Modern flat panel monitors have taken the visual experience of streaming and television to new heights. They are closely linked to the ideal of home cinema. But what the flat screens get out of the picture, they lose again in the sound. The reason for this is that due to the flat construction, the tone no longer has a sufficient resonator to spread its vibrations.
The result is an extremely dull and flat sound that is sometimes barely audible even at high volume and makes any form of immersion impossible. As a result, the home cinema, which is closely linked to the emotional and sensual immersion in the plot, also fails in the end. For the right home cinema feeling on the other hand, both main human senses must be covered.
Various home cinema sound systems at a glance
Fortunately, there is a remedy in the form of home theater sound systems that simply plug into the television. The individual systems differ in terms of complexity, technology and quality. So that you can make the right decision, we will go into more detail about them. Of course, high-quality home cinema systems have their price. But many manufacturers offer the purchase of credit, which differ from Verivox and Co. can be compared with each other.
Simple and ingenious – soundbars
The soundbar is a practical solution for those who care about surround sound but don't care that much whether it's native or virtual. The spatial sound is therefore not authentic, but is translated and represented (virtualized) by the computer. That way, that's enough narrow shape of the soundbar to display the spatial sound. If you can live with this solution, you will benefit from large savings in space and cable clutter.
Small and inexpensive - the 2.1 system
The from the Computer known 2.1 system with a subwoofer and two speakers is already a real improvement over the inadequate sound from the TV. Nevertheless, we are still at the beginning of what is technically possible. The 2.1 system is therefore an option for anyone who wants to match the quality of the TV acoustics to the computer acoustics and is looking for an inexpensive solution. Basically, customers get along better with the 2.1 system in small rooms.
The classic – the 5.1 system
From the 5.1 system you can already speak of a real home cinema system. In addition to the subwoofer, a center is part of the overall picture, which is set up at a height of around 1,20 meters so that the sound can spread a three-dimensional sound image. When setting up, the subwoofer is placed near the center, which in turn is placed at the front of the room in the middle.
The remaining loudspeakers are now placed in a room-filling circle system, with the right and left loudspeakers each being placed at a 30-degree angle from the centre. The left and right rear speakers are placed further back in the room, so that the angle from the center is between 100 and 120 degrees.
Almost like in the cinema - the 7.1 system
Compared to the 5.1 system, the 7.1 system has two more speakers. 5.1 surround sound is the most common in home theater, while 7.1 surround sound is already luxurious. The rule of thumb here is that the differences in the sound experience only become noticeable in larger rooms. In smaller rooms, the greater need for space associated with the system is also noticeable. However, if you want to save yourself the annoying tangle of cables, you can now use systems with wireless loudspeakers.
What to look for when buying a home theater system?
In complex and high-performance systems in particular, the requirements for high performance at the data transmission rate are growing. These can only be transmitted with digital transmission standards such as HDMI solve. In addition, the system should be compatible with advanced sound formats such as Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS and Dolby True HD. Anyone who relies on a 7.1 sound experience should make sure that their receiver supports the system.
For example, enough Dolby Digital only up to 5.1 surround sound, while Dolby Digital Plus supports 7.1 system. Also, not all music systems support a Blu-Ray player, 3D movies, Super Audio CDs (SADC) and Bluetooth. Here it is important to make sure when buying that the new music system can also fulfill all wishes.
