And does it have to be wired? Or can a wireless surround sound system or a solo sound bar deliver the immersive experience your customers crave?
For those of us who grew up back in the day, our home stereo systems were wired. Big speakers and big-gauge speaker wire were the name of the game. Home surround sound was unheard of.
Moving beyond stereo: a retro look at home theater technologies
In the 1960s and early 70s, some of us were enticed by quadraphonic sound. It was based on a speaker in each corner of the room playing a separate signal. Think of it as 4.0 surround sound in today’s parlance. Home quad playback sources included reel-to-reel and LPs. While in college, I had the opportunity to make several quadraphonic reel-to-reel recordings in my Moog synthesizer class!
When video playback formats improved enough to carry more complex audio signals, it became possible to better emulate the movie theater experience with 3-channel and even 4-channel playback. In the 1980s, Dolby Surround and Dolby Pro Logic were used for VHS tapes.
In the 1990s came laserdiscs and DVDs. 5.1-channel audio encoding technologies (5 = center, left, right, rear left, rear right channels, and .1 = subwoofer) and 6.1 provided signal information that A/V receivers translated and sent off to the appropriate speaker. The more immersive experience that Dolby Digital and DTS technologies could provide encouraged movie lovers to invest in wired surround sound systems.
Blu-ray discs introduced us to 7.1. And today, there are 9.1, 10.2, and 13.1 setups!
3D surround, also called object-based sound, has added a third number to the speaker sequence. It indicates above-the-head/ceiling-mounted speakers—5.1.4 for example. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are competitors in the object-based space. Other companies have also entered the 3D surround sound arena.
Mix in the Bluetooth and WiFi wireless technologies of today, which also keep evolving, and there are many, often bewildering surround sound options from which to choose.
So, it’s important to ask your customers where their priorities lie in a surround sound system.
- Size of room—or lack of it?
- Budget?
- Ease of setup?
- Compatibility with all movie audio codecs?
Soundbar vs AV receiver as amplifier for home theater systems
Both soundbars and receivers act as the system’s amplifier. Both are tethered to the TV. But in the case of the receiver, it controls all the video inputs and outputs and sends the selected one to the TV. In a soundbar system, most of the time, the TV acts as the switcher, sending the selected device’s audio to the soundbar.
If radio and a wide choice of audio and video inputs (and outputs) found in receivers are not important, a soundbar-based setup, especially in small spaces, seems ideal. Setup tends to be less complicated too.
But wait.
There is an additional consideration with AV receivers. If your customer is looking for a system that can support a wider range of movie sound formats (which also usually means more speakers), this is beyond the ability of most soundbars. An AV receiver is a must.
If space considerations are more important than the number of discreet channels or a wider array of sound codecs, then a soundbar is the way to go. Soundbars also have several speakers built into them, saving additional space. And if a soundbar is Dolby Atmos or DTS:X Virtual compatible, it may well have internal speakers pointing all kinds of odd directions to bounce sound, creating an immersive experience.
It’s also important to note that a soundbar may not have a center channel speaker. That’s the one where most dialog is heard. Unless the soundbar has a setting for dialog, this can be compensated to a degree by turning up the TV’s built-in speakers. If your customers are hard of hearing, the lack of a center channel might be a problem.
Soundbars can come as:
- Standalone devices
- With a subwoofer
- With subwoofer and added satellite speakers
If the system is “wireless,” there may not be speaker cables but there will be power cables.
Bluetooth vs WiFi for wireless speaker connectivity
Thanks to the perception of no cables to worry about and a faster setup time, wireless surround sound systems are hot sellers. But there are two different kinds of wireless surround systems—Bluetooth and WiFi.
Let’s step back and review the technologies. Both are RF based, but there are many differences which affect quality.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is compressed audio. Yes, the technology and codecs are improving. But it is still compressed. And Bluetooth is either mono or stereo. It cannot handle all the extra speaker metadata that’s packed into the various movie soundtracks, such as which speaker gets which audio track, etc. That’s because Bluetooth, by design, just doesn’t have the bandwidth needed.
If your customers are used to CD-quality sound, then they won’t mind. But if they’re hoping for rich, uncompressed sound, it won’t be there.
Bluetooth also has a range limitation—generally 30 ft. For a small room, that’s obviously not a problem. There can also be lag. And it only operates in the 2.4 GHz spectrum.
True Wireless speakers can often be paired with one or more of a like speaker. That expands audio playback but is still just stereo. That’s hardly surround sound.
Some experts say flat-out that Bluetooth can’t support a surround sound system. That something is either:
- Mislabeled
- WiFi (see below) or some kind of RF technology is also employed but not mentioned
- The amplifier is artificially breaking down the signals and deciding which speaker gets what
So read the fine print.
WiFi
WiFi systems have greater bandwidth, can operate on 2.4, 3.6, and 5 GHz bands, are capable of faster data transfers, and have less lag. This enables them to decode the soundtrack’s metadata and have better quality audio. WiFi can also have a greater range.
But real WiFi-based systems can be harder to find, although they may be called wireless or erroneously labeled as Bluetooth. They may also be harder to set up.
WiFi from WiSA
One exciting WiFI-based development is from WiSA Technologies and the WiSA Association.
The several logos of WiSA over time. Current logo is on the left.
Although some companies create their own internal WiFi system for their surround sound components, they won’t talk to products from other companies. WiSA-certified WiFi components, no matter what the brand, will work together seamlessly.
For home theater systems:
“With WiSA, the traditional combination of an amplifier/receiver and wired speakers is replaced by a wireless audio transmitter and powered speakers with built-in receivers. Multiple channels of ultra high-definition audio is (sic) transmitted and received wirelessly, making setup and speaker placement extremely easy.
“All audio channels are tightly synchronized to deliver exceptional performance across your sound system. WiSA technology makes it possible to mix and match WiSA-certified components seamlessly.”
WiSA uses 5 GHz with 24 RF channels. It transmits up to 8 channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio to support sound systems up to 7.1 and 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos. Delay rate is 2.6 ms at 96 kHz and 5.2 ms at 48 kHz. This matches the speed of digital wired connections.
A number of brands are a part of the WiSA Association, which is dedicated to expanding the reach of wireless spatial audio. Brands include Audiovox, Hisense, LG, Bang & Olufsen, Pioneer, Samsung, and Klipsch.
It’s not a simple decision
As you know, there are many choices when it comes to surround sound systems. Audiophiles still prefer a wired system with an A/V receiver—even with the installation challenges it can present. Many others prefer a simple setup that delivers big sound in a small space.
Those with smaller spaces and budgets will want to look at soundbar-based systems. Connections for those extra speakers can be wired, wireless, or a hybrid.
Wireless systems, unless they are WiFi based, will generally not sound as good as their wired counterparts. And bear in mind that “Bluetooth” may mean different things to different companies.
The ultimate customer decision will need to weigh a number of factors. As a reseller however, it’s an easy decision to check out the home audio/theater systems available from Petra. We offer a wide array of receivers, turntables, amplifiers, and music systems. We also carry architectural speakers, subwoofers, indoor/outdoor speakers, and accessories, ideal for custom installations.
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