Setup Your Home Cinema Speakers For Optimum Sound

One of the reasons we enjoy going to a movie theater is the incredible sound. Not only are you intently watching the movie, you feel as if you are completely immersed in it. You can now enjoy that cinema experience in your own home; and as most guidelines on how to implement your home cinema setup will advise, your home cinema speaker setup is key.

Speaker Placement

Speaker placement with respect to your TV and seating position can definitely have an impact on the overall acoustic performance of your home cinema. Of course this assumes that what you are viewing was recorded in such a way as to take advantage of surround sound. Ideally you should have at least five full range speakers and a subwoofer for low-frequency effects (that sound you actually feel). In this type of home cinema speaker setup, three speakers are used for the front left, right and center; with the remaining two used as surround speakers in the left and right rear.

You should basically start with your center speaker, which is used to anchor on-screen sounds to the screen. Therefore this speaker should be centered either on top of your TV, just below it for direct view and rear projection TV's, or just behind the projection screen with a front projection set up. Keep in mind that center speaker placement behind the projection screen requires that it be acoustically transparent. The center speaker should also be aimed directly at your primary listening area.

Your front left and right speakers should be set up on either side of your TV, and should be at least six feet apart from each other. As much as possible, all three front speakers should be set with their tweeters at the same height and at or near ear level when seated. Depending on whether you are installing a home cinema speaker setup for a group or solo viewing, you will want to make sure that the three front speakers are positioned in a straight line that is parallel with your front row of seats, or positioned on an arc whose center is your main viewing position.

The positioning of your surround speakers is for the most part a personal preference choice, but there are some suggestions to consider with your home cinema surround speaker setup. Surround speakers should be placed on each side and slightly behind your main seating area. These speakers should be two to three feet above your ear level, with wall mounting providing the best option. Finally, the subwoofer can be experimented with, but should be placed directly on the floor.