When we talk about home theater, what seems more important: a huge screen or impressive sound? Most people tend to prefer a huge screen to a set of boxes. In fact, it is the sound that immerses the viewer into the world of cinema. And that’s why today we’re going to talk to you about how to make surround sound for your home theater! Let’s go!
Surround Sound System
It’s worth noting that the best surround sound system can be used not only in your home theater or living room. If you have a TV in your bedroom, you may have noticed that cable channels are switching to broadcasting their programs with 5.1 sound. And if you’re tired of turning down the music volume and turning up the dialogue volume, a dedicated center channel with its own volume control will solve that problem. Plus, if your kids are into console games, the multi-channel sound that’s a must in almost every modern game allows you to get more immersed in the action.
Surround sound is considered a home theater privilege, but in fact it can be used much more extensively, almost anywhere you have a TV.
Surround Sound: Simple As 1-2-3
1. Source: Blu-ray (UHD) player. A modern surround sound system consists of several basic elements. It all starts with the sound source device. Since not everyone watches TV, and there are a great many cable and satellite TV sets out there, we will focus on music and movies. For most people, this will mean having a Blu-ray (UHD) player. Many people know that Blu-ray players are compatible with DVDs. But not everyone knows that some Blu-ray players can support DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD) discs. These are discs that allow you to store high-resolution multichannel music. So it’s a good idea to make sure your player supports these discs.
2. an audio/video receiver or preamp/processor. The next step to creating a surround sound system is to connect your Blu-ray player to an audio/video receiver. Depending on the decoding capabilities of your Blu-ray player and the quality of its digital to analog converter, connections to the receiver are usually made using a high-speed HDMI cable or 6-8 analog RCA audio cables. The more common HDMI method is used to send a bitstream digital signal to the receiver. Decoding is then performed on the receiver. A multichannel analog connection is typically used when the Blu-ray player has a higher-quality DAC than the receiver. In this case, the task of decoding falls on the player, and the receiver is used for amplification and switching. The receiver is capable of many tasks, but its main function in a surround sound system is to decode the input signal (for example, a DTS-HD Blu-ray movie soundtrack), provide amplification, and deliver the appropriate audio channel to each connected speaker or subwoofer. When choosing a receiver, you should pay special attention to what formats it can decode, whether it uses a high-quality DAC, and whether it can provide sufficient power with low distortion. Network capabilities, automatic calibration, and a colorful user interface can be a nice addition. If sound quality is your number one priority, you might want to eschew the integrated receiver/amplifier approach in favor of a mono-component: a separate multi-channel receiver and separate preamp/processor.
3. Loudspeakers. After connecting a receiver or multichannel amplifier, the last step in creating a surround sound system is choosing a speaker system. Most TV shows and movies use at least a 5.1 system sound. In a 5.1 soundtrack, the number “5” means using 5 channels (left, center, right, rear left, and rear right), and the number “1” means using one low-frequency channel, a subwoofer designed to play the bass. The choice of speakers available is enormous, ranging from small satellites, wall or in-wall or ceiling speakers, to large floor-standing speakers. Aesthetics and room space itself often dictate the choice of loudspeakers, but most audiophiles will agree that freestanding speakers are superior in sound.
Tips for Improving Your Surround Sound System
- Calibration. Use an inexpensive SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter and a home theater tuning dial, such as Disney’s World of Wonder, to properly adjust the level, size, placement, and distance of the speakers from the listener.
- Size Matters. Tiny cube speakers may be cute on the outside, but don’t expect them to be able to move tons of air and deliver deep bass without the help of a good subwoofer.
- Speaker consistency. Speaker manufacturers take different approaches to achieve the unique sonic signatures of their various lines and series. Different materials are used to create the woofers and tweeters; some cabinets are square in shape, others curved; crossovers can be wired differently. Speakers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And if you want consistent sound quality, smooth transfer of music and voices from one speaker to another, it’s safest and most reliable to use identical speakers in each location of the surround sound system.
- The Right Crossover. It’s important to make sure that the crossover has the proper frequency. THX recommends a crossover frequency of 80 Hz, but, for example, small square speakers require a frequency of 120-150 Hz.
- Proper placement. Try to keep the front speakers equidistant from the center channel. Similarly, do not place one rear speaker directly behind the listener’s head and another 6 meters away. Also, place the three front channels approximately on the same plane and as close as possible to the height at which the listener’s ear is located.
- Menu operation. Many Blu-ray discs use standard Dolby Digital by default. And if you don’t go to the pop-up menu, you’ll never know that the higher-quality, lower-loss Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio systems are just waiting to be selected.
Summary
Nothing brings a family together like a great movie, TV show, or World Cup finals in the comfort of your home theater. Suddenly your house is a cool home, and a rainy Saturday night is a great choice for everyone. However, if you still have questions about Audioholics Home Theater, then be sure to go to the Audioholics Home Theater Forums where you can find answers to all your questions. Only here you can talk to experts and learn important information and what other ways there are to improve the power of your car. So, in this article, we’ve covered the basic points of how to make surround sound. Have a great time!