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Home Theater Programming Sources
Off-Air TV
| Home Theater Speaker Basics |
Speakers -
They are obviously one of the most important parts of your home theater. There are
many things to consider: what type of speakers, where should they be placed, how
should they be connected, etc. Here you will find answers to most basic home theater
speaker questions.
Choosing speakers for your home theater -
Home theater systems attempt to replicate a true cinema experience in your home. To
do this they must create a sonic environment similar to a good motion picture theater.
Modern motion pictures are recorded using digital sound tracks in one or more of three
digital surround sound formats: Dolby Digital, DTS Digital, or SDDS. Only two of these,
Dolby Digital and DTS Digital, have a home counterpart. SDDS (Sony Dynamic Digital
Sound) is only used in commercial installations. These digital surround sound formats
can create a difficult environment for speakers.
You will have a mediocre theater experience at best if you have an inadequate theater
speaker system. There are several things to consider when choosing and placing
speakers in home theater applications.
Home Theater Speaker Placement
Correct speaker placement is vital to recreate the motion picture's soundtrack the way
the director and sound designer intended. With modern digital surround sound systems
you will typically have one of three configurations; 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1. What does this
mean? The first number refers to the number of full range (20Hz - 20KHz) channels.
The ".1" indicates the low frequency effects, or LFE channel. This is put into the sound
track to add extra bass for effect and realism. It also helps the main speakers play
more cleanly by not asking them to reproduce so much bass.
Where you place the screen will dictate where you place your theater speakers. You
can use either corner placement for the screen, such as is common in many mixed use
or family rooms. You can also place the screen on one of the side walls. Any of these
placement options can be made to function effectively if the speakers are laid out
correctly. The things to remember are symmetry and the proper relationship of the
speakers to the listening position(s).
With any of the home theater speaker configurations, you will have three main
speakers in the front of the room. These are the left, center and right (LCR) speakers.
They are responsible for reproducing the main elements of the soundtrack such as the
majority of the music, dialogue and effects. You will have usually two, three or four
surround speakers. And last, but certainly not least, one or more subwoofers. To get
even low frequency response throughout the room, the latest research dictates the use
of at least two subwoofers. This has been proven in many recent home theater
installations as well. More on subwoofers and subwoofer placement in a minute.
Circular Speaker Placement in a Home Theater
Some experts recommend that your home theater speakers be placed in circular
pattern, equidistant from the main listening position. That's fine, if only one person will
be enjoying your theater at any one time. If you're like most people, you like to spend
time with family and friends in your home theater. You can get away with optimizing the
speaker placement for good sound in the entire room. In any case, there about as
many experts that recommend placing the front speakers in a line across the front wall
with the surrounds mounted on the side and rear walls instead of placing the speakers
in a circle.
They are obviously one of the most important parts of your home theater. There are
many things to consider: what type of speakers, where should they be placed, how
should they be connected, etc. Here you will find answers to most basic home theater
speaker questions.
Choosing speakers for your home theater -
Home theater systems attempt to replicate a true cinema experience in your home. To
do this they must create a sonic environment similar to a good motion picture theater.
Modern motion pictures are recorded using digital sound tracks in one or more of three
digital surround sound formats: Dolby Digital, DTS Digital, or SDDS. Only two of these,
Dolby Digital and DTS Digital, have a home counterpart. SDDS (Sony Dynamic Digital
Sound) is only used in commercial installations. These digital surround sound formats
can create a difficult environment for speakers.
You will have a mediocre theater experience at best if you have an inadequate theater
speaker system. There are several things to consider when choosing and placing
speakers in home theater applications.
- The ability of the speaker to accurately reproduce all elements of the soundtrack.
- The ability of the speaker to play loud enough to create the desired sound
pressure level (SPL) in the theater. This is dictated by the speakers capabilities
and the size and acoustics of the room. Larger rooms will obviously require
speakers with greater output capabilities, especially in the bass region. - The size and appearance of the speaker. Will it integrate with the room's
aesthetics? Do you care about such things? Will your significant other allow you
to put them where they need to be for proper imaging? It's no use to finally get
approval to buy that beautiful set of tower speakers only to have your wife (sorry
for the stereotyping) say "There's no way you're putting those things right there!" - Do the speakers fit into your budget. To maintain balance, and the best
performance in your home theater, all components should be matched to a
certain level of performance. You should not have a component in the chain that
has significantly better or worse performance than any other. There's no sense
in buying a set of $14,000.00 Thiel CS-7.2 towers and running them with your
Denon AVR-1506 that you picked up for $349.00.
Home Theater Speaker Placement
Correct speaker placement is vital to recreate the motion picture's soundtrack the way
the director and sound designer intended. With modern digital surround sound systems
you will typically have one of three configurations; 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1. What does this
mean? The first number refers to the number of full range (20Hz - 20KHz) channels.
The ".1" indicates the low frequency effects, or LFE channel. This is put into the sound
track to add extra bass for effect and realism. It also helps the main speakers play
more cleanly by not asking them to reproduce so much bass.
Where you place the screen will dictate where you place your theater speakers. You
can use either corner placement for the screen, such as is common in many mixed use
or family rooms. You can also place the screen on one of the side walls. Any of these
placement options can be made to function effectively if the speakers are laid out
correctly. The things to remember are symmetry and the proper relationship of the
speakers to the listening position(s).
With any of the home theater speaker configurations, you will have three main
speakers in the front of the room. These are the left, center and right (LCR) speakers.
They are responsible for reproducing the main elements of the soundtrack such as the
majority of the music, dialogue and effects. You will have usually two, three or four
surround speakers. And last, but certainly not least, one or more subwoofers. To get
even low frequency response throughout the room, the latest research dictates the use
of at least two subwoofers. This has been proven in many recent home theater
installations as well. More on subwoofers and subwoofer placement in a minute.
Circular Speaker Placement in a Home Theater
Some experts recommend that your home theater speakers be placed in circular
pattern, equidistant from the main listening position. That's fine, if only one person will
be enjoying your theater at any one time. If you're like most people, you like to spend
time with family and friends in your home theater. You can get away with optimizing the
speaker placement for good sound in the entire room. In any case, there about as
many experts that recommend placing the front speakers in a line across the front wall
with the surrounds mounted on the side and rear walls instead of placing the speakers
in a circle.
Center Channel Speaker
To preserve correct localization the center channel speaker should be placed directly
behind the center of the screen. This requires the use of an acoustically transparent
screen in front projection applications and is obviously impossible with any type of
direct view or rear projection display device. The only other acceptable choice for
center channel speaker placement is directly above or below the center of the screen.
It is vital the center channel speaker be centered on the screen! The center channel
speaker is the single most important speaker in a home theater speaker system and is
responsible for reproducing about 60 - 70 % of the soundtrack.
It's placement insures that dialogue and other effects that are supposed to come from
the screen actually do so no matter where in the room the listener is seated. The use
of an LCR speaker configuration came from research done at Bell Labs in the 1920's
and 30s. A fine and accurate sound stage can actually be created with only two
speakers, as in a stereo situation, however it is only good for one seating position; the
one directly between both speakers. If the listener is not in the center, but seated to
one side or the other, the closer speaker will predominate and the sound stage will
collapse. This would not be a very good solution for most theaters, home or
commercial.
It is imperative that the three front speakers be either identical (optimum) or as
sonically matched as possible. Use speakers made by the same manufacturer and
designed to work together in a home theater application. Correct speaker selection in
this regard will allow lateral sound pans to maintain sonic consistency; the sound will
not change in pitch or tonal quality as the sound pans back and forth across the
screen.
An in-wall center channel speaker can be used with free standing left and right
speakers only if the manufacture designed them to be used in this way. When a
speaker is placed into a wall, the lower frequencies are reinforced. This must be
compensated for or there will be a definite difference in frequency response between
the three speakers.
Left and Right Speakers
The left and right speaker are the speakers that actually allow the sound to pan across
the screen. They also create a sense of width to the sound track and allow sound track
elements to be placed off the screen to on side or the other. They give the sound track
its sense of breadth. In many motion picture sound tracks, they are responsible for
reproducing much of the music. As noted previously, they should be matched to the
center channel. They can be full range tower speakers or smaller "bookshelf" style
speakers. Either way, they must be designed by the manufacturer to work together as
LCR speakers or be completely identical.
The LCR speakers should ideally be on the same horizontal plane. If that is impossible,
try to minimize vertical separation. In many cases, this is unavoidable. If this is the
case, try to limit vertical separation to 24" or less. With regard to horizontal separation,
it is usually advantageous to resist the temptation to spread the left and right speakers
out as far as possible. Spreading the speakers too far from the edges of the screen will
result in some sound track elements being off the screen and poor correlation with on
screen events.
NOTE: It's common to put the front speakers in bookshelves or cabinets. This is very
detrimental to the sound. The speakers weren't designed for this placement, even if
they are called "bookshelf speakers". Placing the speakers created by a bookshelf or
cabinet will make the speakers sound boomy and also destroy intelligibility. To test how
this will alter the sound, cup your hands around your mouth when you speak and listen
to the tonal difference. If you must use bookshelf speaker placement, conceal the
speakers behind acoustically transparent cloth grills and stuff the cavity with Dacron
Holofil or insulation.
Surround Speakers
Surround speakers reproduce the ambient effects that lend so much realism to modern
motion picture sound tracks. This extends well beyond that staple of surround sound
action, the jet flyover from back to front. These sometimes subtle sound track elements
include all types of different sounds to set the mood and create an environment. Some
examples of these are: background noises in a forest or jungle, crowd noises at a
sporting event, the sound of other patrons and the kitchen in a restaurant. These are
just some examples of the way the surround channels are used by directors and sound
designers to create ambiance.
Surround Speaker Placement
With a 5.1 channel system, surround speakers should usually be placed immediately
adjacent to the primary seating location. This can vary somewhat depending upon
environmental, aesthetic, and architectural concerns. When using a 6.1 or 7.1 system,
these side placed speakers are supplemented by a rear channel speaker or speakers.
The rear channel speakers should be placed directly behind the listener. If using two
rear channel speakers, separate them by 4' - 8' depending upon the dimensions of the
room and the speaker's distance from the listener. The purpose of the rear channel
speakers is to allow sounds to be placed directly behind the listener. With a traditional
5.1 channel surround sound speaker system, this is accomplished by putting the same
sound, with equal amplitude, in both surround speakers. This is fine if the listener is
equidistant from the two speakers. If not, as is the case most of the time, the illusion
collapses and the closer speaker dominates.
How High Should You Place Your Surround Speakers?
If the main purpose of you home theater is for movies, you should place the surround
speakers about 2' above the listener's head. They can, however, be placed anywhere
from 2' above the head all the way to the ceiling. If your theater is used more for music
and music videos, you should heave them lower so they are closer to ear level. The
upshot of all this is that, for most home theater rooms, you should place the surround
speakers about half way between the listeners ear and the ceiling.
To preserve correct localization the center channel speaker should be placed directly
behind the center of the screen. This requires the use of an acoustically transparent
screen in front projection applications and is obviously impossible with any type of
direct view or rear projection display device. The only other acceptable choice for
center channel speaker placement is directly above or below the center of the screen.
It is vital the center channel speaker be centered on the screen! The center channel
speaker is the single most important speaker in a home theater speaker system and is
responsible for reproducing about 60 - 70 % of the soundtrack.
It's placement insures that dialogue and other effects that are supposed to come from
the screen actually do so no matter where in the room the listener is seated. The use
of an LCR speaker configuration came from research done at Bell Labs in the 1920's
and 30s. A fine and accurate sound stage can actually be created with only two
speakers, as in a stereo situation, however it is only good for one seating position; the
one directly between both speakers. If the listener is not in the center, but seated to
one side or the other, the closer speaker will predominate and the sound stage will
collapse. This would not be a very good solution for most theaters, home or
commercial.
It is imperative that the three front speakers be either identical (optimum) or as
sonically matched as possible. Use speakers made by the same manufacturer and
designed to work together in a home theater application. Correct speaker selection in
this regard will allow lateral sound pans to maintain sonic consistency; the sound will
not change in pitch or tonal quality as the sound pans back and forth across the
screen.
An in-wall center channel speaker can be used with free standing left and right
speakers only if the manufacture designed them to be used in this way. When a
speaker is placed into a wall, the lower frequencies are reinforced. This must be
compensated for or there will be a definite difference in frequency response between
the three speakers.
Left and Right Speakers
The left and right speaker are the speakers that actually allow the sound to pan across
the screen. They also create a sense of width to the sound track and allow sound track
elements to be placed off the screen to on side or the other. They give the sound track
its sense of breadth. In many motion picture sound tracks, they are responsible for
reproducing much of the music. As noted previously, they should be matched to the
center channel. They can be full range tower speakers or smaller "bookshelf" style
speakers. Either way, they must be designed by the manufacturer to work together as
LCR speakers or be completely identical.
The LCR speakers should ideally be on the same horizontal plane. If that is impossible,
try to minimize vertical separation. In many cases, this is unavoidable. If this is the
case, try to limit vertical separation to 24" or less. With regard to horizontal separation,
it is usually advantageous to resist the temptation to spread the left and right speakers
out as far as possible. Spreading the speakers too far from the edges of the screen will
result in some sound track elements being off the screen and poor correlation with on
screen events.
NOTE: It's common to put the front speakers in bookshelves or cabinets. This is very
detrimental to the sound. The speakers weren't designed for this placement, even if
they are called "bookshelf speakers". Placing the speakers created by a bookshelf or
cabinet will make the speakers sound boomy and also destroy intelligibility. To test how
this will alter the sound, cup your hands around your mouth when you speak and listen
to the tonal difference. If you must use bookshelf speaker placement, conceal the
speakers behind acoustically transparent cloth grills and stuff the cavity with Dacron
Holofil or insulation.
Surround Speakers
Surround speakers reproduce the ambient effects that lend so much realism to modern
motion picture sound tracks. This extends well beyond that staple of surround sound
action, the jet flyover from back to front. These sometimes subtle sound track elements
include all types of different sounds to set the mood and create an environment. Some
examples of these are: background noises in a forest or jungle, crowd noises at a
sporting event, the sound of other patrons and the kitchen in a restaurant. These are
just some examples of the way the surround channels are used by directors and sound
designers to create ambiance.
Surround Speaker Placement
With a 5.1 channel system, surround speakers should usually be placed immediately
adjacent to the primary seating location. This can vary somewhat depending upon
environmental, aesthetic, and architectural concerns. When using a 6.1 or 7.1 system,
these side placed speakers are supplemented by a rear channel speaker or speakers.
The rear channel speakers should be placed directly behind the listener. If using two
rear channel speakers, separate them by 4' - 8' depending upon the dimensions of the
room and the speaker's distance from the listener. The purpose of the rear channel
speakers is to allow sounds to be placed directly behind the listener. With a traditional
5.1 channel surround sound speaker system, this is accomplished by putting the same
sound, with equal amplitude, in both surround speakers. This is fine if the listener is
equidistant from the two speakers. If not, as is the case most of the time, the illusion
collapses and the closer speaker dominates.
How High Should You Place Your Surround Speakers?
If the main purpose of you home theater is for movies, you should place the surround
speakers about 2' above the listener's head. They can, however, be placed anywhere
from 2' above the head all the way to the ceiling. If your theater is used more for music
and music videos, you should heave them lower so they are closer to ear level. The
upshot of all this is that, for most home theater rooms, you should place the surround
speakers about half way between the listeners ear and the ceiling.
What about home theater subwoofers? These provide the gut wrenching foundation to
any home theater speaker system. Without a good subwoofer, home theater isn't, .....
well, it isn't home theater. Click to learn more about home theater subwoofers.
any home theater speaker system. Without a good subwoofer, home theater isn't, .....
well, it isn't home theater. Click to learn more about home theater subwoofers.
Home Theater Speaker Basics - Type and Placement
1 Touch Movie.com
Copyright 2004-8 1 touch movie.com
Home theater and Automation Guide
All rights reserved.
Home theater and Automation Guide
All rights reserved.
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