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Speaker
Placement for Home Theater Systems
How to place your speakers
The left and right front speaker
In a Pro Logic system, the left and right speakers should form an
angle of approximately 45 degrees to the listening position. This
duplicates the speaker arrangement used both for mixing surround
soundtracks and for a center seat about two-thirds of the way in
a well-designed movie-theatre. It also works well for conventional
stereo music sources. If you´re not using a center speaker,
you may need to place the left and right speakers closer to the
screen for good integration of sound and picture. But not so close
that their magnetic fields disturb the picture. If necessary, use
magnetically shielded speakers.
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The center speaker
For best directional effect, try to have the center speaker at the
same height as the left and right speakers and as close as possible
to the screen. Place it directly atop or under the TV set only if
it is magnetically shielded, as the magnetic field from a conventional
speaker could distort the picture´s colour. The front of the
center speaker should also be aligned with, or slightly behind,
the left and right speakers. Avoid having it forward of the left
and right speakers, as that could adversely affect sound perspective
for listeners seated off center.
The surround speakers
Properly conveying both directional effects and diffuse ambience
requires an evenly distributed surround soundfield comprising both
directional and reflected sound. This is achieved in movie theatres
by means of many direct-radiating surround speakers (typically ten
or twenty) along the sides and rear of the auditorium.
Listening tests have confirmed that it is the side speakers that
contribute the spaciousness or "openness" associated with
good surround sound. Theatres use speakers at the rear only because
without them, the surround soundfield would appear to be in front
of, rather than around, those seated in the back rows. In home environments,
just two surround speakers, one to each side, are usually enough
to achieve proper results. Too much direct sound from the surround
speakers can make their location too obvious, or create an earphone-like,
"in-the-head" sound image.
On the other hand, too much diffusion may disperse the image such
that it is utterly directionless seemingly everywhere at once. Finding
the right balance of direct and reflected sound means considering
speaker placement, room design, and the acoustics characteristics
of both.
Prefered placement
Location
If possible, place surround speakers to either side of the listening
area, not behind it. If that´s not convenient, see facing
page for alternative placement possibilities.
Height
If space permits, install surrounds 2-3 feet above viewers. This
helps to minimize localization effects.
Aiming
Aiming surrounds straight across the room, not down at veiwers,
helps create a more open, spacious surround soundfield.
Alternative placements
Rear wall. If rear wall mounting is the only choice, aim the speakers
at each other (1), towards the front (2), or even towards the side
walls (3,4).
Experiment with placement until surround sounds seem to envelop
you, rather than coming from behind. As a general rule, do not aim
the surround speakers directly at the veiwers.
Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital are registerd trademarks
and owned by Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
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