You have your television and home theater receiver; you just
bought your new speakers and subwoofer and are ready to test
things out. It's time to break out the measuring tape because
precision is vital to achieving the full potential of your home
theater system. For this article, we are going to focus on a 5.1
surround sound system. The term "5.1" refers to the number of
speakers and subwoofers in the system respectively. So for a 5.1
surround sound system, there are five speakers (the center
channel, the two front speakers, and the two rear speakers) and
one subwoofer. When placing your home theater speakers, try to
use the same amount of speaker wire for each type of speaker.
For example, use the same length of wire for each of the front
speakers. This will allow the signal to reach each speaker in
about the same instant. I say “about” because there are
variations in the wire which could cause the signal to reach one
speaker slightly (fractions of a fraction of a second) before
the other. By making the two lengths equal, you ensure that this
delay remains tiny and unnoticeable.
Center Channel The center channel should always be placed either
immediately above or immediately below the viewing screen. Make
sure the speaker is pointed directly at the audience.
Front Speakers The two front speakers should be the same
distance from the audience as the center channel. Doing this
will ensure that the sound will travel from each speaker to the
audience in the same amount of time and reduce the chances of
there being a noticeable delay between what takes place on
screen to when you hear it. Each of the front speakers should
also be positioned an equal distance from the TV on either side.
This distance is dependant on your specific tastes; just make
sure that the distances are both equal.
Rear Speakers The rear speakers should be mounted on the walls
on either side of the audience. Their purpose is to provide a
sense of atmosphere, not provide the main sound for your home
theater system. Therefore, they should not be pointed directly
at the audience's ears or you risk over powering the center
channel and the two front speakers. Again, distance is
important. Try to have the rear speakers the same distance from
the TV in order to use the same amount of speaker wire and if
possible have them placed equidistance from the audience.
Subwoofer Bass tones by their nature are more difficult to
localize than the midrange and high notes of the other five
speakers. This will give you more freedom as to where to place
the subwoofer. However, the location surrounding the subwoofer
can greatly influence the bass tones you hear. Placing the
subwoofer in a corner or under a table will create a deeper
resonating tone as the sound waves reflect off of the surfaces.
The placement of the subwoofer is up to you, depending on the
type of bass you want. Experiment with different locations and
find the one that best suits your taste.
Realizing the full potential of your home theater speakers is
not a difficult task. By following these guidelines, you will be
ready to enjoy your home theater the way it was meant to be
heard.
About Author :
Jon Martin is the Webmaster of the Home
Theater Accessories Resource. The Home Theater Accessories
Resource is your guide to home theater accessories.
This article came from the Connecting Home Theater Components section
of the site.
