The procedure of installing multi-channel audio speakers in home theater products is relatively tedious and suppliers have invented new products and technologies such as wireless surround sound speakers or surround sound wireless headphones recently to help simplify the installation. I will have a look at some of the products and technologies that have emerged and give some pointers about selecting appropriate components for a hassle-free installation.
For that reason, home theater setups have become quite complicated. Running wires to remote speakers also is often undesirable due to aesthetic reasons. Part suppliers have come up with several technologies to simplify the setup.
For that reason, home theater setups have turn out to be quite difficult. Running wires to remote loudspeakers also is often undesirable because of aesthetic reasons. Part manufacturers have come up with various technologies to simplify the setup. One solution is reducing the number of speakers by building virtual loudspeakers. This method applies signal processing to the audio and adds phase shifts and cues to the audio which would usually be sent through the remote loudspeaker. Because the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the audio components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and sent by the front loudspeakers. The signal processing has an effect that will trick the listener into assuming that the sound is originating from a different position.
The first approach is called virtual surround sound. This approach will take the audio components which would normally be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers. It then applies signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. After that these components are mixed with the front speaker audio. The audio is next sent by the front speakers along with the front speaker sound components. The signal processing is modeled after the human hearing. It uses the information about how the human ear can determine the source of sound. The signal processing has an effect that will deceive the listener into assuming that the sound is coming from an alternate position.
The advantage of this technology is that only a couple of loudspeakers are required and no long speaker cable has to be run throughout the viewing environment. The disadvantage however is that each person will process sound differently because of the dissimilar form of each human ear. The signal processing is based on measurements which are done using a standard human ear model. If the shape of the ear changes, sound will travel in a different way. As a result virtual surround will not function equally well for every person. One more method for eliminating long speaker cable runs is to use wireless surround sound devices or wireless speakers. A wireless kit consists of a transmitter and one or a number of wireless amplifiers. The transmitter connects to the source. The wireless amplifiers connect to the remote speakers. This transmitter will typically have line-level along with amplified speaker inputs. Ideally it should have a volume control to adjust it to the audio source.
As a number of wireless speaker products come with a wireless amplifier that connects to two speakers, other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for each speaker. The most advanced wireless systems use digital transmission to avoid signal degradation. To ensure that all loudspeakers are in sync in a multi-channel application, make certain that you choose a wireless system that has an audio latency of just a few milliseconds at most. A high latency would lead to an echo effect. This effect would deteriorate the surround effect. Most wireless devices operate in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. A number of products use the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band and consequently have less competition from other wireless products.
Another option are side-reflecting speakers. These kits are also named sound bars. There are extra loudspeakers positioned at the front which broadcast the sound for the remote speakers from the front at an angle. The audio is then reflected by walls and appears to be coming from besides or behind the viewer. The effect heavily is dependent upon the interior, in particular 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 frequently will differ from this ideal and reduce the result of this approach.
For that reason, home theater setups have become quite complicated. Running wires to remote speakers also is often undesirable due to aesthetic reasons. Part suppliers have come up with several technologies to simplify the setup.
For that reason, home theater setups have turn out to be quite difficult. Running wires to remote loudspeakers also is often undesirable because of aesthetic reasons. Part manufacturers have come up with various technologies to simplify the setup. One solution is reducing the number of speakers by building virtual loudspeakers. This method applies signal processing to the audio and adds phase shifts and cues to the audio which would usually be sent through the remote loudspeaker. Because the signal processing is based on how the human hearing detects the origin of audio, the audio components which underwent signal processing can be mixed with the front speaker components and sent by the front loudspeakers. The signal processing has an effect that will trick the listener into assuming that the sound is originating from a different position.
The first approach is called virtual surround sound. This approach will take the audio components which would normally be broadcast by the remote loudspeakers. It then applies signal processing to those components and inserts special cues and phase delays. After that these components are mixed with the front speaker audio. The audio is next sent by the front speakers along with the front speaker sound components. The signal processing is modeled after the human hearing. It uses the information about how the human ear can determine the source of sound. The signal processing has an effect that will deceive the listener into assuming that the sound is coming from an alternate position.
The advantage of this technology is that only a couple of loudspeakers are required and no long speaker cable has to be run throughout the viewing environment. The disadvantage however is that each person will process sound differently because of the dissimilar form of each human ear. The signal processing is based on measurements which are done using a standard human ear model. If the shape of the ear changes, sound will travel in a different way. As a result virtual surround will not function equally well for every person. One more method for eliminating long speaker cable runs is to use wireless surround sound devices or wireless speakers. A wireless kit consists of a transmitter and one or a number of wireless amplifiers. The transmitter connects to the source. The wireless amplifiers connect to the remote speakers. This transmitter will typically have line-level along with amplified speaker inputs. Ideally it should have a volume control to adjust it to the audio source.
As a number of wireless speaker products come with a wireless amplifier that connects to two speakers, other products offer separate wireless amplifiers for each speaker. The most advanced wireless systems use digital transmission to avoid signal degradation. To ensure that all loudspeakers are in sync in a multi-channel application, make certain that you choose a wireless system that has an audio latency of just a few milliseconds at most. A high latency would lead to an echo effect. This effect would deteriorate the surround effect. Most wireless devices operate in the 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands. A number of products use the less crowded 5.8 GHz frequency band and consequently have less competition from other wireless products.
Another option are side-reflecting speakers. These kits are also named sound bars. There are extra loudspeakers positioned at the front which broadcast the sound for the remote speakers from the front at an angle. The audio is then reflected by walls and appears to be coming from besides or behind the viewer. The effect heavily is dependent upon the interior, in particular 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 frequently will differ from this ideal and reduce the result of this approach.
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