Home Theater Deep Dive: Surround Sound
Home Theater Deep Dive: Surround Sound
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Nothing brings the magic of a big movie theater home quite like surround sound; with objects flying all around you and deep rumbling bass it’s easy to get lost in the movies and TV shows that you watch. The only problem is surround sound is littered with terms and numbers that can make shopping for a system confusing. By the end of this video, we want you to have a better understanding of the difference around speaker configurations, audio formats–like DTS and Dolby Digital–and how even sound bars can give you surround sound.
A stereo system would be called a 2.0 system. Surround sound starts when you add a center channel, is called a 3.0 system. The center channel handles 85% of the dialogue, so if you want to understand what’s being said on screen and feel like the effects are coming from the center of the screen, the center channel is essential.
Next, we have the LFE channel (which stands for low frequency effects) and this is where all the rumble and punch from a home surround system comes from. When it comes to our surround sound system number, then the subwoofer is the second digit (think of the “1” in “3.1”).
Next, comes the surround speakers–you’ll need two of them to have a true surround sound system. A 5.1 system will work great for the vast majority of surround sound signals that you’re going to get, but there are two new different types of surround sound called Dolby Atmos and DTS X that come from above you. In the number diagram, this would be represented in the third digit (think “3” in a “5.1.3” system).
Now, if you’re tight on space, certain sound bars can produce a surround sound system. Some of them do it virtually–that is, they fake surround sound using special processing to make it seem like sound is coming from the side and behind you. The left, center, and right channels will all be located within the sound bar.
If you want the very best surround sound experience you can get, you’re going to want to get an AV receiver and separate speakers. If you’re not up for all those speakers and wiring though, take a look at a sound bar. It all comes down the sound quality you want to get, and the physical space you have to practically work with.
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1:45 It can be good for the Animaniacs revival on Hulu.
I’m really liking these last few videos you guys are putting out for a better understanding of sound systems and pointing us in the right direction of them. Please keep up this trend of these great videos!
Awesome!!! Thanks!!
Great video, I have a question though..
I have a 5.1 LG home theater system and works properly. What if i wanted all the speakers work at the same time?
I know that means (no surround sound) but It doesn’t matter to me.
Any help?
Indeed very helpful, thanks!
what brand tower speakers are those please?
I’ll be using two way bass reflex active book shelf monitors with a sub, with signal from the TV headphone jack and virtual surround using the TV’s build in option. Will take up way less desk space than a similarly priced soundbar and most like will sound better too having a two way bass reflex facility.
1:49 so surround it’s so boring you’d rather play with the phone
Can someone tell me where can Get that tv stand?
What blu-ray movies have *5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, or 7.1.4 Channel?*
Thanks for that
Wish you made this video months ago, I was scrambling around on the internet trying to learn which configuration was best and why Dolby support wasn’t enough. But very good info nonethless
What brand speakers are those floor standing towers in the video with the upwards firing atmos speaker?
Great work on this video! Valuable for people getting into the hobby!
Great video. What ceiling speakers are shown there. I want Atmos and DTS X, but I’m looking for good ceiling speakers.
This video just reminded me how much I don’t know. Thank you for the re-education.
I dislike the newer iteration of “Dolby surround“ which replaces pro logic ll, it sounds OK I suppose but I strongly dislike the lack of fine-tuning you can do, if any at all depending on the receiver you have. The older system may have been a matrixed codec but I could fine-tune it to suit my situation Such as widening the center speaker to give mono sources a bit more breathing room Etc. something that you generally speaking can’t do with the newer systems (I.e. Dolby Surround and DTS Neural X) aside from a few receivers out there.
These newer versions offer almost nothing at all by way of user adjustment aside from speaker level.
Heard of auro3D?
This was very helpful, thank you very much!!
Trust me, you DO NOT want streaming your media in your expensive watch / listen room!
3 years later amd still helpful, cheerd, a good introduction 😁
Soundbars DO NOT, by themselves, give a realistic surround experience. I added atmos speakers with a corresponding receiver to my high end soundbar and subwoffer, and holy shit what a difference! Spend the money. It’s worth every penny.
Guys you forgot auro 3D Sound
Fantastic video so simple yet super informative.
There is no 3.1
From stereo you go up to 5.1 and if you dont have surround speakers you will loose the surround effect sent to those speakers.
In that case it would be better to stick with stereo.
https://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=337317
I have a Sony Home theater (BDV-E4100) which is 5.1. It has Netflix in it and and movies I couldn’t hear sound from the speakers behind. The movies in Netflix have that 5.1 tag in their title screen Please help. The system just says audio format
is not supported when I play videos with 5.1 audio . Please help.
This series is awesome!
Please keep making more of this.
Please help! I don’t know anything about this but I’m purchasing the Sony 55 inch tv for bedroom but want a soundbar, can you help with choosing one for 200.00 no more than 250.00…Thanx