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.
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 home theater accessories resource section of the site.
Culver prom limo ..Want to save money while promoting your web-based business? Of... Read More
Just The Facts, Ma'mPalm pilots are all the rage now.... Read More
Unless you place your faith in internal search engine software... Read More
1. Let your PC boot up completely before opening any... Read More
PDA Medical BenefitsIf you are concerned about your medical history,... Read More
In this era of Internet, most people are frequent users... Read More
Step 1:Open WinRAR and browse to the folder with your... Read More
So you got yourself a digital camcorder. If you want... Read More
Addressing a D2X Digital SLRCoolpix 8800 search, this article provides... Read More
I recently got an e-mail asking about virtual memory. The... Read More
In the 1950's and 1960's Polaroid's instant cameras were all... Read More
If you're like me, you occasionally find the ubiquitous mouse... Read More
A computer needs a certain amount of information to operate;... Read More
1. Empty the Temp directory regularly. To do this, make... Read More
Has This Ever Happened To You? OK.. it's Friday night,... Read More
Plenty! When we made the decision to be our own... Read More
Not so many years ago, homes across the country watched... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions is on the way to popularize it's... Read More
The technological horizon has always got something new to offer,... Read More
The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Certification is meant for... Read More
Are you frustrated with your PC?Is it feeling sluggish or... Read More
It seems like fast never quite rates fast enough.No matter... Read More
When you turn on your computer, does it act like... Read More
Digital Video Disc or as it is sometimes referred to... Read More
Winter?the official start of the cold and flu season. Though,... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..Perhaps not yet, but the handwriting might be on the... Read More
Freezing is also known as crashing or hanging. It's frustrating.... Read More
Understanding digital camera prices makes finding the best camera value... Read More
"Aaaaaahhhhhh! I've been invaded by a virus!" Getting a virus... Read More
Wouldn't you be shocked to find that your personal sensitive... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
You will need the following:1. 1.44MB FDD (floppy)2. NVFLASH utility... Read More
Cameras: still known for taking pictures but assumed as digital... Read More
Do you know how many fonts are currently installed on... Read More
Lost & Found for the 21st CenturyIn today's hectic world... Read More
A friend told me: "My computer startup seems to be... Read More
Computer related terminology could sometimes be daunting to newcomers. These... Read More
In the years of the dot com boom and bust,... Read More
When I first started studying for my CCNP, some of... Read More
We've all seen them, you've been browsing a website and... Read More
Choose Not To ConformPalm pilots and pdas are constantly growing... Read More
You probably heard of the new Firefox browser version 1.0... Read More
The technological horizon has always got something new to offer,... Read More
As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy"... Read More
You don't have to fork out $250 for a super-diggy-whizbang... Read More
Using SQL Server 2000 and above versions you can retrieve... Read More
BIOS - Basic Input Output SystemThe central processing unit of... Read More
If you are a building a website or a forum,... Read More
Having two operating systems is not as difficult as many... Read More
GOT VIRUS? Your Data is NOT lost forever!In the wake... Read More
Personal Technology |