How to get the perfect surround sound speaker setup

Of course, a promise is not the same as delivery – and as with those speakers that want to replicate the effects of a surround sound setup, it’s extremely difficult to create a sense of spatial sound without the necessary physical equipment.

For home cinema, you can confidently replace the words “spatial audio” with “3D audio”. Unlike a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound setup, which creates a circle of sound around the listener, a spatial sound system creates a dome, where sound is delivered from the top, as well as from the front, sides and back.

Imagine your 7.1-channel system, and add four overhead speakers that have their own separate information present in the soundtrack. What you have now is a 7.1.4 system, and any content that was mixed specifically for a spatial audio system has an unusual amount of latitude to direct the effects within the dome of sound that the system can create.

The best way to achieve a spatial audio effect from height channels is to precisely place the speakers in the ceiling of your home cinema room. I don’t need to tell you that this is a relatively complicated process, and not what you might be tempted to call “cheap.” For this reason, a number of speaker brands have developed acoustic units designed to be placed above some of the speaker cabinets in your surround sound setup, and reflect sound from the ceiling in an attempt to replicate the effect of overhead speakers. It’s a similar approach to those spatial audio soundbars with upward-facing drivers, but obviously on a larger scale.

Does surround sound actually sound better?

For the most dedicated movie fans, the answer here is undoubtedly yes – if you choose to invest in a surround sound setup, the audio accompanying the movies you watch will be completely transformed. Whether it’s right for you, your budget and your space is a different matter entirely, and it’s worth evaluating other options for improving your home cinema sound before you invest.

Surround sound vs. stereo sound

What’s “better” between surround and stereo is not absolute here – it’s a bit like trying to decide which is better between apples or onions. However, it’s fair to say that if your primary interest is home cinema and not music, a surround sound setup will get you much closer to the goals of the filmmaker (and his or her sound designer) than the stereo alternative would hope to achieve.

All movie soundtracks will be mixed to be delivered through your surround sound setup, and this is true whether you are getting your movie from Streaming service Or through old media such as 4 Calcutt-A.. There will be a stereo mix available for those listening through a TV or stereo system, of course, but the true intentions of the surround sound mix will only become clear if it is heard through a surround sound system.

Surround sound vs Soundbars

Photography: Ryan Wanyata

For anyone trying to decide between surround sound and a soundbar, the best option will depend on your budget and/or the space you have, as well as how much you watch movies, and your desire for the full home cinema experience. Yes, a sound bar is more convenient than a surround sound setup, and it’s certainly less expensive. But is it a surround sound solution? You already know the answer to that.