Originally Posted by
Deerfield
Thats not a bad idea. I am going to try and augment the volume on the sorrounds and decrease on center channel and see if that helps 'put me in the stadium' a bit better. I actually was lucky enough to get a receiver (Sony) that had an auto-callibration microphone and went through that set up without error.
Maybe I am just being picky - but I thought I would really feel "sorrounded by sound" and it seams like it is just enhanced stereo.
My rear channel speakers are JBL control 5's and my front side speakers are JBL 4410's. They are all on Crown D75 amplifiers, so for me it was just a matter of cranking up the gain on the amps.
Most surround sound receivers will give you the ability to set the gain on each channel to compensate for the speaker being behind something, not evenly spaced, etc. If the center channel is set to 0dB, try setting the rear channels at +10dB and the side channels at +7dB. This will really give you the surround if its there. there's less audio information on the rear channels so they won't seen ten times as loud as the center channel (10dB increase).
I use the built in speakers in my monitor for the center channel so I can control the gain on those with the TV remote to make it convenient.
One other thing, the cheapest upgrade you can make to any sound system is to use heavy gauge speaker wire. Don't let a stereo store geek tell you that the $3.00 a foot (or worse!) Belden "monster cable" or its imitators is really necessary because it isn't. I use 12 gauge 2 conductor SO cord from Home Depot and it rocks.
--PP