If you invest in a good home theater system, you can no longer just take it out of the box, set it up and begin enjoying music or movies. You need to calibrate it, tweak the settings and prime it for the most optimal listening experience. One of the key ways to do this is to calibrate the speakers.

First, make sure your speakers are connected to your receiver and set-up properly. If your new system did not come with a calibration CD, you can usually purchase one to use. This is the easiest way to calibrate speakers as it walks you through the entire process via sound cues.

If you do not want to purchase a calibration CD, you can utilize a sound meter to do the calibration. Set the receiver's sound level to C Waiting. Then, position the sound meter in the center of the room where you would normally sit while listening to music or watching television. Make sure you stand between the speakers and the meter, but do not block the meter from facing the speaker you are working with.

Put on a movie at a normal sound level and then position the meter facing one speaker at a time. You will be able to determine which speaker you are testing from the meter, such as rear, center or side. You can then use the meter to test its tone, adjusting the knob on it until it is at a zero position. Do this for each and every speaker, including the center channel. By tinkering with the settings between the receiver, the speakers and the meter, you will find the right balance for the perfect speaker configuration.

If you are unconvinced that calibrating speakers makes any difference, head into a local retail store and watch a calibration in process. This will show you the differences between an uncalibrated system, a calibrated one and why you need to take home theater maintenance seriously. Only by taking full advantage of what your home theater system has to offer can you truly enjoy your new purchase.