| -Speaker types | | | | speaker's front baffle toward the listener's ears. These |
| There are four basic home theater speaker | | | | are a good all-purpose surround sound speaker choice |
| categories: towers, satellites, subwoofers, and center | | | | since their clear, focused dispersion pattern can |
| channels. A tower speaker is a tall, freestanding model | | | | accurately convey the directional sound effect pans in |
| capable of reproducing a full range of sound. Satellites, | | | | DVD soundtracks. |
| which can be used as both front or rear-channel | | | | -Dipolar models radiate sound from both the speaker's |
| (surround) speakers, are small, bass-limited models | | | | back and front, with the opposing driver sets wired |
| designed to be paired with a subwoofer - a dedicated | | | | out-of-phase with each other. This design offers a |
| speaker for reproducing both bass and the | | | | more diffuse, spacious sound than a direct-radiating |
| low-frequency-effects channel in Dolby Digital and | | | | model while retaining some of the latter's focused |
| DTS soundtracks. And a center channel speaker is a | | | | dispersion characteristics. (Dipolar models are favored |
| horizontally oriented satellite that's designed to | | | | for THX-certified designs specifically because of their |
| reproduce dialog. | | | | diffuse sound, which more accurately resembles what |
| -Freestanding vs. on-wall | | | | you'd hear in a real movie theater.) |
| In the past, home theater speakers were usually | | | | -Bipolar models also radiate sound from the front and |
| installed alongside big-screen TVs - either freestanding | | | | back, except that in this case both sets of drivers are |
| or placed on top of speaker stands. But many new | | | | wired in-phase with one another. This design allows a |
| models are on-wall designs that come with | | | | bipolar speaker to provide the best of both worlds: a |
| wall-mounting hardware. One advantage to these | | | | direct-radiator's clarity and focus, and a dipole's |
| kinds of speakers is that they get positioned on walls | | | | spaciousness. |
| where they don't take up any room space. A second | | | | -What is frequency response, and what should I look |
| advantage is that their slim, wall -hugging design nicely | | | | for? |
| complements flat-panel plasma and LCD TVs. | | | | The range of audio frequencies that a speaker can |
| -Do you really need a center channel? | | | | reproduce is known as its frequency response. Human |
| With some systems - especially those built around a | | | | hearing extends from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (20,000 Hz) - a |
| large, slim rear-projection TV - finding a place to put | | | | span that few models are able to cover fully. The |
| the center channel speaker can be a problem. | | | | bass frequencies at the bottom of the range |
| Although you can get by without using one, it's not | | | | (approximately 20-120 Hz) are the most difficult for a |
| recommended - center channel speakers are | | | | speaker to cover. Satellites don't attempt it at all, but |
| specifically designed to reproduce voices. You'll find | | | | instead pass the task off to a subwoofer - a |
| that movie dialog will sound much clearer when you | | | | dedicated bass speaker with drivers large enough to |
| use them. So instead of bypassing the center speaker | | | | move the massive quantity of air needed to reproduce |
| or using the TV's built-in speakers as a center channel | | | | low frequencies. Since tower speakers usually contain |
| substitute (a terrible option, since the tonal balance of | | | | one or more woofers, they generally deliver decent |
| your TV's speakers isn't likely to match that of your | | | | bass. But if you're shopping for tower speakers - |
| other speakers), look for an alternative mounting | | | | especially if you plan to use one in a system where |
| method. Speaker wall mounts make a fine option, | | | | there's no subwoofer - make a point of checking the |
| especially with flat-panel TVs. Most TV stands also | | | | low end of its frequency response specification. And |
| include storage shelves that can hold a small center | | | | remember that not all measurements are the same. |
| channel speaker. | | | | For example, the bass response of a speaker spec'd |
| -Speaker connections. A variety of connectors can be | | | | at -6 dB at 40 Hz probably won't sound as full as one |
| found on the back of speakers. | | | | that measures -3 dB at 40 Hz. |
| -A spring-clip connector is a plastic, spring-loaded | | | | -Speaker impedance and selection |
| clamp that's usually found on the back of inexpensive | | | | Most new speakers are designed to be compatible |
| speakers. The connection provided by spring clips isn't | | | | with a wide range of receivers and audio amplifiers, so |
| as secure as other types, and they can only accept | | | | specifications like impedance-the measure of a |
| bare speaker wire. | | | | speaker's resistance to electrical power flowing |
| -Binding posts are a step-up connection option found | | | | through it as specified in Ohms-generally aren't things |
| on high-quality speakers. There are two types of | | | | you need to worry too much about. But what you |
| binding posts: regular and five-way. Regular types | | | | should know is that an amplifier has to work harder to |
| accept both banana plug and spade-lug connectors on | | | | drive a speaker with a lower impedance rating than |
| speaker cables. The connection they provide is very | | | | one with a higher rating. Say that your receiver is rated |
| secure, and in some cases the connector is also | | | | to deliver 100 watts into an 8-ohm load. If your |
| gold-plated to prevent oxidation - a condition that can | | | | speakers have an 8-Ohm impedance spec, then you |
| potentially degrade performance. And five-way binding | | | | aren't likely to encounter any problems. But if your |
| posts, which accept bare wire and pin-type | | | | speakers' specified impedance is 4 ohms or less, the |
| connectors in addition to banana plugs and spade lugs, | | | | chances for that same receiver to overheat and shut |
| offer even more hookup flexibility than regular types. | | | | down will be increased. |
| -In-wall and in-ceiling speaker + and - | | | | -Placement: the final frontier |
| For those who prefer to keep their audio/video | | | | Many people tend to be casual about where they put |
| equipment out of sight, in-wall and in-ceiling speakers | | | | their speakers; more often than not, they get shoved |
| make a great alternative to regular models. Although | | | | into any old space where it's convenient. But speaker |
| the sound quality of in-wall and in-ceiling models is | | | | placement becomes crucial when setting up a home |
| generally a notch below that of regular speakers, they | | | | theater system. You'll want the positioning of surround |
| can be mounted inside of cutout cavities in the walls or | | | | sound effects in your room to correspond to what's |
| ceiling of your room where they won't take up any | | | | happening on screen, and that will only happen if |
| space. Both types are also designed to contain | | | | speakers are set up properly. |
| vibrations within the cabinet, so you won't have to | | | | Front channel towers or satellite models on stands |
| worry about rattling the walls during action movies. | | | | should ideally be placed equidistant from the TV's sides |
| Installation of in-wall and in-ceiling speakers involves | | | | and about three feet out from the front wall. This |
| running wires through the walls and/or ceiling of your | | | | setup will heighten imaging and reduce any |
| home. If you're an experienced DIY type, you might be | | | | sound-muddying room reinforcement effects. And |
| up to that task, but for most people it's best left to a | | | | your subwoofer should be pushed into a corner of the |
| custom installer. | | | | room to permit the sound-reinforcing effect of |
| -Surround speaker considerations: direct-radiating, | | | | adjacent walls to strengthen the bass. While |
| dipolar, and bipolar There are several options to | | | | placement guidelines for surround speakers are less |
| consider when choosing surround sound speakers for | | | | strict than those for front speakers, installing them in a |
| your system. | | | | high position at the sides and slightly behind the listening |
| -Direct-radiating models fire sound directly out from the | | | | area will usually enhance surround sound envelopment. |