The process of setting up multi-channel audio speakers in home theater systems is quite tedious and manufacturers have invented new products and technologies like wireless surround sound speakers or surround sound wireless headphones lately to help simplify the setup. I will review the most recent trends to determine which products really work. I will also give some advice for selecting the best components. Whilst previously setting up a TV has been fairly straightforward, the emergence of multi-channel audio has made setting up home theater systems much more complex by requiring a number of external speakers to create 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 extra side speakers.
Historically, installing a TV would be speedy since they would already have built-in stereo speakers. This, however, has all changed with multi-channel audio. These days external speakers are used to create a surround sound effect. As the traditional 5.1 format needs 6 speakers: a front center, two front side speakers, two rear speaker and a subwoofer, the more recent 7.1 format adds two additional side speakers.
Consequently installing a home theater has turn out to be rather intricate and long speaker cable runs are often undesirable for aesthetic reasons. Suppliers have recently introduced new products and technologies. These devices were designed to help simplify the setup of home theater products. The first solution is named virtual surround sound. This approach will take the audio components which would typically be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers. It then uses signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. Then these components are mixed with the front speaker sound. As the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of sound, the audio components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and broadcast by the front loudspeakers. The signal processing has an effect that will trick the listener into presuming that the audio is coming from an alternate location.
The first solution is generating so-called virtual speakers by applying signal-processing to the sound and introducing phase shifts and special cues to those audio components that would normally be sent by the remote speakers. Since the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the sound components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and sent by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect tricked into assuming the audio is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
Wireless surround sound devices are an additional solution for simplifying home speaker installations and normally include a transmitter module that connects to the source and in addition wireless amplifiers that will connect to the remote loudspeakers. Generally the transmitter component will have amplified speaker inputs and line-level inputs. This provides flexibility to connect to every type of source. A transmitter volume control helps maximize the dynamic range and avoids clipping of the sound within the transmitter.
Several wireless products come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires wire runs between the two speakers. Other products come with separate wireless amplifiers for every speaker. The most basic wireless devices use FM transmission. FM broadcast is prone to noise and sound distortion. More sophisticated products utilize digital audio transmission to perfectly maintain the original audio. Be certain that you choose a wireless system with a low audio latency, at most several milliseconds. This will ensure that the audio from all loudspeakers, including the non-wireless speakers, is in sync. Low latency is also important for good sync with the video. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type effect. Wireless kits frequently use the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band. Some products also use the 5.8 GHz band. These products have less competition from other wireless devices than products utilizing the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz bands.
Another solution are side-reflecting speakers. These systems are also known as sound bars. There are additional loudspeakers located at the front which broadcast the sound for the remote loudspeakers from the front at an angle. The sound is then reflected by walls and seems to be coming from besides or behind the viewer. The effect heavily is dependent upon the interior, particularly the shape of the room and the decoration. It will work well for square rooms with no obstacles and sound reflecting walls. However, realistic scenarios frequently will vary from this ideal and diminish the result of this option.
Historically, installing a TV would be speedy since they would already have built-in stereo speakers. This, however, has all changed with multi-channel audio. These days external speakers are used to create a surround sound effect. As the traditional 5.1 format needs 6 speakers: a front center, two front side speakers, two rear speaker and a subwoofer, the more recent 7.1 format adds two additional side speakers.
Consequently installing a home theater has turn out to be rather intricate and long speaker cable runs are often undesirable for aesthetic reasons. Suppliers have recently introduced new products and technologies. These devices were designed to help simplify the setup of home theater products. The first solution is named virtual surround sound. This approach will take the audio components which would typically be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers. It then uses signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. Then these components are mixed with the front speaker sound. As the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of sound, the audio components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and broadcast by the front loudspeakers. The signal processing has an effect that will trick the listener into presuming that the audio is coming from an alternate location.
The first solution is generating so-called virtual speakers by applying signal-processing to the sound and introducing phase shifts and special cues to those audio components that would normally be sent by the remote speakers. Since the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the sound components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and sent by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect tricked into assuming the audio is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
Wireless surround sound devices are an additional solution for simplifying home speaker installations and normally include a transmitter module that connects to the source and in addition wireless amplifiers that will connect to the remote loudspeakers. Generally the transmitter component will have amplified speaker inputs and line-level inputs. This provides flexibility to connect to every type of source. A transmitter volume control helps maximize the dynamic range and avoids clipping of the sound within the transmitter.
Several wireless products come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires wire runs between the two speakers. Other products come with separate wireless amplifiers for every speaker. The most basic wireless devices use FM transmission. FM broadcast is prone to noise and sound distortion. More sophisticated products utilize digital audio transmission to perfectly maintain the original audio. Be certain that you choose a wireless system with a low audio latency, at most several milliseconds. This will ensure that the audio from all loudspeakers, including the non-wireless speakers, is in sync. Low latency is also important for good sync with the video. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type effect. Wireless kits frequently use the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band. Some products also use the 5.8 GHz band. These products have less competition from other wireless devices than products utilizing the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz bands.
Another solution are side-reflecting speakers. These systems are also known as sound bars. There are additional loudspeakers located at the front which broadcast the sound for the remote loudspeakers from the front at an angle. The sound is then reflected by walls and seems to be coming from besides or behind the viewer. The effect heavily is dependent upon the interior, particularly the shape of the room and the decoration. It will work well for square rooms with no obstacles and sound reflecting walls. However, realistic scenarios frequently will vary from this ideal and diminish the result of this option.
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