The average person doesn’t know a ton about the electronics they buy. (I am the average person). Luckily, CNET’s there for us. Here are the first five tips from the article 10 Tips for Better Home Theater Sound:

1. Navigate the speaker-setup menus
“Every 5.1/6.1/7.1 A/V receiver has a setup menu, but if you've never explored the options, your sound may be out of whack…”

2. Check your speaker levels
“Make sure that all of the speakers are equal in level. Your receiver can send a test tone to each speaker, which will help you adjust the relative volume of each channel…”

3. Ensure that speaker cables are connected correctly
“With that tangle of cables looming behind your A/V receiver, it's all too easy to mix up which wire goes where. When you're running through the speaker-level adjustments, double-check that the test tones are coming out of the intended speakers….”

4. Tweak subwoofer-level and crossover controls
“Test tones and meters aren't the final arbiters in the bass department. If your sub's bass is boomy, thick, or uneven, first try lowering its level (volume) control--most folks crank their sub louder than necessary...”

5. Purchase speaker stands or brackets
“Pulling speakers out of bookcases or from the tops of cabinets and placing them on floor stands or wall brackets can radically improve their sound quality.”

Photo, Nick Slide