So you've already shelled out big bucks for that flat panel TV, but what about sound? Stereo sound enhances television and movies by immersing you in the on-screen action, surrounding you in atmospheric music and sound effects. Get the most out of your plasma or LCD flat screen purchase by investing in a quality sound system.

Basic Speaker Setup

Not every home theater needs an expensive, state-of-the-art surround sound system. Depending on your room size and budget, you may find that a simple two-speaker setup is all you need to enhance your TV-watching experience with stereophonic sound. A two-speaker setup is best positioned in front of the listener, preferably with one speaker placed on each side of the TV. Different audio channels produce different types of sound, which vary by manufacturer. Testing a pair of speaker's sound quality in store before buying is recommended.

Home Theater Surround Sound Setup

For a truly immersive TV-watching experience, go the extra mile and invest in a multiple speaker setup to create a home theater with surround sound. A basic home theater setup (4.0) requires four speakers to create surround sound, but adding a subwoofer will provide those rich, deep, low bass sounds that round out the overall effect.

Below is a quick breakdown of surround sound speaker setups:

- 4.0 Setup: 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right)

- 4.1 Setup: 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer

- 5.1 Setup: 1 Center Channel + 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer

- 6.1 Setup: 1 Center Channel + 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer + 1 Rear Surround

- 7.1 Setup: 1 Center Channel + 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer + 2 Rear Surrounds

Speaker Layout and Positioning

Not many people know that different speaker layouts are recommended for viewing versus listening. For general TV and movie viewing, place the front channel speakers at the edges of your flat panel TV, pointing toward the seating or viewing area. The center channel speaker should be positioned either above or below the flat panel TV. Rear channel speakers should be positioned either high up on left and ride side walls, or set just behind the viewing area in a dipole setup. For music listening, all speakers should be placed in a manner that surrounds the listening area in a circle with all components equidistant from the center.

If your TV viewing or music listening area seems too small to fill with so many speakers, consider purchasing specialty speaker stands and mounts to save on space. Some types of speaker mounts enable you to install speakers into your walls and ceilings, freeing up much-needed floor space and surface area. Smaller speakers can also be placed on tabletops and bookshelves. Many pieces of home entertainment furniture have special built-in shelves or cabinets for holding speakers. Large speakers can be mounted or, depending on personal taste, left freestanding on the floor.

Speakers can usually be purchased in complete sets. Many stores sell surround sound systems that consist of a group of speakers, a subwoofer, plus an audio receiver component. It is almost always more cost-effective to purchase speakers in sets like these, and you'll find they're easier to set up as well. Now that you're familiar with the basics of stereo speaker sound, you're on your way to creating a great sound setup to compliment your new flat panel TV!