May 13, 2017 - 5.1 Surround Sound – The Right Speaker Placement. The Dolby Surround Position isn't the Most Optimum for Mixing. To download the 5.1 surround test file as AC3 (Dolby Digital), click here. 'Voyager' - 5.1 mix This track is brand new and will most likely be included on my next CD. 3.1 vs 5.1 speaker setup question Discussion in 'Speakers & Subwoofers' started by steve_jk, Jan 1, 2007.

• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound Setup

Getting a loudspeaker system is just the beginning. Once you get everything home, you still need to set up your speakers for the best possible listening experience. It’s this accurate home theater speaker placement that separates the truly dedicated from the amateurs. Others have written extensive articles detailing every possible way to configure a room full of speakers. Rather than go down that path, I will simplify things a bit to make it more palatable for the masses. After all, I’m not trying to give you a degree in sound reinforcement, just give you a leg up in home theater speaker placement for your living space that approximates the surround sound you experience in the theater. And that’s what we’re really going for here—to get as close to that theatrical experience as possible.

But there are huge differences in loudspeaker placement when you compare home theater speaker placement against a movie theater. For one, home theaters tend to be more reflective in their acoustical properties. A movie theater is designed to be almost completely “dead”.

Nearly all of the sound you hear in a theater is coming from the speakers. In the home, the room plays an important role. You also have a lot more speakers in a movie theater, often with several surround speakers along both the side and back of the room. And the front and center speakers are located behind a perforated screen, so that the sound emanates completely from the on-screen action. While this is possible in home theater which uses a front projection system, it’s often not practical to place speakers behind a screen.

The good news for you is that most people can move speakers around a room without much trouble or even having to break out the. Plus, if you’re still in the setup stage, you can try out several locations to find one that’s right for you before you do a final install.

Dolby Digital

Getting Started—How Many Speakers Are You Using? Whether you’re planning your home theater, or you have already purchased speakers, a big question is: How many speakers are you placing in the room? This is a basic starting point, but it will allow you to jump down to the appropriate part of this article to fit your particular application. You may want to read through the whole thing, however, as we do explain ways to configure your system so that it’s ready for a potential future upgrade.

Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound Setup

You may also want to see our article on for tips on when and how to go from one configuration to another. Stereo Two-channel Speaker Placement The most basic audio system is a stereo system. But that doesn’t mean you can just throw speakers into a room and expect great sound. For one, there is an audio characteristic called “imaging” that deals with how the stereo separation is perceived by the listener. This also affects the “soundstage” which is how you can locate individual sounds within the stereo image.