Setting up multi-channel audio like a home theater system has always been fairly complex and vendors lately have created unique products and technologies such as wireless audio products or virtual surround sound to help simplify this procedure. I will take a look at several of the products and technologies which have emerged and give some pointers about choosing suitable components for a hassle-free setup. Whilst previously setting up a TV has been pretty easy, the emergence of multi-channel audio has made installing home theater systems a great deal more challenging by requiring a number of external speakers to create surround sound. The most commonly used 5.1 surround sound format requires installing a total of 6 speakers. These are one center speaker, two front side speakers, two rear speakers and a subwoofer. The newer 7.1 standard increases this number to 8 by adding two extra side speakers.
Most of latest TVs will be set up as a multi-channel audio system. While traditionally TVs would contain built-in stereo loudspeakers, nowadays a number of external speakers are used to allow the viewer experience surround sound. The most commonly used 5.1 surround sound format requires setting up a total of 6 loudspeakers. These are one center speaker, two front side speakers, two rear speakers and a subwoofer. The newer 7.1 standard raises this number to 8 by adding two additional side speakers.
The first solution is also known as virtual surround sound. This solution will take the audio components which would ordinarily be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers. It then uses signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. Next these components are mixed with the front speaker audio. The audio is next sent by the front loudspeakers together with the front speaker sound components. The signal processing is modeled after the human hearing. It utilizes the knowledge about how the human ear can determine the source of sound. The viewer is in effect deceived into assuming the sound is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
Virtual surround avoids the remote loudspeakers and simplifies the setup and also avoids long speaker cable runs. However, it also has a downside. The form of each human's ear is slightly dissimilar. Consequently everybody processes sound in a different way. The signal processing of these virtual surround systems is based on a standard model which was measured with a standard ear. However, virtual surround will not function equally well for every human.
Virtual surround eliminates the remote speakers and simplifies the setup and also eliminates long speaker cord runs. Then again, it also has a downside. The shape of each human's ear is slightly dissimilar. For that reason everybody processes sound differently. The signal processing is based on measurements which are done using a standard human ear model. If the form of the ear changes, sound will travel differently. For that reason virtual surround will not work equally well for everybody. One more method for simplifying home theater setups and avoiding long speaker cord runs is to use wireless surround sound devices or wireless speakers. A wireless solution will typically include a transmitter component that connects to the TV or source and wireless amplifiers that will be connected to the remote loudspeakers. Generally the transmitter component will come with amplified speaker inputs and line-level inputs. This provides freedom to connect to each kind of source. A transmitter volume control helps take full advantage of the dynamic range and eliminates clipping of the sound inside the transmitter.
A number of wireless speaker devices are designed to connect 2 speakers per wireless amplifier. A better option would provide a wireless amplifier for each remote speaker to avoid the wire runs between each of the 2 remote loudspeakers. The most sophisticated wireless products utilize digital transmission to avoid signal degradation. In multi-channel audio systems, it is important to pick a wireless option with a latency of only several milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound of all loudspeakers is in perfect sync. A high latency would lead to an echo effect. This effect would deteriorate the surround effect. Most wireless devices work in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. Some products utilize the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band and consequently have less competition from other wireless devices.
A third technology uses side-reflecting speakers. This solution is named sound bars. There are extra speakers positioned at the front which broadcast the audio for the remote loudspeakers from the front at an angle. The audio is then reflected by walls and seems to be originating from besides or behind the viewer. The result largely will depend on the shape of the room and interior design and not work well in many real-world scenarios due to different room shapes and obstacles in the room.
Most of latest TVs will be set up as a multi-channel audio system. While traditionally TVs would contain built-in stereo loudspeakers, nowadays a number of external speakers are used to allow the viewer experience surround sound. The most commonly used 5.1 surround sound format requires setting up a total of 6 loudspeakers. These are one center speaker, two front side speakers, two rear speakers and a subwoofer. The newer 7.1 standard raises this number to 8 by adding two additional side speakers.
The first solution is also known as virtual surround sound. This solution will take the audio components which would ordinarily be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers. It then uses signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. Next these components are mixed with the front speaker audio. The audio is next sent by the front loudspeakers together with the front speaker sound components. The signal processing is modeled after the human hearing. It utilizes the knowledge about how the human ear can determine the source of sound. The viewer is in effect deceived into assuming the sound is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
Virtual surround avoids the remote loudspeakers and simplifies the setup and also avoids long speaker cable runs. However, it also has a downside. The form of each human's ear is slightly dissimilar. Consequently everybody processes sound in a different way. The signal processing of these virtual surround systems is based on a standard model which was measured with a standard ear. However, virtual surround will not function equally well for every human.
Virtual surround eliminates the remote speakers and simplifies the setup and also eliminates long speaker cord runs. Then again, it also has a downside. The shape of each human's ear is slightly dissimilar. For that reason everybody processes sound differently. The signal processing is based on measurements which are done using a standard human ear model. If the form of the ear changes, sound will travel differently. For that reason virtual surround will not work equally well for everybody. One more method for simplifying home theater setups and avoiding long speaker cord runs is to use wireless surround sound devices or wireless speakers. A wireless solution will typically include a transmitter component that connects to the TV or source and wireless amplifiers that will be connected to the remote loudspeakers. Generally the transmitter component will come with amplified speaker inputs and line-level inputs. This provides freedom to connect to each kind of source. A transmitter volume control helps take full advantage of the dynamic range and eliminates clipping of the sound inside the transmitter.
A number of wireless speaker devices are designed to connect 2 speakers per wireless amplifier. A better option would provide a wireless amplifier for each remote speaker to avoid the wire runs between each of the 2 remote loudspeakers. The most sophisticated wireless products utilize digital transmission to avoid signal degradation. In multi-channel audio systems, it is important to pick a wireless option with a latency of only several milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound of all loudspeakers is in perfect sync. A high latency would lead to an echo effect. This effect would deteriorate the surround effect. Most wireless devices work in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. Some products utilize the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band and consequently have less competition from other wireless devices.
A third technology uses side-reflecting speakers. This solution is named sound bars. There are extra speakers positioned at the front which broadcast the audio for the remote loudspeakers from the front at an angle. The audio is then reflected by walls and seems to be originating from besides or behind the viewer. The result largely will depend on the shape of the room and interior design and not work well in many real-world scenarios due to different room shapes and obstacles in the room.
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