Days have gone by when the only reason people build their homes would be for shelter and security. Nowadays, people design houses that provide them with extra features that make their abodes sort of mini hubs by themselves.
For many, space is a primary commodity. Due to the abrupt and fast-increasing population worldwide, most home developers are forced to find more ways to incorporate all the different amenities into tiny apartments, bachelors’ pads, and so forth. Even family houses, nowadays, are considerably smaller than those built-in earlier decades.
Thus, more and more homes today have indoor plumbing, indoor gardens, and—yes—indoor theater rooms. While a home theater area is typically a converted or modernized living room, the stark difference between both is that a traditional living room may have only contained the usual items—some couches, a bookshelf or two, a TV, a movie/music player (VHS, CD, or DVD player) and maybe even a radio.
Due to the steady rise in technological developments, most living rooms today have more state-of-the-art amenities. Instead of the simple TV-radio-movie/music player compendium of the past, most modern living room appliances are more multi-component types. Today, you can either find a stereo or surround sound system in any given living room, allowing you to enjoy a better cinematic audio-visual experience, not unlike movie houses and professional studios.
However, if you are still about to incorporate either a stereo or surround sound system in your living room, there is a need to differentiate both audio systems. Nonetheless, both sound systems deftly improve your overall audio-visual activities as they both provide you with more defined and detailed audio quality.
This article aims to provide you with a detailed discussion of the differences between both audio systems, including some other tips required for a better speaker setup.
What is Stereo Sound?
When we speak of audio from a TV set, a radio, or a headset, we are almost always referring to stereo sound. This is because stereo sound requires the work of two speakers—or two channels—to come up with such audio quality. Stereo production makes use of left and right speakers to create a performance stage.
In most cases, stereo sound is created with the integration of a tweeter and a woofer. The tweeter provides the higher-end tones while the woofer produces the lower-end tones. To come up with a far better stereo performance, many manufacturers integrate—or recommend—attaching a subwoofer that has deeper-end tones or what we usually refer to as bass.
Up to the early 2000s, movies and music used stereo sound to come up with their productions. Stereo sound has a broad audio coverage and can be exponentially improved by integrating additional speakers, subwoofers, and amplifiers. Depending on your specific requirements, you can convert your simple, mono system into a superb stereo component through such customization techniques.
Ideal Use for Stereo
Stereo is applicable for recording purposes. It is also recommended for music listening as it doesn’t require any directional sound. Plus, a stereo system is much more affordable than a surround sound one.
What is Surround Sound?
Surround sound, also referred to as surround channel sound or multichannel sound uses at least five or even more speakers to produce audio. Surround sound is designed to provide you with that all-encompassing soundstage, permitting you to receive sound from all the different areas—front, back, left, right, and even above.
Multichannel sound offers you an appreciation for depth. In a way, surround sound allows you to really feel your audio as its intensity and volume provide the sensation of being in a live event. This is because surround sound helps achieve a Doppler effect in that a change in sound frequency or wavelength impacts the movement of the source toward or away from the listener.
Here is a straightforward explanation. The sound gets played to the perceived distance. For instance, a motorcycle’s roar becomes louder as it gets nearer, and the same sound gets weaker as the motorcycle drives away.
Surround sound obtains for you a 360-degree cinematic effect, allowing you to feel as if you’re part of the movie or game scene in front of you.
Components
An efficient surround sound system typically comprises five or seven speakers. 5.1 systems have five speakers and one subwoofer, while 7.1 systems have seven speakers and one subwoofer.
Installation and Setup
You need to have three speakers installed in the front wall alongside your TV for a surround sound system. The center speaker is placed below or above your TV screen, and the two speakers are set up at the left and right sides of your TV, respectively.
The other two remaining speakers are installed in either the side or rear wall for your listening area. In that manner, you get to have your listening area surrounded by the different speakers so that you get to achieve that immersive sound effect you want.
Nevertheless, obtaining such a surround sound impact isn’t as easy as you might think. You should read the provided manual to know which speaker goes where and what connections need to be made to set up your system effectively.
Speaker Functions
The system’s center channel speaker produces dialogues, referred to as hi-fi, from your movie. Its design is broader and flatter than your other speakers since its function is to broaden your soundstage for adequate dialogue provision. Hence, it is also meant to be placed above or below your TV set.
While your left and right front speakers are also used to produce the dialogues from your movie, especially when the characters move to the left and the right, respectively, these speakers are designed to reproduce sound effects and music, as well.
Your system’s rear or side speakers—also referred to as surround speakers—are meant to provide surround sound effects and music. The incorporated subwoofer produces lower-end tones or low-frequency effects (LFE).
Ideal Use for Surround Sound
If you want to achieve a cinematic, immersive sound effect, you should go for a surround sound system. Surround sound is designed to improve the viewing experience. Movies and virtual games can sound more real-like as you get to drown yourself in your tube’s audio feedback entirely. Most movie and game soundtracks these days are created with the capacity to accommodate a surround-sound impact.
Having a sonic environment allows you to maximize your surround sound system. A surround sound system provides you with distinct bass response, point-source surround or ambient sound effects, a huge dynamic coverage, and a center channel for vocals or dialogues. Today, most home theaters use surround sound systems.
The Difference Between Surround Sound and Stereo
There is a massive difference between surround sound and stereo. To provide you with a better understanding of their differences, here is a brief generalization of each.
Surround Sound
Surround sound uses a multichannel system. It has a minimum of five speakers, but it can reach up to seven speakers, as well. In a surround sound environment, all sounds are mixed to come up with an efficient sound field. This system offers you immersive, cinematic feedback, allowing you to feel like you are also part of the scene you are watching. This system is mostly recommended for movies and games.
Stereo Sound
The stereo sound makes use of a two-channel configuration. It uses two speakers. For this system, the audio gets mixed in two tracks. This system is best recommended for music listening.
Room Size and its Impact on a Sound System
Room space is the first consideration when obtaining an applicable sound system for your home. Because most modern homes are considerably smaller than older houses of the early decades, it is more difficult to set up multiple speakers in your tiny living room. Plus, a smaller room size cannot fully accommodate the audio impact of various speakers. Having a 7.1 system, for instance, in such a tiny space, can have disastrous results as the presence of crisscrossing sound waves in a limited, compact area creates higher audio distortion.
Conversely, it is even more challenging to decide on which sound system to purchase and set up when you have a larger space to fill up. As a rule of thumb, stereo sound is a far better recommendation for a tiny living room as such a system can provide you with sufficient audio feedback given that it doesn’t have to take into consideration the probability of echo, audio source distance, and so forth. Hence, the smaller your room size, the better it is for you to purchase a sound system that doesn’t have multiple speakers to set up.
In contrast, large room areas do require better immersive sound. A surround sound system comprises multiple speakers—a center channel speaker, a couple of front speakers, a couple of side or rear speakers, and even more. You need to bear in mind that larger rooms tend to swallow up the sound even more. Thus, sounds can quickly get muffled, preventing you from hearing your system’s audio output.
With a surround sound system, you get to optimize audio quality as you consider the distance and echoes, and interferences that you need to contend with during movie watching, game playing, and music listening. Thus, the larger your room size, the better it is for you to consider opting for a surround sound system, be it a 5.1, a 6.1, or a 7.1 model.
Which System is Best for Mixed Media
Most home audio systems are used for a variety of reasons. They are used to listening to music, watching movies, playing virtual games, doing singalongs, and even conducting a virtual conference or two. It is essential to identify the frequent audio-visual activities you do before purchasing your sound system.
Ideally, stereo sound systems are used for recording and listening to music. Because they are incorporated with a tweeter, a woofer, and usually a subwoofer and a midrange, they are capable of reproducing and detecting the different frequencies you might like to have. Thus, stereo sound systems are highly recommended for purely music-based activities as their specific functions allow defined and distinct appreciation of various frequencies.
However, if you are more of the type who uses his sound system indiscriminately, then a surround sound system is a better choice. Mixed media listening requires you to have a sound system that offers all the different benefits of modern audio technology. In a way, a surround system is a catch-basin for all your audio-visual activities as it permits you to have point-source or ambient sound effects, a wider dynamic coverage, distinct bass response, and even a center channel speaker for more precise vocals or dialogues. In short, a surround sound system permits you to have an all-encompassing soundstage.
Thus, if you frequently watch movies, listen to music, and play virtual games, it is best recommended for you to opt for a surround sound system. Such a home theater setup offers you more expansive capabilities, allowing you to have a better soundstage experience and a pleasurable cinematic effect. Nonetheless, a surround sound system uses multiple speakers and may not be applicable when you don’t have a vast space to accommodate them all.
Tips for Choosing the Best Speaker Setup
Choosing the best speaker setup requires you to bear in mind the different elements that comprise a fully efficient audio system. It can be confusing and even annoying to find yourself overwhelmed with all the additional technical terms used by most audio equipment manufacturers and sales clerks as they discuss to you the different specifications of your preferred sound system option. To help you out, here are several essentials that you need to understand:
Space
When choosing between a surround sound and a stereo sound system, the primary consideration must be the room space you have. Smaller rooms have that compact design that is more applicable for a stereo or two-channel sound system. Because a two-channel configuration already has a tweeter and a woofer, it can sufficiently provide you with the different frequencies you regularly listen to. You can even purchase a system that has several other speakers, including a subwoofer and a midrange. Add an efficient amplifier to the mix, and you’ll have a great stereo sound system to provide you with an all-encompassing sound field adequately.
Nevertheless, a bigger room requires a wider soundstage. A stereo sound system may not sufficiently provide you fantastic audio output because you will need to contend with other factors, including echo, noise, and the distance from your listening area to the speaker. A surround sound system, however, effectively offers you adequate sound for your huge space.
A large room size tends to swallow up sound. This tendency, then, results in your audio being filled with distortion. For clearer feedback, you should purchase an efficient surround sound system to fully achieve an immersive sound effect, allowing you to widen your room’s soundstage and enjoy a cinematic audio experience. You might even want to opt for a 7.1 surround sound configuration for the best results, as it already includes a center channel speaker, two front speakers, two side speakers, and two rear speakers. Such a setup effectively covers all the vital spaces in your room.
Frequency of Use
You should also bear in mind the frequent usage of your sound system. If you tend to watch movies and play virtual games more than listen to pure audio content, opting for a surround sound system is recommended. A surround sound system permits you to have that cinematic effect, allowing you to feel like you are part of the movie or game scene you are watching or playing. It provides you with that immersive sound experience that superbly covers all the different factors, including vocals or dialogues, sound effects, and music soundtrack.
However, if you are more into listening to pure music, choosing a stereo sound system is preferable. Because a two-way configuration offers you distinct coverage of the different frequencies or tones, you can fully obtain a better audio experience. A stereo sound system has drivers covering all the different frequency ranges—a tweeter and a woofer. You can even add a subwoofer and a midrange to achieve superb audio feedback fully. An excellent amplifier can further improve your overall listening experience.
Purpose
Defining the primary purpose of your audio system is a must as you choose between a surround sound system and a stereo sound system. Because such an audio system doesn’t come cheap, appropriately appropriating your hard-earned cash is a must.
Conclusion
In summary, surround sound systems offer you immersive sound effects as they are designed with multichannel configurations that allow a 360-degree audio experience. They are recommended for mixed media activities such as movie watching, virtual game playing, and music listening. Stereo sound systems are best preferred for pure audio listening. They provide you with a better appreciation of the distinct frequency ranges present in various audio files.