HDTV picture’s great; now how about sound?

There sits your $2,000 HDTV. The picture is so clear that it can be like looking out the window.

And the sound? Well, if you are using the TV’s built-in sound, you are hearing all the action through speakers that literally cost about $2.95 each wholesale.

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E-mail Bill Husted

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In my view, if you are using the TV’s built-in sound you aren’t experiencing HDTV at all. The official definition of HDTV says it includes digital surround sound, roughly the kind you’d hear at the movies. Usually that means a “5.1-speaker” system (five speakers plus a subwoofer to create booming bass). I’m not an expert on audio, so I brushed up by talking to engineers and other folks at Klipsch, the speaker company.

Rock fans will remember how the high-end Klipschorn took to the stage with most every famous band. My guess is that most of you aren’t going to pop $4,000 for the home version of the Klipschorn, however. So I’ll use what I learned to talk about affordable compromises.

One of the easiest and cheapest: using an existing stereo system. Even if it’s just two speakers and no surround sound, it will make a world of difference. When I first got my HDTV years ago, I used a cheap Radio Shack amplifier and speakers I owned. A home theater expert might have sneered, but the sound was way better than the TV alone.

There’s another way to go — but one I would avoid. Most consumer electronics stores have home theater audio systems for $200 or less. I’ve seen some that include all the speakers, an amplifier for 5:1 sound, and subwoofer. These systems are junk. Leave them on the shelf.

Here’s a better way to spend your money: Create a great sound system a little at a time. Start with a decent amplifier made for home theater. We’ll start with a $350 budget for that amplifier. It needs connections for two side speakers, a center speaker, a subwoofer and two rear speakers. Read amp reviews here: http://tinyurl.com/d4ujtd.

Start with two speakers and, when you can afford it, add a subwoofer and a center speaker. If your computer audio system has a decent subwoofer, consider re-tasking it. You’ll probably get more enjoyment by adding it to your TV’s system.

A center speaker is a big deal. Even if you just use the two front speakers and a center speaker, you’ll come much closer to realistic sound. While watching a movie the audio will seem to come from the person talking and the side speakers will add to what sound guys call the ambient sound — the little sounds like wind blowing, or a train in the distance. Here are some reviews of various speaker systems: http://tinyurl.com/dztwe2.

Wireless speakers are tempting. But the cheap ones just aren’t any good. There are some fine wireless speakers, but they are budget-busters for most of us.

Speaking of wires, you’ll do fine with the standard 14- or 16-gauge kind found at most mainstream retailers. Just keep the run short and avoid coiling the wire, which can hurt sound quality. Here’s a Web page that offers great advice on speaker wire: http://tinyurl.com/aeq2j5.

The price for all of this can easily be $800 to $1,200. Ease the pain by building it one part at a time. Or just plug into the old stereo and spend nothing.

However you do it, adding a good sound system to an HDTV can be almost as dramatic as the change in picture quality. And audio technology advances more slowly than video. So a good system will likely serve you nicely for a decade or more.