STC's Home Theater Product MVPS
If sound quality matters to you, you are in the right place. We have put together our most popular home theater products that won't break the bank. If you are still unsure what you will need or a little confused on what a home theater set-up consists of take a look at our Home Theater Systems Buying Guide Cheat Sheet. If you are ready let's go ahead and dive into the deals and what you can do to take your room to the next level.
The Receiver
Let's start off with the receiver. An amplifier is the device that turns the low voltage signals from your source equipment into a signal with enough gain to be used to power a pair of speakers. The functions of an amp can be split into two main sections. The first allows you to collate and select multiple inputs and select the required level of gain and is generally referred to as the pre-amplifier. The second does the ‘heavy lifting’ and adds the gain to the signals in order to be used to power a pair of speakers. We have chosen to showcase the Pioneer VSX-531 for its overall performance.
Performance
VSX-531 is equipped with a 5.1-channel amplifier with power 140 watts/channel. Amplifier performance is more than enough for home use. The receiver scales the image in SD or HD format to 4K resolution with a frame rate of 60p, and the high dynamic range of the HDR provides a contrast and clear picture - this is evident, as they say, with the naked eye. The sound of films is affected by the lack of support for rear speakers - the viewer is not in the center of what is happening but in front of him. By the way, to save electricity, there are 2 ECO modes.
Sound Quality
Pioneer VSX-531 specs allows the device to support audio with a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz and 16-bit depth, WAV, and FLAC files in studio-quality resolution up to 192/24, as well as DSD format used on Super Audio CDs with frequency up to 2.8 MHz. However, the most interesting thing about the VSX-531, in my opinion, is a powerful 5 x 130W amplifier with Direct and Pure Direct modes for turning off the tone and digital processing. The VSX-531 supports playback of uncompressed high-resolution multi-channel audio in Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Surround formats played from Blu-ray discs and other sources.
Conclusion
Pioneer VSX-531 is touted as an entry-level receiver and the average user will have enough of its capabilities. Nevertheless, an inexpensive receiver was able to convey the advantages of a high-class source.
Shop for the Pioneer VSX-531 here.
In-Wall Speakers:
NUVO/LEGRAND | NV-2IW5-LCR
Key Features
8 ohm rated
Magnetic rimless and paintable grill
Pivoting tweeter
Lifetime Warranty
Description
The Nuvo Series Two In-Wall LCR (Left, Center, Right) speaker delivers balanced, moderate sound from a single, slender speaker. Designed with two 5.25" poly woofers and a 0.5" silk dome tweeter, and accented by it’s infinity edge, the NV-2IW5-LCR combi nes solid audio performance with good looks. With eight rugged dog legs and a lifetime warranty, these speakers are designed to install securely and stand the test of time. The NV-2IW5-LCR is designed to work equally well in both home theater or mult i-Room audio installations.
In-Wall Speakers:
In-ceiling speakers are the way to go for the audiophile who wants great sound without having big, boxy speakers taking up floor space in the home or office. With the speakers mounted flush with the ceiling, most people won’t even notice them, and the sound will seem to come out of thin air and surround you. The surround sound quality of in-ceiling speakers can enhance any movie, too, giving you that immersive “you are there” feeling as you watch.
Size, tweeters, woofers—there are several factors to consider as you shop. You’ll also have to do some work installing in-ceiling speakers and running wires from the speakers to your stereo or home theater system, but the effort will be worth it. For a quality installation, you can pay a contractor to install them for you.
Conclusion
Overall Nuvo is a technology first brand which offers many ways to customize your set-up. The Nuvo speakers have a great range in them and combined with the power and flexibility, I’ve got to say we’ve become fan boys. If you want to know more or have questions, let us know in the discussion and I can try to help you out.
Shop for the Nuvo In-Wall speakers here.
The Sub-Woofer:
The Player Portfolio Sound Bar provides excellent sound quality through a powerful 2.1 system, complete with an eight inch wireless subwoofer. The Sound Bar can play audio from a video source like a TV or can be used within the Player Portfolio System. Order your NV-P500-NA today or contact one of our audio specialists for more information.
Highlights for the P500-NA Sub/Soundbar Combo:
Excellent sound quality
Play audio from a video source
Use as a Player zone allowing you to access to networked audio content and streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and more
Easily controlled with the included IR remote, Nuvo PoE Keypads, or with the Nuvo Player app
Ethernet or Wireless 802.11 a,b,g,n, 2.4GHz or 5GHz
Conclusion:
The subwoofer/soundbar combo market is highly competitive, but we have found that this Nuvo product has done an excellent job with making the entertainment integration smooth with out sacrificing sound quality.
Shop for the Nuvo P500-NA Sub here!
Cable:
When it comes to speaker wire thick wire (12 or 14 gauge) is recommended for long wire runs, high power applications, and low-impedance speakers(4 or 6 ohms). For relatively short runs (less than 50 feet) to 8 ohm speakers, 16 gauge wire will usually do just fine. It's cost-effective and easy to work with.
We recommend using Maxbrite 12 gauge wire. Using oxygen-free copper, this speaker wire still manages to offer great value considering the high quality. At 14AWG you get un-distorted signals and loads of clarity that other wires aren’t capable of. It is also compatible with all sorts of plus including banana plugs, bare wire connectors, spade tips, and more. This speaker wire is great for commercial use as well as at home so whatever you intend to use it for, rest assured it will be up to the job. Marked every 2 ft to make it easy to estimate what length you need of the stranded wire.
Shop for Maxbrite 12 gauge wire here!
