Creating the ultimate home stereo system for a small apartment

If you're moving into a small apartment in the city, there are some harsh realities that you'll have to deal with when trying to build a home stereo system. For one, pumping the bass levels and blasting your neighbors every time you watch a movie won't win you any brownie points with people in your development. Worse yet, lugging a bunch of old equipment from your old abode could be extremely taxing. In a small space, you'll have to downsize, but that doesn't mean your apartment can lack functionality when you're trying to enjoy your favorite media devices.

First and foremost, you'll need an A/V receiver to connect all of your components within the system. The problem with building an entertainment center is that you will have to deal with a music system, surround sound and a cable box of some type. With an A/V receiver, you can hook up all of these devices and control them from a central remote. Additionally, many of the new products on the market will optimize your sound quality. This means that it will send out an electronic signal that will map out the parameters of your room to achieve the optimal sound from your speakers.

However, when shopping for an A/V receiver for a small apartment, one of the most important features you should look out for is a night mode. It's fine to blast your favorite tunes during the day, but when night falls and people have varying schedules, you'll be fumbling with bass knobs and tuners to find the right sound quality. Night mode is available with many of the top products on the market and will subdue your speaker's base response and optimize the sound for low-level listening. With the ability to switch the system to night mode at the touch of a button, you can instantly turn down your music if your neighbor begins to bang on your wall.

Now that you have the central nervous system of your stereo, it's time to build outwards. First you'll need some stereo speakers that are suited to your apartment's needs. Avoid large-scale components and instead opt for compact speakers that have individual bass response. You don't want to buy a large subwoofer and place it against your wall. Go for a compact system where you can hide small speakers in various areas of your living room. You can then invest in a smaller subwoofer that can sit near your couch on a wall that doesn't bridge between apartments.

The next component that you will need is a media player of some sort. Blu-Ray systems are at the cutting edge of visual technology, and many of them are backwards compatible to be able to play old-style DVDs. If you'd like an all-in-one package that offers plenty in the way of visual entertainment, consider picking up a video game console. These devices have come a long way since the side-scrolling action of Nintendo in the '80s, and many of these products can stream movies and TV shows, music, and play any of the hottest video games on the market. This will help you save space and give you one less component to deal with.

Your television should be the next big concern, and if you're living in a small apartment, a flat-screen TV mounted on your wall is an absolute must. These mounts can be found in fixed positions or can swivel, which will affect the pricing of the items. However, if you can place it on the wall instead of a TV stand, you will open up an incredible amount of space that you didn't have before. You can then use an inexpensive TV stand to hold your audio and video devices and use the top of the furniture as a centerpiece for your entire apartment. Use this area to display some treasured family photographs, a bouquet of fresh cut flowers or anything else that piques your interest.

A music player should be an easy device to access and compatible with a wide range of devices. One idea is to use an iPod and iPhone stereo dock that will allow you to play all of your favorite tunes directly through your stereo system. These products can be a bit expensive, but there are a few factors that can set them apart from wannabes. First off, look for a device that can charge your music player while it is functioning. This will ensure that you never lose your music during a social gathering, and it will provide a good place to let it charge up before work the next day. A remote is another feature that should be considered - while many of them won't let you switch directly between menus, by creating a playlist beforehand, you can cycle through all of your favorite songs at the touch of a button.

Lastly, a universal remote is an ideal option to sync all of your components to one device. This will allow you to change the channel on your TV, control your sound, bass levels and turn on the DVD player from one location. The prices for these devices vary greatly, and some resemble standard remotes while other have full-scale touch screens, so there are many features to consider when you're out shopping. In a small apartment, however, the least-expensive remote is probably the best option, and it will help you save additional cash to invest in speakers, media players and other fun devices.

Before you run out and buy a bunch of new equipment for your new abode, be sure to check out Best Buy Promotional Codes on the web. This will help you shave some extra money off of your next purchase and give you the option of having it shipped directly.