What truly makes a home theatre system different from an ordinary TV set up is the surround sound effect. Going to a cinema to watch a movie is a completely different experience today compared to how it was 70 or 80 years ago. Apart from tickets costing possibly ten times more, the picture is clearer and the sound quality is so much better. Back in the 1930s, cinemas used a single speaker or a group of speakers located behind the movie screen. But with the advancement in modern technology, we can now hear the movie’s sound effects coming from all directions, making the movie more realistic and bringing the viewers to a different world. This technology is not only used in theatres, but is also standard in home cinema systems installed in residential locations.
So how does surround sound work?
Surround sound refers to a sound system that uses an audio source and several speakers that are skillfully positioned in the room so that the sound output will seem as if it “surrounds” the listener. That is, the sound will seem like it is coming from all directions inside the room. Simply put: surround sound is actually the sound that surrounds you.
Here’s how it works: Multiple audio channels are received through a number of speakers that are placed in different locations in the room. The speakers are programmed into the audio source.
The audio/ video (AV) receiver is the center of a home theatre. For example, when you play a DVD movie, the DVD player (or AV receiver) decodes the DVD’s audio that was encoded when it was produced.
The 5.1 surround sound system is a technology that produces sound in five channels: left, right, center, left-surround and right-surround. These are the five minimum channel requirements in a 5.1 set up. The “.1” refers to the low frequency effects that are often sent to the subwoofer. This set up has been the standard technology used in most home theatres. However, consumers also have the option to use 6.1 and 7.1 systems.
Common surround sound formats include Dolby surround, Dolby digital, Dolby digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-ES and TruSurround XT.
Get a more realistic and engaging sound experience when you watch your favourite movies at home and call us to get your surround sound system set up.
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