Conflict of Positioning Speakers and Screens

[radovantz]

Hi all,

Since the development of sound format from stereo to various type of multichannel surround system, there is still a problem that could not be solved until today. The guidance supplied by manufacturers helps you install your devices properly right after you unpack them for ensure correctness and good results. However, the conflict arises when the ideal positioning guidance for speakers and screens do not compromise to each others.

The ideal speaker positioning is outlined by both manufacturers and sound lab as Dolby Labaratories Inc. Other than advice of using the same type of speakers, the guideline has also illustrate the correct placement of the three main speakers, ie. Front Left, Front Centre, and Front Right. These three speakers are ideally positioned at the same height between tweeters and ears for optimum sound clarity.

However, the perfect setup of multichannel audio system should not abandon screenings. For best viewing, monitors are ideally positioned at the same height as your eyes. After this positioning is done, you will realize that your ears are also positioned at the same height as your eyes.

This problem can only be solved by bringing projectors like public cinema into home. Otherwise, either screen or sound should be sacrificed.

In my opinion, manufacturer should design a new AV Receiver or Amplifier that could optionally process centre channel into one pair stereo speakers. These speakers can be placed near both side of monitors reproducing centre sound in stereo mode. But the stereo reproduction from centre channel is not suitable for a big screen because it will mix the other channel from the right and left. That is why it should be an optional.

 

[John Duncan]

radovantz:In my opinion, manufacturer should design a new AV Receiver or Amplifier that could optionally process centre channel into one pair stereo speakers. These speakers can be placed near both side of monitors reproducing centre sound in stereo mode. But the stereo reproduction from centre channel is not suitable for a big screen because it will mix the other channel from the right and left. That is why it should be an optional.

Hi

They do - if I set my receiver to "No Centre", the centre channel is fed through as a mono signal to the stereo pair, and sound pretty convincing provided you're watching central to the screen and the stereo fronts are reasonably close to the screen. Pretty sure any receiver will do that.

jd

 

[radovantz]

Thank you JohnDuncan. In my experience, I prefer my receiver set "yes" to all speakers, even if the actual number of speakers being used are not enough to support full 5.1 or 7.1 channel. By setting all speakers turned on, surely you cannot hear the sound from any channels without speakers, but it helps your existing speakers reproduce the pure sound quality of their own channels without mixtures. If any speaker is set to "none", it's channel will be automatically downmixed to main speakers, resulting obsolete in sound detail especially when listening movies.

For experiment, you can try the scene of tripod comes out from the ground in War Of The Worlds. There is a big different on how bad the van hit a car, with centre speaker turned "yes" and "no".

Radovantz