Setting up multi-channel audio such as a home theater system has always been quite complicated and vendors lately have come up with unique products and technologies like wireless audio products or virtual surround sound to help simplify this process. I will review the newest trends to determine which devices really work. I will also give some advice for choosing the perfect components. Most of recent TVs will be set up as a multi-channel audio system. As historically TVs would contain built-in stereo loudspeakers, today a number of external speakers are used to allow the viewer experience surround sound. While 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.
As a result setting up a home theater has turn out to be rather complex and long speaker cable runs are normally undesirable for aesthetic reasons. Several technologies have emerged to simplify this process.
Consequently the installation of home theater kits has turn out to be a relatively complicated process. Many houses are not pre-wired for surround sound. Moreover, long speaker wires are often unattractive. Manufacturers have recently released new products and technologies. These products were developed to help simplify the setup of home theater systems.
This technology minimizes the number of needed loudspeakers and eliminates long speaker cords but every person will process sound slightly differently due to the form of the ear. The signal processing of these virtual surround systems is based on a standard model which was calculated with a standard ear. However, virtual surround will not work equally well for each person.
Another method for simplifying home theater installations and eliminating long speaker cord runs is to make use of wireless surround sound kits or wireless speakers. A wireless solution will usually incorporate a transmitter component that connects to the TV or source and wireless amplifiers that will be connected to the remote speakers. This transmitter will usually provide line-level along with amplified speaker inputs. Ideally it should have a volume control to adjust it to the audio source.
A number of wireless products come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires wire runs between the two loudspeakers. Other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for every loudspeaker. The most basic wireless devices use FM transmission. FM broadcast is prone to noise and sound distortion. More sophisticated systems utilize digital audio transmission to perfectly maintain the original audio. In multi-channel audio products, it is vital to pick a wireless solution with a latency of only a few milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound of all speakers is in perfect sync. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type result. A number of wireless systems operate at 5.8 GHz which offers the benefit of less competition from other wireless products than devices using the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band.
Another approach are side-reflecting speakers. These products are also called sound bars. The audio that would normally be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers is instead broadcast by loudspeakers at the front. These front loudspeakers send 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 effect largely depends on the shape of the room and interior design and not function well in many real-world scenarios resulting from different room shapes and obstacles in the room.
As a result setting up a home theater has turn out to be rather complex and long speaker cable runs are normally undesirable for aesthetic reasons. Several technologies have emerged to simplify this process.
Consequently the installation of home theater kits has turn out to be a relatively complicated process. Many houses are not pre-wired for surround sound. Moreover, long speaker wires are often unattractive. Manufacturers have recently released new products and technologies. These products were developed to help simplify the setup of home theater systems.
This technology minimizes the number of needed loudspeakers and eliminates long speaker cords but every person will process sound slightly differently due to the form of the ear. The signal processing of these virtual surround systems is based on a standard model which was calculated with a standard ear. However, virtual surround will not work equally well for each person.
Another method for simplifying home theater installations and eliminating long speaker cord runs is to make use of wireless surround sound kits or wireless speakers. A wireless solution will usually incorporate a transmitter component that connects to the TV or source and wireless amplifiers that will be connected to the remote speakers. This transmitter will usually provide line-level along with amplified speaker inputs. Ideally it should have a volume control to adjust it to the audio source.
A number of wireless products come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires wire runs between the two loudspeakers. Other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for every loudspeaker. The most basic wireless devices use FM transmission. FM broadcast is prone to noise and sound distortion. More sophisticated systems utilize digital audio transmission to perfectly maintain the original audio. In multi-channel audio products, it is vital to pick a wireless solution with a latency of only a few milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound of all speakers is in perfect sync. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type result. A number of wireless systems operate at 5.8 GHz which offers the benefit of less competition from other wireless products than devices using the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band.
Another approach are side-reflecting speakers. These products are also called sound bars. The audio that would normally be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers is instead broadcast by loudspeakers at the front. These front loudspeakers send 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 effect largely depends on the shape of the room and interior design and not function well in many real-world scenarios resulting from different room shapes and obstacles in the room.
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