Sometimes the answer to better video and sound lies in cable. No, not cable TV, just the cable. Those wires that come with your TV, receiver, VCR and such are, shall we say, on the frugal side. They can "leak" signals like cheap pipe. If you have an eye and ear for such things, invest in a set of heavy-duty gold-plated cables such as Esoteric 500. These cables, which run about $32 for a pair of 6-footers, keep the communication between devices strong and clean.
- Subwoofer provides BIG bass: You've got the right receiver, a huge TV and speakers in every corner. So how come your home theater doesn't seem quite right? You're probably missing the deep thundering bass that can shake the pictures off the wall and get the neighborhood dogs woofing. That's it. A subwoofer. Try the Cerwin-Vega HT12 with a powered 12-inch subwoofer. It has its own volume control, making it easy to adjust from mild tremor to major quake. Price is around $600.- Circuitry enhances sound: Higher wattage doesn't necessarily translate into better sound. You don't need 100 watts when, as in the Denon AVR-1000, 75 watts will do just fine. The Dolby Prologic receiver has digital sound processing to emulate sounds found in different environments, from a jazz club to a recording studio. The Denon features discrete circuitry, a highly technical setup not worth detailing. Suffice to say it produces crisper sounds. Expect to pay about $680.