HOME THEATRE

what you need to know

INTRODUCTION
welcome to the movies... how do I get there...?

Home Theatre isn’t new. It began back in the ‘20s and ‘30s when Hollywood’s elite built small screening This brochure is your first step towards enjoying a home theatre system. In it, you’ll find questions to ask
rooms in their homes so they could view the films they had just produced, directed, or starred in. yourself before ever going into a store. We’ll explain those often-obscure acronyms and the technology
they represent so you’ll be comfortable when looking for specific answers to your needs.
Even though they were luxurious, early “home theatres” were complex and intimidating. The moguls who
enjoyed them kept technicians on staff to run the noisy and cantankerous projectors of the day. Before we begin, however, we do have a suggestion. At some point, you’ll need to consult with a sales
specialist at a store or showroom that sells home theatre equipment. In our experience, independent
Technology has come a long way. Today, home theatre systems are far more convenient, far more dealers or custom installation specialists usually have more knowledgeable, more experienced people
accessible, and far more reliable. And, thanks to the efforts of literally thousands of engineers, design- than do large mega-stores that sell everything from portable stereos to PCs.
ers, and installers, they’re far more capable, too.
Whatever your budget, the independent dealer will be more apt to listen and be more responsive to your
A good home theatre system will provide hours of enjoyment for you and your family as it literally immers- needs. That’s critically important as you make the decisions you’ll need to make before you can enjoy a
es you in sights and sounds once reserved for the very finest first-run movie houses. A home theatre system in your home.
system can also help create just the right environment to enjoy your favourite movies by adjusting light-
ing, closing curtains, even turning on the popcorn machine! For the music lover, a home theatre system With that in mind, let’s get started . . .
will also reproduce your favourite recordings with startling fidelity.

CONTENTS

4 SOME BASIC QUESTIONS

the component advantage
the room it goes in
people live here, too, don’t they?

5 THE VIDEO SIDE OF HOME THEATRE

what you’ll see
when is ‘big’ really ‘big enough’?
composite, s-, and component video signals

10 SURROUNDED BY SPEAKERS
what you’ll hear
what you’ll need
where to put them
the subwoofer
but wait, there’s more...

14 THE ELECTRONICS
separates are better
the surround processor
inputs and outputs
surround sound formats
what’s important
the power amplifier

22 RELAX
Your specialist - saudio/video dealer

2
 SOME BASIC QUESTIONS THE VIDEO SIDE OF HOME THEATRE
the component advantage what you’ll see

Sit down for a moment and think about what you really want. Once you’ve decided on the best room, you can begin to figure out what you’re going to need to complete
the home theatre system of your dreams and just where you’ll place everything.
Is it a full-scale dedicated theatre room with custom seating, lights that dim
automatically when you press “Play,” curtains that sweep into place to block You’ll probably begin by thinking about the TV screen. That’s natural, but you need to think about the speak-
distracting sunlight, an extensive loudspeaker array, and the latest video ers and electronics too. After all, a great picture and mediocre sound isn’t what you really want, is it?
projector? First, decide which type of TV will best answer your needs. There are several choices listed below.

Or is it a generic “home theatre in a box” system that you can hook up in Do you want a conventionally shaped display? These sets have screens that are nearly square and,
an hour or so. After all, that’s better than a VCR connected to a TV, isn’t it? because of that, have an “aspect ratio” (width compared to height) of 4:3 or “4 units wide by 3 units high.”

If you’re like most of us, you’re probably aiming at something between The new “widescreen” displays, in contrast, are much wider than they are high. Their aspect ratio is 16:9
these extremes. After all, a dedicated room is a luxury few of us have and and they resemble small movie screens – no accident there!
the compromised performance typical of most all-in-one systems simply
isn’t that exciting.

That leaves a component system – one composed of carefully chosen sep-

arate yet complementary pieces like a DVD player, amplifier, surround
processor, etc. – as your best choice. With a component system, you can A “direct view” TV is the conventional television we’re all
find the performance typical of the finest custom-installed theatres and the used to. Direct view sets usually produce a great picture. They’re also
operating convenience that is supposed to be – but often isn’t – the hall- relatively immune to other light sources: They’ll give you the same pic-
mark of the all-in-one approach. In addition, separate components offer ture quality in a dim or brightly lit room. Size may be a consideration
significant advantages in flexibility as well as an easier upgrade path when for you. The largest direct view TVs now have screens measuring 40
the time comes (as it eventually will) to improve your system even more. inches (100cm) and may well deliver the sheer visual impact you want.

“Rear projector” sets, which is one-piece, large

screen sets offer the best compromise between large direct view
the room it goes in sets and front projector systems. Their screen size (40 inches or
100cm and greater) is very attractive to many and they are far less
Once you’ve reached this point, you need to think about where your new affected by bright lighting than are front projectors.
home theatre is going to go. You have three things to consider: what the
room will be used for besides your home theatre, the acoustics of that room
or how it will influence sound quality and the sightlines from those preferred “Front projector” sets is considered these two-piece
seats to the screen you’re going to watch everything on. sets (projector and separate screen) the ultimate in dramatic picture
quality. Their main advantage? They can project a BIG image – in
some cases, more than 100 inches (250cm) measured diagonally.
Disadvantages? For best picture quality, they must be used in
people live here, too, don’t they? rooms with very dim ambient lighting. Fan noise (front projectors,
particularly CRT-based units, tend to get warm!) may be intrusive.
Where do you want your home theatre system? In the family room? In the And remember to pay attention to the screen you choose, too. It will
living room? How is it going to affect other family members when the vol- have a major impact on picture quality.
ume’s up? That’s one reason why putting your new system in the room
next to the baby’s bedroom may not be such a good idea.
“Flat screen” sets as self-contained displays are the new
How will the room you’ve chosen be used when the home theatre system “hot ticket” to home theatre enjoyment. Some are up to 60 inches

isn’t on? Will it be a reading area? A study? What kind of furniture will (150cm) wide and are thin enough to hang on a wall, a major cosmetic

you have in the room? Will there be enough comfortable chairs or sofas so advantage. Picture quality, while not yet up to the best direct view and

everyone can enjoy your new system when you put it on? front projector models, is still very good. The downside? Primarily cost
– they are expensive but the prices are declining.

4 5
 when is ‘big’ really ‘big enough’?

In addition, you should understand something about resolution, or the display’s ability to reveal fine details. There are no hard and fast rules governing the relationship between room size and screen size.
Remember that bigger (screen size, that is) is not always better.
In most of North America, resolution is currently limited by broadcast and cable signals that adhere to the NTSC
(National Television Systems Committee) analogue standard. This means that TV pictures contain 525 scan lines, of The old guideline (for NTSC sources, of course) was that you should sit at a distance 10 times greater than
which 480 are visible. Horizontal resolution for analogue signals is described in terms of lines, which equate to pixels in the screen’s height. For persons with “normal” eyesight, this was far enough away so that the scan lines
a digital signal. For standard NTSC there are 330 lines or pixels. were not visible.

Many other areas in the world (particularly Western Europe, the U.K., Australia, and South Africa) use a video standard However, “hi def” (high definition) video sources changed this. Hi def sources have more – and usually far
called PAL (Phase Alternate by Line). France and most of Eastern Europe, by way of contrast, use a system called narrower – scan lines than NTSC sources. This means you can sit closer to the screen and not see them.
SECAM (in English, Sequential Colour with Memory). Both PAL and SECAM broadcasts deliver better resolution than In addition, hi def’s aspect ratio (16:9 as opposed to 4:3) makes screen width more important than height.
NTSC, both having 576 visible scan lines out of a total of 625. With most hi def sources, you can sit just 3 times the screen width away and enjoy a fine picture.

The three systems are incompatible, but you can buy dual-standard NTSC/PAL TVs and external converters are avail- For these reasons, we suggest that you consult your dealer or installer before making an arbitrary decision
able. on the screen size you “should “ have. As you can see, your best choice may be very different from what a
quick measurement of available wall space might indicate.
In North America, next-generation digital television is already available as a broadcast either directly from a terrestrial
transmitter or from a satellite. (DTV over cable is probably a long way off in the future.)
There are other considerations you should be aware of in addition to resolution. Your dealer can explain
The situation in the rest of the world is less well defined at present. Japan, after introducing a high definition analogue the details but here are a few quick comments:
standard, abandoned it to research a digital alternative. Europe is currently enmeshed in techno-political discussions
about high-definition TV, but standard definition digital signals are already available via satellite, cable and from terrestri- Interlaced and progressive scanning: There are two different ways a TV “draws” an image on a screen.
al broadcast in several countries. To view them, you need either a digital TV or a set-top box converter.
In the first, the TV draws two halves of a complete picture separately. The first half (called a “field”) con-
sists of the odd numbered scanning lines. The second field consists of the even-numbered lines. The
fields are drawn one after the other so quickly that our brain integrates these two fields into a single picture
or “frame.” We call this an “interlaced” image because we create it by interlacing odd and even lines to
form one complete likeness. All NTSC, PAL/SECAM and many DTV signals (North America only at pres-
ent) are interlaced.

A “progressive” image, on the other hand, is drawn all at once. There are no odd- and even-numbered
“fields” to integrate, just a series of whole images continuously followed by other whole images. All com-
puter monitors use progressive scanning. Some DTV signals (again, North America only) are progressive
NTSC
PAL also. Progressive scanning usually produces clearer pictures of fast moving events (a soccer game, for
SECAM example, or the chase scene from an action movie) than interlaced scanning can. Many people prefer it for
NTSC & DTV
that reason.

Regardless of how you receive it, DTV will come in three variants – SDTV, EDTV, and HDTV.

SDTV, or standard definition television doesn't convey any more basic detail than NTSC, PAL or SECAM signals, but is
noticeably better, primarily due to the fact that its digital format is less prone to signal degradation and consequent cor-
ruption than analogue-based formats. SDTV is best suited to small or medium screen sizes.

EDTV (enhanced definition TV) delivers visibly better pictures than analogue. In North America it provides 480 visible
scanning lines, each containing 640 pixels. Digitally transmitted programmes in Europe use the extra scanning lines
that PAL and SECAM provide, with the capability of over 700 horizontal pixels in widescreen format. This additional
detail looks pretty impressive on a larger screen. (This is, incidentally, even better than DVD’s potential.)

HDTV (high definition TV) will deliver a truly stunning picture with up to 1080 scanning lines, each with a potential of up
to 1920 pixels! That’s far better resolution than you’ll find with either NTSC or lower-resolution digital TV sources.
HDTV signals rival the quality of movie film when displayed properly.
6 7
 composite, s-, and component video signals

These formats, used primarily to get a video signal from one component to another, have implications beyond the
merely practical. Before outlining some of the differences between them, you should know that video information falls
into two main categories – luminance (brightness) and chrominance (colour).

A composite video signal combines both luminance

and chrominance for transmission through a single
A composite video cable looks
coaxial cable. Unfortunately, this reduces the signal’s
just like an audio cable. However,
ability to convey fine detail. Although convenient, both the cable itself and the con-
composite video signals are the least desirable in a nector are optimised for video.
Composite video cable – focus on
high quality home theatre system. Almost every
RCA connector
video component has composite signal connections.

An S-Video signal separates the luminance and

chrominance portions of the signal. The result is A single S-Video cable is actually
several cables in one.
improved detail and resolution. However, S-Video
That’s because the S-
signals lose some of this advantage over longer Video format separates brightness
distances. Many video components have S-Video and colour information. S-Video
cable - focus on DIN connector
connections.

Component video signals are similar to the RGB (red,

green, blue) format used by video professionals.
That’s why a component video connection is the best You’ll need three separate signal
paths to get one component video
way to go IF your video sources AND your TV are
signal from your DVD player, for
equipped with the three-connector terminations need- example, to your monitor.
ed to send component video signals from one piece Component video cable – focus on
of equipment to another. triple RCA connectors

SCART, a signal transfer format popular in Europe,

uses a single cable terminated by a computer-style
25 pin connector.
SCART is a convenient way to
Although convenient, the picture quality of a SCART
connect a source (VCR or DVD
connection can vary depending on the exact SCART player, for example) to a TV.
cable used. In addition, surround processors and However, SCART is less useful in
a multi-component home theatre
receivers, and video projectors lack SCART sockets,
system. SCART video cable –
thus making this format less desirable for a high focus on multi-pin connector.
quality multi-component home theatre system.

8 9
 SURROUNDED BY SPEAKERS
what you’ll hear where to put them

If your display screen is the visual centre of your home theatre system, your favourite chair or sofa is the focus for what Although placing six speakers in one room may seem difficult at first, it is surprisingly easy if you follow a few simple
you’ll hear. That’s very important because it dictates how you need to place your loudspeakers so you can hear movie guidelines.
soundtracks as the directors and sound engineers intended you to. Fortunately, the same principals also apply to
music,so you can enjoy both films and an audio recording through the same speakers. First, your main Left and Right speakers (we’ll call them L and R from now on) should flank whatever TV screen
you’ve chosen. If you plan to use your system primarily to watch movies, place them along the same wall as the dis-
Home theatre systems usually begin with a “5.1” speaker array. This simply means five full range speakers (Left, play so that they’ll form a 45° angle when viewed from your viewing/listening position. (Angles up to 60° may be nec-
Centre, and Right at the front with Left Surround and Right Surround at the back) and one limited-range subwoofer for essary depending on room size, screen size, and distance from screen to listening/viewing position. In fact, we rec-
bass reproduction only. ommend a 60° spread if you’re going to be listening to a lot of music through your system.) Ideally, both speakers
will be at equal distances from each side of the screen to assure good integration of image and sound.
Notice that we said “ . . . begin with a ‘5.1’ speaker array.” That’s important. Some new surround sound formats like
Dolby Digital EX sound best with two more full range speakers at the rear of your theatre space. We’ll get to them
shortly. For now, let’s stick with 5.1.

Diagram 1
This is the best “movie”
angle as it duplicates the
speaker placement on a
“dubbing stage” where
movie soundtracks are
mixed.

Diagram 2
If you’re a music aficionado,
consider moving your main
speakers further away from
the video display.

The Centre Channel speaker (C from now on) should be as close to your TV screen as possible – either directly under
or directly over it – and at the same distance from your favourite chair as the main speakers.

what you’ll need

Your dealer can show you a number of options from large floor-standing speakers through smaller stand-or shelf-
mounted models to in-wall speakers. Although most larger freestanding speakers have sonic advantages when com-
pared with small or in-wall designs, they are more intrusive aesthetically.

Regardless of which type you choose, however, listen carefully to several models before you decide. Speakers are
very democratic and treat all audio signals exactly the same way, be they Sibelius quartets or Spielberg sci-fi flicks.
You want a speaker that is as neutral and faithful to the original sound as possible, simply because you want to hear
the source, not the speaker. Diagram 3
This is ideal but not always
possible.
Your home theatre speakers should all come from the same manufacturer if at all possible. That’s your best assurance
that each one will have approximately the same tonal balance (sometimes called timbre) as the others. The benefit
here is that you’ll hear the same quality of sound regardless of which speaker is generating it.

10 11
 the subwoofer
A subwoofer (usually called a “sub”) is a loudspeaker specifically designed to reproduce only low bass
sounds. One of the characteristics of bass information is that it is difficult to identify just where it comes from.
That’s why some people describe bass as “non-directional.” Although this isn’t true in the strict sense, it’s
close enough to give us some choice when we’re trying to place a sub in a home theatre room.
Placing Surround speakers (LS and RS for Left Surround
and Right Surround respectively) is often surprisingly easy.
Getting the most out of a sub demands a decent working knowledge of room acoustics (how rooms influence
the sound you hear). If you’re like most of us, you have neither the time nor the inclination to master this
Surround speakers come in two general types: dipoles
rather arcane topic. The good news is that you don’t have to! Your dealer already has . . . and will be
which create a very diffused and non-directional surround
delighted to impress you with a few “magic tricks” – one of which is finding exactly the right spot for your sub
effect, and direct radiating speakers (sometimes called
so you can just settle back and enjoy the results.
monopoles) that produce a far more specific sense of
where surround information comes from.

Some movie aficionados still prefer dipoles but most

experts now recommend direct radiating speakers. To be Diagram 4
fair, dipoles were preferred in home theatre's early days Directional Surround speakers let you pinpoint the apparent
when Dolby Surround’s single surround channel was all origin of sounds. This particular set-up is optimised for
that was available. Now that Dolby Digital, DTS, and other music enjoyment.
surround sound formats have at least two surround chan-
nels, dipoles no longer present the advantage they once
did. There’s no argument that direct radiators are far pre-
ferred by knowledgeable audiophiles for multi-channel
music reproduction in the home. A final consideration is
that placement requirements – often a point of concern for
décor-conscious people – are not as restrictive for direct
radiators as they are for dipoles.

The best place for direct radiating surround speakers is

really dependent on the shape of your room, the location of
but wait, there’s more...
the prime seating area, and the type of enjoyment –
movies or music – you consider most important. Diagram 5
Dipole speakers create a very spacious but non-specific Although you now know the basics of speaker placement for the typical “5.1” home theatre system, there is a bit
For movie watching, side wall placement works well in feeling of ambience. more to cover before we move on to the electronics.
some rooms, rear wall placement in others. In all cases,
you should avoid aiming the surround speakers directly at You may have noticed that some home theatres are advertised as “6.1” and “7.1” systems. Unfortunately, there
your listening/viewing position. Ideally, your surround is no small amount of confusion about what constitutes each. The same system, in fact, can often be termed
speakers will be mounted above ear level. either “6.1” or “7.1”! So don’t worry about the details just yet. Just remember that these systems require more
speakers than we’ve introduced you to already.
If you’re going to listen to a lot of multi-channel music, you
might consider placing the surround speakers on the rear Although some of these “6.1/7.1” systems use cutting-edge technology to provoke “ooohs” and “aaahs” from
wall closer to the room’s corners. In general, surround-for- enthusiasts, we can say for certain that a well-executed “5.1” system is so impressive that many don’t need – or
music speakers can be mounted lower on the wall than is don’t have room enough for – any more speakers. However, if you’ve decided to put the very best home the-
best for movie-only use. (Diagram 4 ) atre system in a particularly large room, you will want to consider a “6.1/7.1” system.

Dipoles work best when placed well above ear level That being said, here’s what you need to know. Most “6.1/7.1” systems add speakers to the rear of the room
against the side walls of your home theatre room. (and slightly more complex electronics, of course) to provide a “Centre Surround” channel that places some sur-
As you can see . . .(Diagram 5 ) round information directly behind us in addition to that already coming from the regular surround channels of a
. . . they produce more sound to the front and rear of the normal “5.1” system. This can improve the sense of envelopment we normally experience from just two sur-
room but not much to their sides. That’s why you can’t Diagram 6
round channels. In addition, the Centre Surround channel gives movie directors and sound engineers a better
easily locate the origin of the sounds they produce. A “6.1/7.1” system adds speakers at the rear of your home
way to add very specific spatial information to the soundtrack when they need to do so. (Diagram 6)
theatre room to reproduce “Centre Surround” information
centained in whatever source you are playing.

12 13
 THE ELECTRONICS
separates are better

As we mentioned previously, you can buy a generic all-in-one home theatre system. Ultimately, however, most
people tire of the less than stellar performance – particularly that of the speakers – sooner than they thought they
would. And when you want to upgrade or add capabilities, these “home theatre in a box” systems are severely
disadvantaged.

That’s why we suggest separate components as a more intelligent way to go. In addition to substantially better
performance, individual components allow you to upgrade or add to your system on a step-by-step basis to protect
your investment better and to keep you at the forefront of enjoyment.

All component systems include sources – a satellite converter, DVD player, cable box, VCR, etc. – that let you
access a program, a movie, or a music recording of some sort.

For many people, the next component is a receiver, a single unit that includes connections for all your sources,
switching capability so you can watch and listen to the source you want, a built-in AM and FM tuner so you can
hear your favourite radio broadcasts, very sophisticated digital signal processing (often abbreviated to DSP), to
decode the various surround sound formats (more about them in a page or two), and, finally, a multi-channel
power amplifier to provides the power you need to get all of your speakers into the act when you need them.

If that sounds like a lot of “stuff” going on in one box, you’re right! In fact, a receiver is probably the single
most complex piece of equipment in any home theatre system. But receivers are very convenient space-
savers and a number of people choose one for just this reason. The good news here is that receivers can
provide excellent performance. The not-quite-so-good news is that, once again, your upgrade or add-on
potential is limited simply because a receiver includes everything so changing anything means a new
receiver!

There is an answer to this dilemma – the “full separates” approach. This replaces a receiver with a sur-
round processor/preamplifier, a power amplifier, and, if you want one, a tuner.

Not only do these individual components provide even better performance than a receiver can – particu-
larly in the power amplifier department – but also they allow you to tailor a system precisely to your needs.
As for future upgrades, separate components provide the easiest way by far to improve your system.

14 15
 the surround processor

The nerve-centre of your home theatre, the surround processor connects everything in your system.

Sources (DVD and CD players, VCRs, satellite and cable boxes, etc.) plug into the processor to deliver both audio Almost everything connects with RCA-style
and video information, some of it analogue in nature, some digital. Most of the time, the digital signals are encoded Analogue Audio connectors.
in some way. Although you have the option of telling the processor what to do with each signal, some more Pictures : RCA cable and rear panel jack
advanced models figure things out on their own and decode signals automatically. Once your processor decodes
the signal you’ve selected, it routes images to your TV, and sends the audio portion on to your amplifier and, once
there, to your speakers.
You’ll see 3-pin XLR-style connectors on
Many processors let you select different sources to be sent to different areas of your home. Most also give you occasion but these are rare.
ways to modify or enhance the audio portion of the signal in some way to make it more pleasing or more enjoyable Pictures : XLR cable and rear panel jack.
to you.

You should know that many processors convert even analogue audio signals to digital before they send them
through the active circuitry. (Digital signals are left as digital.) After the processor performs all necessary decoding,
Many components use a fibre optic
a digital-to-analogue conversion stage then transitions the signal back to analogue so an amplifier can use it.
connector called a TOSlink. Some digital
Digital Audio audio connections use special coaxial cables
Video signals, on the other hand, most often remain analogue all the way from source to display. (In case you are
(with RCA jacks) that are optimised for digital.
wondering, DVD players put out an analogue video signal even though the information on the disc itself is digital.)
Pictures : Toslink cable and rear panel jack.

What To Look For : (see opposite page)

We’ve already shown you the various types

Video of video connectors. Look on page 9 for a
quick refresher.

inputs and outputs Make a list of everything you’re going to watch and listen to through your new home theatre
system. Remember to include familiar sources like AM and FM broadcasts, cassette decks,
etc. Then think of the newer digital sources. Maybe you have two or more DVD and CD play-
ers, a satellite TV box and are thinking about satellite radio in the near future. Then there’s
cable TV, maybe a video game or two, a computer link or Internet connection. Consider how you’re going to “talk” to the
processor. Will you use a hand-held remote
Once you’ve listed everything you can think of, add another just to be safe. Then look for a Remote Control
controller?
processor with enough inputs to handle the sources you’ll be enjoying. Picture : Hand held keypad

Then think about outputs. Will you be routing audio and video to more than one room? What
kind of TV will you be using and will it have connections for the best picture? Most of the
processor’s outputs, at least those for audio and video signals, will use RCA-style connectors. Will your processor be used as part of a
computer-controlled “whole house” system?
You’ll need to know just a bit about the different connectors some source components use to If so, some processors provide a computer-style
get signals to your processor. And your processor, in turn, will send different kinds of signals terminal to make that connection easy.
to other components. All this is really simple when your dealer or installer helps you sort things Picture : RS-232 port
out. In the meantime, here are the most common types of connectors you’ll see.

Will your processor need to send “wake up”

Relax. If this seems a bit intimidating, don’t worry. Again, your dealer or installer will take care of these details for you. signals to amplifiers that might be located some
But it doesn’t hurt to begin doing a little homework here to help the process along. distance away? If so, a number of processors
can do that, too.
Picture : 12v out jacks

16 17
 surround sound formats Dolby Pro Logic: This “4.0 “ format was dominant in the analogue surround
world. Dolby Pro Logic provides (with the properly encoded sources, of
This is probably the most confusing thing about home theatre systems. That’s because there are now eight course) Left, Centre, and Right front channels and a single surround channel.
different formats, each claiming different advantages. Here they are: Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Pro Logic II, However, Pro Logic is a “matrix” format with a certain amount of channel-to-
Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, DTS, DTS ES, DTS ES Discrete, and DTS Neo:6. channel leakage. This flaw is not audible under most circumstances.
Pro Logic is still used to decode the audio portions of many videotapes and
As you can see, both Dolby and DTS have several entrants in the Surround Olympics. NTSC television broadcasts.

Here’s a quick overview of these formats on the opposite page.

Dolby Pro Logic II: Is a recently introduced and very sophisticated updating of
Pro Logic’s matrix approach to surround sound. It adds stereo surround
capability so you can rightly call it a “5.0” format and it features greater
channel separation, too. Pro Logic II includes two modes (Movie and Music)
that make it very suitable for a number of surround applications that can’t use
Dolby Digital or a similar “discrete” technology. Dolby Pro Logic II can
what’s important dramatically improve the surround performance from videotape.

There’s a lot of discussion (putting it mildly) about the sound quality of various surround sound formats. We
Dolby Digital: This is the original “5.1” format. It is “discrete” in that channel-
think you’ll be very happy with what you’re going to hear from any of them providing your system is properly
to-channel separation is total, an important consideration when trying to locate
set up and calibrated. That’s something your dealer or installer will be glad to help with.
the origin of specific portions of a movie soundtrack. Dolby Digital accounts
for the vast majority of all multi-channel software available today and is the
You should know, however, that roughly 10,000 DVDs are now available, all Dolby Digital encoded. Almost
industry’s de facto standard for digital surround sound.
2,000 of these carry a full “5.1” soundtrack. Compare that to the roughly 200 DVDs encoded with other sur-
round formats.
DTS: This Dolby competitor initially promised superior sound because it used
less digital compression to convey sound from the dubbing stage (where
movie soundtracks are made) to your home. Recent comparisons have
proven these claims difficult to defend, especially with DVD, which uses a
more compressed version of the original DTS format.

Dolby Digital EX: A Dolby Digital variant, EX adds a third surround channel to Dolby
Digital’s two. This extra channel (called Centre Back or Surround Rear, depending on
who you ask) is not discrete but is matrixed onto the stereo surround information.
Technically, that makes it a “5.1+” format but is commonly – though erroneously –
known as a “6.1” format. It gives the sound engineer a more complete audio palette
from which to construct a convincing sense of directionality for surround information.
You need Dolby Digital EX encoded software, an EX decoder, and an extra rear
speaker (or speaker pair) to enjoy the sonic benefits.

DTS Surround ES: A Dolby Digital EX competitor.

THX: It’s not a surround sound format at all even though it is often confused
with one. THX is a set of standards and technologies designed to make a
home theatre sound more like a movie theatre. As such, it deals with audio
signal only after they’ve already been decoded. While generally accepted as
legitimate for movie soundtrack reproduction, THX has inspired some contro-
versy in audiophile circles where it is said to compromise music reproduction.

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 the power amplifier

If the processor is the nerve centre of your home theatre system, the power amplifier is its taskmaster. It Here are some things to look for:
controls the single most important component of your system – the loudspeaker.

Speakers do not just passively accept an amplifier’s signal. In fact, they resist it. To complicate things fur- “RMS” rather than “peak” power
ther, speakers exhibit other characteristics that make them difficult to control. They even generate a signal Strictly speaking, the term RMS (root mean square, an engineering term you really don’t
that returns to the amplifier! need to know anything about) shouldn't be used to describe power, only voltage or current,
and 'continuous' is more correct, but it has become common practice and it means average,
So how does an amplifier function properly under these conditions? Well, the simple answer is that some long-term power rather than some specious short-term specification
don’t. Some amplifiers are actually unstable when pushed and severely distort the signal. In extreme
cases, an amplifier can literally destroy itself attempting to deliver a signal to a particularly difficult speaker. Number of channels driven
Some manufacturers rate their multi-channel amps with only two of the channels working!
The answer to these problems lies in the balance between an amplifier’s output stage and its power supply.
This makes it easier to claim more watts per channel. If you’re paying for a multi-channel
If the power supply is the beginning of an amplifier’s ultimate capability, it is the output stage that delivers
amplifier, it should develop its rated power into all channels at once!
this potential to “real world” loudspeakers.

Good power supplies, however, are expensive to build. They ensure that an amplifier can deliver adequate The range of frequencies (called “bandwidth”) over which an
power as each channel – or all of them at once – ask for it. An inadequate supply simply results in distor- amplifier will produce its rated power
tion, sometimes very severe distortion.
Some manufacturers tell you only that an amp will produce, say, 100 watts per channel at 1
kHz, a midrange tone that almost all amplifiers handle well. The real test is how much
What should you look for in an amplifier? First is the ability to drive all of your speakers to levels you are
power an amplifier will develop at the so-called “frequency extremes.” Ideally, an amplifier’s
comfortable with. In other words, does an amplifier have enough power and can it deliver its claimed output
bandwidth will extend from 20 Hz (low bass) to 20 kHz (very high treble.)
into many speakers at once? For some, especially those who live in apartments, power output requirements
This 20 Hz – 20 kHz specification is commonly accepted as being within our normal
are comparatively modest. For others, those who insist on experiencing the full power of an earthquake in
hearing range.
a large room, power needs will be far more substantial.

Unfortunately, you’re in a particularly difficult position to judge what’s enough. That’s because most manu- Distortion
facturers rate amplifier power output capabilities differently and “spec comparison” is almost impossible. A good amplifier should not add or detract from the signal it receives from a processor.
Any deviation is called distortion and is measured as a percentage of the overall signal.
Although lower distortion figures are generally better, anything under 1% is probably
inaudible. Today’s technology, however, allows substantially better performance and
distortion figures of 0.03% are not uncommon. Again, these distortion measurements
should be made with all channels driven.

Impedance

Measured in ohms, impedance simply measures a speaker’s resistance to the amplifier’s

signal. It’s important only in that different impedance ratings allow a manufacturer to rate a
power amplifier differently and some do take advantage of this. For example, an amplifier
that develops 75 watts per channel at 8 ohms could be advertised as a “100 watts per
channel” model simply by lowering the impedance rating to 6 ohms!

The point here, obviously, is that you need to be careful when comparing amplifier specifications.
Here’s something to remember:

A manufacturer who gives you all the information you need to make an
informed decision is probably the manufacturer who spends the time
designing good products in the first place!

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 RELAX
your specialists - audio/video dealer

We’ve covered most home theatre basics in this booklet. We’ve intentionally left out as much jargon as
we could. We’ve also left out a lot of detail that, while fascinating to some, is largely unnecessary as you
begin to look for your ideal system. Our hope is that this book answered just enough questions so that
you feel comfortable asking more.

Once again, however, we’ll stress the importance of visiting a specialty audio/video dealer or custom
installer. These businesses receive thorough training from many manufacturers and trade organisations.
They know their craft and can help you avoid frustrating and potentially expensive mistakes. www.bwspeakers.com
With their help, you’ll soon have a home theatre system that will fulfil your needs and delight your family
and friends.

Enjoy the show!

www.rotel.com

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Written by Len Schneider
TechniCom Corporation

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