How To Surround-Sound a Small Apartment

1. Buy a single system. According to Keith Claytor of Klipsch Audio Technologies, mismatching means, "if a plane flies by on your TV, it'll go from sounding like a fighter jet to a Cessna."
2. Place them properly. Try to make a triangle between where you're sitting and the left and right speakers. The center channel should be as close to the TV as possible.
3. Decorate. Adding a carpet or curtains absorbs some sound, so you don't get as many reverberations. Think of it like talking in an empty room-furniture will soften the echo."
4. Don't overdo it. A 6.1 or 7.1 system steers the sound to specific locations in a room. Or you can get a good 5.1 system with bookshelf speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer.