Electronic Ratings

Let’s be honest: My first real brush with surround sound involved ducking under my buddy’s couch during the helicopter scene in a certain dino-filled blockbuster. Fast forward to today—now there’s Dolby Atmos, and apparently, your TV, soundbar, and even your music playlists are obsessed with it. But what the heck is Dolby Atmos, and why does every box at Costco suddenly think you need it? Stick around as we pull back the curtain (and maybe pop some popcorn) to see what makes this tech tick. Surround Sound Has Come a Long Way (and Yes, It Started with Helicopters) Think back to the first time you heard surround sound in a movie theater. Maybe it was during a heart-pounding helicopter scene—blades whirring from behind, swooping overhead, making you duck in your seat. That’s classic surround sound magic. But here’s the thing: for decades, surround sound was built o...

You buy the shiniest 8K projector, splurge on Dolby Atmos speakers, and fantasize about opening night in your living room—only to be underwhelmed by flat sound and stretched visuals. Sound familiar? My very first home theater left me scratching my head: Why did my supposedly ‘immersive’ setup sound more like an old drive-in? (Spoiler: My speakers pointed at the ceiling and the screen barely fit the wall.) Years—and a few embarrassing mishaps—later, I’ve learned most folks trip over the same sneaky issues. Let’s dive into real, fixable mistakes you might be making, plus some tricks I wish I knew from the get-go. Speaker Placement Snafus: Learning the Hard Way Speaker Placement Errors are the #1 reason home theaters sound underwhelming—no matter how much you spend on gear. If you’ve ever wondered why dialogue sounds muffled or action scenes lack punch, chances are...