Setting Up Your Surround Sound Properly

A surround sound system with its different types of speakers can be pretty confusing to the first time buyer. As the name suggests a surround sound effect is obtained by placing the speakers around the viewer or listener. Moreover the proper installation of the surround sound system and the proper placement of the speakers are very important to getting the real surround sound effect.

The right knowledge of installation will also help you to choose the right system initially to suit you budget and then upgrade it gradually. It is not that you will not get any sound if the system is not properly installed, but you will not the effect for which you have spent extra money. Let us examine how to properly install a surround system in your home.

The first time buyer must realize that there are different varieties of surround sound systems available in the stores. The 5.1 channel is the most common and standard surround sound system. In this setup 5 speakers and 1 subwoofer are installed along with the receiver. That is why it is known as the 5.1 system. In the 5.1 surround sound system the speakers are placed in front of the viewers/listeners and the subwoofer is placed behind them.

Also it is important to place the center speaker in the center, the left speaker on the left and the right speaker on the right of the viewer/listener facing them. The left and the right surround sound speakers are placed on the rear left and right. Proper placement of speakers is very important for getting the optimum surround sound effect. The subwoofer placed at the back creates the bass notes.

The next level surround sound systems are 6.1 and 7.1 channel systems and the difference with the 5.1 system lies primarily in the addition one speaker for each additional level. Most surround sound systems let you start with the 5.1 channel and upgrade to 6.1 and 7.1 channels later on. However you must check with the supplier that this is indeed the case before you take a decision about buying a particular model.

This is better than buying a higher channel and compromising on the quality of speaker do to budget constraints. As the speakers are the most important components of the surround sound system it is better to start with fewer higher end speakers and then upgrade later than compromise on sound quality from the very beginning. When you upgrade from a 5.1 channels system to a 6.1 channels system you have to simply change the placement of the speakers to accommodate the additional speaker. The same goes for the upgrading to 7.1.

In the first case when upgrading to 6.1 from 5.1 you will need to move the speakers on the rear left and right to the left and the right side of the listener and place the additional speaker at the back. When further upgrading to a 7.1 channel system then move the speaker at the back to the rear left side and place the additional speaker on the rear right. Although the above arrangement is broadly correct the exact position of the speakers in the actual home theater or room must be determined by trial and error to achieve the best placement of the surround sound system speakers.

It is better to try out the system in the store to get an idea of the correct installation before getting it home. When you try it out in the store, use your own choice of CDs and DVDs, so that you get the surround system that gives you the best listening pleasure.