The old adage of “you pay for what you get” couldn’t be truer than it is in the home theater market today. With prices being slashed dramatically on large/big screen TVs the lure of getting the biggest screen at the smallest price is tempting, but you may regret it over time, as the reliability of the cheapest TVs may be questionable.

Let’s not forget the audio side of things as well. Receivers do more today than ever at outstanding prices, while speakers have actually increased in price.

TVs
Flat screens are all the rage and the prices keep getting lower and lower. On the cheaper side of things you can get a 42-inch Plasma for a mere $1399. The only problem is with prices that low you are usually getting an odd brand, and the quality of the video may be compromised in a TV cost cut so low.

The general pricing for a name brand Plasma is $1899 - $2500. In that price range you get a name brand that has improved their quality/features over multiple generations of products.  Flat screen LCD panels come in a little pricier than their Plasma counterparts, but the price structure is generally close.

Big screen rear-projection TVs based on DLP or LCD projection technology offer a much larger screen than flat screen models at the same price. Again be wary of the cheapest TVs, as reliability can be a concern. DLP TVs at any price may be prone to issues due to the spinning color wheel. (Any component containing an item that spins thousands of revolutions per minute is bound to have issues.)

Receivers
These “brain boxes” of home theater keep on doing more and more with multiple surround formats, HD video connections/switching, and amplification. Even as surround sound and HD switching circuitry becomes more commonplace in mid-grade receivers, you still pay more for better amplification and higher sound quality.

While a cheaper receiver can do all the connections you need or want, you may want to consider still putting more money into the receiver to achieve better sound quality. High quality amplification can make most any decent speaker shine, while a bad amps can make all speakers sound merely decent. Most consumers may think it’s their speakers that need replacing to achieve better sound, but amplification can be the weakest link in creating great sound.

Start with the source and work you way out to the speakers. Great sounding amplifiers can save you money on an unnecessary speaker purchases.

Speakers
Speakers simply cost more money as each year progresses. Why? Unlike TVs, Receivers, and DVD players where standardization of core components has driven the cost of production way down, speaker makers still produce their own drivers and components to produce a specific sound. The good thing is that since competition is so high, the build quality and sound quality consistently improve as well.

As improvements are made to the top of the line models, the technologies trickle down to manufacturers’ lower-end products. So while you’re paying more, you’re also getting more bang-for-your-buck.

The sweet spot for getting great quality audio from speakers resides in the $800-$2000 a pair range. There are great sounding speakers for less and you certainly should NOT shop for speakers based on price alone as some brands have inflated prices that don’t match the level of sound quality provided. If you do an honest evaluation of speakers you may find some great sound speakers for cheaper or find more expensive speaker worth the cost of better sound.

With cheaper speakers you may want to focus on their power capabilities, as larger rooms demand more power to fill the room with sound. Such high power requirements may break or distort less capable speakers.

Research
With any purchase it’s a good idea to check out consumer reviews at web sites like www.audioreview.com, www.cnet.com, or even store web sites like Circuit City to see if there’s any issue with a particular model or brand you’re considering. With careful evaluation you'll hopefully end up with a reliable home theater product of your dreams.

Happy Hunting!