Surround Sound is an audio technique that uses multiple speakers placed around your room to create a surround experience for the listener. This makes the soundtrack feel like it is coming from all directions, making your movie watching an immersive and realistic experience. It also allows for a deeper and more powerful bass.
Having a great Surround Sound system is essential to enhancing your media room experience. However, it is important to remember that not every room or set-up will be ideal for this type of sound system. If you are not sure if this is the right setup for your room, it would be best to consult an expert before investing in one of these systems.
For instance, if your room is small, the sound waves may bounce off the walls and become muffled or interfering with certain frequencies. Having the proper speakers in the correct positions in your home will allow you to get the most out of your surround sound system and enjoy it for years to come.
While the term “surround sound” was originally used to describe a particular type of Dolby surround system, it has now come to refer to any audio system that utilizes multiple channels and speakers to create a surround sound experience. There are many different types of surround sound systems available, with the most common being 5.1 and 7.1 systems. Each of these systems utilizes five main speakers (front left, front right, center speaker, and rear left and rear speakers), plus one subwoofer for the low-frequency sounds.
A 7.1 surround sound system also includes a pair of speakers mounted in the ceiling or higher on your walls called height channels that provide you with an added dimension to your listening experience by playing back sounds from above you. For example, if a character is running toward you in a scene, the height channel will play that sound from above your head, giving the effect of the character literally jumping out at you.
If you are not a fan of this extra dimension, a simpler 5.1.2 system can still be a great addition to your media room. This system simply adds two more speakers on the sides of your room (one on the left and one on the right) to provide you with a more expansive sound field than a standard stereo system.
While surround sound is best suited to audio visual situations such as movies, it can also be used with music. However, most music is recorded and mixed in stereo and therefore doesn’t take advantage of the full spatial capabilities of a surround system. Having said that, there are some rare recordings that have been specifically made for surround use, and hearing these songs in their true surround form can be quite an amazing experience. For this reason, some people prefer to use a stereo system for music listening. Nonetheless, for most home theater enthusiasts and cinema lovers, a surround system is the way to go.