Originally Posted by
Deerfield
Just 'built' my home theater with the 5.1 set up (4 sourround, a center and a sub) - I have tested and each speaker appears to be calibrated correctly.
My only question is - when watching a high def 5.1 dolby program (like on one of the HD channels), very few times do I get any remarkeble sound from the 2 sourround speakers as apposed to the center and 2 front. Some programs I do - MAXHD 'King Kong' for instance was great.
My assumption is that most programs just dont put much volume through the 'sourround' speakers - not a calibration setting.
Any thoughts out there? I primarily watch sports and it is 50/50 whether or not I get true 4 speaker sound impact.
Thanks.
A good place to start is a good calibration DVD. However, from an audio standpoint they often just duplicate the test tone found in most receivers.
Typically the surrounds are used for ambient sound and effects. One thing you can try is watching a movie scene in Dolby digital and then again in stereo...one thing you'll notice is that the room feels 'empty' with out the ambient sound.
There are also differences in receivers... getting a little out of my range here but some receivers have different wattage for different channels. However, if properly calibrated, that shouldn't matter.