Home theater systems can be set up using multiple channels or speakers, depending on what your receiver supports. Complex home theater systems have multiple channels and can be a bit tricky to set up, but they have their own advantages.
Soundbar Numbers Explained: 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 7.1, etc. Solving the Mystery of Soundbar Numbers
To help you determine exactly how many channels you need for your home theater system, here's a breakdown of each channel speaker system.
Your basic stereo system (a 2.0 system) has two channels of sound, left and right, produced by two speakers. A 2.1 channel system adds a subwoofer to the mix for added warmth and bass, often a necessity for a music lover who prefers speakers over headphones. Any speaker system ending in a ".1" includes a subwoofer, since it's not considered a speaker, but it's still an important part of the speaker system.
A 2.0 or 2.1 channel speaker system is by far the most cost-effective setup and is best suited to smaller rooms or a room where you don't want it too loud, a common side effect of running sound to multiple speakers.
