December 12th, 2010 
Bell
Latest Technologies Make Setting Up Multi-Channel Audio Systems A Snap
Multi-channel audio has become mainstream and vendors have created many types of basic and more sophisticated technologies such as wireless surround sound speakers, virtual surround sound to simplify the setup of home theater kits. I will look at the most recent trends to figure out which products actually work. I will also give some advice for picking the perfect components.
Most of today’s TVs will be installed as a multi-channel audio system. Whereas traditionally TVs would come with built-in stereo speakers, these days a number of external loudspeakers are used to allow the viewer experience surround sound. In case of 5.1 surround, 6 speakers are utilized: center, left and right front, left and right rear and a subwoofer. More recent 7.1 systems need a total number of 8 loudspeakers by adding 2 additional side speakers.
Therefore, home theater setups have turn out to be pretty complex. Running wires to remote speakers also is often undesirable due to aesthetic reasons. Part vendors have come up with several technologies to simplify the installation.
The first solution is referred to as virtual surround sound. This approach will take the audio components which would typically be sent by the remote speakers. It then applies signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. Next these components are mixed with the front speaker sound. The sound is then sent by the front loudspeakers along with the front speaker audio components. The signal processing is modeled after the human hearing. It utilizes the information about how the human ear can determine the origin of sound. The signal processing has an effect that will trick the listener into presuming that the sound is originating from an alternate location.
Virtual surround avoids the remote speakers and simplifies the setup and also avoids long speaker cord runs. However, it also has a disadvantage. The shape of each human’s ear is a little dissimilar. Thus everybody processes sound differently. Since the signal processing is based on a standard human ear model, virtual surround will not work equally well for every person dependant upon how much the viewer varies from the standard model.
Another option for simplifying home theater installations and eliminating long speaker wire runs is to use wireless surround sound systems or wireless loudspeakers. A wireless solution will generally include a transmitter module that connects to the TV or source in addition to wireless amplifiers that will be connected to the remote loudspeakers. Normally the transmitter component will include amplified loudspeaker inputs and line-level inputs. This offers flexibility to connect to any type of source. A transmitter volume control helps take full advantage of the dynamic range and avoids clipping of the sound inside the transmitter.
A number of wireless speaker products are designed to connect 2 speakers per wireless amplifier. A better solution would have a wireless amplifier for each remote speaker to eliminate the cord runs between each of the 2 remote loudspeakers. Entry-level wireless systems use FM broadcast or audio compression that will degrade the audio quality to some degree. More advanced wireless products utilize uncompressed digital audio broadcast. In multi-channel audio devices, it is crucial to choose a wireless solution with a latency of merely several milliseconds. This will make sure that the sound of all speakers is in perfect sync. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type result. Many wireless devices operate in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. A number of products utilize the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band and therefore have less competition from other wireless products.
A third technology employs side-reflecting loudspeakers. This option is named sound bars. The audio that would ordinarily be sent by the remote speakers is instead broadcast by speakers at the front. These front loudspeakers broadcast the sound at an angle. Then the audio is reflected by the side and rear walls and appears to be coming from besides or behind the viewer. The result largely is dependent upon the shape of the room and interior design and not function well in a lot of real-world scenarios due to different room shapes and obstacles in the room.
How To Install a HomeTheater Subwoofer
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Subwoofer Test Pattern $18.99 Subwoofer Test Pattern is a set of audio files that will help you fine-tune your audio system, diagnose problems, and get the best possible sound from your speakers. You can use the Subwoofer Test Pattern audio files to test the audio system and speakers in your home, in your car, and on your computer. The disc includes 26 pure tones, ranging from 10Hz to 20kHz, favoring the low end of the audio… |
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Belkin Conserve Socket with Energy-Saving Outlet $24.68 Conserve Smart AV Auto-Off Surge Protector. Now you can automatically turn off up to five entertainment system ponents when you turn off your TV and easily reduce standby power. The Master Outlet senses when your TV is on or off and controls power to five peripheral outlets for your AV ponents. Two outlets stay on for devices that need continuous power like DVRs. Control power to your whole entert… |
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Auralex SUBDUDE HD Home Theater Sub Isolation Platform $48.88 SpecificationsLets You Hear Low End With Greater AccuracyPrevents Sound From Transmitting To Surrounding Surfaces15 x 15 x 2.5 Subwoofer Isolation PlatformWrapped with cleanable black velour to fit any room settingA cost-effective way to improve your mixes!This Listing and Price is for 1 SUBDUDE HDThe Auralex SubDude HD is a 15″ x 15″ x 2.5″ Subwoofer Isolation Platform wrapped with a cleanable bl… |
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Sound & Vision Home Theater Tune-Up $13.97 Whether you’ve just purchased your first surround sound system or you’ve been fiddling with A/V wires since you were 13, Sound & Vision Home Theater Tune-Up is an easy-to-follow tutorial for connecting today’s complex digital and analog equipment. The DVD features an articulate couple exchanging barbs as they lead viewers through 80 minutes of instruction on everything from loudspeaker phase check… |
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