Surround Sound Technology Boosts Performance

Want to listen to theater-like sounds when you watch TV at home? Then “surround” yourself with sound! That effect is easily achieved with the help of home sound systems with surround sound technology. This modern audio technology is a far cry from the monosound format of the pre-1950s and the stereo sound format of the 1960s. Surround sound can do something that its predecessors cannot—that is, to seal the sound within the area of the audience while they’re listening to music or watching movies.

So what exactly does surround sound do? This audio technology thrives on the dedicated speakers that surround the audience physically. Aside from the two front speakers that produce most of the sounds, a surround sound format usually includes a center speaker and two or more surround speakers. The center speaker is the carrier of the on-screen dialogue, meaning it sticks the sound of the dialogue to the screen. The surround speakers, for their part, generate the sound enveloping effect. The proper placement of these speakers is vital for precise and high-quality sounds, as it ensures that the sounds coming from the various speakers will arrive at the audience in a timely and accurate manner.

How many surround speakers are necessary in a home sound system? It depends on the sound format and how many playback channels are supported by your audio components. With surround sound technology, the number of sound signals that are supported by the surround format does not have to match the number of speakers used. That being said, the four-channel format of Dolby surround can be played over a sound setup with a five-channel playback. In that setup, every surround speaker plays the same sound. Likewise, a 6.1 surround format such as the Dolby Digital EX can be used on a 7.1 playback sound system. For this setup, the two surround speakers placed at the rear area play the same audio.

You might be curious about what the numbers included in the terms for surround sound formats mean. For example, the .1 in a surround audio playback system (e.g., 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1) is the low-frequency effects channel. This channel uses full-range speakers for the left and right areas, and the low frequencies can be transmitted to one or both of them. The low frequencies can also be transferred to the two front speakers and the low-frequency effects channel.

But don’t be fooled into thinking that surround sound involves only multiple speakers. In fact, there is such a thing as a single speaker surround sound system. Surround sound systems with single speaker are included in several home audio systems today. Single speaker surround systems are ideal for small rooms or spaces as well as people who don’t want too many speakers in their room, and those who don’t want the mess and the hassle of the typical 5.1 surround sound setup.

Single speaker home sound systems with surround sound create an effect almost similar to regular surround sound technologies by using virtual surround technologies. Such technologies are based on potent signal processing technologies that are able to recreate the enveloping effect of a typical home surround sound system. However, when it comes to overall sound quality, single surround sound systems still are no match against a true surround sound system. The only advantage you get from a single surround sound system is a clutter-free sound system setup.