spread the bridge further, because of the widescreen format, getting one of these systems used, but in great shape would be a wonderful way to save money and get something that will make it easy to put the components on almost any wall. Unfortunately, this second hand method is probably the only method to this solution, as I have not seen anything like this in quite some time - there seems to be no explanation for this.

Many will state that the components have gotten smaller, so the furniture should also be smaller - seems logical, until you realize that what will soon take up the most space, for any fan of home theater, is the content. Whether it is records (oops, showing age here!), tapes, CDs, DVDs, or any other medium that comes out, the storage of content will eventually be the greatest occupier of space.

this style has grown popular, but only holds a minimum of equipment, other than the television, and any content storage is open - it tends to get dusty that way, and may suffer sun damage if anywhere near a window.

this style provides closed storage for content, but not much room for equipment - it is easy to match to a certain decor, however.

this works well for limited systems, like in a bedroom, but still does nothing for the audio gear - and in earthquake country, becomes a worry.

this stereo cabinet makes a great ‘pier’ and can, in pairs, function as part of a wall system, with the television on a matching stand, or flanking the television mounted on a wall. If you are feeling adventurous, you can fashion a flat top to span between the ‘piers’ and have a good place for a center channel mounted from below, and just beneath, on the floor, your subwoofer.

some will prefer to have a more modest system affixed to the wall, including speakers, and television, with the media tower used for storage, the audio equipment can be put on a wall shelf above or below the television.

Taking stock of the system you have, add the pieces you wish you had (and will probably find a way to obtain), and then look at what might contain and protect them.

For many, separates will be found, meaning that an FM tuner, a pre-amplifier, and one or more amplifiers are to be housed. Others will only have an HTPC, and the amplifiers. Those who don’t have an HTPC will likely have a DVD player, and a DVR.

Since both owners, and significant others, have an affection for things that match, it might also be time to look at cosmetically correct speaker stands or wall brackets. Many people don’t stop to think that larger speakers can still be wall mounted, perched on a well braced shelf.

While most people will purchase their audio-video furnishings locally, to avoid large charges for the shipment of heavy items, looking online can give you ideas and choices you might not otherwise see. Most retailers have little space for the display of furniture and stands from several manufacturers, so while they might feature almost the full offerings from one manufacturer, the online store will usually include pictures and descriptions for many different manufacturers. This includes big box stores, which have tightened up what they carry a great deal, so online still is your best choice, followed by a trip to the manufacturer’s website, where then you can find who carries what strikes your fancy nearby.

More on this later.

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