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+ What is "surround sound"?
+ What are the different surround sound formats?
+ When a sound system says it has "5.1" or "6.1" speakers, what does that mean?
+ What are the advantages of a 6.1 system over a 5.1 system?
+ How large should the center speaker be in relation to the other speakers in a 5.1 system?
+ How should I place the speakers in my home theater setup?
+ My home theater receiver says that my movies are being played in Dolby Digital 3/2.1. Is that the same as Dolby 5.1?
+ I am running my TV signal through my VCR, and it keeps me from getting surround sound. What could be wrong?
+ I have a 130wpc receiver and speakers rated at 120 watts max. Should I use speakers that have a lower max power output rating than my receiver?
+ Does the cooling-fan in my new stereo unit some how cause the mid-range feedback type noise that comes through my speakers when the power is on but the volume is set to 0?
------------------------------------------Question: What is "surround sound"?
Answer: This is a generic term for any speaker setup that includes rear speakers that receive a different signal than the front speakers. This is meant to create a 3-dimensional effect, allowing you to hear sounds behind you, just like in the movie theater.
Current "surround sound" speaker setups usually feature two front speakers, two rears, a center, and a subwoofer. This is known as 5.1 (5 speakers, 1 subwoofer.) To take advantage of all these speakers, you need a receiver that supports surround sound, and an input that is encoded for surround. Many DVDs encode their data in a surround sound format, such as Dolby Digital 5.1, so these are ideal.
------------------------------------------Question: What are the different surround sound formats?
Answer: Dolby Digital (AC-3)
Unlike most formats this one is digital, rather than analog. Signals for each speaker channel are transmitted separately, ensuring that each sound channel is reproduced exactly as it was recorded. There is a dedicated subwoofer channel as well.
DTS Digital Surround
Similar to Dolby Digital in that all signals are digital and separated by channel, but in DTS the signals are not compressed as much as they are in Dolby Digital. In theory, Dolby's compression causes more loss of signal quality than DTS, but most listeners would probably not be able to tell the difference.
Dolby Pro Logic / Pro Logic II
Dolby Pro Logic and PL II devices can simulate surround sound from a standard 2-channel recording. Of course, this will not provide the quality or imaging that surround formats will, but it does a passable job of playing non-surround recordings on a surround sound system. PL1 will separate a 2-channel recording for a 5 channel system (2 front, 2 rear, 1 center), and PL2 will separate it for a 5.1 system (add a subwoofer).
Recordings can be encoded for Dolby Pro Logic in order to take advantage of a 5 speaker system. PL2-encoded recordings work with a 5.1 system and are comparable with the performance of a Dolby Digital system. PL2's reproduction quality and staging are much better than PL1.
Of course, more formats will emerge in time...
------------------------------------------Question: When a sound system says it has "5.1" or "6.1" speakers, what does that mean?
Answer: The number before the period is the total number of surround channels besides the subwoofer. You will want one speaker for each channel for the best surround effects. The number after the period signifies the number of subwoofers (usually 1).
In a 5.1 system you'll have a center speaker, 2 front speakers, 2 rear speakers, and a subwoofer. A 6.1 system will have 2 fronts, 2 rears, a center front, a center rear, and a subwoofer.
------------------------------------------Question: What are the advantages of a 6.1 system over a 5.1 system?
Answer: 6.1 just adds another speaker to the center rear of the system, and that 7.1 (which adds two speakers to the rear - left and right) will be a more commonly supported in the near future.
------------------------------------------Question: How large should the center speaker be in relation to the other speakers in a 5.1 system?
Answer: The center speaker should be rated higher then the other satellites, but does not need to be as high as the woofer. In a typical 50 watt system , the bass speakers are 50 watts, the center around 25 and the sat's around 10.
------------------------------------------Question: How should I place the speakers in my home theater setup?
Answer: Ideally, the sat's [front ] in the front as far apart in the front as possible and anywhere from eye level [most ideal] to 20deg above eye level. How large should the center speaker be in relation to the other speakers in a 5.1 The bass can be placed anywhere on the floor. the rear behind and separated, and the center should be placed on the TV/Monitor. Make sure the center spkr is shielded!! The reason the Bass can be on the floor is low freq's ar enot as directional as high freq's
------------------------------------------Question: My home theater receiver says that my movies are being played in Dolby Digital 3/2.1. Is that the same as Dolby 5.1?
Answer: Yes, it is the same. Some recievers just have it labeled diff'rently than others. Yours shows that you have 3 front channels/2 surround channels and one low frequency channel.
------------------------------------------Question: I am running my TV signal through my VCR, and it keeps me from getting surround sound. What could be wrong?
Answer: If you are running a coaxial cable from your output device (cable box/satellite receiver) the signal will not be in the proper format for surround sound. On the back of your output box, there should be a different types of audio output besides the standard cable TV cable. There are usually RCA Jacks (One Red and one White for Left/Right stereo), Coax Jack (Looks like one RCA Jack, sometimes orange in color.) This is better than standard Stereo Jacks, because it can provide a better channel of sound from the output device to your surround sound, giving you a richer sound, and if youre lucky, optical output. This is a small square looking attachment that uses a fiber optic (hence opitcal) wire to transmit sound. This will provide full Dolby 5.1 surround sound, and if your output device has a DTS decoder, will provide the most realistic sound possible.
------------------------------------------Question: I have a 130wpc receiver and speakers rated at 120 watts max. Should I use speakers that have a lower max power output rating than my receiver?
Answer: It's not a good idea to use speakers with a lower power rating than the receiver or amplifier can produce. However, there is little chance you will damage 120 watt speakers with a 130 watt amplifier unless you run it at max power all the time. The speakers should handle relatively short, high power transiants without sustaining any damage.
------------------------------------------Question: Does the cooling-fan in my new stereo unit some how cause the mid-range feedback type noise that comes through my speakers when the power is on but the volume is set to 0?
Answer: Cooling fans can make a mid-range feedback-sounding noise, so it's probably that.
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