By Martina Swagger
The process of installing multi-channel audio speakers in home theater products is relatively tedious and vendors have invented new products and technologies such as wireless surround sound speakers or surround sound wireless headphones lately to help simplify the installation. I will review the most recent trends to understand which devices in fact work. I will also give some guidance for picking the best components.
Most of today's TVs will be installed as a multi-channel audio system. As historically TVs would contain built-in stereo speakers, these days a number of external speakers are used to let the viewer experience 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 more recent 7.1 standard raises this number to 8 by adding two additional side speakers.
Thus the setup of home theater systems has become a fairly difficult process. Numerous homes are not pre-wired for surround sound. Furthermore, long speaker cables are often unattractive. Part vendors have come up with various technologies to simplify the setup.
Most of today's TVs will be installed as a multi-channel audio system. As historically TVs would contain built-in stereo speakers, these days a number of external speakers are used to let the viewer experience 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 more recent 7.1 standard raises this number to 8 by adding two additional side speakers.
Thus the setup of home theater systems has become a fairly difficult process. Numerous homes are not pre-wired for surround sound. Furthermore, long speaker cables are often unattractive. Part vendors have come up with various technologies to simplify the setup.
The benefit of this technology is that only a handful of speakers are needed and no long speaker wire has to be run throughout the viewing environment. The downside though is that each person will process audio differently due to the dissimilar form of every human ear. 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 each person.
Another method for eliminating long speaker cable runs is to utilize wireless surround sound systems or wireless speakers. A wireless product includes a transmitter and one or a number of wireless amplifiers. The transmitter connects to the source. The wireless amplifiers connect to the remote loudspeakers. Generally the transmitter component will include amplified speaker inputs and line-level inputs. This provides freedom to connect to every type of source. A transmitter volume control helps take full advantage of the dynamic range and eliminates clipping of the audio within the transmitter.
A number of wireless kits have wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires cord runs between the two loudspeakers. Other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for each speaker. The most basic wireless devices utilize FM broadcast. FM transmission is prone to noise and audio distortion. More advanced systems employ digital audio transmission to completely preserve the original audio. In multi-channel audio kits, it is important to select a wireless solution with a latency of only a few milliseconds. This will make sure that the audio of all speakers is in perfect sync. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type result. A few wireless systems work at 5.8 GHz which offers the advantage of les
Another method for eliminating long speaker cable runs is to utilize wireless surround sound systems or wireless speakers. A wireless product includes a transmitter and one or a number of wireless amplifiers. The transmitter connects to the source. The wireless amplifiers connect to the remote loudspeakers. Generally the transmitter component will include amplified speaker inputs and line-level inputs. This provides freedom to connect to every type of source. A transmitter volume control helps take full advantage of the dynamic range and eliminates clipping of the audio within the transmitter.
A number of wireless kits have wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires cord runs between the two loudspeakers. Other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for each speaker. The most basic wireless devices utilize FM broadcast. FM transmission is prone to noise and audio distortion. More advanced systems employ digital audio transmission to completely preserve the original audio. In multi-channel audio kits, it is important to select a wireless solution with a latency of only a few milliseconds. This will make sure that the audio of all speakers is in perfect sync. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type result. A few wireless systems work at 5.8 GHz which offers the advantage of les
Another method for eliminating long speaker cable runs is to utilize wireless surround sound systems or wireless speakers. A wireless product includes a transmitter and one or a number of wireless amplifiers. The transmitter connects to the source. The wireless amplifiers connect to the remote loudspeakers. Generally the transmitter component will include amplified speaker inputs and line-level inputs. This provides freedom to connect to every type of source. A transmitter volume control helps take full advantage of the dynamic range and eliminates clipping of the audio within the transmitter.
A number of wireless kits have wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires cord runs between the two loudspeakers. Other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for each speaker. The most basic wireless devices utilize FM broadcast. FM transmission is prone to noise and audio distortion. More advanced systems employ digital audio transmission to completely preserve the original audio. In multi-channel audio kits, it is important to select a wireless solution with a latency of only a few milliseconds. This will make sure that the audio of all speakers is in perfect sync. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type result. A few wireless systems work at 5.8 GHz which offers the advantage of less competition from other wireless products than devices utilizing the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band.
A different method, which is often called sound bars uses side-reflecting loudspeakers. In this case the audio for the remote loudspeakers will be sent by individual loudspeakers located at the front at an angle and reflected by walls as to seem to be originating from besides or behind the viewer. This option works best in a square room with minimal interior design and obstacles. It will not function well in many real-world scenarios with diverse room shapes however.
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A number of wireless kits have wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires cord runs between the two loudspeakers. Other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for each speaker. The most basic wireless devices utilize FM broadcast. FM transmission is prone to noise and audio distortion. More advanced systems employ digital audio transmission to completely preserve the original audio. In multi-channel audio kits, it is important to select a wireless solution with a latency of only a few milliseconds. This will make sure that the audio of all speakers is in perfect sync. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo type result. A few wireless systems work at 5.8 GHz which offers the advantage of less competition from other wireless products than devices utilizing the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band.
A different method, which is often called sound bars uses side-reflecting loudspeakers. In this case the audio for the remote loudspeakers will be sent by individual loudspeakers located at the front at an angle and reflected by walls as to seem to be originating from besides or behind the viewer. This option works best in a square room with minimal interior design and obstacles. It will not function well in many real-world scenarios with diverse room shapes however.
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