With Home Theater Sales On The Rise, Consumers Seek Guidance On How To Select Speaker Systems
cambridgesoundworks.com Offers Essential Speaker Buying Tips

NEWTON, MA — - The Consumer Electronics Associations projects that over 35 million households will own home theater systems by 2003 - an increase of 40 percent from 2000. Home theater is defined as the combination of a video source, including a TV and VCR or DVD player, and surround sound. According to Tom Hannaher, vice president of merchandise of cambridgesoundworks.com, the Internet-arm of speaker manufacturer and retailer, Cambridge SoundWorks, selecting loudspeakers, the cornerstone of home theater systems is considered one of the most difficult decisions consumers face when buying home theater.

"The average consumer knows the basics about speakers, however, they have difficulty in narrowing down what they need and how much they should spend," notes Hannaher. He responds to some common questions.

What types of speakers are available?
Manufacturers offer speakers to fit a variety of needs and budgets. Main speakers are the main left and right stereo speakers in a sound system. Main speakers come in two sizes: floor-standing models (generally over two feet in height) for medium to large rooms and bookshelf models (under two feet) for smaller rooms. A third category is "subwoofer/satellite" speakers. These use small "satellite speakers" for mid and high frequencies and a subwoofer dedicated to nothing but bass frequencies.

How do you create surround sound?
Surround sound systems, which can be used for music as well as home theater, include a center channel speaker and two surround speakers in addition to the main or "front" speakers. A surround sound system can be built by simply adding surround speakers to an existing main speaker setup. Or complete, pre-packaged home theater speaker systems can be purchased.

How much should consumers spend on speakers?
The key to smart spending is determining actual needs. Good floor-standing speakers generally start at about $400 a pair, bookshelf models at $150, and subwoofers at $150. Subwoofer/satellite systems start at about $250, while home theater speaker systems range from as little as $350 and up. The opinion among experts is that at least 50 percent of the home theater budget should be spent on speakers.

Aren't high-end, furniture-grade speakers too expensive for the average consumer?
Traditionally, these speakers have cost anywhere from $5,000 and beyond. Cambridge SoundWorks has just introduced its Newton Series? loudspeaker line to address this issue. The Newton Series combines the elegant, furniture grade-style and high-quality acoustic performance usually associated with expensive, exotic models, however are priced at a fraction of the cost. In fact, consumers can purchase a top-of-the-line home theater package, like the Cambridge SoundWorks Newton Theater MC300 Home Theater System for as little as $2,000.

For more information on audio/video products, visit www.cambridgesoundworks.com or call 1-800-FOR-HIFI .

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ditor's Note: Interviews with cambridgesoundworks.com's audio/video experts available upon request.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Maria Cataldo Cambridge SoundWorks 978-623-4400 x272 mcataldo@cambridgesoundworks.com