Just how valuable are they?
Let’s just address the most common question by home owners –
What is the most important part of the home entertainment system?
The most important part of any audio/video system is the speakers. You can have entry-level speakers with really good electronics and not get the same benefits as having better speakers with entry level electronics. Speakers should be 30% to 50% of your overall system budget. There are many different types of speakers, including freestanding tower speakers, bookshelf speakers, architectural speakers (installed in the wall or ceiling) and on-wall speakers.
Recently, with the introduction of Dolby Atmos, we now have the opportunity to add up to 4 additional speakers above, in the ceiling. This allows the sound engineer to have greater control when mixing the audio portion of the film. Dolby Atmos has been available for over two years and all of the major studios have accepted this new surround technology. All of the current surround sound processors manufactured by the major manufacturers have the Dolby Atmos processor built in for the most current surround capabilities. The Dolby Atmos system, in the home, consists of adding a minimum of two additional speakers above, in the ceiling, and up to four in-ceiling speakers for the ultimate Atmos experience.
The most important speaker in the surround sound system is the center channel speaker. This is where all of the dialogue emanates from. Depending on the layout of the room, there are boxed center speakers that can be placed below the TV or architectural style speakers that can be installed in the wall above or below the TV location. The next most important speakers are the front or main speakers, traditionally boxed tower speakers; these are also available in an architectural design. The main speakers reproduce the impact portion of the film. Tower speakers give the best reproduction of sound, but recently with advances in speaker technology, manufacturers offer a very high end architectural speaker that can be installed in the wall or ceiling. The rear speakers can either be architectural installed in the ceiling or on-wall style speaker that can be mounted in the rear position, behind the seating area.
The main difference between an entry-level contractor series speaker and a more refined speaker are the materials that are used to manufacture the speaker. Most contractor series speakers are only available in a 6.5” diameter which just doesn’t have the ability to reproduce any bass. When investing speakers there are many different technologies that differentiate the kind of speaker you should choose. If you’re in the market for a surround sound system or even interested in upgrading what you currently have, consult a professional who can perform an in-home consultation to see exactly how the room is laid out, as well as the type of construction including the type of flooring and window coverings which all have an effect on the overall sound reproduction within the space.
