How to Install Home Theater Speakers
Installing home theater speakers is easier than you might think, if you follow some basic guidelines. If home improvement projects in your home tend to be a battleground between you and your significant other, send him or her out for a special treat so you can do your work in peace.
Determine Your Speaker Configuration
The goal with home theater speakers is to put you in the exact center of the field of sound. The ideal setup has your couch or seating area in the middle of the room, with the home theater speakers arranged in an equal distance around it. Practically, this often isn’t possible, especially if you’ve got a small room and need to sit against the wall.
In any home theater speaker setup, you should start with the subwoofer and the center speaker. You can put the subwoofer anywhere, because the human ear can’t locate the source of low sounds.
The center speaker should be placed directly above or below your TV screen. Left and right home theater speakers go on either side of the screen, and you’ll want them to be a foot or less away from the screen to get the proper sound perspective. Make sure these home theater speakers are installed at the same height, either resting on a media center or on stands. The front edge of these home theater speakers should be flush with the front edge of the center speaker, and both speakers should be turned in slightly toward the screen so that their separate sound fields will cross where you’ll be sitting.
If your couch is in the center of the room, you can install the rear home theater speakers an equal distance behind it. If not, install the home theater speakers on the side walls pointing toward your seating area. If your couch is against the back wall and you mount the home theater speakers behind you, you won’t hear the sound from them.
Mounting Home Theater Speakers
Don’t mount home theater speakers at the top of the wall. While this is unobtrusive, it also sends the sound sailing over your head unless you can angle the speakers toward the floor. Remember that sound will travel in a straight line from a home theater speaker. To see where it will go, hold a yardstick or broom handle perpendicular to the center of the speaker and make sure the opposite end is pointing toward your seating area.
Home Theater Speakers Articles, Videos & HowTos
Home theater speakers can be installed in a variety of ways, but there are guidelines that must be followed to create the proper listening environment.
Choosing great home theater speakers isn’t too hard to do, if you know what specs to consider. Times were when a pair of speakers were all you needed for great stereo sound. That won’t cut it for home theater, though, where 5.1 sound is a minimum and newer, more exotic arrangements can have you putting up to eight speakers around your room.
How to get the right gauge and length speaker wire when you're setting up speakers.
Home theaters are fabulous because they allow you to experience the thrill and excitement that comes from watching movies at the cinema in the privacy and comfort of your own home. By making smart, informed decisions when you are setting up and buying equipment for your home theater you will have a fun, relaxing and enjoyable space for years to come.
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