Common speaker systems are generally divided into mono speakers, two-channel stereo speakers and multi-channel surround speakers, among which mono speakers are the most widely used. Common conference speakers, lawn speakers, mall speakers, square speakers, restaurant speakers, broadcast speakers, etc. Both are mono speaker systems, in which one speaker or multiple speakers play the same sound signal; Two-channel stereo speakers are also widely used. Since the appearance of stereo record player, most loudspeaker systems used for music appreciation are designed with two-channel stereo, because popular music media such as CD records and stereo tapes are recorded with two-channel stereo. Surround speaker system generally refers to 5. 1 speaker system, and of course it also includes non-mainstream 6. 1 and 7. 1 systems. The 4. 1 speaker system, which existed for a short time, can barely be incorporated into the surround sound system. The so-called surround speaker is a speaker system that can create surround sound effects.
Surround speaker system is a multi-channel speaker system for high-quality movie appreciation, and 5. 1 speaker system is the most standard and practical form of surround speaker system. 5. 1 The loudspeaker system includes five main channels (so-called "5") and one auxiliary channel "heavy bass" (so-called ".1").
2. Why surround sound?
Since filmmakers began to pursue visual stimulation and live sound effects, the loudspeaker system has started a new revolution. From the popularization of VCD to AC3 DVD and then to DTS DVD, all kinds of audio equipment keep pace with the times, and multi-channel speaker systems are becoming more and more common and diversified. Home appliances are the most typical, so-called "home theater", and the field of computer multimedia speakers is a bit vague. When the two-channel speakers were in the mainstream, a number of virtual surround software APIs appeared, that is, through calculation, the two-channel material sources were reorganized to achieve the purpose of simulating live sound effects, and some products even claimed that the hardware supported this function. Later, some 4-channel sound cards and 4. 1 speaker systems appeared briefly, which was only a brief continuation of this simulated movement, but no matter how hard we calculated, the sound effect of the real multi-channel speaker system was still far from being achieved.
Because the 5. 1 system has six speakers working together, the expression of ambient sound has reached unprecedented accuracy and shock, which is very important for high-quality movie appreciation. Now the 5. 1 sound card and 7. 1 sound card on the market have become the mainstream, and the 5. 1 speaker system is also quite prosperous. In the film source material, all you can see at present are 5. 1 channel, including AC3 DVD, DTS DVD, DTS CD, DVD audio and so on. , as well as some audio and video materials that are image compressed to facilitate network transmission. 7. 1 channel mode is basically just a decoration so far (so 7. 1 speakers are rarely seen in the market). There is also a standard in the multi-channel system, which is 6. 1, which is widely used in cinemas. To put it simply, 6. 1 is an enhanced version of 5. 1, with two pre-channels. The extra channel is actually to copy the "front" in 5. 1 to the speaker directly behind the cinema, so that the audience behind can also hear the human voice dialogue.
In addition to movie appreciation, there is another application that needs a multi-channel speaker system, and that is computer games. Because game developers have not paid much attention to sound effects for a long time, many games with good pictures only have two-channel sound materials (although some games claim to "support" multi-channel surround sound effects). Even if players use some API of simulation algorithm to make surround sound effect, they can only get false and inaccurate positioning effect. At present, the hardware characteristics of most motherboard integrated sound cards and independent sound cards are above 5. 1 channel. Microsoft's latest operating system will use a brand-new audio architecture and application interface. Dual-core and multi-core processors give computer systems more and more powerful computing power, and many game softwares pay more and more attention to sound effects. In addition, with the implementation of peripheral specifications such as HDTV, it is believed that game manufacturers will soon catch up with this wave of surround sound effects. Our 5. 1 speaker system,
It is worth adding that the early VCD cinema system simulated 6 channels for output on the basis of 2-channel material, but today's multi-channel movies have complete and independent 6-channel audio material, which is the same as playing music in principle. So like home audio-visual equipment, the higher the quality of surround speakers and audio equipment when playing music (the higher the quality of hardware), the higher the quality when playing movies, so don't believe what JS sometimes says.
3. What are the characteristics of surround sound system based on computer audio-visual center?
There is still a big difference between computer-centered audio-visual system and home theater centered on TV and DVD/ Blu-ray /HD-DVD. Generally, the home theater occupies a large space, the volume of speakers is also relatively large, and the output power is also relatively large. Most of the materials are DVD discs. In addition, many home theaters are not equipped with subwoofers (that is, subwoofers), which is the so-called "five-piece home theater". The subwoofer is an optional accessory because the frequency response of the five main speakers can be extended to a lower level, and the subwoofer with too strong power may cause dissatisfaction among neighbors. The multimedia multi-channel speaker system used around the computer generally has the following characteristics: five main speakers are very small (called "satellite box" in multimedia 5. 1 speaker), and the subwoofer usurps the main volume, with high power, but the overall output power is relatively small; This kind of satellite box has low power, narrow frequency response and fine sound, and the surround sound effect is much worse than that of home theater. Of course, because of its low price, it is understandable to save manufacturing costs and transportation costs.
4. What is a "simple" surround speaker system?
If you want to experience the surround sound effect, but you don't want to leave your 2.0 speaker and 2. 1 speaker idle, or you are not satisfied with the sound quality of the multimedia 5. 1 speaker on the market, then you can build a "simple" surround sound speaker system by yourself.
The "simple" surround speaker system refers to the informal surround speaker system built with 2.0 and 2. 1 speakers, but such a "simple" surround speaker system is likely to have better sound effects than the conventional multimedia 5. 1 speakers.
5. Which speakers can be used to build a "simple" surround sound speaker system?
Multimedia speakers have gradually flourished from 1995 to now, and there are many kinds and styles. Now let's talk about what can be used in your idle speakers:
(1) medium and high-end 2.0 speakers (hereinafter referred to as: a)
It is better to have such a speaker, even better if you bring a remote control. In fact, for friends who have these speakers, this speaker need not be idle, because you may be using it to enjoy high-quality music. After the surround speaker system is established, it will not affect the independent stereo music appreciation of this speaker.
The biggest advantages of 2.0 speakers, especially high-end 2.0 speakers (compared with 2. 1/5. 1 speakers) are: the general design is not sloppy, the frequency response is wide, the sound is relatively more balanced and heavy, the stereo component is high, the noise floor is low, and the quality and sound quality are generally excellent. These innate advantages make 2.0 speakers suitable for building a high-level multi-channel surround sound system.
For example, ordinary mid-range 2.0 speakers with retail price above 350 yuan and ordinary high-end 2.0 speakers with retail price above 1000 yuan (in no particular order):
High-end active remote control: hivi T200B, Mai Bo Pure100 ... ...
High-end active remote control: rambler S2000V, Mai Bo Pure 10, Black Diamond Gemini Series, Suowei S880, Daji Electric L9…… ... ...
High-grade independent power amplifier with remote control: Lezhibang P2 100, Rambler S2000…… ... ...
High-grade independent power amplifier without remote control: light cavalry V3000 series ...
Mid-range active service: Rambler R 1900 series, Light Cavalry V23 series /M7, Shock Wave SB2000, EA T6, hivi D 1080 series. ...
Intermediate independent power amplifier: Fanta MF- 180/280 ...
(2) Low-level 2.0 speaker (hereinafter code name: B)
Don't think that your low-end 2.0 speaker is useless, you can throw it in the trash can. 100 yuan's 2.0 speaker effect is better than several thousand yuan's 5. 1/7. 1 speaker system's satellite box effect is normal. Of course, if your old man still insists on "you get what you pay for" and even thinks that imported big brand spittoons are more suitable for cooking than domestic frying spoons, I suggest you find them. The editor attacked this place a bit too much, didn't he? )
List the main low-end 2.0 speakers that have appeared before (above 100 yuan, below 100 yuan all seem to be small speakers):
Rambler R800/R 1000/R 1200 series, light cavalry old M series, shock wave red lover, Mai Bo B73, Fenda S 100 series. ...
(3) medium and high-grade 2. 1 speaker (hereinafter referred to as: c)
Many ordinary users have some misunderstandings about the concept of 2. 1 speaker. In fact, the 2. 1 speaker, like the 2.0 speaker, is the input of two channels, and the signals of the subwoofer come from the low frequency parts of the two channels, that is, ".1" and ".1" in 5. 1.
2. 1 speakers are products that cater to the market, and most of them have low performance. There are very few 2. 1 speakers with real high performance. In my opinion, 2. 1 speakers whose price is above 150 yuan can be considered as middle and high-end products, and 2. 1 speakers that are too cheap are not recommended to be included in this category. Of course, if you just have a cheap 2.
2. 1 There are too many speakers. Here are some unique 2. 1 speakers I know:
EA AK6/AK8/AK 10: A monster with large volume, high power and large caliber, a concept product with high price and little practical value.
Rambler S2. 1 series: It's the first time to see the 2. 1 speaker which attaches importance to the satellite box, and takes the lead in using wire control, with good sound quality.
Lezhibang E330: Its ugly appearance, many new technical features, cost-effective electronic 2. 1 speaker, and extraordinary sound effects.
Light cavalry B 1 series: low price, good quality, high sales volume and good reputation.
Grand Pole A6: Unique electron tube design, beautiful appearance and fascinating.
Hivi M20W:hivi's home appliance design style is outstanding.
……
4.1and 5. 1 speakers
4. 1 speaker has a short life, few users, less disadvantages than 5. 1 speaker, and few opportunities for use, so let's not talk about 4. 1 speaker here.
5. 1 speaker, if you choose 5. 1 speaker, you can either watch movies or sell 5. 1 speaker, hehe.
7. 1 speaker? I don't want to say anything.
6. The principle of building a "simple" surround speaker system
It should be noted that they cannot be combined at will. The basic principles of building a simple surround sound speaker system are:
A, pay attention to the sound quality of the front two channels, the front speaker is the protagonist of the cinema system, and the subwoofer in the common multimedia X. 1 speaker system has become the protagonist, which must be corrected.
B, improve the center and surround sound effects. The center is the channel for DVD to play human voices, and its importance is self-evident; Surrounding speakers are an important way to create a sense of presence and locate sound details. It's also important. Please note that in a home theater system, the center ring (short for three speakers around the center) is usually packaged together.
C, reduce the quantity sense of the subwoofer, and improve the clarity, strength and sound quality of the subwoofer. In the common multimedia X. 1 speaker system, the biggest weakness of the subwoofer is the well-known turbidity and excessive volume sense (considering the small output of the satellite box), which will greatly help improve the sound effect of the system.
D, the installation process should not only consider the effect, but also consider the convenience of installation, convenient use and harmonious appearance.
7. How to build a "simple" surround sound speaker system
In the "simple" surround speaker system, there are two modes of speaker collocation, namely, 6-speaker mode (3 sets of speakers) and 4-speaker mode (2 sets of speakers, corresponding to the following 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th combinations). Note that the 4-speaker mode here is not the 4-channel mode of the sound card sound source, but the sound card works at 5. 1 channel, but the "center/bass pre-mixing" of the sound card is enabled. In order to make the two channels of the front channel play the center voice and bass signal at the same time, take our Le Bang Mo Xie 5. 1 sound card as an example, install the latest driver, and enable the "center/bass pre-mixing" function option in the control panel:
The advantage of this method is that the speaker is easy to place, use and build, but the requirements for the front speaker are relatively high, which makes the 2.438+0 speaker difficult to be competent.
Since the multi-speaker system is composed of idle speakers, there are many flexible ways to combine them. Here, the author will list the ways with combined significance and value.
(Note: A= medium and high-grade 2.0 speaker, B= low-grade 2.0 speaker, C= medium and high-grade 2. 1 speaker)
(1), a (front) +A (bass) +A or b (surround)
This combination has more than two sets of high-end 2.0 speakers, and it is easy to get very good surround sound effect. Among them, the two channels of the 2.0 speaker playing bass are connected to the center and bass channel (C/W) of the sound card respectively. It is generally suggested that the main box should be placed on the ground as a subwoofer, and the auxiliary box should be placed at a higher position in the middle and front (or simply overlapped on the main box as a subwoofer).
This combination has many advantages besides the sense of volume and diving at low frequency. It has a good sense of presence and positioning, and the listening sense is much better than that of ordinary 5. 1 multimedia speakers. If you use high-end speaker combination, the effect can be no less than that of ordinary home theater system. Among them, a pair of speakers in charge of bass had better have a good low frequency product, and a pair of speakers in charge of front had better have a wider frequency response and thicker sound.
Note that you need a long audio cable to connect the sound card surround channel to the main cabinet of the 2.0 speaker, which acts as a surround speaker at the back. You can buy a long audio cable or use an extension cable to complete it.
If the front speaker and surround speaker are the same model, another method can be used, that is, two main boxes are placed in front for front left and front right, and two auxiliary boxes for surround left and surround right, which is convenient to adjust the volume and the audio line is short. It will be more convenient if it is equipped with remote control function, but there is a problem that both sides should take a speaker cable.
(2), B (front) +A (bass) +B (surround) or A (front) +B (bass) +B (surround)
This combination is similar to the (1) combination, but the difference is that there is only one set (A) of high-end 2.0 speakers, and most players are probably more willing to put A in the middle bass, because the low-end 2.0 speakers are generally weak in low frequency. Of course, if you are not very interested in low frequencies, it is not bad to arrange one in front.
This combination can still achieve good results, and the power is enough to meet the needs of small and medium-sized rooms of about 20 square meters.
(3), b (front) +b (bass) +b (surround)
If there are only three pairs of low-end 2.0 speakers in hand, it is recommended to put the relatively good pair in front.
In fact, this method is quite cost-effective. You can get better surround effect around 500 yuan than many 5. 1 speakers with a price of more than RMB 0.000. Of course, what is lacking is the low frequency. However, the price/performance ratio is significantly higher than that of the low-priced 5. 1 speaker in 500 yuan at the same price.
(4), A (front/middle bass) +A or B (surround)
This combination is a four-speaker combination, which is also recommended by the author. The advantage is that only two pairs of speakers are needed, which saves the placement of bass speakers, saves land and worry, and has no "destructive" impact on the environment. The quality of the front speaker directly determines the level of this combination.
By using the "Mix Center/Bass to Front" function, the front speaker can also be used as the center bass. Generally speaking, the medium and high-end 2.0 speakers can accomplish this task well, and the only problem is bass. However, the question is how much bass do you need? Anyway, the author thinks that the low frequency of high-grade 2.0 speakers is strong enough, which is much stronger than the fake inferior low frequency of ordinary subwoofers.
This combination is not as effective as the combination (1), but it is more economical and convenient, and it is worth recommending. In addition, there are many users who already have two sets of 2.0 speakers in their hands. If you buy a mid-to high-end 2.0 speaker, don't worry about giving away the idle low-end 2.0 speaker. Trust me!
(5), b (front/middle bass) +b (surround)
This combination consists of two pairs of low-grade 2.0 speakers with 4-speaker mode, which is quite cost-effective, with less investment and relatively good effect, but it is still a little worse than the effect of combination (4). If there are economic conditions, it is recommended to buy a set of medium and high-grade 2.0 speakers to build a combination (2).
(6), A or B (front) +C (bass) +A or B (surround)
This combination has a set of 2. 1 speakers. Theoretically, 2. 1 speaker can be used as a 2.0 speaker to act as any one of the bass, front and surround, but generally speaking, it is recommended to be a bass. First, its subwoofer can play the low frequency of the subwoofer channel, which is very important for low frequency enthusiasts. Secondly, the recording information of the center channel is relatively simple, and the requirements for frequency response are not high, so it is based on the intermediate frequency. Many 2. 1 speaker satellite boxes can be played well, but the bass should be turned down and the volume should be turned up, so as to ensure that the sound volume in the center is sufficient and not too low. If the satellite box in the 2. 1 speaker is too weak, you can connect two satellite boxes in parallel on the channel responsible for the center channel (it needs a little hands-on ability) to enhance the strength of the center channel. The satellite box is relatively small, so it is easier to put it in the middle.
This combination can achieve the ideal effect at that time, which is worth recommending.
(7), B (front) +C (bass) +C (surround)
When there are two sets of 2. 1 speakers and a set of 2.0 speakers in the system, the situation becomes somewhat complicated. On the whole, it is more appropriate to arrange the 2.0 speaker at the front, and the bass of the enclosed 2. 1 speaker should be adjusted to the minimum to avoid bass mixing. The 2. 1 speaker as the bass should be adjusted to the bass in the combination (6).
(8), c (front/middle bass) +B (surround)
If you have a pair of 2.0 speakers and a set of 2. 1 speakers, you can use 2.0 speakers as surround and 2. 1 speakers as front bass and center bass to form a 4-speaker mode, but this requires 2. 1 speakers to have a certain sound quality. If it is a poor 2. 1 speaker, it is better to adjust a speaker and let the 2.0 speaker be the front speaker.
(9), c (front/middle bass) +C (surround)
When there are only two groups of 2. 1 speakers, a four-speaker mode can also be formed. For the surrounding 2. 1 speakers, the bass needs to be adjusted to the minimum. And choose a better one as the front end.
(10), c (front) +C (bass) +C (surround)
If you happen to have 3 groups of 2. 1 speakers, you can combine them into 6-speaker mode. It is suggested that the best bass should be mid-bass, the best satellite box should be front and the other set should be surround. The volume of the front bass and surround bass should be adjusted to a minimum.
Finally, it is worth adding that if your interest in surround sound is not as good as your interest in bass, and you happen to have a good set of 2. 1 speakers and a good set of 2.0 speakers, you can also combine them like this: let the 2.0 speakers serve as front and surround, and the 2. 1 speakers serve as center bass (refer to the usage in combination 6), and enable "surround sound" in the sound card control panel.
8. How to use a "simple" surround speaker system?
First of all, in use, try to plug these groups of speakers into the same power board, so that turning on/off the power board will turn on/off all speakers, which is very convenient; Take as few wires as possible, and control and adjust the volume as easily as possible.
Secondly, in the placement of the speaker, the surround speaker is suitable to be placed at a position 1 m away from the listener. In addition, the height of the surround speaker is preferably 20 cm ~ 50 cm higher than that of the front speaker (depending on the size of the room), so that the listener can feel like a cinema. In 4-speaker mode, the distance between the front speakers should not be too large, and it is suggested that the distance between the front speakers should be around1.5m. In 6-speaker mode, the distance between the front speakers should be slightly larger, 2 ~ 2.5m depending on the room size. Speakers used as subwoofers can be placed somewhere between the front speakers. In order to get better low frequency, it can be placed on the ground near the wall. The center speaker should be placed in the center, and the height can be slightly higher or lower than that of the front speaker. Generally speaking, tripod is not necessary for this level of equipment, of course, it is better to have it.
After the speaker is wired, it is necessary to check the correctness of the wiring. You can use the speaker test of the sound card control panel to check, such as the speaker test interface of the motherboard integrated sound card:
Click Auto Test, and six speakers will play an audio sequence respectively. Mo Xie 5. 1 horn test interface is as follows:
Click the horn button and the audio signal will be played on this channel. If the speaker does not match the key channel, there is something wrong with the wiring and it needs to be adjusted.
When the speaker wiring is normal, it is necessary to adjust the volume of each speaker in the system. This step is very important because our system consists of multiple speakers. Turn the output volume of each channel to the maximum on the sound card, turn the main volume to about 50%, play DVD movies, and then adjust the volume of each speaker. Among them, the volume of the bass must be adjusted to unvoiced sound without disturbing people, and the low frequency is not mixed. Then, don't adjust each speaker easily.
When the hardware is ready, you need to create a software environment. There are many softwares that can play multi-channel movies, such as MediaPlayer, WinDVD, PowerDVD, and some free softwares such as Storm Video. Generally speaking, these softwares have their own related audio settings, such as the audio center of WinDVD:
You can choose 6-speaker output mode, and the speaker control interface can also control the transmission delay, as shown in the figure (in milliseconds). The speed of sound is 340m/s, and it is 0.34m per millisecond. If surround speaker is away from the listener 1m and the front position is 2m away from the listener, then if the delay of the farthest front position is set to 0, the surround sound delay is 3 ms.. Of course, perhaps this function is of little significance to the equipment we are discussing today.
Professional playback software such as PowerDVD also has similar audio settings. But the audio settings of many popular free playing software for watching compressed movies are much simpler, such as the audio settings of a popular playing software:
I have used many similar free players and have encountered some problems more or less. The problem is that there are many popular audio-visual files with different formats. There are many kinds and versions of video compression algorithms and audio compression algorithms, and they are frequently updated, which may lead to the research and development efforts of these softwares being spent on following up the updates of various formats, while the specific implementation details and functional details are not done well. However, because of intellectual property rights and other factors, large commercial software companies are not easily involved in this field, or follow up slowly and cautiously.
Finally, talk about the material. At present, the most popular audio-visual file material is still two channels, but there are more and more 5. 1 channel materials. The most common 5. 1 channel material is DVD movie, which has two formats: AC3 and DTS, and can be played normally by using MediaPlayer, WinDVD and PowerDVD. WinDVD: 5. 1 channel material based on DTS and DTS-CD are recommended here. Unlike DVD, DTS-CD is 44. 1kHz, while DVD is 48kHz.
Nowadays, there are more and more audio-visual materials compressed from DVD, and a considerable part of them are 5. 1 channel. This material has many video compression formats and many audio formats. It is common to compress AC3 and DTS audio tracks into 6 MP3 channels (or OGG, etc. ). The material can complete 6-channel decoding and analog output of MP3 when using the corresponding playback software, but the playback software has not been restored and encoded into AC3 and DTS tracks. In the future, there will be more and more 5. 1 channel materials.
9. postscript
Our consumers are easily confused by superficial figures and specifications. To buy suitable products, you still need to have the most basic understanding of such products. 5. 1 Many "numbers" marked on the speaker are quite exciting, but these "numbers" do not represent the effect, at least not the correct effect. I hope this article can give you some inspiration. From another angle, maybe you can change your lifestyle.
Now is the era of commodity economy, and product upgrading is very fast. Many products are still at the end of their life, but unfortunately they have been laid off. In fact, they still have the value of existence and utilization. The key is how to find them!
Our time is getting more and more precious. It is a luxury to spend 120 minutes watching a movie. In order to live up to these two hours, shouldn't we enjoy them with better materials and better equipment? You can try