The applications of surround sound have expanded
to encompass much more than just movies. Digital TV broadcasts and
high-fidelity music, too, have evolved to take advantage of the dramatically intensified experience that multichannel audio provides. Literally and figuratively, surround sound adds a new dimension to home entertainment. You won't want to miss out on its many advantages... so let's get you up to speed.
to encompass much more than just movies. Digital TV broadcasts and
high-fidelity music, too, have evolved to take advantage of the dramatically intensified experience that multichannel audio provides. Literally and figuratively, surround sound adds a new dimension to home entertainment. You won't want to miss out on its many advantages... so let's get you up to speed.
HDTV surround sound: HD for your ears
The visual advantages of HDTV are so astoundingly apparent, it's easy to forget that HDTV offers yet another dimension of improvement over the TV experience to which we've become accustomed.
HDTV offers the capability to broadcast riveting 5.1-channel Dolby Digital surround sound. So not only can movies on TV deliver the same auditory impact as on DVD, but your favorite prime-time shows, concerts and sporting events can now benefit from the enhanced realism of Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
Dolby Digital 5.1 is also the industry-standard surround technology used for movies on DVD. You can learn more about Dolby Digital 5.1, and the equipment needed to reproduce it, in the following section.
Surround for movies
For most surround systems, Job One is the authentic replication of the cinema experience at home. Here, we'll discuss the most common surround formats for movies, and how they work to make movies come alive in your living room:
Surround for music
With all the attention paid to surround sound for home theater applications, it's easy to forget that multichannel audio offers the promise of an immeasurably enhanced listening experience for music as well. While there are music discs produced using both the Dolby Digital and DTS technologies detailed in the "Surround for movies" section above, the most exciting advances in multichannel music presentation come courtesy of two high-resolution surround formats dedicated solely to musical applications:
Hybrid surround solutions
As enthusiasm for home theater has spread, more and more people are replacing their old 2-channel stereo systems with full multichannel systems. Here, we'll discuss technologies that expand the usability of multichannel systems to enhance the experience of stereo music, analog TV broadcasts and other 2-channel media:
The nuts and bolts
Here's what you'll need to experience the thrill of surround sound at home, and an overview of adjustment options that let you optimize surround performance in varied environments:
Set 'em up right
Proper speaker placement is critical to an immersive surround experience. Bearing in mind that most systems feature sophisticated electronic ways to compensate for the demands of your specific living space, here are the recommended setup patterns for various types of surround-sound speaker configurations.
- 5.1-channel speaker placement for movies
- 6.1-channel speaker placement
- 7.1-channel speaker placement
- ITU Standard (5.1-channel speaker placement for multichannel music)
The lowdown on the low end
It may have a funny name, but the role of the subwoofer in a state-of-the-art multichannel audio system is dead serious.
Sound by the numbers
Audio, by its very nature, is difficult to quantify. At its most fundamental, sound is nothing more than a physical manifestation of pressure waves moving through the air — but it is sound's power to move us emotionally that makes it compelling. In any case, the best way to judge any audio system is with your ears — the experience of "good sound" is largely subjective, and you should never let audio specifications (or the lack thereof) deter you from trusting your gut reaction. In other words, we encourage you to compare numbers and cogitate to your heart's content — but before you make a decision, visit a Best Buy store and listen carefully to the equipment you're considering. If it moves you, buy it. If it doesn't, then move on and find other stuff that does. It's out there, trust us.
That said, there are some established conventions for expressing characteristics of the audio performance of speakers and amplifiers. Understanding what they mean and how they interact with one another can help you narrow a crowded field of options — and give you confidence that you've found the right product for your needs.
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