Whether it is after a long days work or just when having a good time with your family on weekends, listening to some cool music can be refreshing. It can make you forget all your fatigues while on the job, and give you a reason to wake up the next day with stronger desire to work again. And where is this music coming from?

The type of home theater you have in your house will determine the quality of music you will lose your ears to. I bet clarity of vocals, the strength of speakers and the surround sound effect would be your significant concerns here, wouldn’t they? That’s why examining the differences between a 2.1 and 5.1 home theater would help you make the right choice for your home theater.

2.1 Stereo System

This stereo system provides a subwoofer and two bookshelf speakers. A general bookshelf speaker comes with a tweeter and a mid-bass. For the modulation of mid-range frequencies, the mid-bass is used, while for high range frequencies in your audio, the tweeter comes in handy.

The two bookshelf speakers are to be placed on the right and left the side of the home entertainment center or the television set. Other than providing adequate sound, they facilitate some perspective with right/left audio sounds. An example is a car driving from right to left in a movie.

The Channel Virtual Surround systems of a 2.1 stereo system have decoders which create the surround sounds illusory effects with the two speakers.

By requiring only two audio tracks from recordings, this reduces strain and size on the front speakers. It may also make up for the poor acoustics within a room, resulting in a mid-upper base which is punchy with little or no production of the desired rumble.

5.1 Stereo System

With its complex build, 5.1 stereo system will hand you a great feeling of surround sound. It comes with a center channel speaker and four bookshelf speakers.

For the best effect, place the center channel speaker in front of your television set. On the right and left, put two front speakers. Finally, on your left and right, place two rear speakers.

Your audio signal will determine how best you can utilize your 5.1 stereo system. When component cables are in use (white and red) you’ll have a right front output and a left front output. The center channel with is the merger of both.

With a package of 5.1 and a decent receiver, the system will detect the sounds to be played in the background, (musical beats, explosions, among others) while talking will be played in front.

What are Our Final Thoughts?

With the existence of various models of home theaters in the market, landing on a stereo system that serves your purpose best would be a great achievement. With some lead knowledge about 2.1 and 5.1 home theaters, these can be good choices for your consideration.

In our personal point of view, we prefer a 5.1 over a 2.1 stereo system, but this will obviously require a higher budget. For more information, Find Out Some of Best Home Theaters Review.