Question: Multibrand matching--can I use my old speakers and new ones together in a surround system?

Mixing a different brand of surround speaker or subwoofer with your stereo speakers might be a risky proposition. Center speakers are the trickiest; mismatching the left-center-right speakers may result in jarring timbre shifts when the sound is panned across the front three speakers. Matching surround speakers is less critical, but in any case, try to arrange a home audition.

Question: Unibrand matching--do all JBL speakers go together? Can I match big towers and small surrounds?

Chances are same-brand speakers of a given vintage will sonically match, but when in doubt, check with the company's customer service people. And sure, you can match large and small speakers in one system.

Question: What's the lowdown on subwoofer matching?

Matching subwoofer to satellites is in some ways the easiest chore. The safest bet is to stick with the same brand. One rule of thumb is to mate small sats with small subs; if the sats have 4-inch or smaller woofers, better stick with a fairly small sub with an 8-inch woofer. Larger sats will do their best with larger subs that have 10- or 12-inch woofers.

If you're going to listen to more music than watching DVDs, focus your speaker budget on the best left-/right-front speakers you can afford: 30 to 40 percent of the whole enchilada upfront. When the balance shifts over to more DVDs than music, distribute the budget equally over the 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 speakers. Monetary issues aside, you should also narrow down your choices here based on space availability. Large floorstander should be avoided in tight quarters, particularly those rear-ported models. You may be better off with a compact bookshelf equivalent in this case, though additional funds have to be allocated for a well-dampened speaker stand.

Dynaudio Focus 220

First, matching the treble/midrange/bass balance of the center channel to the front speakers is key, and it's usually recommended to opt for offerings from the same brand and series. For users setting up a 6.1 home theater system, another viable alternative is to invest in a pair of bookshelf speakers. One of each can be deployed for the front and surround center, respectively. Secondly, if the left/right speakers are fairly large, try to get the largest possible center speaker. Try not to rely too much on the subwoofer to provide the bass for the center speaker. Small center speakers always sound, well, small.

Mission M6ci

There are two types of surround designs:

1. Monopole
The conventional surround speaker looks like a standard satellite speaker. These monopole speakers aim the sound straight ahead. Most HTIBs and entry-level speaker packages use this type of surround speaker. They will also work well in higher-end systems and SACD/DVD-Audio-oriented music-surround systems.

2. Dipole/bipole

Speakers with this type of design push sound out to the sides. Their distinctive V-shaped front panels make them easy to identify. These speakers create more diffused surround sound than the monopoles. They're best suited to DVD movies and less desirable for multichannel music. The dipoles are wired "out-of-phase", which give a non-localizable soundfield that is ideal for ambient effects. The opposite applies for the bipoles, characterized by a wide distinctly localizable soundfield.

Energy C-R100

Some subwoofers are better suited to providing home theater oomph than musical bass. Home theater bombast can be more of a quantity-over-quality issue, but some very "musical" subs lack the gravitas necessary for maximum home theater impact. Of course, models that excel on both tend to be the most expensive. Some of the higher-end models are equipped with overload protection circuit designed to protect the woofer driver and companion electronics. They are highly recommended if you have the tendency to watch your movies loud or are an avid fan of explosive action-packed Hollywood blockbusters.

SVS PB12-Plus

Before you buy any speaker wire, place the speakers and the receiver in the positions where they're likely to wind up, then carefully measure the distances. Remember to measure up and over door frames or windows. Just to be on the safe side, add at least one extra meter to each cable run; coming up short is no fun, and most stores won't allow you to return cut-to-length cables.

In most cases, standard zip cord, available in any hardware store, will do nicely. If you need to run long (more than 20ft) lengths between the receiver and the speakers, try to get at least 16-gauge wire (the lower the number, the thicker the wire). Specialty brands of speaker wire are more expensive but may deliver slightly better sound quality.