After you’ve picked out the games console, television, set-top box, and other media devices all you need to think about now is what to do about your audio setup.
To help avoid suffering the frustration of the sound of Armageddon starting every time you turn the television on or play the Xbox/PlayStation or Nintendo, we are going to offer you some tips for getting the setup just right
Map the Layout
Most crucial to getting your new sound system to sound just right lies in how the sounds emitted from it behave in the space where it is located.
If your living room is very square, with next to no obstructions between you and the speakers, you have the most ideal layout. However, even if this is not possible, most modern systems offer enough flexibility to work well in various setups.
You need to bear in mind that you need adequate space for each speaker to create their own audio fields without it all becoming too echoey or even mushy sounding.
If you are still in the process of buying a system, check out audio product reviews and keep an eye out for models that offer an optimizer CD or pink noise generator, as these can determine the best distance between speakers for the best sound possible.
Front Balancing
It is best to start with the speakers that stand at the front right and left, as these are the main driving force of the entire system.
Ideally, these speakers should be spaced out enough to ensure you can identify the different sounds coming from both sides.
Is your living room asymmetrical? In a room like that, you are going to have to do a bit of compensating for the unevenly placed speakers of your audio system.
There are many receivers out there that can automatically manage this but giving you the chance to input the right and left speaker distances. However, tinkering will be required with the volume and panning levels of the channel will help.
Work on the Center
Now that you have the right and left channels of the system organized, you need to focus on the dark horse, the central channel.
As this is the central piece of the whole system and the main source of dialog, it is important to get the placement just right. In the most common setups, you will find that this speaker is placed either below or above the screen.
However, you can experiment a little to find out the best placement that is best for your home and entertainment center.
Crucially, you need to make that the channel is equalized with the speakers at the front in mind. If you don’t, you will have a bit of a shock when you hear a sweeping pan from left to right.
Finish Everything Off With the Surrounds
The thing that a lot of people get wrong and misunderstand when arranging a sound system is that the surrounds should flood you with audio similarly to the central and frontal speakers.
In fact, they are there to provide enhancements for any off-screen audio and atmospheric sound that gives you the feeling of being fully immersed in whatever you are watching.
With that in mind, it is best to place these speakers at the right and left of where you will be sitting and directing the sound inwards.
Don’t worry if you don’t get things just right immediately as it takes a lot of adjustments to find the sweet spot.
Interesting Related Article: “Ways to Make Home Theater Sound Better“