These are the rules every CouchSetup article follows.
Independence
- Brands and retailers cannot buy a place in our guides, a higher score or a better review.
- Affiliate commissions never decide what we recommend. We recommend the product we would pick for that room and budget, even if it earns us less or nothing.
- If a brand ever sends us a product for free, we say so in the article.
Research-based reviews
- Our reviews are research-based: official specs, independent lab measurements and 2 to 4 expert video reviews per product, compared side by side. See How We Test.
- We never claim hands-on testing we haven’t done, and every review lists its sources.
Accuracy
- Specs are checked against the manufacturer’s own pages.
- Calculators use published guidelines (THX, SMPTE, Dolby) and standard geometry, and we explain the formulas on each tool page.
- We do not list prices in text because they change daily. Buttons link to the retailer for the current price.
Updates
Buying guides are reviewed regularly, and whenever a major new model launches or a recommended product is discontinued. The “Updated” date on an article only changes when the content really changes.
Corrections
If you find an error, contact us. We correct factual mistakes quickly and note significant corrections at the end of the article.
Author and pen name
Every article on CouchSetup is researched, written and checked by Muhammad, the site’s founder and editor.
AI and writing tools
We may use software tools to help with research, outlines and editing. Every article is checked, edited and approved by a person, and product opinions come from our own judgment, not from a tool.