Adding an amp to your system can be a great way to get music from non-streaming sources into your wireless speakers, and also to get streaming music out to non-wireless speakers. But in the amp game, it's hard to know what features you need and how two units like the Sonos Amp and the Yamaha […]

Smartphones have become all-in-one entertainment center for video, audio, and more. While our smartphones can do seemingly anything like controlling our TVs (our tutorial), for example, the audio sometimes just doesn’t cut it. If you’ve been wondering how to connect your smartphone to your home theater system, there are several simple ways to achieve this. […]

Sure the Yamaha WXA-50 and WXC-50 are both in Yamaha’s MusicCast line and they send sound to speakers. But that’s about as far as their similarities go. Try to substitute one for the other, and you could blow out your speakers or simply get no sound from them. Knowing the difference is important if you […]

If you already have a Sonos home audio system, or even if you’re just starting to consider dipping your toe in, the Sonos Connect Amp is a tool you’ll want to consider. For larger homes, it can help you manage sound “zones” in an easy and streamlined way. And if you don’t have any Sonos […]

If you want to connect your TV to a receiver, an HDMI cable is usually the way to go. If you happen to not have an HDMI jack on your TV, your receiver, or both, you may be searching for alternative ways to hook up the two devices. Luckily, there are other options than HDMI. […]

If you're pursuing an entirely wireless home theater (our guide), you'll probably consider adding Bluetooth to your receiver at some point. There are a lot of different Bluetooth receivers on the market. Not all of them are intended for home theater sound, so you need to know what you are looking for before you hit […]

Receiver's can be complicated devices, and it's easy to lose track of what specs and ports you need. One feature some receivers have--a Pre-Out--can be especially confusing. If you’re looking into buying an A/V receiver, you may be wondering what a pre-out is and how to use it. A pre-out allows you to connect an […]

A soundbar is a great way to minimize the footprint of your home theater system. They are a sleek sound solution that greatly reduces the number of cables you need. If you're switching from a speaker system to a soundbar, you might be wondering if your soundbar needs an amplifier or receiver like surround speakers […]

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is an exciting new technology that makes your viewing experience come to life. HDR gives you a wider range of white and black, allowing for lifelike reflections, sun glares, and shadows. HDR comes in two main varieties: HDR10 which is open source and Dolby Vision which is proprietary. Which kind of […]

There are a lot of numbers, components, and various specs that go into creating the perfect home theater system. If you're looking to build or upgrade the sound component of your setup, confusion around speaker and amplifier power ratings can be confusing. And a quick search turns up competing for information on multiple forums. I […]