Can you mix and match home theater speakers? You think it may be worth it to mix and match the speakers but this professional advice will help you make the best decision.
Generally, you can mix and match home theater speakers. However, speakers placed in the same location should not be of mixed brands. For example, the rear or the front speakers can be identical, so no mix-matching rear speakers or the front speakers.
We would not rule out that using the same brand and line of home theater speakers enhances consistency in range and tone.
Is it good to mix and match speakers?
It is not entirely good to mix and match home theater speakers. A certification such as THX focuses on the notion of a manufacturer’s ability to mix and match components with another manufacturer.
The THX certification process creates a standard for all electrical and output parameters such that speakers of different brands certified by THX can work together.
Your surround speakers can be in-ceiling speakers, and the front speakers can be your box speakers. But it is advisable to keep the group of speakers similar.
In this case, the surround left, right, and back should be identical, and the front speakers should be from the same manufacturers designed to work alike.
Mixing and matching surround speakers
It is a rule of thumb not to recommend the mix and matching of different speaker brands in the surround system.
Experts even believe that mixing different surround lines of the same brand can become a problem. Thus, you should try to remain within an identical brand and series for your home theater speakers.
During your setup, the rear speakers should match as well as the rear. However, you do not have to match the rear and front.
Mixing and matching the subwoofers
Subwoofers are considered the final piece of the jigsaw in your home theater speaker system. This is because they complement your setup.
Meanwhile, Interdyn Brands, an Australian and New Zealand distributor, dismisses using a subwoofer match for a speaker as “a common fallacy“. The point is that the best subwoofers do not have to be the ones made by the same manufacturer.
In reality, speakers feature unique voicing characteristics, so you expect each of the models to deliver a distinct sound.
Subwoofers operate in various ranges from other home theater speakers in your room, so there is no need to match them.
You do have to overlap a bit between the bottom of the range of the front speakers and the top of the range of the subwoofers.
This produces smooth transitions as the subwoofers handle the bass frequencies. This does not depend on the speaker brands, and you should be able to make adjustments through your AV receiver.
Consider these before you mix and match the home theater speakers
Speakers do not have to match, at least when in different locations. Surround sound enthusiasts believe that you do not need to have the same brand of speakers to set up your home theater system.
Thus, you can use different speakers in the channel array. Besides, it is sound quality that matters. If the mix-match setup sounds good to your ears, then you should be okay with it.
If you do not want to confront the ins and outs of mixing different brands and speaker capabilities, then stick to an identical home theater setup.
Opening up yourself to mixing and combining speakers means you get to also know the abilities of the speakers. Your knowledge of the speakers helps to determine if they can work together, have similar dynamic ranges or sensitivity ratings.
Lastly, know what types of speakers to mix and match. Surround sounds and subwoofers can be mixed and matched without sound distortion but not the center channels.
How do you mix and match home theater speakers?
For this section, we focus on the setup looking at the center channel, surround sound, and subwoofers.
Center channel
It is not exactly advisable to purchase the center channel speaker from different brands for some reasons.
First, the soundstage has sounds hovering around it and also travels from left to right with on-screen actions.
Also, tonality changes can drop or raise sound image instead of moving across the soundstage evenly from left to right.
When you match mains (left and right speakers) and your center channel, you should get a solid home theater experience. The soundstage becomes smoother and there is no sound colorization as it travels between the two mains.
Surround sound
Surround sound speakers are designed to diffuse. In this case, it is not a bad idea to choose dipole or bipole speakers from a different manufacturer, the surround sense that envelopes the room is not distorted.
In a 5.1 or 7.1 system, surround sound speakers are not built to have matching timbres or be heard the same way as the front speakers.
Surround sounds typically surround the room and create less pinpoint accuracy than they create an environmental sound effect. So, you can mix and match the surrounds for the perfect sound you want to listen to.
Meanwhile, the difference between 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound is that a 5.1 system comprises 6 loudspeakers while a 7.1 system comprises 8.
7.1 has 2 additional loudspeakers employed behind the listening position, and sometimes called surround rear speakers or surround back speakers.
Subwoofer
There is a common claim, perhaps a myth, that the same company manufacturing the best surround speakers or main speakers may not be the best for subwoofers. You really have to invest in a higher-priced model to get what you want to listen to.
This suggests you can use one speaker brand for your room to achieve the surround sound you need but a different company for the best subwoofer to give your room the necessary deep and tactile bass.
Home theater mix and match speakers
For this section, you are introduced to the home theater speakers you need to have the mix and match:
Bobtot home theater system surround sound speaker
The Bobtot home theater system surround sound speakers offer the mix and match solutions you need for your home theater setup. Below are complementing features to give your room an engulfing surround experience:
Surround stereo sound
This home theater surround sound speaker features 2 modes of 5.1/2.1 channels. You can switch between the modes with its remote control.
Performance
At 1000 watts peak power, this Bobtot home theater system brings the sound the way the cinemas would to your room. It is fully optimized to render premium sound for gaming, movies, and music.
Wireless technology
A typical modern speaker supports Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connections, helping you get rid of the cables, and using any smart device to listen to the sound.
Material
Premium materials are invested in the speakers to bring luxurious sound to life. Speaking of luxurious touch, this speaker uses a digital display and LED lighting effect for beauty and convenient operations.
Occasion
Invite these speakers to handle the sound from your home DVD, gaming console, computer, and more. It makes gaming, movie, and music fun to listen to due to its engulfing sound delivery. see on Amazon
Goldwood acoustic audio AA5172 700W Bluetooth home theater
Goldwood is stepping up with the home theater you need to mix and match. Its selling point is the wireless Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity that lets you play the speakers from your phone or any smart device.
Other features packed in the Goldwood acoustic audio AA5172 include:
Performance
It features an integrated power amp with “700 watts system power”. Moreover, its pro surround function easily and automatically converts stereo to 5.1 sound.
Audio outputs
Works with any RCA stereo or RCA 6, or standard 3. 5mm headphones. This speaker also works for your TV, computer, gaming console, or any smart device.
Plug and play connections
Supported connections include the standard RCA inputs, 6 independent RCA inputs, stereo, and RCA aux inputs.
This speaker also features an illuminated display with controls on the front panel.
Quality
Excellent build quality with the consumer in mind. For its price, premium materials are used to enhance sound delivery, as well as keep the home theater speaker running excellently irrespective of the room temperature.
In the box
In the box, Goldwood packs a subwoofer speaker, 3.5mm to RCA cable, remote control, 5 passive wired satellite speakers, RCA antenna Cable, RCA to RCA jack cable, and an instruction manual. see on Amazon
Sony SSCS3 3-Way Floor-Standing Speaker
Sony is a top name in the industry, known for quality and consumer-friendly operations. Apart from being the speaker you can mix and match with other brands, the Sony SSCS3 also offers the following:
Frequency radio
The Sony SSCS3 is built with frequency audio featuring a 3-way coaxial, four-driver speaker system. The essence is to amplify your gaming, movie, and music experience.
Audio
This floor-standing speaker uses Hi-Res Audio, a perfect and satisfying way to listen to music, even if you mix and match with another high-quality brand of speaker.
Setup
With Sony SSCS3, you can seamlessly build a performing 5.1.2 home theater setup suitable for Dolby Atmos.
This home theater system brings you the needed 2 tower speakers, 2 bookshelf speakers, the subwoofer, 1 center channel speaker, and 2 Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers.
You can mix and match this setup with other brands, but pay attention to quality.
Sound quality
High-frequency sounds are reproduced by the super tweeter and a 1″ tweeter that expands the soundstage. You also get dual woofers for premium deep and stable bass with detailed mid-range sounds.
Regarding the crossover componentry, this has been thoroughly optimized to deliver a clearer and crispier sound. see on Amazon
What to look for when buying home theater speakers
Surround sound
An average excellent home theater uses a 5.1 surround sound system, some even go as high as 7.1 or 9.1. Some are lower but the figure you stick to depends on your budget.
The pricing is also determined by the speaker quality, so you need what works the best for you. Meanwhile, a 5.1 surround sound is enough.
Equalizer
You need to be able to use equalizers to fine-tune the sound to meet your demands. You could always buy an external equalizer but stick with a home theater system with a built-in equalizer.
Control
Perhaps, remote control to make handling your speaker system convenient. A wireless speaker system should allow you to adjust volume levels and sound without moving an inch.
Bass
The subwoofers need to have optimized sound delivery for crispier bass. Find out what the manufacturer adds to their subwoofer that makes it the real deal.
Inputs
Get a home theater speaker system with multiple components that let you connect your TV, gaming console, music player, and more. This means more ports to connect multiple ways to listen to the sound.
Certification
Ensure to invest in speakers that meet strict performance standards to achieve such as THX certification.
Should you go ahead to mix and match the speakers? Verdict!
The rule of thumb is to not mix and match different brands of speakers, or even different lines within the same brand. There is a potential for sound problems you will not welcome.
The same speaker setup typically produces consistent timbre (sonic signature) between the speakers, making a matched system a good idea.
Even if you have to mix and match, make sure the front speakers are identical. If you believe that the product manufacturer does not make good enough front speakers, then you need a different brand for the fronts but specs similar to the existing system.
The verdict, therefore, is to remain within the same brand and line of speakers, especially when it comes to the speaker type.
Final thoughts on Can you Mix and Match Home Theater Speakers?
Perhaps, we could say that mixing and matching the speakers depends on what you love to listen to. If you do not intend to test out or create a new experience, stick with identical speakers.
Suppose you have existing speakers from a different brand, such as center channel and surrounds, but need a subwoofer. You could always have the manufacturer give you subwoofers with matching specs.