Home Theater Design, Surround Sound Wiring
Home Theater design is not a new idea, but it sure is a growing
one! With the prices of large screen displays dropping
substantially, the average tv viewing has increased. Many folks
now have a reciver for video and a receiver for audio. Not to
mention, a DVD player and VHS, high definition, surround sound,
sub woofers and even high definition. Quite a jump from the 13"
black and white televisions of our past.
Most people are finding that not only have the costs of large
screen displays dropped, but so has their audio counterparts.
You can now purchase speakers individually, or in a package.
Receivers can be used to power the audio from your DVD player,
CD player, Satellite or Cable reception or even your FM radio. A
good quality "home theater in a box" can be had for as little as
$300 now days and will provide an obvious increase in viewing
pleasure.
Because of the volume and recent price drops, many people are
now taking into account Home Theater Design. "Surround Sound
Wiring" is possible the most difficult part. Did you know there
are many types of speaker wire that you can use? Speaker Wire can
be had in many gauges, shapes, and lengths. You can find Flat Speaker
Wire, or Round Speaker
Wire. The surround sound wiring you plan to do can make a
big difference on what type you chose to use.
If you plan to run your wire through the walls, using a less
expensive round speaker
wire is fine. The only downfall to running it through the
walls is that if you don't plan for it ahead of time, you will
find yourself constantly running into unexpected headaches while
trying to drill holes and whatnot. However, when it is all said
and done a good quality Audio Video Wall
Plate will really clean up your project and leave you with a
professional finish.
If you still perfer round speaker wire, but don't want to drill,
you can now use a special crown molding thats designed to run
speaker wire through it. This will allow you to run speaker wire
through your entire home theater, exposing a minimum amount of
wire. Be warned, however, that this is not cheap. It does
provide another benifit though. The beauty of crown molding
throughout your home theater will be sure to get attention.
Another option, is flat speaker wire. Invisiwire is
just that. You can run it under carpeting or other floor times,
or right up your wall. If you run it up the wall, simply paint
over it for a camoflauged look. It's not 100% hidden, but it's
definately less noticeable and a big help overall. Especially if
you aren't comfortable with drilling holes in your wall.
The last thing to consider when you start your surround sound
wiring is the location of the speakers. The average 5.1 surround
sound setup has 6 speakers. A Center Channel, two front
speakers, two rear speakers, and one sub woofer. Because bass is
non direction you can locate the sub anywhere. However, there
are some suggestions for the remaining 5.
Locate the center where the tv is. preferrably just above it,
but if your tv already sits high, than just below it is fine.
The two fronts should be right around ear level (when you are
sitting) on either side of the tv. It's okay to move them around
a bit to find out exactly how far from the tv you want them.
When sounds are buzzing through your room you want to be able to
distinguish a difference from dead center to far right, this
will make viewing more enjoyable and cinematic.
The rears should be above ear level by 12 to 36 inches. Now that
is quite a variable. Most settle in around 24 inches. Again, I
would suggest using this as a guide line and moving them around
a bit until you find the sound that suits you the best.
"Home
Theater Design" and "Surround Sound Wiring" are more of an
art than anything. You can buy all the right products, and
follow all the guidelines, but when it comes down to it... you
need to make sure it fits your viewing habits. With a little
practice and some fine tuning, you'll get it just right and
you'll never want to change it!