Speaker type Speakers produce sound by moving air, and larger speakers move more air. If companies such as B&W, Paradigm, and Thiel could deliver flagship performance in a model the size of a tennis ball, they would, because they would sell millions. Usually tower speakers deliver the best performance, followed by bookshelf-style monitors, which typically sound better than similarly priced in-wall models. But you can get spectacular-sounding in-wall speakers - it's just going to cost more. If you're going with in-walls, look for models that have integrated acoustic enclosures (some manufacturers offer these separately), since they greatly improve the sound, especially bass response.

Add bass Just as a subwoofer adds depth and impact to your surround system, it will do wonders for a distributed-audio system, especially if you're opting for in-wall or monitor speakers. Even adding a small, relatively inexpensive sub will make a big difference. Many models have speaker-level inputs for routing bass through the sub on the way to your speakers, making them easy to incorporate into a distributed-audio system.

Wiring I won't debate the merits of one cable type over another, or whether $1,000 speaker wire sounds better than $1 speaker wire. But it's important to use the proper gauge of wire for distributed audio since runs can easily exceed 100 feet. Resistance builds over distance, resulting in less power at the speakers and impaired frequency response. The lower the gauge, the thicker the wire and the slower the resistance increases with distance. As a rough guideline, use 16 gauge for runs less than 80 feet, 14 gauge for 80- to 150-foot runs, and 12 gauge for runs over 150 feet. You won't go wrong using too large a gauge, but there's a significant price difference between 16- and 12-gauge cable, especially if you're measuring it in hundreds or thousands of feet.

Amplification Like a double shot of espresso, more power will wake up your speakers! A single amplifier running through a speaker selector will work okay, but it will never let your speakers produce the sound they're capable of. Your system will sound far better if you use a number of amps or multichannel amps. Many companies offer 12-channel and 16-channel models that will drive six or eight speaker pairs, respectively. Even better, placing the amps within each room eliminates the power loss and other problems that can be caused by long wire runs. You can use Cat5 cabling and baluns to send balanced-audio signals hundreds of feet to remote amplifiers without any loss.

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