 
by Maurice Lewis
Not too long ago, I went looking for a new apartment in New York (perhaps one of the most hellish experiences one can go through in this world). In every apartment I looked at, the broker insisted on showing me the bathroom, the kitchen, and describing the laundry facilities of the building. She was wasting her time, for these were of secondary importance to me. The first thing I did in every apartment was to examine whether or not the space lent itself well to the setting up of a home theater system. If it did not, then it didn't matter to me whether there was closet space or a new dishwasher, that apartment was ineligible. By the same token, if I could envision a good system being established in an apartment, then I was more forgiving of other shortcomings. The showcase, the centerpiece, the piece de resistance, if you will, of my apartment was going to be a home theater system.
If you are anything like me, or most guys, you feel the same way. When you first move into a new place, what's the first thing you unpack? Chances are it is your TV, your stereo, or if not that, then some other electronic equipment. When I first moved out of home and went to college, the first thing I whipped out in my new dorm room was my stereo and my CDs. It seemed so natural to me. I never was self-consciously passionate about stereos in my teens, but somehow that was the first thing I unpacked. Coincidence? I think not. My sophomore year, it was a larger CD collection. My junior year, it was a stereo and a TV as well. My senior year, it was a TV, stereo, larger CD collection, extra speakers, and a subwoofer.
Let's face it, guys love electronics. And, while some are passionate about computers, others about cell phones, I am fanatical about home theater systems. When people would ask me what I wanted out of life, I would respond, "A job I love doing, a good family life, enough money to support my family, and an incredibly phat home theater system." Yessir, to me, to have a good home theater system is to be closer to God, or at least to what my conception of heaven is (which, by the way, is a big couch, a projection screen TV, unlimited DVDs, and angels serving me pizza and beer).
How close am I to living what I always considered an ideal life? Well, I do love my job, I don't have a family, and if I did, I definitely wouldn't have enough money to support them. But do I have an incredibly phat home theater system? No, not really, but it ain't bad for now. You see, in today's world, there are a lot of affordable electronics out there. With some wise shopping and budgeting, you can build yourself a pretty nice system.
Is it really worth the trouble, you ask? Let me tell you something: the first time you pop in a DVD on your own system, hear the sound behind you on your surround-sound speakers, and feel the bass shake the ground from your subwoofer, your life will be changed forever. Your appreciation of movies, everyday TV, and music will be taken to a new level. You will go to your friends' homes and watch TV on their little sets and realize how good you have it. You can always entertain guests with confidence.
Actually, never mind all that, what am I doing trying to convince you? You should know! Every man should inherently strive for the utmost in home theater entertainment, and we're going to help you. This column will take you step-by-step through the very basics in setting up your own home theater. If this column is too basic for your, please hit the message boards, or better yet, set up a homepage in Electronics & Gadgets section showcasing your own system or ones you aspire to build. But, if you're looking to get started with your first real home theater system, this is the place to start.
First step, learn the different components of a home theater system. |
Men and Home Theater Systems
