Multi-channel audio has become mainstream and vendors have created many types of basic and more sophisticated technologies such as wireless surround sound speakers, virtual surround sound to simplify the setup of home theater kits. I will take a look at several of the products and technologies that have appeared and give some advice about choosing suitable components for a hassle-free installation.
Traditionally, installing a TV would be speedy since they would already come with built-in stereo speakers. This, on the other hand, has all changed with multi-channel sound. These days external speakers are used to create a surround sound effect. As the traditional 5.1 format needs 6 speakers: a front center, two front side speakers, two rear speaker and a subwoofer, the more modern 7.1 format adds two additional side speakers.
The first option is also known as virtual surround sound. This technique will take the audio components which would normally be sent by the remote speakers. It then utilizes signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. Next these components are mixed with the front speaker sound. The sound is then broadcast by the front loudspeakers together with the front speaker sound components. The signal processing is modeled after the human hearing. It utilizes the knowledge about how the human ear can determine the origin of sound. Because of the signal processing, the viewer is tricked into assuming the sound is originating from virtual remote surround loudspeakers.
Virtual surround avoids the remote loudspeakers and simplifies the installation and also avoids long speaker cord runs. Then again, it also has a drawback. The shape of each human's ear is a little different. Consequently everybody processes sound differently. 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 function equally well for each human.
Virtual surround eliminates the remote speakers and simplifies the installation and also eliminates long speaker cord runs. However, it also has a drawback. The form of each human's ear is slightly different. Therefore everybody processes sound differently. Because the signal processing is based on a standard human ear model, virtual surround will not function equally well for every person dependant upon how much the viewer differs from the standard model. Wireless surround sound products are one more solution for simplifying home speaker setups and normally come with a transmitter component which connects to the source in addition to wireless amplifiers which will connect to the remote speakers. The transmitter will often have amplified speaker inputs along with line-level inputs and come with a volume control to adjust it to the source audio level.
Several wireless systems come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires cable runs between the two speakers. Other products come with separate wireless amplifiers for each loudspeaker. The most sophisticated wireless products utilize digital transmission to avoid signal degradation. In multi-channel audio products, it is vital to select a wireless option with a latency of merely several milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound of all loudspeakers is in perfect sync. A high latency would lead to an echo effect. This effect would degrade the surround effect. Wireless kits often use the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band. A number of products also use the 5.8 GHz band. These products have less competition from other wireless products than products using the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz bands.
One more method, which is often called sound bars utilizes side-reflecting loudspeakers. The sound that would ordinarily be sent by the remote loudspeakers is instead sent by speakers 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 result by and large 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.
Traditionally, installing a TV would be speedy since they would already come with built-in stereo speakers. This, on the other hand, has all changed with multi-channel sound. These days external speakers are used to create a surround sound effect. As the traditional 5.1 format needs 6 speakers: a front center, two front side speakers, two rear speaker and a subwoofer, the more modern 7.1 format adds two additional side speakers.
The first option is also known as virtual surround sound. This technique will take the audio components which would normally be sent by the remote speakers. It then utilizes signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. Next these components are mixed with the front speaker sound. The sound is then broadcast by the front loudspeakers together with the front speaker sound components. The signal processing is modeled after the human hearing. It utilizes the knowledge about how the human ear can determine the origin of sound. Because of the signal processing, the viewer is tricked into assuming the sound is originating from virtual remote surround loudspeakers.
Virtual surround avoids the remote loudspeakers and simplifies the installation and also avoids long speaker cord runs. Then again, it also has a drawback. The shape of each human's ear is a little different. Consequently everybody processes sound differently. 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 function equally well for each human.
Virtual surround eliminates the remote speakers and simplifies the installation and also eliminates long speaker cord runs. However, it also has a drawback. The form of each human's ear is slightly different. Therefore everybody processes sound differently. Because the signal processing is based on a standard human ear model, virtual surround will not function equally well for every person dependant upon how much the viewer differs from the standard model. Wireless surround sound products are one more solution for simplifying home speaker setups and normally come with a transmitter component which connects to the source in addition to wireless amplifiers which will connect to the remote speakers. The transmitter will often have amplified speaker inputs along with line-level inputs and come with a volume control to adjust it to the source audio level.
Several wireless systems come with wireless amplifiers that connect to two speakers. This still requires cable runs between the two speakers. Other products come with separate wireless amplifiers for each loudspeaker. The most sophisticated wireless products utilize digital transmission to avoid signal degradation. In multi-channel audio products, it is vital to select a wireless option with a latency of merely several milliseconds. This will ensure that the sound of all loudspeakers is in perfect sync. A high latency would lead to an echo effect. This effect would degrade the surround effect. Wireless kits often use the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency band. A number of products also use the 5.8 GHz band. These products have less competition from other wireless products than products using the crowded 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz bands.
One more method, which is often called sound bars utilizes side-reflecting loudspeakers. The sound that would ordinarily be sent by the remote loudspeakers is instead sent by speakers 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 result by and large 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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