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.
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareMost of the web applications have a lot of images... Read More
JPEG, GIFF/JIFF, BMP, and TIFF are the most commonly used... Read More
Digital Video Disc or as it is sometimes referred to... Read More
ComputersBusinesses and individuals alike have all grown to rely on... Read More
The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Certification is meant for... Read More
Peoples' private information needs to stay private, even after it... Read More
Are you thinking of buying an Apple iPod? Or have... Read More
IntroductionMac OS X is the most technologically advanced operating system... Read More
Maintaining your computer is extremely important ? especially if you... Read More
Saving Lives With A Pocket PCFree medical downloads can be... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
Many computer users are worried about their computer's performance. After... Read More
What led them to this choice, as all four studios... Read More
BIOS - Basic Input Output SystemThe central processing unit of... Read More
Yes, it's true. You may have inadvertently invited a spy... Read More
If you have a computer for home use or for... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
Plasma and LCD TVs are the latest trend in home... Read More
1. Let your PC boot up completely before opening any... Read More
So you got yourself a digital camcorder. If you want... Read More
Spyware is the software that collects information about your online... Read More
MMC and SDFlash memory is available in so many formats... Read More
System File Checker is a great utility that is typically... Read More
Tip #1 -- Rebates: A rebate is not always a... Read More
Computer is an electronic machine work on the instructions of... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..Maybe you always wanted a feature that hasn't been available... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
Peoples' private information needs to stay private, even after it... Read More
Just The Facts, Ma'mPalm pilots are all the rage now.... Read More
The following practice, if done regularly, may help you to... Read More
Most people think that all you have to do to... Read More
This tip is on sharing files and folders on a... Read More
CCNAs and CCNA candidates hear it all the time: ???Get... Read More
Are you stymied by the vast offerings in cheap mp3... Read More
In my humble opinion nothing makes a long trip easier... Read More
If you have a computer for home use or for... Read More
For six years, my Samsung PC 13.8 inch SyncMaster conventional... Read More
How can you compare mp3 players to be sure you're... Read More
Good Morning Mr. Sampson. Please type in you Personal Identification... Read More
Each of the items in the checklist below is part... Read More
So I'll start from the very beginning.One day I was... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More
Since the DOS days, batch files have been one of... Read More
Get started creating web pages using text files and HTML... Read More
As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy"... Read More
The Internet can be a dangerous place.While you're enjoying the... Read More
Enhanced Definition Television ? also known as EDTV ? is... Read More
There are soooo many choices. With all the styles and... Read More
In the early days, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) were not... Read More
Computers have replaced typewriters, but two-finger, hunt-and-peck typing can never... Read More
Personal Technology |