5.1 speaker system selection, connection and placement

The popularity of DVD optical drives on home computers has led to more and more users playing DVDs on their computers. Just like the VCD trend a few years ago that drove the development of multimedia, this DVD trend will greatly promote the popularity of 5.1-channel systems. Therefore, how to build a 5.1-channel system and how to use it have become issues of concern to many computer users.

Requirements for 5.1-channel systems

Choosing a 5.1 sound card

Most of the current mainstream sound cards and motherboard integrated sound cards can already support 5.1 channels, unless your sound card is too antique. However, if you want a good 5.1-channel playback effect, you still need to pay attention to your sound card. The author recommends that you try to choose an independent sound card. According to the author's experience, the relatively good low-end sound cards that support 5.1 include Black Gold 2VF and Creative Sound Blaster Live?5.1; mid-range include Creative Sound Blaster Audigy Se and Audigy LS; high-end include Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS and DMX6 Fire 24/96 (Terratec). In addition, there are some Philips and Terratec 5.1 sound cards, which are also very good.

Choosing 5.1 speakers

With the popularity of 5.1 channels, more and more 5.1 speakers have appeared, and the price has been falling. The current price is mainly concentrated in the range of 200 yuan to 500 yuan. When choosing 5.1 speakers, you should pay attention to the following points:

1. The size of the subwoofer. The larger the subwoofer, the better. The size of the bass unit determines the maximum undistorted output sound pressure. Therefore, a large caliber is the guarantee of bass shock. The general subwoofer caliber is about 6.5 inches. If you want a strong shock, it is best to use an 8-inch one. The 5-inch subwoofer has a poor effect and can basically be abandoned.

2. The unit of the satellite speaker. The larger the satellite speaker unit, the better. In order to ensure the treble, it is best to use a two-way satellite speaker, so that the sound quality is generally better than the full-band unit.

3. Power Power is also one of the important factors in achieving a shocking effect. Only with sufficient power can the sound be guaranteed not to be soft at a high volume.

Connection of 5.1 channel system

Since there is no uniform position and color standard for the interface on the back of the sound card, you cannot know it without reading the manual. You can refer to the manual of the sound card, while the speakers are relatively standardized. The interfaces of general 5.1 speakers are on the back of the subwoofer and are marked with relevant text (Figure 1).

Generally speaking, there are several input and output interfaces. Usually, manufacturers will indicate the purpose of each interface, some in Chinese and some in English, but they are all universal specifications. The "L/R" at the input interface represents the front channel, "C/SW" represents the center/subwoofer, and "SL/SR" represents the surround (rear) channel. The "R" at the output interface represents the front right channel speaker, "L" represents the front left channel speaker, "C" represents the center speaker, "SR" represents the surround right speaker (rear right), and "SL" represents the surround left channel speaker (rear left). If you understand the meaning of these characters, you can connect the 5.1 speakers by yourself in most cases without reading the manual.

The placement of the 5.1 channel system

The placement of the 5.1 system is relatively complicated. First, let's talk about the placement of the subwoofer. Since people are not sensitive to the directionality of bass, the subwoofer can be placed in the corner. But there are two points to note:

1. The subwoofer must never be placed on an object that is easy to resonate - such as a very light computer desk. Once this is done, when the subwoofer is working, the table will also vibrate, which has a great impact on the sound quality.

2. The back of the subwoofer should not be close to the wall. This is because many subwoofers are rear-firing designs with the inverted ports facing backwards. If there is no certain distance, the bass will not be able to play. Therefore, at least a certain distance from the wall is required.

After the subwoofer is placed, it is the turn of the satellite speakers. The front speakers are preferably placed at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees to the ears. The distance between the left and right speakers is determined by the position of the listener (the distance from the monitor). Generally, the front speakers can be placed parallel to the listener or placed like a 2.0 system, but no matter how they are placed, the height should be as close as possible! There is only one principle for the center speaker - the placement must be in the front, that is, on the vertical bisector of the left and right speakers. The distance between the front and back does not matter, but it should not be too close or too far. The surround speakers and front speakers are placed face to face or at a 60-degree angle to the human ear. It is best to hang them at the back and 60 cm to 90 cm above the head.

The placement of 5.1 speakers directly affects the sound effects of DVDs. To achieve good results, they must be placed strictly according to the placement rules (Figure 2). A well-placed 5.1 system should have clear positioning and no gaps. For example, when a bullet flies across the sky, there should be a very complete sense of position change. If there is no such feeling or the feeling is unclear, you need to adjust the position of your speakers. The human voice dialogue should be emitted from the center, and it feels like the speaker is right in front of you. In terms of low frequency, the 5.1 system emphasizes shock and should have a good effect on the large dynamic scenes. A high-quality 5.1 system should have a powerful and majestic bass.