Multi-channel audio has become mainstream and manufacturers have come up with many types of basic and more sophisticated technologies including wireless surround speakers, virtual surround sound to simplify the installation of home theater systems. I will have a look at several of the products and technologies which have appeared and give some advice about picking appropriate components for a hassle-free setup. Many of modern TVs will be installed as a multi-channel audio system. While historically TVs would come with built-in stereo speakers, nowadays a number of external loudspeakers are used to allow 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 newer 7.1 standard raises this number to 8 by adding two additional side speakers.
Historically, setting up a TV would be quick since they would already provide built-in stereo speakers. This, though, has all changed with multi-channel sound. These days external speakers are utilized to create a surround sound effect. In case of 5.1 surround, 6 speakers are utilized: center, left and right front, left and right rear and a subwoofer. Newer 7.1 systems require a total amount of 8 speakers by adding 2 extra side speakers.
As a result, home theater setups have turn out to be pretty complex. Running wires to remote loudspeakers also is often undesirable due to aesthetic reasons. Manufacturers have recently released new products and technologies. These products were created to help simplify the setup of home theater products. The first solution is building so-called virtual speakers by applying signal-processing to the audio and introducing phase shifts and special cues to those audio components that would ordinarily be sent by the remote speakers. The signal processing is engineered according to how the human hearing determines the location of a sound. The sound signal is then broadcast by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect deceived into assuming the sound is originating from a location other than the front speakers.
Virtual surround eliminates the remote speakers and simplifies the installation and also avoids long speaker cord runs. On the other hand, it also has a disadvantage. The form of each human's ear is somewhat dissimilar. Thus everybody processes sound in a different way. 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 work equally well for each human.
Another approach for avoiding long speaker wire runs is to make use of wireless surround sound products or wireless loudspeakers. A wireless product contains a transmitter and one or several wireless amplifiers. The transmitter connects to the source. The wireless amplifiers connect to the remote speakers. The transmitter will often come with amplified speaker inputs and also line-level inputs and have a volume control to adjust it to the source audio level.
As some wireless speaker systems come with a wireless amplifier that connects to two speakers, other devices offer separate wireless amplifiers for each loudspeaker. Entry-level wireless systems use FM transmission or audio compression which will deteriorate the audio quality to some extent. More advanced wireless kits utilize uncompressed digital audio transmission. Be certain that you choose a wireless system with a low audio latency, at most several milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound 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 kind result. Most wireless gadgets work in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. Some products use the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band and therefore have less competition from other wireless devices.
Another approach are side-reflecting speakers. These systems are also referred to as sound bars. The audio that would ordinarily be sent by the remote speakers is instead sent by loudspeakers at the front. These front speakers broadcast 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 heavily depends on the interior, particularly the shape of the room and the decoration. It will function well for square rooms with no obstacles and sound reflecting walls. Then again, realistic scenarios often will differ from this ideal and reduce the effect of this option.
Historically, setting up a TV would be quick since they would already provide built-in stereo speakers. This, though, has all changed with multi-channel sound. These days external speakers are utilized to create a surround sound effect. In case of 5.1 surround, 6 speakers are utilized: center, left and right front, left and right rear and a subwoofer. Newer 7.1 systems require a total amount of 8 speakers by adding 2 extra side speakers.
As a result, home theater setups have turn out to be pretty complex. Running wires to remote loudspeakers also is often undesirable due to aesthetic reasons. Manufacturers have recently released new products and technologies. These products were created to help simplify the setup of home theater products. The first solution is building so-called virtual speakers by applying signal-processing to the audio and introducing phase shifts and special cues to those audio components that would ordinarily be sent by the remote speakers. The signal processing is engineered according to how the human hearing determines the location of a sound. The sound signal is then broadcast by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect deceived into assuming the sound is originating from a location other than the front speakers.
Virtual surround eliminates the remote speakers and simplifies the installation and also avoids long speaker cord runs. On the other hand, it also has a disadvantage. The form of each human's ear is somewhat dissimilar. Thus everybody processes sound in a different way. 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 work equally well for each human.
Another approach for avoiding long speaker wire runs is to make use of wireless surround sound products or wireless loudspeakers. A wireless product contains a transmitter and one or several wireless amplifiers. The transmitter connects to the source. The wireless amplifiers connect to the remote speakers. The transmitter will often come with amplified speaker inputs and also line-level inputs and have a volume control to adjust it to the source audio level.
As some wireless speaker systems come with a wireless amplifier that connects to two speakers, other devices offer separate wireless amplifiers for each loudspeaker. Entry-level wireless systems use FM transmission or audio compression which will deteriorate the audio quality to some extent. More advanced wireless kits utilize uncompressed digital audio transmission. Be certain that you choose a wireless system with a low audio latency, at most several milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound 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 kind result. Most wireless gadgets work in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. Some products use the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band and therefore have less competition from other wireless devices.
Another approach are side-reflecting speakers. These systems are also referred to as sound bars. The audio that would ordinarily be sent by the remote speakers is instead sent by loudspeakers at the front. These front speakers broadcast 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 heavily depends on the interior, particularly the shape of the room and the decoration. It will function well for square rooms with no obstacles and sound reflecting walls. Then again, realistic scenarios often will differ from this ideal and reduce the effect of this option.
About the Author:
Click now to help you read through additional infos concerning wireless home theater speakers.
No comments:
Post a Comment