A go-to guide for buying home audio systems
When you buy a flat screen TV, you will be sold to the amazing picture quality and the extravagantly wide screen. There are only a few cases where you will get amazing sound quality from the TV speakers, this is one of the reasons home audio systems are sold along with the television. Upgrading the sound of your TV is not a difficult task at all; all you need to do is connect it to a pair of external speakers. But first, you need to know which speakers to buy and this article will help you in deciding which home audio system you should adopt according to your needs. There are many different types of home audio systems and here is what you should do to get your hands on the right speakers for you:
- Start with a sound bar
If you do not know much about speakers and are looking to get ones, but do not have a massive budget, then a sound bar is the perfect place for you to start. You can get different types of sound bars starting from a low budget and going all the way up. But, you can be satisfied with the low budget sound bars as well, as they will only enhance your music quality. The sound bar is the most convenient way to enhance the sound quality of your TV. It is also easy to set up, as it requires connecting only a single cable. There are three broad types to a sound bar: single sound bar, sound bar with wireless sub woofer, and a pedestal sound bar or sound base. - A surround-sound system
The best way for you to upgrade your sound from the TV is to set up your very own surround-system system. This is the best option for you if you do not want to stick to a sound bar, the surround-sound system gives you more of a theatre-like feel. Place the speakers all over the room, make sure you place the speakers that are plugged into the left speaker jack, on the left side for a better feel of the music. To set up your own surround-sound system you will need an AV receiver and a set of speakers that you can set up around the room. Even if AV receivers are complex devices, choosing one should not be much of an issue for you. The best option right now is the $500 Sony STR-DN1070. It has six HDMI outputs enabling you to connect more than one device. You might be tempted to purchase the $2000 receiver with fancy internal components, but they are not usually worth the money. - Spend your budget on speakers
When you are setting up a home audio system, it has many more facets than just the speakers, but the speakers are the most important ones. They are the ones that are responsible for your sound quality and the volume of the output. The woofer is equally important as the speakers, but the speakers take the edge. You might go for small speakers to maintain the aesthetics of your room, but they might not have the best sound quality. You should opt for tower speakers, they might be huge and not very beautiful but the sound quality is what makes up for their looks. If you get bluetooth connectivity for a good price, go for it, but your basic spend should be on speakers above anything else. - Choose stereo without a second thought
You might not be encouraged to adopt a home audio system as it has only a single pair of speakers, but the quality more than makes up for the quantity of the speakers. The stand system has fallen out of fashion, but it can be very pleasing and sufficing for movies and music. They do not take up a lot of space, stick with your aesthetics and always give you good quality sound.
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5 things to look for in the best contract phones
Read moreEarlier phones used to come with a contract. All major carriers like AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-mobile, and Sprint were competing with each other for giving the best phone contract deals.
There are hardly any carriers that offer contract phones these days, but if you are specifically looking for the best phone contracts, then here are some things to consider before you take one:
- Cheaper phone: When carriers offer you a contract, a smartphone that works with that carrier often comes at a discounted price. Hence, you have to pay less for the phone. When you renew your contract with the same carrier, you have the option to change your phone too.
- Hidden charges: Be wary of the hidden charges that come with the contract. Normally the plans remain unchanged during your 2-year contract tenure. So there should not be any more extra charges apart from those mentioned in the plans.
- Saves money: No doubt while looking for the best phone contracts, you save money as you get a phone with the contract at a subsidized rate. You have the same plan for 2 years and that way your budget stays the same until the last day of your contract.
- Better coverage and network: Contract phones work best if you have a good network and 4G coverage. Normally users with contract get excellent network as carriers want the users to stick with them.
- Switching over: If you are not satisfied with your current contract, you have to either wait for the contract to get over or terminate the contract. If you are terminating the contract, then you have to pay the cancellation fees. In case you are planning to switch from your current carrier, then there are other carriers like Verizon or AT &T that offer competitive plans and some credit for the switchover.
There are few takers for contract phones, as all major carriers are offering unlimited 4G data, HD streaming videos, and 8-10GB of hotspot data. Keep your options open and think before getting into a contract.
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Advantages and warnings of robot vacuum cleaners such as Roomba
Read moreFed up with cleaning the regular dust and dirt sticking to your home floors or the irritating debris that collects in your backyard? If you are thinking of allocating this time-taking job to a robot vacuum, then you are moving on to a good decision. Brands such as Romba have come out with series of automated vacuum cleaners.
A powerful robot vacuum can save your time as well as help you get rid of a tiring and stressful routine job. While a robot vacuum cleaner comes with several advantages, we also want to make you aware of some warnings that come along. Check out both the aspects before you choose the right appliance for your home.
Major advantages of a robot vacuum
- Automatic cleaning: It is a boon when someone can clean your home every day on your behalf. A robot vacuum blesses you with its automatic functioning. It has pre-programmed cleaning patterns and mapping capability. As it cleans your home daily, it enhances this capability and works more efficiently. You only need to sync it and control it through an app available exclusively for your brand, such as Roomba or any other. This way, the robot vacuum will know which areas to cover and how.
- Greener cleaning option: A robot vacuum helps you avoid purchasing expensive cleaning chemicals and wasting gallons of water daily on home cleaning using scrubbers. While it does not eliminate the need for cleaners, it saves you enough to recover its cost. Besides, it offers you a much greener cleaning option.
- Safety assurance: If you think that a robot vacuum can bite you, then it is not the case. It is a safe appliance designed to avoid humans, animals, and similar obstacles like furniture on its way. Such accidents have rare chances of occurring with an intelligent robot cleaner.
- Consistent performance: As there are no chances of human errors with a robot vacuum, the appliance delivers consistent results. It even optimizes its performance when deep cleaning is required. Moreover, it works equally well with light dust and sticky dirt in simple to complex spaces.
- Free time and no labor costs: As you can operate a robot vacuum from anywhere using an app, the appliance leaves you with free time to invest in other activities. Additionally, you need not hire labor for cleaning work.
Warnings that accompany a robot vacuum
Common robot vacuum cleaners such as those from Roomba come with various warnings and precautions. You need to pay attention to these for safe usage.- Performance variations: Do not assume every branded robot vacuum to deliver the same performance. While some leading brands like Roomba offer high-efficiency robot vacuum machines, you should not expect every cleaner to deliver the results that manual cleaning may provide.
- Appliance cost: Investing in a cheaper model will not provide the same results as a high-end appliance will. While you may be ready for a one-time investment, you may have to bear the expenses on replacement parts in case of wear-and-tear happening over time.
- Pre-cleaning needs: A robot vacuum may not recognize every usable item and may suck up things you may not want it to. Thus, picking up small items like Lego or needles is required before running your appliance.