Buying a surround sound system or home theater on a budget doesn't have to be mission impossible. In fact, it is quite easy to work with almost any budget when purchasing these systems in today's marketplace. The thing you have to remember is that you do most often get what you pay for and the higher quality systems are going to cost more money. It is often difficult once you've experienced the difference in sound quality of the higher end surround sound systems to make the decision to purchase one that fits within lower budget requirements but you can get sound quality for a lower price and stay on budget if you shop very carefully.

The first thing you need to do is set priorities. If you are looking for a surround system, then focus on that rather than flitting back and forth between home theaters and surround sound systems. You will do much better economically and quality wise to go with a surround sound system rather than a home theater in a box sort of kit in the same price range and the only major difference is that a home theater kit in a box often comes with a DVD player. The sacrifice usually lies in the speaker when you purchase a kit such as this for your home. You can not only save money by purchasing the surround sound system as a stand alone system you can get better quality in both the sound system and the DVD/DVR if you purchase them separately rather than together.

You can find speakers and components for surround systems in all kinds of price ranges. You want to make sure that if you are purchasing a box set for your surround sound system that it has all the parts and components you will need in order to get theater quality sound. These sets and systems can be found at amazing prices in large retail chains around the country. If you are willing to wait for sales you can even get better prices on them.

Set a budget before you begin shopping however and do not allow yourself to be talked into something that is outside your budget. There will always be temptations to spend more when it comes to electronics. That bigger screen, the larger subwoofer, the better amplifier - there's always one more temptation to get your dollars. The thing you must be prepared for is not only to try to get the best quality and greatest functionality for the least amount of money but also to stay within a certain budget limit in order to accomplish your goal. If you overspend now, it will result in delays for upgrades or additions later on.

Another thing you can do in order to stay within budget is to purchase a 5.1 surround sound system with 6 speakers (5 plus the subwoofer) that can expand to a 7.1 speakers with the addition of speakers over time. This allows you to expand and improve your system in time but gives you a good starting point, provided that you have good quality speakers. There really isn't enough that can be said about the budget friendliness of a system that can be upgraded and expanded over time. If you get a nice base system it is possible that you will be able to change the speakers over time as your budget becomes more flexible and electronics friendly (you will need to check and make sure as to matters of compatibility however).

Despite the high price of many surround sound and home theater systems, it is quite possible to own a system of your very own and greatly enhance your home television viewing and sound experience greatly without going to debtor's prison on the process. Take the time to compare prices, learn what you absolutely need and what you can live without, and start small, then build up to a better system rather than going into the buying process with an all or nothing attitude. You just might find that you have a far superior system over time with half the investment others have made in theirs.