Multi-channel audio has become mainstream and manufacturers have developed many types of basic and more advanced technologies like wireless surround speakers, virtual surround sound to simplify the setup of home theater products. I will look at the latest trends to figure out which products actually work. I will also give some advice for choosing the ideal components.
Historically, setting up a TV would be fast because they would already provide built-in stereo speakers. This, though, has all changed with multi-channel sound. Nowadays external speakers are utilized to create a surround sound effect. While the traditional 5.1 format requires 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.
One approach is reducing the quantity of speakers by building virtual loudspeakers. This approach applies signal processing to the sound and adds phase shifts and cues to the sound that would usually be broadcast by the remote speaker. As the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the sound components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and broadcast by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect tricked into assuming the audio is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
One approach is minimizing the number of speakers by making virtual speakers. This method applies signal processing to the audio and adds phase shifts and cues to the sound which would ordinarily be sent through the remote speaker. As the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the sound components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and sent by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect tricked into assuming the sound is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
Wireless surround sound devices are another option for simplifying home speaker setups and normally come with a transmitter module that connects to the source and wireless amplifiers that will connect to the remote speakers. This transmitter will generally come with line-level and also amplified loudspeaker inputs. Ideally it should come with a volume control to adjust it to the audio source.
Several wireless products come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two loudspeakers. This still requires wire runs between the two speakers. Other products come with separate wireless amplifiers for each loudspeaker. Entry-level wireless devices employ FM broadcast or audio compression that will deteriorate the audio quality to some degree. More advanced wireless kits use uncompressed digital audio transmission. To make sure that all speakers are in sync in a multi-channel application, make certain that you select a wireless system which has an audio latency of just a few milliseconds at most. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo kind result. Some wireless systems work at 5.8 GHz which offers the benefit of less competition from other wireless devices than devices utilizing the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band.
A third technology uses side-reflecting speakers. This option is known as sound bars. There are additional speakers positioned at the front which broadcast the audio for the remote loudspeakers from the front at an angle. The audio is then reflected by walls and seems 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 work well for square rooms with no obstacles and sound reflecting walls. Then again, realistic scenarios often will be different from this ideal and diminish the effect of this option.
Historically, setting up a TV would be fast because they would already provide built-in stereo speakers. This, though, has all changed with multi-channel sound. Nowadays external speakers are utilized to create a surround sound effect. While the traditional 5.1 format requires 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.
One approach is reducing the quantity of speakers by building virtual loudspeakers. This approach applies signal processing to the sound and adds phase shifts and cues to the sound that would usually be broadcast by the remote speaker. As the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the sound components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and broadcast by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect tricked into assuming the audio is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
One approach is minimizing the number of speakers by making virtual speakers. This method applies signal processing to the audio and adds phase shifts and cues to the sound which would ordinarily be sent through the remote speaker. As the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the sound components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and sent by the front loudspeakers. The viewer is in effect tricked into assuming the sound is coming from a location other than the front speakers.
Wireless surround sound devices are another option for simplifying home speaker setups and normally come with a transmitter module that connects to the source and wireless amplifiers that will connect to the remote speakers. This transmitter will generally come with line-level and also amplified loudspeaker inputs. Ideally it should come with a volume control to adjust it to the audio source.
Several wireless products come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two loudspeakers. This still requires wire runs between the two speakers. Other products come with separate wireless amplifiers for each loudspeaker. Entry-level wireless devices employ FM broadcast or audio compression that will deteriorate the audio quality to some degree. More advanced wireless kits use uncompressed digital audio transmission. To make sure that all speakers are in sync in a multi-channel application, make certain that you select a wireless system which has an audio latency of just a few milliseconds at most. Otherwise there will be a noticeable echo kind result. Some wireless systems work at 5.8 GHz which offers the benefit of less competition from other wireless devices than devices utilizing the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band.
A third technology uses side-reflecting speakers. This option is known as sound bars. There are additional speakers positioned at the front which broadcast the audio for the remote loudspeakers from the front at an angle. The audio is then reflected by walls and seems 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 work well for square rooms with no obstacles and sound reflecting walls. Then again, realistic scenarios often will be different from this ideal and diminish the effect of this option.
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