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By Sarah Knight
Imagine you're at the theater watching the latest action-packed flick and being completely immersed by the lifelike sound. After the credits start rolling, you think, "that was awesome," and can't wait to re-live the experience at home when it comes out on DVD. When that day finally arrives, you watch the film's dangerous car chases and powerful explosions on your television with its tiny built-in speakers only to be disappointed this time because the "you-are-there-effect" from the theater is missing.
Is this scenario all too familiar? If so, then it's probably time for an audio upgrade. Most of us want to bring the movie theater experience into our homes and with the latest in sound technology it's quite possible. But if you don't know what's available, where to start or are intimidated by consumer electronics, then shopping for a speaker system can seem like a daunting task. However, it doesn't have to be. If your ultimate goal is to have an audio system that will dynamically enhance movies, music, sporting events and video games, then it's a lot easier, and more affordable than you might think.
If 5.1 surround sound seems like a foreign language to you, it's actually really simple to translate. The term "5.1" (five-point-one) refers to the number of channels in today's most common surround-sound configurations. The "5" corresponds to the five main channels - left front, center front, right front, left surround and right surround - while the ".1" refers to the subwoofer that delivers the deep-driving bass effects you feel as well as hear.
Before embarking on a 5.1 audio quest, planning ahead is everything. It's wise not to purchase anything until you've carefully assessed the room that will house the system. In order to get a setup that meets your lifestyle and performance expectations, you need to know the size of your room, what size speakers it can accommodate, and where you want to position everything. It's also a good idea to make a diagram of your room and note its dimensions. Because when you finally start shopping, the salesperson can look at the illustration and help you determine what speakers will work and how much sound is needed to fill your area.
Believe it or not, how well your sound system performs depends on the room's structure. For instance, too many bare surfaces may cause reflections that add harshness to the sound or muddy the dialog. It is also a good rule of thumb to avoid rooms that are perfectly square or have one dimension exactly twice the other. Furniture placement also plays a major role in a room's acoustics. However, if you don't have the "ideal" listening space don't get discouraged because most acoustic issues can easily be solved. It's just important to know what you're dealing with before consulting an audio salesperson.
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RF-83 traditional 5.1 system.
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Cinema 6 satellite 5.1 system.
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After evaluating the space, it's important to determine your price range. To get an idea of what speakers cost, it's good to read audio publications such as Sound and Vision and Home Theater. These magazines will also familiarize you with the brands on the market and give reviews of the latest products, which could be very helpful.
When you're ready to buy, you need to decide where to purchase your 5.1 system. There are several audio options you can explore at either a consumer electronics store or a custom installer.
Before visiting any A/V storefront or installer showroom, remember that when trying to achieve the "cinema effect" at home, audio is just as important as video. It's vital to keep this in mind because when you walk into a home theater display area, you'll probably be immediately drawn to the big, beautiful plasma, LCD and other flat-panel televisions that are receiving so much attention today. Because these sleek new products are so mesmerizing, you may be tempted to forget your audio needs and spend your entire budget on a new video display. And this makes just about as much sense as buying a Lear Jet without the wings, a Ferrari without the engine or a platinum ring setting without a diamond.
Not to mention, purchasing one of these sexy new televisions without a high-performance speaker system will not give you the dynamic movie experience you crave. You'll be right back where you started, relying on a television's tiny built-in speakers or a lesser-performing system.
Studies have shown that consumers will identify one TV as having a better-looking picture than another, even when the only difference between the two TVs is a higher quality speaker system. These experiments are where we get the sayings such as "video without audio is just surveillance" and "the sound is half the picture." High-quality audio triggers passionate, emotional responses that make the entire entertainment experience better.
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Sound is half the picture.
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Video without audio is surveillance.
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Even if you realize sound is half the picture, you still need to decide what 5.1 speaker set up is right for you. These days speakers come in all shapes, sizes and colors. How you do know what to choose?
Most speaker manufacturers, including Klipsch, design a variety of audio systems to try and meet a variety of tastes and budgets. In fact, whether you're seeking traditional box-style loudspeakers, lifestyle-oriented products or in-wall models, you may want to keep in mind that Klipsch delivers best-of-class sound performance in every loudspeaker category.
While looking at 5.1 setups, you may be tempted to only listen to the speakers you can afford. However, it might be in your best interest to start with the system your sales associate thinks is the very best. This way you'll know what sound quality is possible and you'll have a better understanding of how much performance you can get for your dollar.
When rating a 5.1 system's performance, it's best to listen to something that is familiar to you, such as a favorite DVD and CD. As you demo different speakers, you will discover that the things you enjoy sound different on each setup. Depending on how detailed the system is, you may even notice content that you've never heard before. In fact, a major attribute of a Klipsch loudspeaker is its ability to uncover the slightest nuance within a soundtrack.
Keep in mind, you don't have to have a "trained" ear to know what speakers rock. It's whatever sounds good to you. However, it is important to pay attention to attributes such as: Is the dialogue crystal clear? How dynamic are the speakers? Or in other words, do the speakers go from a very quiet passage to a very loud passage very quickly without sounding muddy or strained? Because all Klipsch loudspeakers employ horn-loaded technology, they are more dynamic and alive than conventional speakers.
Also be aware that it is not recommended to mix and match between brands because speaker companies typically design their products to work together to produce sounds at the same levels and tones.
Once you have made a speaker selection, you need a surround-audio receiver to drive everything. A receiver is a tuner, preamplifier and amplifier all packed into one box. The tuner receives the AM/FM signals, the preamplifier acts as a traffic cop and routes all your connections to the amplifier, and the amplifier strengthens the signals. With most of today's speaker systems, it's advisable to use a receiver that supplies at least 100 watts of power to each speaker channel.
When selecting a receiver, be sure to leave yourself some expansion room because as new innovations (like TiVo) hit the market, you may want to add to your system. If your receiver can't handle these advancements, you will have to scrap it and start over.
One final thought, with all the sophisticated high-fidelity options that are out there, it's easy to find yourself with a system that is complicated to operate. If your system is going to be used by everyone in the family, be sure to keep ease of use in mind. After all, what's the point of having a rockin' system, if no one knows how to turn it on?
Resources:
An Instant Introduction to 5.1 Audio
By Richard Elen
Planning a Surround-Sound System
From "Home Tech"
www.diynet.com