Of course, when something interests us we are open to grasp every bit of information which may help us better understand the topic - in this case surround sound systems.

Although it would be ideal to do everything perfectly, when you first try to hook up your home theater system there are chances that some things may go wrong. We have made a selection of the most common mistakes people do when they buy or install their home theater systems.. Some can be considered to be quite simple while the others can make your device or piece of equipment stop functioning.

So let's check what they are the most common mistakes a lot of beginners would do.

Are you paying too much for your cables?

This happens all the time. People tend to forget about interconnect cables when they are ordering their speakеrs, and then they buy the most expensive ones. And here comes the awful truth - expensive cables won't make your system sound any better. Cables of decent quality and acceptable price will do the job as long as the distance is normal. The longer the distance between devices, the chance of a problem to occur is greater. So, plan your setup carefully.

Are you using the correct speaker cables?

When you want to connect your surround sound speakers it isn't necessary to buy the most expensive cables. However, if you plan to connect your AV receiver and your surround speakers which are 15 meters away from each other, please don't expect that a 24 gauge cable to do the job.

What about the cable's HDMI features

As we have already mentioned - it is important to plan your setup in advance and cautiously. Compared to the old HDMI cables, the new ones come with a 4K support, integrated Ethernet and stuff like that. So, chances are that a a certain point in time you will have to replace your HDMI cables with most modern ones. Just make sure you can replace them easily and without too much problems. Imagine installing your cables into the wall and then realizing you have to replace them. This would be a nightmare, right? A good thing to pay attention to is to buy “High Speed” HDMI cables. Normally these cables come with al the latest features integrated. However, although it says that a certain cable supports 4K or something fancy, keep in mind that these functions won't always work at longer distances..

Are you into distance? Active HDMI cables are best for you

Active HDMI cables on the other hand give you a clean signal at much longer distances. For example for 1080p at 25 feet distance is perfectly fine for a standard "High Speed" cable. On the other hand, if you need 4K at 15 feet distance you will need an active HDMI cable. It really shouldn't be a problem to get the best quality at this distance.

Think about the heat

In case you use shelves or a rack for your equipment, it is best to put your receiver or amplifier to the top. Although it doesn't make sense for most people, these devices tend to generate heat. The heat from the amplifier or receiver goes up and will affect the device above it. So, avoid placing them at the bottom, since the heat goes up and it will affect other components which can result in specific overheating problems on the long run.

Don't forget about ventilation!

Make sure each piece of your equipment is properly ventilated. An amplifier, for example, will generate lot of heat. So if you keep it in a closed space chances are it will stop working very soon. If you have already placed your AV equipment and the ventilation is not good, adding a fan or two will solve the problem.

The Remote Control Nightmare

When you connect your home theater system you are left with five to six remote controls. It is quite a torture when you have to handle three or four at a time. If you have been in a such situation, then you might think of investing in a universal remote control. It is certainly an investment you won't regret at any moment.

Always plan an upgrade

When you start playing with surround sound we can say that you are infected. This means that you will certainly need (want) to upgrade your system soon, so it is good to plan this step in advance. In simple words buy an equipment which can be upgraded easily.

To make things easier, it is good to properly install your surround system. And when we say this, we mean that you take extra care to wire the components properly and you will be able to upgrade them with no problems. So plan ahead and you will have nothing to worry about!

Wire everything up!

Install each and every speaker you have bought. Let's say you have bought a 5.1 system. Don't let the surround speakers or the center channel speaker stay unused just because you didn't have the time to install them. Find a way to install all the speakers because this is the only way to fully enjoy your surround sound system quality.

Final Words

The surround sound system can be installed in many different ways. It isn't really important which type of setup you would choose - in-wall or on-wall, in-ceiling etc. The most important thing is to wire all the speakers and units properly and with care. Once you do this right, you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of a surround sound system. You will experience the movies you watch in a completely new way and that's definitely not something you want to miss.

As simple tip at the end - as you can see most of these mistakes can be avoided if you plan your setup carefully. So don't hurry and take your time.