Author: Jay

Hey everyone it’s nice to meet you. I'm Jay, writer & founder of the site Easy Home Theater. I've been with the hobby of home entertainment for many years now. I decided to create this site to be a helpful resource, and share everything that I've learned from personal experience with you. I also happen to be a huge gamer, lover of all things tech related, and a major fitness buff (love weightlifting) https://Facebook.com/easyhometheater https://Twitter.com/easyhometheater https://www.Pinterest.com/easyhometheater/ https://www.instagram.com/easyhometheater/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/easyhometheater https://follow.it/easy-home-theater?pub

11 Home Theater Tips For A Better Movie Watching Experience

11 Home Theater Tips For A Better Movie Watching Experience

11 Home Theater Tips For A Better Movie Watching Experience

11 Home Theater Tips For A Better Movie Watching Experience

One of the reasons I personally love home theater so much is because of how customizable the experience can be.

Whether it’s deciding to wall mount a TV to save space, or using a subwoofer for deep bass, there’s all kinds of ways you can make your entertainment experience special.

Plus, with things looking to become more digital as of late, more people may consume their content at home.




So in that regard, here’s 11 home theater tips for a better movie watching experience.

These are a few ways to optimize the space you’re in to make things more cinematic and immersive.

 

1. Using Bias Lighting

There’s plenty of ways to do so, but one way is through proper lighting which is a great way to set the tone.

Using what’s known as bias lighting, particularly in the form of light strips placed behind your TV, is a great way of doing that.

But more importantly, it can help minimize the difference in brightness perceived between the actual screen and the room’s lighting.

This in turn, has a few potential benefits.

The first is that it can help with viewing over extended periods of time making it more manageable.

The other thing that bias lighting can do is making the picture quality itself look better as black levels might seem darker — giving the image a little more depth & dynamism.

This of course is going to depend on the type of screen, its brightness, and lighting conditions in the room, but it sometimes helps in that regard.

The brightness the light strips should be set at also depends, but in general they should be relatively dim to enhance the look of things rather than distract from it.

The color of the lights is also important, and if possible should be set as closest to 6500Kelvin as possible as that’s the color temperature filmmakers create their movies in (basically a warmer color)

Just remember to not set it too bright though.

Light strips in this temperature also exist, so that can make things easier if you didn’t want to manually set it.

Plus, often times you can adjust things on the fly with a smartphone since they often have smart integration and compatibility.

Lamps around the room at this color temperature can also give that movie feel.

Even the room’s lighting in general can improve its ambiance and how it feels.

But if you wanted to go more colorful with your lighting, that’s also an option and it really just depends on your preferences and what look you’re going for regarding the room.

https://easyhometheater.net/is-bias-lighting-worth-it

 

 

 

2. Implementing A Particular Home Theater Paint Color Scheme

The right color scheme for your home theater or entertainment space can go a long way in improving the overall feel of the room.

In my opinion, the surroundings are just as important as the TV and speakers themselves.

Though the color, theme, etc depends on your preferences, keep in mind that brighter walls can reflect more light than darker ones.

Conversely, if the room you’re using is a living room and you use really dark colors, it could make things feel constricted within the room.

So you’ll want to find a balance if it’s not a dedicated room you specifically watch movies in.

It can get pretty in depth so here’s more I did on that if curious.

https://easyhometheater.net/home-theater-paint-color-ideas

 

 

 

3. Optimizing Your Display

Another way to improve your experience with viewing content is optimizing the display you’re watching it on.

Many TVs right out of the box aren’t set to their fullest capabilities, with some having a skewed color temperature or a sharpness set too high for example.

There’s of course the option of having it professionally calibrated if you didn’t want to adjust things yourself, however there’s ways you can optimize your display so that it looks better.

 

Here’s a way ways to do that.

https://easyhometheater.net/how-to-optimize-your-tv

 

 

4. Hiding Speaker Wires

Hiding your speaker wires is one of those things that can make your entertainment room look more tidy and professional.

Not to mention that with the wires out of the way, there’s less chance of actually tripping over them or pulling a component.

That way more focus is on the actual movie itself.

What’s interesting is that there’s quite a few ways to have them less visible, ranging from using cable covers/raceways to using flat speaker wire.

https://easyhometheater.net/hiding-speaker-wire-solutions

 

 

 

5. Calibrating And Placing Your Speakers

Similar to how having your display properly calibrated or optimized, calibrating your speakers can make a big difference with how they sound.

Now you technically could do this manually using a multimeter and other equipment, but the easier way in my opinion is using a receiver that can automatically adjust things.

Modern home theater receivers that support 5 channel sound or more often come with an optimization microphone that plugs into the device.

From there, it’s typically a matter of going through the initial prompt on screen, then starting the process while the receiver adjusts things.

Their placement is also important, and if they have a rear port, then placing them a bit from the wall can help with them not sounding too boomy.

 

 

6. Hiding Home Theater Equipment

The next way would be through organizing your devices and equipment so that things feel more spacious even in the same room.

From experience, even doing things as simple as moving wires out the way like previously mentioned, or wall mounting the TV to forgo the need of a stand can make a big difference.

Even storage containers for organizing things in the room may help.

Here’s some ways to save space in a home theater.

https://easyhometheater.net/ways-to-save-space-in-a-home-theater

 

 

7. Using The Right Subwoofer With Proper Placement

Using the right subwoofer is important since it’s not only the thing that’s often responsible for the bass in a home theater, but can add a sense of improved soundstage and depth to the content.

But its placement is also very important, and getting that wrong can diminish the bass you experience.

It’s a complex topic, and I went into a lot more depth here while also mentioning a few of the ones I think are solid.

https://easyhometheater.net/the-best-home-theater-subwoofers#guide

 

 

8. Using 2 Subwoofers

Building on from that last point, to improve things even more, using 2 subwoofers as opposed to one can work well too.

Reason being, by using 2 subwoofers, you not only get a 3 deciBel increase in bass output, but also the bass response itself being smoother in room.

That is, if you have them placed correctly, since placement can alter those improvements in bass.

Here’s more on that aspect.

https://easyhometheater.net/setting-up-2-subwoofers

 

 

 

9. Using Acoustic Panels Behind Speakers

Yet another aspect that can affect how everything sounds in the room is the very room itself.

Sound waves travel, and when they meet reflective surfaces in the room, they’re bounced off into other directions.

The more of these surfaces in a room, the more the audio from your speakers or soundbar can potentially echo and sound less detailed.

To potentially reduce this, you can do what’s known as acoustically treating the room

This is just basically implementing some sort of object or configuration that’s made with the purpose of diffusing or absorbing unwanted sounds in a space.

One way to do this is by using acoustic panels both behind the speakers themselves, and in specific parts of the room where the degradation of audio quality is most noticeable.

Since every room and home theater setup is different, the efficacy of this does depend on what kind of panels are used, how many are used, where they’re placed, and how it all sounds to your ears.

Still, acoustic panels can be one way to improve how things sound if there’s lots of hard surfaces in the room.

Using more plush materials in the room like rugs, overstuffed chairs, etc is another way as well.

https://easyhometheater.net/should-you-put-acoustic-panels-behind-speakers

 

 

 

 

10. Using A Bass Shaker

Using what’s known as a bass shaker can be another immersive way to enhance your listening experience.

To put it simply, these are basically a small device that attaches to the seat that outputs bass below what’s audibly perceptible.

By doing this, it can create a more tactile experience that’s also physical with what’s happening on screen.

https://easyhometheater.net/are-bass-shakers-worth-it

 

 

 

11. Decorating The Room With A Wallpaper Or Cinema Based Accessories

Now an obvious way to change how the room looks itself would be through paint, but if that’s not feasible, then a suitable wallpaper can also add flair to a room.

These are great because they’re basically peel and stick, and come in all kinds of varieties, colors, lengths, etc.

If you were going for a more cinematic feel in particular, you could even implement more cinematic based accessories like a movie reel or movie posters for example.

These can even make for great gift ideas too.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Hopefully this gave you ideas on a few ways you may be able to enhance the overall experience in your own setup.

There’s lots of choice in how that can be done, and it’s really just dependent on your particular preferences.

In my opinion, even something as simple as a bigger TV in a large room or even the right movie can sometimes be what adds that immersion.

That about does it for this one though.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.




 

5 Home Theater Tips I Wish I Knew Beforehand

5 Home Theater Tips I Wish I Knew Beforehand

5 Home Theater Tips I Wish I Knew Beforehand

How’s it going everybody?

Hope you’re all doing well.

Anyways today I wanted to share with you 5, hopefully useful, home theater tips regarding important things to know beforehand — should you be interested in creating your very own home theater.

These are basically the things I wish I would have known at the start of my home entertainment journey that ultimately, probably would have saved me a lot of time and hassle.

Home theater can undoubtedly be a fun pastime for many, and it’s certainly something that can take one’s movie nights to the next level, but if not done right, it can bring about quite a bit of confusion and even irritation

So in the spirit of saving you that same inconvenience and without wasting any time, let’s get right into it.

 




 

Speaker Type & Placement Has a Huge Impact on Sound

So first things first, the type of speaker you use can undoubtedly have a major impact when it comes to your enjoyment in sound quality.

For example, using a speaker with not enough wattage in a larger room can result in you either not being able to hear the sound at comfortable level, or the sound being perceived as tinny all together.

What’s bad about this is that people sometimes turn the receiver up past recommended levels just to get an appreciable audio level, but this puts unnecessary duress on the speaker which can lead to damage and directly affects how long speakers last.

So how do you pick?

My recommendation is that for an average sized room ( 11 x 12 feet) you’ll ideally want to look for a speaker with a wattage of at least 50 watts.

In a small room, less wattage isn’t as noticeable at high volumes, but if it was a larger living room for example, then it can be helpful.

The more watts, the better I’ve generally found speakers play at those higher levels without stress (but again, it depends)

Another thing you’ll want to look for is a speaker with a high sensitivity.

Sensitivity is basically a measure of how easy it is to drive power into that speaker, and the higher the sensitivity, the louder it can get with less power.

But the thing is that’s only part of the equation because placement is also important.

When it comes to placement, there’s also a few things you’ll want to be aware of.

Let’s say for example you want to use a 3.1 setup. That’s where you have a left & right speaker, a speaker in the middle called a center speaker, and the component that handles bass called the subwoofer.

In this case, you’d want the center speaker in line with the left & right, and all of them at relatively the same height.

The left & right speaker should also be at equal distances away from the center speaker.

If you were to go with a 5.1 system, where you use an additional surround left and surround right speaker, then placement for those is actually a little more flexible.

Ideally I’ve found they work great at least 2 feet above ear level when seated.

However this isn’t set in stone and if not possible in your current room, then 1 foot or even ear level is fine.

Just try not to go below that because lower than ear level breaks cohesion of the surround sound.

There’s also concept of toe in & toe out to keep in mind, which are basically terms that refer to the angle of the speaker.

Turning the speakers inward toward the listener is called toe in, and turning it more so away from the listener is referred to as toe out.

This too has an effect on sound, and you can use this to even further customize the sound in your particular room.

There’s of course many more things that have an effect on your sound quality including calibration, amount of speaker drivers, and even room seating for example; but the general crux is that for exceptional sound, speaker placement and choice is among the top in terms of importance.

https://easyhometheater.net/home-theater-seating-ideas

 




 

A Subwoofer That Can Go Deep Adds Tremendously to the Experience

So we talked about how important a role choosing the proper speaker is for enjoyment of your content, but the subwoofer is yet another piece to the puzzle that’s just as important.

The job of a subwoofer is to produce that deep bass that you not only hear but feel.

For example a major part of what makes going to movies so enjoyable is in large part, attributed to the emphasis those gigantic subwoofers add to the action that’s happening on screen.

This is an example of it being done right however, and an improper sub can just as easily be the cause of your experience being subpar.

When choosing a subwoofer, you’ll want a sub that goes as deep as possible.

Though certainly not the only important factor, the deeper the bass, the better, since it’ll provide that much more impact on bass output.

This range of sound output is a number measured in hertz, shortened to Hz, and gives you a general idea of what the sub is actually capable of.

You’ll want the Hertz to be as low as possible.

My recommendation is look for a sub that can go to at least 30Hz adequately.

From my experience, that’s around the point where you get significant output in movies, though there is often a measurable amount of substance in the 20Hz and below range too.

But 30Hz is a good starting point I feel.

Another thing you’ll want to take into consideration is the wattage and that actually can be a little tricky.

Wattage is basically a measure of how much power the sub uses when it comes to output and can be a really good way to guage just how powerful it actually is.

Here’s the problem though and why I said it can sometimes be tricky; wattage is often depicted as peak wattage or what it’s theoretically capable of at it’s max.

You typically wouldn’t, if ever, play near this volume so peak wattage isn’t necessarily the best indicator of every day performance.

What is a good indicator though is what’s known as the RMS, or root square mean.

This is basically a measurement of the continuous amount of power the subwoofer is capable of.

The higher the RMS number, the better in my opinion, though it does depend on the room since the same sub can sound different depending on the room it’s in.

That said, I’ve found a good RMS around 200 rms since I’ve noticed a decent amount of continuous bass output around that point.

But again, that’s not set in stone either since there’s lots of variables when it comes to sound.

You also have the option to use 2 subwoofers as that will also give you a much more tangible amount of bass. If done right, 2 subs can add a lot of dynamism to a movie night.

 




 

Using a Surge Protector is Probably a Good Idea

Here’s something I especially wish I knew before getting into home theater; surge protectors are extremely important.

The reason I say this and to make a really long story short, a bad lightning storm rolled through my area a long time ago and basically ruined all of my equipment that was plugged into the wall.

This was years ago when I was just getting into the realm of audio, but it was and still is devastating to think about nonetheless.

If I knew then what I do now, I certainly would have used one to spare my equipment. So from me to you, using a surge protector just might be a solid idea.

https://easyhometheater.net/25-of-the-worst-home-theater-mistakes

 

 

Some Movies May Not be Mastered Appropriately

Something else that I’ve actually come to the realization of as of recent is that it’s actually possible for the sound mixing of certain movies to not be mastered appropriately.

This has happened on only a few occasions, but being the audio enthusiast that I am, after hours of tinkering with my settings to no avail, I eventually decided to reach out to someone within the industry.

I thought my bass seemed boomy and the dialogue of the actors seemed recessed, so I figured I’d see what they thought.

They told me that while rare, there can sometimes be errors in the final mastering process that miss editing, and make it into the final presentation.

In summation, the reason why this is important to keep in mind is that even if it seems like all your settings seem fine for all but one movie, then it is possible that while unlikely, it could be due to just that particular movie.

 

 

Be Aware You Might Get The Temptation To Upgrade Often

Lastly something I really wish I knew before getting into this hobby is that temptation is very real.

All too often l’ll get a new speaker or subwoofer that seems absolutely awesome at the time, only for a new model to come out just a few months later; resulting in me upgrading to that and then so on.

I’ve ultimately learned that it’s not only a continuous cycle since obsolescence is inevitable, but if you’re genuinely happy with what you have, then don’t feel forced to upgrade unless you really want to.

Of course there’s always going to be the new shiny thing at some point, but appreciating what you currently have is really what’s most important —  and sometimes the difference between the new & old models isn’t large enough to warrant an upgrade immediately anyway.

So again, if you get something and you’re happy with it, that’s really what matters in the end since that’s truly what home theater is all about.

 https://easyhometheater.net

 

Can You Leave A Projector On Overnight? (Generally, No…)

Can You Leave A Projector On Overnight?

Can You Leave A Projector On Overnight? (Generally, No…)

Can You Leave A Projector On Overnight?

Leaving a projector on overnight generally isn’t a good idea since that can cause overheating, malfunctions, shorten the internal lamp’s lifespan, or use additional energy depending on the unit. The exception would be devices specifically designed to do so, and use features like built in surge protectors and specialized circuitry.

 




 

Imagine this: you’re watching a movie on your projector in your living room or bedroom, but you fall asleep.

The next morning, you wake up and realize that you left it on all night.

Well if you’ve ever been in this situation, or you’re curious about what happens when you leave your projector on overnight, that’s what we’ll focus on in this article.

I’ll explain what can happen if left on overnight and how it might affect the device & its performance.

Let’s get to it.

 

 

Why Someone Might Leave Their Projector On Overnight

They Think It’s More Convenient

One reason that someone might leave their unit on all night is they find it more convenient.

Rather than waiting for it to warm up before turning it on, they believe leaving it on might save time.

However unless it’s specifically designed to do so, this may not be the best idea which we’ll get to in a bit.

 

Ambiance Could Be A Factor

Leaving it on could also be a result of wanting a bit of ambiance in the room.

They might even find the light and sound from it gives the room a more peaceful vibe.

But as I alluded to before, there are some drawbacks which we’ll get into.

 




 

Potential Risks Of Leaving It On Overnight

It Could Overheat

One might think leaving a projector on all night isn’t a big deal, but it could be risky if the device isn’t built for continuous use.

The most immediate issue with doing so is potential heat buildup.

Projectors generate a significant amount of heat, and without proper cooling, this can lead to overheating.

Overheating not only puts stress on the internal components, but may pose a fire hazard if left unchecked.

That’s why it’s so important to be sure beforehand what your projector is capable of doing.

For example, whenever I watch a movie, I make sure to set my projector in standby when it’s over so that I don’t forget it’s running.

To tell if it’s overheating though, you might hear a strange noise or notice a mechanical smell from it.

The chassis of the device could even feel unusually hot which may signal as much.

If you notice this, then immediately turn the device off and unplug it.

This may signify an internal malfunction requiring professional repair.

 

It Could Affect Its Lamp Life & Picture Quality

Another concern is the impact on the projector’s lamp life.

LCD & DLP projectors have lamps with a finite lifespan rated in hours, and keeping your projector running unnecessarily may accelerate that countdown.

This could present itself in the form of color shift or visual artifacts in your picture quality, so be mindful of that.

Should you notice any anomalies, things like using keystone correction, adjusting the internal panel alignment, or correcting the lens if it shifted can help if it’s simply a setting issue.

If your image appears dim, there’s even ways to make it look brighter.

However if it’s not a setting issue and it’s lamp failure, that lamp may need to be replaced.

Visual clues like burn marks, discoloring of the bulb, or cracks can be signals of that.

 




 

It Might Use More Energy

There’s also the electric side of things to consider.

Leaving a projector on overnight can draw a suprising amount of power if they aren’t energy efficient.

That’s because they have to supply a quality image to varying screen sizes.

This variability means they need the power to function in a variety of viewing conditions.

If you’re conscious about your electricity bill, then this can be a factor in wanting to leave it off when not in use.

Some modern projectors have energy efficiency capabilities that allows them to go into a low power state after not sensing an input for a period of time.

This can also allow them to preserve their lamp life, and reduce heat build-up.

 

 

The Unit Itself Could Malfunction

Lastly, leaving it on for too long could cause permanent issues if it’s not built for continuous use.

From nuisances like bulb burnouts, to more severe situations like smoke damage and component malfunctions, the risks are real.

The manufacturer’s have specific guidelines on operating times and care for good reason.

Ignoring these can lead to the premature demise of the device.

Through the many years I’ve been in the home theater space, I’ve seen a few projectors malfunction from being on for too long when they weren’t meant to be.

So the manufacturer’s recommendations are definitely something to be mindful of.

 

Should You Leave It On Overnight?

Even though we’ve kind of already answered the question, simply put, should you leave it on overnight?

I’d say unless it’s specifically designed to function in that way, turning it off when you’re not using it is probably the better idea.

That way it doesn’t burn through lamp life when it doesn’t need to, and doesn’t put it at greater risk of overheating or malfunctioning.

Plus there’s the aspect of energy required to drive it to consider too.

However that said, turning it off and on continuously can also harm the device over time, so standby can be a good middle ground if it’s supported.

Just keep in mind that some form of power is still used in this mode.

If you do turn it off, let it cool first for a bit since the internals are very delicate and could be damaged by rapid movement.

 




 

Tips For Projector Use When It Is On

But what about general use for the time it is on, is there anything you should keep in mind then?

Well here’s a few tips for proper use in that regard.

 

Using A Surge Projector

I’ve talked about it many times, but a surge protector can be helpful in protecting your equipment, and as it applies here, your projector.

Case in point, a powerful storm some years ago completely fried my system when I wasn’t using one.

Surge protectors, like their name would suggest, focus on protecting your important tech equipment against things like electrical surges that can be detrimental for devices.

This is a good one in my opinion.

AC Power Filter Power Conditioner

 

 

Making Sure The Projector Is In A Suitable Environment

Making sure that your projector is placed in a suitable environment is important for proper function.

The area should be well-ventilated without anything near the unit as to keep its internal fans working properly.

It should also not be too hot or cold to avoid overheating or issues with the internals.

 

Final Thoughts

In short, unless it’s specifically designed for it, leaving a projector on overnight should be avoided in my opinion.

There’s lots of issues that arise from doing so that can be avoided by leaving it in standby, or turning it off.

Just make sure you allow time for it to cool though if deciding to turn it off before it’s moved anywhere.

That’s wraps it for this one though.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

 

11 Great Ways To Save Space In A Home Theater! (Tips/Tricks)

11 Great Ways To Save Space In A Home Theater! (Tips/Tricks) - Easy Home Theater

11 Great Ways To Save Space In A Home Theater! (Tips/Tricks)

Ways To Save Space In A Home Theater - Easy Home Theater

Ways to save space in a home theater include using wireless speaker kits for additional surround speaker placement options, using wireless subwoofer kits, proper cable/wire management, hiding home theater components, wall mounting your TV, using a projector, implementing different seating, utilizing built-in lighting, using bass shakers, installing ceiling speakers, and wall mounting speakers at elevation for more floor space.




The great thing about home theater is the sheer amount of customization you have with it.

From soundbars to subwoofers, there’s a plethora of ways to make it truly your own.

But that said, the room itself can sometimes be a limiting factor because of how big some of these components can be.

This can make the room feel smaller than it actually is.

So wouldn’t it be nice if there were ways to save some more of that space?

Luckily there are and we’ll be going over the various ways you can do exactly that.

So without further ado, let’s get to it!

 

1). Using Wireless Speaker Kits For Surround Speakers

So one of the first things that might help you to save some space is using a wireless speaker kit for your surround speakers.

Given that surround speakers should ideally be placed on both sides of your seating position at around 1¹/² to 2 feet above ear level seated, sometimes this might not be feasible with your current setup.

So to enable further placement capabilities, using a wireless speaker kit could help with exactly that.

While there’s still technically wires, it makes use of a transmitter so that the speakers themselves don’t have to be physically connected to the receiver via wiring.

That way, they can be placed anywhere in the room where there’s an outlet.

The wires basically get shifted, if that makes sense, since the speaker would get plugged into an outlet elsewhere.

Setting things up this way can give you more leeway with placing your stuff within the room.

Now there’s actually 4 different types of these speaker conversion kits and many types of models, but the Rocketfish RF-WRSK18 is one of the easier models to set up in my opinion.

Plus the sound quality of the speakers when connected to it still sounded great.

Check Rocketfish RF-WRSK18 Availability

 

Here’s more details on how to set it up along with info regarding speaker kits and speakers in general.

https://easyhometheater.net/how-to-make-surround-speakers-wireless

 

You could also technically go the entirely wireless route by installing a separate power source, bluetooth transmitter, and amp in each surround speaker.

However the issue with this is that it can be time intensive and somewhat complicated if you’re not familiar with this kind of modification.

So a speaker kit can still be a great way to open up additional placement options.




 

2). Using Wireless Subwoofer Kits For The Subwoofer

Suprisingly, there also exists wireless kits for the subwoofer as well.

A subwoofer kit can help with being able to place it in a spot that’s not as prevalent which can save space.

This one is pretty awesome in that regard.

Check DYNASTY PROAUDIO WSA-5TR Availability

 

Subwoofer placement for optimal sound though can be somewhat involved — depending both on the type of sub & the number of them that you plan on using.

Even the acoustics of the room can play a big part in this.

Additionally some subwoofers support bluetooth capabilities, and it may be possible for them to use a bluetooth adapter to go entirely wireless (besides the power cable of course)

That could allow for you to place it somewhere that’s out of the way.

 

 

3). Making Wires Less Noticeable

Having wires everywhere not only affects the aesthetics of your room, but make things feel more cluttered overall.

So hiding the speaker wires can be a great way to deal with this.

Luckily there’s many ways to achieve this, from tacking them to the perimeters of the room with a wire tacker, to using cable covers or cable raceways to run them around doors and along walls.

Even painting them or running them under the floorboards are options to get them out of the way.

Properly managing your wires and cables can be a great way to make your home theater look more clean and contemporary.

Here’s even more ways to hide your wires if you’re curious about that.

https://easyhometheater.net/hiding-speaker-wire-solutions

 

 

 

4). Hiding Home Theater Components

Another way to free up more space is hiding the home theater components that are currently visible or prominent in the room.

Using a wire rack for your receiver and other AV equipment can help with streamlining the look of your entertainment room by having it all in one general place.

One with lockable wheels is preferable as you’re able to move it to wherever in the room, (or even another room or closet) then lock it in place.

Check Metal Frame AV Cart with Keyboard Tray Availability

 

Installing your speakers in the wall can also help so that they aren’t taking up the space that they usually would while being more low key.

This can even be done with equipment so that it’s just the display visible.

Here’s more on hiding your home theater equipment.

https://easyhometheater.net/hiding-home-theater-equipment

 

 




 

5). Wall Mounting Your TV

Speaking of TVs actually, wall mounting your TV is another great way of saving space.

By wall mounting it, you can forgo the burly stand that may otherwise take up more room.

Running its cables through the walls with the just the screen visible can give the room a really clean look.

Plus there’s even articulating mounts that allow the TV to swivel in the direction you want.

 

 

6). Using A Projector

Or if you want to forgo the TV all together and save even more space, a projector is also an option.

Whether you want to simply project onto the wall, or use a dedicated projector screen, these can offer even more flexibility in terms of positioning.

They can be ceiling mounted, or simply placed wherever is best.

Keep in mind though that for a smaller room, a short throw projector in particular will be key.

That’s because different projectors have various optimal distance ranges where they provide the best image quality.

However in a smaller room such as a bedroom or dorm, that same distance may not be possible.

So the benefit of a short throw projector is that it’s able to be placed closer to a surface, while still providing that wide image.

That way you still get the larger image without having to worry about shifting the room around a bunch.

The Optoma GT2000HDR short throw laser projector is a great option in that case.

 

Check Optoma GT2000HDR Availability

 

 

 

7). Implementing Space Saving Home Theater Seating & Furniture

Implementing space saving home theater seating & furniture can be a great way to make things feel more spacious.

In particular, seating that’s smaller or concentrates the listening area into a singular area can allow for more room to move.

Luckily there’s many different choices when it comes to this and it’s really going to boil down to your preferences and the type of room your home theater is in.

From home theater seating to a recliner, there’s a host of viable options that provide flexibility in getting the room to feel the way you want to.

Here’s a guide into picking the right kind of seating for your room along with some ideas.

https://easyhometheater.net/home-theater-seating-ideas

 

 




 

8). Utilizing Built In Lighting

Lighting in your room can have a big impact on not only the ambience of it, but even the way your content on screen looks.

But moreso, if your room has a lot in the way of physical lamps or lights situated on the floor, then it might be taking up additional space it doesn’t need to.

This can be freed up through implementing more integrated lighting solutions including task lighting, bias lighting, or even more recessed lights.

 

 

9). Using Bass Shakers

Let’s say you want to use a smaller subwoofer or even forgo one all together to save space, but still want to enjoy that tactile feeling that quality bass provides.

What can you do in that case?

Well one option is making use of bass shakers.

Bass shakers are small devices that attach to the seating and emit low frequency sounds that you can feel.

They’re an awesome way to keep that immersive thump that a larger subwoofer would provide, while being able to use something that’s more manageable in size for your space.

https://easyhometheater.net/are-bass-shakers-worth-it

 

 

 

10). Installing Ceiling Speakers

Another great way to get some of that room space back is through the use of ceiling speakers.

Ceiling speakers are passive speakers that are specifically designed to rest within the ceiling itself.

They project the sound downwards towards the listening position and come in various sizes.

What’s really cool about them is that you can still enjoy surround sound while also saving space.

That’s because there’s no visible speaker cabinets or stands, and the ceiling itself acts as the speaker cabinet.

This can benefit your sound quite a bit since the natural room acoustics can help boost bass and treble — providing for a more lively sound.

They also allow you to enjoy realistic object based surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos & DTS:X which really can add to the immersion.

Here’s more on them if curious along with how to pick the right one for your room.

https://easyhometheater.net/the-best-ceiling-speakers

 

 




 

11). Wall Mounting Your Speakers At Elevation

Another option in being able to use more of your room involves wall mounting the speakers themselves; particularly at elevation.

Doing this allows for a few benefits.

The first is the more obvious advantage of having more floor space to move around since the speaker isn’t physically placed there.

This could allow for additional seating options, and/or better subwoofer placements.

Plus you can better maintain the overall aesthetics of the room if they’re out of the way.

But an even bigger advantage I’ve found is that height speakers sometimes sound better than at seated level.

Due to them being higher up, they can provide a better sense of directionality which really amps up the believability of the audio.

That improvement to spatial imaging can give you a more realistic and dynamic experience with content.

That of course depends on the speaker and characteristics of the room, but I’ve often found that to be the case.

So just by placing your speakers above, you might both save space and improve your entertainment experience.

I’d recommend an articulating mount too so you can aim them towards wherever you’re seated to really dial things in.

These are really good in that case.

Check Mount-It! Speaker Wall Mounts Availability

 

 

 

Bonus Mention: Room Color Can Play A Factor

Just figured I’d quickly make mention of this.

While not expressly related to physically saving space per se, the color of the room itself can still have an effect on how spacious the overall room feels.

More specifically, using lighter wall colors can make the room feel more open while darker colors can make it feel smaller.

The exact color to use depends on lighting conditions, and whether you’re using a projector since the wall’s color has an effect on image quality.

But some shade of gray can be a good middle ground in that regard.

 

https://easyhometheater.net/does-the-color-of-the-wall-matter-for-a-projector

 

https://easyhometheater.net/home-theater-paint-color-ideas

 

 




 

Final Thoughts

That brings us to the end with this one.

In short, there’s many things you can do to free up room in your own entertainment space, so hopefully the examples provided here were helpful in showcasing exactly that.

But that’s it for now.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

Can A Subwoofer Be Placed On A Shelf? (Explained)

Can A Subwoofer Be Placed On A Shelf? (Explained) - Easy Home Theater

Can A Subwoofer Be Placed On A Shelf? (Explained)

Can A Subwoofer Be Placed On A Shelf? - Easy Home Theater

Let’s say you’re trying to save space in your home theater and you get the idea of placing your subwoofer on a shelf.

But then you start to wonder if there’s actually any drawbacks in doing so.

Well it’s an interesting thought and one I figured would be worth exploring so lets find out!

Can A Subwoofer Be Placed On Shelf?

No a subwoofer should not be placed on a shelf for a few reasons. While the thought is that it may save space, the downsides are the bass quality may not be as optimal, nearby objects may rattle more, and the sub could fall if the shelf is weak.




 

Reasons Why Someone Would Place A Subwoofer On A Shelf

The Line Of Thinking That It Saves Space

The first line of thinking is that suspending a subwoofer off the floor in this fashion saves space.

Being that home theater equipment is sometimes large, having enough space to move around without worry of knocking something over can be an issue.

Basically, by placing it off the floor, it opens up more space for other things in the room like different seating configurations for example.

So the notion of being able to save a little space in this way may initially seem like an attractive solution.

However I would absolutely not do this for reasons which we’ll get to.

 

The Thought That It May Blend In Better With The Room

Like I mentioned previously, home theater equipment can sometimes border on the larger side.

Though there’s ways you can hide some of the equipment, it’s still not always feasible to do so.

Things like tower speakers and subwoofers especially stand out because of how much space they take up.

So there may be a line of thinking that by placing a subwoofer recessed on a shelf, it can make it less noticeable in maintaining the default look of the room.

However there’s a few issues with that in my opinion.

Going back to the original question..

 

Should You Place A Subwoofer On A Shelf?

Should you place your subwoofer on a shelf?

While a subwoofer can technically be placed on a shelf, there’s a few caveats that immediately spring to mind that gives me pause in recommending doing so at all.

 




 

Reasons Why I Think It Shouldn’t Be Placed On A Subwoofer On A Shelf

The Quality Of The Bass May Be Limited

Placing the subwoofer on a shelf might limit the potential sound quality from it.

That’s because getting the best out of a subwoofer’s bass often involves the subwoofer crawl to find the optimal spot for it.

This is where you basically play a test clip, mark the spot in the room where it sounds best to your ears, then place it there.

But by simply placing it wherever without doing so, there’s a real chance that it might not be the spot where it’ll actually sound best.

This could result in bass that seems lackluster or underwhelming when in fact it’s simply its positioning that’s off.

Having dealt with subwoofers for many years now, I can tell you that the sub’s position in a room can have a big effect on its overall sound.

This also goes for its output as well.

The issue with placing the subwoofer up and away is you potentially miss the reinforcement of bass that happens when placing it close to a corner or wall.

Plus the more tactile feeling of bass might be lost since it’s often recommended that a subwoofer be placed on the floor.

This way its output is more impactful, and it can be placed in more locations around the room.

 

There Might Be More Rattling From Nearby Objects

Something else to consider with setting your sub on a shelf is it may rattle the objects it’s closer to.

By being in closer proximity, there’s the distinct possibility that whatever its next too might rattle louder when the volume is up.

Because bass waves are omnidirectional, that means they travel in every direction and are slower.

The closer you happen to be to the source of that wave, the stronger it’ll be.

So by being closer to any nearby objects, even ones on a wall, it can cause them to rattle more.

This can be distracting and detract away from the experience.




 

The Shelf Itself Could Break Or Fall

In addition to all of this, the biggest caveat is the shelf or platform it’s on has the potential of falling or breaking — especially if the sub is heavy.

This could significantly damage it if it’s somehow knocked off.

Of course a shelf made of thicker or stronger materials greatly mitigates this issue, but the possibility of the subwoofer falling personally gives me pause with doing this — even if the possibility is remote.

So while you can technically place one on a shelf, it’s important to keep those things in mind.

 

Alternative To Placing The Sub On A Shelf – Decoupling It

It being on a shelf could theoretically help round off the bass though if it’s too overbearing in its audio delivery.

That’s due to it being physically off the floor.

But a great alternative to achieve the same thing is by decoupling it.

Decoupling the sub basically involves separating it to a slight degree from the floor, so the bass waves aren’t as amplified when they travel.

This can be done through some kind of specialized platform specifically made for that purpose, or even rubber feet that attach to the bottom of the enclosure.

Decoupling can be helpful for both isolating the sound so it isn’t as audible through walls, and improving the accuracy of the bass itself.

Plus you wouldn’t have to worry about it falling off since it’s already on the floor.

These are good options for that in my opinion.

 

Check Availability Of IsoAcoustics Subwoofer Isolation Stand

 

Check Availability Of SVS Soundpath Subwoofer Isolation System

 

 

Final Thoughts

That about does it does it for this one.

Long story short, floor placement for the sub is typically better as you can better optimize bass output through proper positioning, and there’s less risk for the it falling.

But it’s also understandable why one would want to put it up to save space too.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

 

Why Aren’t My Speakers As Loud As They Used To Be? (Reasons)

Why Aren't My Speakers As Loud As They Use To Be? - Easy Home Theater

Why Aren’t My Speakers As Loud As They Used To Be? (Reasons)

Why Aren't My Speakers As Loud As They Used To Be? (Reasons) - Easy Home Theater

Let’s say you’re listening to music one day and notice that your speakers aren’t as loud as they used to be.

Or you’re watching a movie and notice that your speakers don’t quite have that same dynamism that they used to.

If you’re wondering why this might be happening, there’s a few potential reasons why this could be.

So lets find out what might be causing the issue along with ways that may help fix it.

Why Aren’t My Speakers As Loud As They Used To Be?

Your speakers might not be as loud as they used to be because of speaker wire that’s too thin, frayed or damaged wire, connectors not fully plugged into the receiver, a dynamic range control setting being enabled, or the receiver is overheating because the speakers are incompatible. If they’re desktop speakers, an update or setting may have changed.




 

Reasons Why The Audio Might Be Lower & How To Fix It

Using Speaker Wire That’s Too Thin

Having dealt with home theater, speakers, etc for many years now, I know how complicated it can all be.

Sometimes though, there can be mistakes we make that cause issues with sound quality.

One such example of that is not using the right speaker wire for your setup.

More specifically, using speaker wire that’s too thin can cause lower volume output from your speakers.

The longer the distance from your receiver and the speakers, the thicker the wire needs to be.

That’s because it’s responsible for carrying the signal, and the greater the distance, the weaker that signal gets.

This directly impacts what you hear, and if your current wire isn’t up to task, this can negatively affect things.

Speaker wire thickness is measured in mm and is referenced by its AWG number (American Wire Guage)

The lower its AWG number, the thicker that particular wire will be.

This is important to know because certain wires are better for certain distances.

For example for anything under 50 feet, 16 guage wire typically works well.

However for longer distances at say over 50 feet, 14 guage wire may help with maintaining a solid signal.

Distances over 100 feet might find that 12 guage wire works best.




 

Using Speaker Wire That’s Frayed Or Damaged

Another reason for things not sounding the they should is the speaker wire being damaged or frayed.

Each wire has individual strands that are responsible for carrying the electrical signal from your receiver to your speakers.

However if the wire is missing a significant portion of these, the signal isn’t going to be as strong.

This can result in weaker sound.

Also check to make sure the wire also isn’t damaged as this can impact audio quality as well.

 

The Speaker’s Connectors Aren’t Fully Plugged Into Your Receiver

Something else that may be happening if you’re using speaker connectors, is they aren’t fully plugged in.

Suprisingly something as simple as a loose connector may be causing your lower than normal volume levels.

Make sure they aren’t touching too as that may cause the receiver to suddenly turn off.

 

Dynamic Range Control May Have Accidentally Been Enabled

There’s also a setting in the receiver that could be causing this.

DRC, (dynamic range control) compresses the frequency range so that higher and lower sounds are the same volume.

This makes it so there’s no dramatic spikes in volume and the voices in content are more pronounced.

But this setting, while helpful for quiet viewing, may cause things to sound less dynamic when watching in the daytime.

So if you’re wondering why your speakers might sound muffled or quiet, this setting could be the reason.

If it’s enabled in the receiver, disable it to see if that helps.

Additionally, if your receiver supports it, using a different DSP mode (digital signal processing) may help as well.

This changes the sound signature by enhancing or tempering certain frequencies.

Changing the DSP mode might allow for one that provides sufficient volume output.




 

The Receiver Might Be Overheating

Something else that may be happening is your receiver might be overheating.

This could be placing stress on both the receiver & your speakers, causing them to not play as loud.

Now this could be for any number of reasons, but a big one could be your speakers themselves.

More specifically, it could be because they aren’t compatible with your receiver.

Speakers have what’s known as impedance, and it’s basically a measure of how hard it is to power them.

The higher the number, the more electricity it takes to power them.

Conversely the lower this number, the less electricity it takes to power them.

If your speakers have an impedance that’s not compatible with your receiver, then it could cause issues.

This includes having to turn up the volume to get to an audible level.

It could even potentially result in them not working.

So be mindful of your receiver’s compatibility with your speakers as it’s possible they may not be compatible.

 

If They’re Desktop Speakers, An Update Or Setting May Have Changed

If you have desktop speakers, an update may have happened that changed how they process sound signals.

Check the settings to make sure things like the volume and the EQ didn’t change in any way.




 

Final Thoughts

That about wraps it up for this one. In short, lower speaker volume can be caused by a variety of things from damaged wire to a loose connector.

But hopefully this was helpful in figuring out why.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

 

Why Are Subwoofers So Heavy? (Potential Reasons Why)

Why Are Subwoofers So Heavy? (Potential Reasons Why) - Easy Home Theater

Why Are Subwoofers So Heavy? (Potential Reasons)

Why Are Subwoofers So Heavy? (Potential Reasons) - Easy Home Theater

From my experience, subwoofers are heavy because of whatever their cabinet might be made of, their size, the size & materials of their drivers, and the types of internal circuit boards, amplifiers, voice coils & magnets it uses. Subwoofers aren’t typically made to be intentionally heavy, it’s simply a byproduct of the complexity of their components.

 




 

Picture this, you finally chose the right subwoofer after some decision making, and now you’re excited for it to arrive.

When you get it though, you notice that the box it’s in is heavier than you were expecting.

After plugging it up it sounds great, but why is it so heavy you might be asking yourself?

Well there’s a few potential reasons why, so today I figured we’d go over those reasons that could give some clarity on why this might be.

 

The Material Their Cabinet Is Made From Influences Its Weight

One of the first and biggest reasons why subwoofers tend to be so heavy is the materials their cabinets are made of.

Being that a lot of them are made of any combination of dense woods, specialized compounds, and/or multi layered material, this constructed into a centralized point in the form of its cabinet lends itself to being on the heftier side.

That’s keeping in mind of course that heavy is somewhat subjective, but when compared with a bookshelf speaker, it can be easy to see the difference.

One of the most common materials I’ve noticed often used in subwoofers is MDF wood.




MDF stands for medium density fiberboard, and is basically wood and pine resin pressed together tightly into a really solid object.

The reason it’s used in a lot of subwoofers and even speakers has to do with the way they produce sound.

When they produce sound from their driver, there’s a lot of extra vibration that can be produced as well, which can subsequently affect the quality of the output from that driver.

This material being used though can help lessen these vibrations for a cleaner sound.

The thing is though, this also can make the subwoofer heavier since this material is heavier.

For instance, one subwoofer I previously covered, the Polk Audio PSW111 is a good example of this.

I mentioned in the review that when I got it, despite its small size, I was surprised that it was as heavy as it was. It was small yet it being made of MDF wood also made it heavier despite it’s small stature.

But imagine a subwoofer much bigger than that and it can be easy to see why subwoofers are sometimes so heavy.

In fact, that actually leads into the next point regarding their size.

 

The Overall Size Of Them Is A Factor Too

So since we know that a lot of subwoofers tend to use materials that are a lot heavier, it’s important to note that these materials used in actually creating a larger cabinet is probably going to have some effect on its weight.

The larger the size of the cabinet, the more likely than not I’ve found that it’s going to err on the heavier side of things.




But then why do some subwoofer enclosures tend to be so heavy and even large in the first place?

Well without making things too complicated since it’s actually a complex topic, it has to do with the way we perceive sound.

Higher frequency sounds are easier for us to hear than lower frequency sounds, so in order to hear those lower frequency sounds easier, it requires more energy.

https://www.britannica.com/science/ear/The-physiology-of-hearing

Being that the subwoofer is the thing responsible for lower frequency sounds (like the sound of thunder, a drum, etc), drivers have to be powerful enough to convincingly reproduce that effect.

A byproduct of that is the drivers themselves being bigger, and in order to house those more powerful drivers, the subwoofer’s cabinet itself has to be larger — which can also make it heavier.

A little side note about that actually; in my opinion, I’ve personally noticed that just because a subwoofer has a larger driver or cabinet, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’ll have deeper bass as there’s other factors too.

Besides things like proper placement, your seating distance, and acoustically treating your room, the excursion, (or how far the driver can move) and the materials the subwoofer is actually made of can have an effect on how things sound too.

Speaking of materials though, that brings us to the next point

 

The Material Of The Subwoofer’s Drivers Also Has An Effect

The material of the subwoofer’s drivers can play a big part into its overall weight as well.

Being that the subwoofer has components typically made from some sort of combination of cloth, rubber, and/or metal, this adds to the overall bulk of the sub too.

The bigger these components are, the more of those materials are used — which would also have a part in its weight.

That said, it’s still possible a sub can use specialized lighter materials that can help offset that weight too.




For example a subwoofer like the Klipsch R-120SW, which is an awesome subwoofer I previously covered, uses an injection molded graphite woofer that allows it to put out authoritative sound without the driver itself flexing — which would affect the bass quality.

Not only that, but it’s also a lighter material at the same time which helps with the weight aspect.

Check Availability Of The Klipsch R-120SW Subwoofer

 

Or the Polk PSW10 which has great sounding bass with a larger cabinet and a 10 inch woofer — which are things that have an influence on it’s weight.

Check Availability Of Polk Audio PSW10 Subwoofer

 

So of course while it’ll depend on the subwoofer, besides the things mentioned earlier, the materials it’s using for its particular driver is also going to be a factor with regards to how heavy it is.

Here’s a few good ones in my opinion that also vary in their size & weight.

https://easyhometheater.net/the-best-home-theater-subwoofers

 

 

Their Internal Composition

Then you have the things like the electronic circuit boards, internal amplifiers, magnets, the voice coil, etc. with all of this being additional weight that’s added to the subwoofer.

 

Final Thoughts

So as you can see it’s not that subwoofers are made to be intentionally heavy, it’s just that the combination of all these factors can lead to a unit that’s on the heavier side, though it depends.

But hopefully that provides some clarity on things and you have a better understanding on why this might be.

That’s it for now though.

Until next time. Make it easy, keep it simple.




Why Is My Center Channel Speaker So Quiet? (Explained)

Why Is My Center Channel Speaker So Quiet? (Explained) - Easy Home Theater

Why Is My Center Channel Speaker So Quiet? (Explained)

Why Is My Center Channel Speaker So Quiet? (Explained) - Easy Home Theater

The center channel as you’re probably already aware is largely responsible for a majority of the dialogue in voices in your content.

It’s why anytime I make a new home theater, I always start with the center channel then base my left and right speakers around that.

That said, you’re probably also aware that because home theater can be such a dynamic topic, sometimes there can be issues with setup, the equipment, etc.

For example, if it’s a new setup or even just out the of the blue with your current one, what if you notice you’re center channel speaker becomes quiet all of a sudden?

Why’s that, and are there any ways to fix this?

Let’s find out.

Why Is My Center Channel Speaker So Quiet?

Your center channel speaker may seem quiet because the volume in the receiver is too low, the listening position is too far, a dynamic range control/compression setting is enabled, the center speaker isn’t timbre matched to the front soundstage speakers, the wires/connectors are loose, or something internally failed.

 

Should you need a new one, here’s a few additional ideas for a center speaker as well.

The Best Center Channel Speakers

 

 




 

Volume In The Receiver Is Too Low

From my experience there can be many reasons why the center channel speaker can seem quiet but one such reason might just be because the volume in the receiver settings itself is simply too low.

Of course there’s the master volume knob that controls the overall volume, but in the settings of the receiver, try adjusting the center speaker’s volume specifically to see if that helps.

If it’s a newer receiver, it’s always possible that an update could have added a feature of some kind or even changed the default settings which could have affected the settings you originally had it set at.

If your receiver came with a small optimization microphone, I’d recommend plugging it in and running the auto room optimization feature to see if that might help things.

Though if it still seems quiet, you could try raising it from there.

You don’t want it to over power the left & right speakers of course, you just want things to blend smoothly so the sound doesn’t seem like it’s coming from any one speaker specifically.

Just be sure it’s not the content too, since I’ve noticed that sometimes different shows or movies can be mixed differently — leading to some being quieter than others.

Finally keep in mind that different receivers processes sound differently, and if you swap out your receiver even with the same speakers, there can be some level of variance with how things sound so keep that in mind.

 

 

Maybe The Seating Position Is Too Far

Another reason could be that your seating position from the speaker is too far.

Different speakers have different capabilities when it comes to volume, and if it’s not capable of going high enough at your current seating distance then it might sound somewhat quiet.

I like to use a distance of at least 6 feet from my left & speakers, while spacing them at least 6 feet apart, so that’s something to try if your space allows for it.

But if things still seem to quiet at that distance, try moving things closer to see how content then sounds.

Every room is different and a speaker at a certain distance in one room may sound different in another.

Something else that might help is acoustically treating the room by way of acoustic sound panels.

I’ve talked about it before, but basically using sound panels in the room could help with reducing sound reflections in the room, which ultimately could help the audio quality to some degree.

Check Availability Of Acoustic Sound Panels

 

 

DRC Might Be On

If your receiver has a Dynamic Range Control/Compression setting (DRC) then it’s possible this could be enabled and could be what’s affecting the audio output.

It might go by some sort of night mode name or something similar, or even just DRC.

The DRC setting basically works by limiting the range of sounds so that there’s a smaller range of potential sound output.

It makes it so really loud sound effects sound similar to the quieter ones so that everything is around the same volume without major spikes or dips.

Of course different receivers have different ways they implement this, but that’s the basic premise of it.

This can be helpful at night when you’re watching something and don’t want to disturb others or even if you’re sleeping, but if that setting is on, this could be why the center channel seems quieter.

It can also have an effect on your other speakers too, so it’s something to be aware of.




 

 

May Not Be Timbre Matched If It’s Different From The Other Speakers

If the current center speaker you’re using isn’t the same or really similar to your left and right speakers, it’s possible they’re not timbre matched. This might make it to where one speaker might be overpowering the other, or one sounds differently than the other one.

Timbre matching basically means using the same or similar speakers together so that everything sounds cohesive and blends together.

Doing this for your front speakers in particular is important since using ones mismatched from different brands or lines could lead to audio that isn’t as cohesive since they might all sound differently.

 

 

Make Sure The Connectors Are Fully Plugged In

This might seem simple, but make sure the connectors for your center speaker are entirely plugged in to both the back of the speaker itself, and the back of your receiver.

Not doing so could lead to the audio seeming quieter than it should be.

If there’s any dust present in or around the connector, lightly cleaning it with a microfiber cloth may help too.

If you’re using just the bare wire for the speaker, check to see if the ends aren’t oxidized (they’ll look a different color then what they use to) If you do notice this, then you could replace that part of the wire so there’s newer strands.

You could also switch to using connectors instead if you feel they’d offer a better connection or don’t want to worry about losing individual stands.




 

Something Internally May Have Failed

Finally it’s possible that the speaker itself may have an internal component that may have failed in some way.

Whether it’s an older age of a speaker or a newer one, it’s possible that something inside or even the driver itself may have failed for whatever reason.

Besides repairing, which would require lots of technical know-how and knowledge of what failed specifically, the speaker itself may need to be replaced if something did go awry.

In that case, one center speaker that I think is really good is the Klipsch R-52C due to its exceptional audio quality.

 

Final Thoughts

With that, that just about does it for this one.

While there could be any number of reasons your center channel speaker seems quiet, these are just a few that could be the reason the why.

Hopefully it gives you an idea of what might be applicable in your case since there’s many variables when it comes to home theater.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple.

What Makes Some TVs Look So Real? (Potential Reasons)

What Makes Some TVs Look So Real? A picture of a TV on a table - Easy Home Theater

What Makes Some TVs Look So Real? (Potential Reasons)

What Makes Some TVs Look So Real? (Potential Reasons) - Easy Home Theater

Ever find yourself in front of a bunch of TVs in the electronics section and notice that some of the stuff playing looks a lot smoother than others — almost as if things are happening right there?

Or perhaps even a friend or family member’s house and notice the same thing with their TV?

Why is that though, why do some some TVs look so real?

There’s actually a few potential reasons why this could be, so let’s get right into it.

What Makes Some TVs Look So Real?

There’s a few reasons why some TVs might look realistic which includes, some kind of motion interpolation setting being enabled, it being in its most vivid mode, the TV itself being an ultra high resolution model, or perhaps it even being professionally calibrated. All of these things could factor into a television having a highly realistic image fidelity.




 

How Your TV Shows The Image

To explain some of the reasons why this is happening, I’d first have to quickly explain how your TV actually shows an image so things hopefully makes sense.

So basically to produce a moving image, your TV has to produce a certain number of frames within a second for it to have the appearance that there’s some kind of movement happening on the screen which is considered its refresh rate.

You’ll often see this in the form of a number with the letters Hz behind it which stands for hertz.

That’s just saying how many times something is changing in a second.

Interestingly enough, hz is used in sound as well as often being used when it comes to video too.

So if you see a TV that says it’s 120Hz, that means that the TV has support for displaying 120 of those frames every second it’s playing that content (provided that content supports it of course)

It’s funny because that caveat actually brings us to our first reason why the image might look the way that it does.




 

Reasons Why Some TVs Look Realistic

Motion Interpolation Or The Soap Opera Effect As It’s Often Called

Now with that said, the first reason why the TV you saw might have looked this way could be due to a pretty common setting based on the technology of motion interpolation.

Without making things too complex, motion interpolation, aka the soap opera effect as is it’s often called, takes whatever video source the TV is connected to, and with every second, it actually creates extra frames and puts it between the gaps of the frames that are already there originally.

This creates a somewhat artificial frame rate making it look almost reminiscent of a soap opera, hence the nickname.

But why would this be done?

Well the idea is if it’s a source that has a low amount of frames in a second, it might look choppy or jittery to some.

Or there might be some kind of motion blur present in the content.

So as a way that may help, these extra frames might allow the image to appear more fluent or smooth.

How effective it is in doing this though can vary wildly from my experience, since it depends on both the TV itself, and the Hz of whatever is actually playing.

And not everyone sees visual content in the same way so that can be a factor too.




Plus if the particular content playing isn’t a good match for the setting, that’s where you might experience visual anomalies.

It’s a setting within the TV menu that you might see that has a name involving something to do with words like motion, movement, interpolation, or something along those lines depending on the TV you have.

On the other hand, it’s also possible your TV may not have this setting at all, but again it depends.

But long story short, it’s this setting that could be causing things on the screen to look like they’re moving faster than usual, and it’s one that some people like, and some people don’t.

Depending on your preference, you can turn it on or off in the settings menu.

So if you do notice this on your content or on a TV in general, this could be one reason why.

 

It Could Be Set To The Vivid Mode In Settings

The next reason why the television may look like that is it could be set in some kind of dynamic or vivid mode.

Often times in stores when a TV is on display, to account for the sometimes harsh store lighting or even to be eye catching, it’s set into its brightest mode.

So with that, It could just be that the particular conditions the TV is in is making it look a certain way that some may find looks realistic to them.

One thing I do want to note is that the vivid mode may not be the best at home though, and that a standard or warmer setting may be better for image quality and long time viewing.

The brighter it is and longer it’s on, the more it could affect the pixels & how long they actually last so that’s something to keep in mind.

Something else I noticed is that sometimes when switching modes, different settings that you may have had enabled or disabled might not apply to the newer one.

So if you enabled or disabled the motion interpolation setting mentioned earlier for example, it might have changed if you switched modes — so it’s something to remember.




 

It Might Be A Calibrated Screen

On the other hand, the opposite could be true too, and it could be that what you saw was a professionally calibrated screen.

Often calibrated by professionals to adhere to a visual standard for video, it could be that the screen’s picture quality was properly adjusted and represented this.

 

It Could Be In UHD Resolution

Perhaps it wasn’t just the way things moved on screen, but the clarity of the image itself too.

That could be where it might have been an ultra high definition or even 8K resolution screen — since these higher resolutions when combined with proper settings adjustments, can make for some truly incredible visual moments.

4K resolution, while not the standard across the board just yet, is still a lot more prevalent than it use to be and does look pretty stunning in person.

But in my opinion, I feel like 8K resolution is even a step up above that, and if someone’s never seen these before and then comes across an 8K resolution screen for the first time, I could see where the level of amazement could come from.

Some of the best TVs use these newer resolutions, and their resulting image quality is pretty amazing in my opinion.

The Best TVs

 

 

Final Thoughts

In summation, the way a TV looks can be affected by a variety of things, and if any of the factors mentioned earlier apply, then that could be the reason the TV looks the way it does.

Hopefully that helps shed some light on things and you now have a better idea why that might have been.

Until next time make it easy, keep it simple!

 

How Important Is Timbre Matching Your Home Theater Speakers?

How Important Is Timbre Matching Your Home Theater Speakers? - Easy Home Theater

How Important Is Timbre Matching Your Home Theater Speakers?

How Important Is Timbre Matching Your Home Theater Speakers - Easy Home Theater

Timbre matching is important, but I think it depends on the speakers too. For example the front right & left speakers should be timbre matched since that’ll allow for similar sounding audio whenever something on screen has any kind of movement from one direction to another, whereas surround speakers being timbre matched to the front speakers isn’t as crucial necessarily.

 

How important Is timbre matching your home theater speakers?

Whether you’re brand new to home theater or have been with the hobby for a while, it can seem like quite the expansive subject where there’s always something new to learn.

As a lover of home theater and just tech in general myself, I find the hobby absolutely fascinating.

One aspect that’s particularly interesting is how much of a difference optimizing what you have can make in terms of audio.




Along that same train of thought, considering there’s multiple ways of making your speakers sound better even if they’re older speakers, I wanted to cover a topic that’s especially interesting with regards to that.

More specifically, the topic of timbre matching.

But what is it, and how important is it when it comes to your home theater speakers?

There’s actually multiple parts to that answer, so here’s my take on it.

 

What Does Timbre Matching Mean?

There’s different ways that timbre matching could be described, but basically think of it as making sure that the elements of the audio (the speakers) that you have in the room happen to be the same.

This allows for your sound to be more cohesive and just generally blend together better than if they were all kinds of different speakers in the same setup.

I mean think about what the words timbre and matching means by definition.

Timbre basically means how something happens to sound to an individual, while matching means being the same as something.

So when put together and in the context of home theater, it’s 2 or more speakers being the same both in terms of physicality and how they actually sound to someone.

Sometimes you’ll even see with some speakers that they say they’re timbre matched with a specific center speaker or other surround speakers within the line, and that’s basically what they mean when they’re stating that.

 




 

How Important Is It Though?

But as for our original question then, in that case, how important is timbre matching?

Well I’d say it’s very important, but that depends on what speakers you’re referring to as well.

Like the right & left speakers should be timbre matched (by being the same speaker) since that’ll allow for the same sounding audio whenever something on screen has any kind of movement from one direction to another, and in the case of the speakers, from one speaker to another.

I’ve tried having a different right speaker from the left speaker, and in dynamic content with any kind of panning, I’ve noticed it can be kind of distracting since the audio doesn’t seem to blend as well as when they’re both the same ones from my experience.

So I think those 2 should ideally be the same.

But what about the center speaker being timbre matched with the other 2 though?

In my opinion, I feel that’s a little more forgiving in terms of audio fidelity and cohesiveness, though I’d still recommend getting a center speaker that’s from the same exact line within a brand for better audio blending.

Getting one from the same overall brand or even a different one in general can work too, but it’s hard to say because not every speaker is the same.




Even having 3 of the same bookshelf or tower speaker in a row for the center, right & left speaker (known as a line array) can provide great accuracy, but that may not always be possible due to space or it blocking a part of the TV since the center would be vertical in that case.

It isn’t generally a good idea to use 2 bookshelf speakers as the center channel itself though.

Now as far as other speakers are concerned like the surrounds, back surrounds, or even Atmos speakers, I would say they’re not as important to have timbre matched since they’re not typically tasked with producing as much output in the audio mix as the front speakers in the room.

Those are usually more focused on outputting the more ambient and background sounds that give that help give surround feel.

That’s one of the differences when it comes the front & surround speakers.

If you can timbre match those, then that’s great, but I’m not sure it’s as important to do.

That’s just my take on it though since not everyone’s hearing and listening environment is the same.

 

Are There Other Things That Might Affect How Things Sound?

But with all of this said, keep in mind there’s various other factors that can play into how things actually sound on your home theater.

Everything from the acoustics of your room, to the positioning & even the calibration of your speakers  matter in your sound quality; so taking the time to optimize these things are a great way to optimize the sound you ultimately experience.



For example, say you’re using 2 timbre matched speakers for stereo sound (meaning they’re the same), and you notice the bass from them isn’t as full as you’d prefer.

Well by moving them a little closer to the wall, it may help a little in that regard with making things sound a more full bodied (though it depends too since sound can be subjective)

Ultimately though, if at least your front 2 speakers are timbre matched, (and perhaps even the center speaker timbre matched too ideally) in my opinion I feel that’s optimal with getting a smoother sound that isn’t as distracting — as opposed to not having them be the same.

 

Final Thoughts

That about wraps it up for this one.

I felt I’d cover the topic so that it might be helpful when it comes to understanding that aspect of sound.

Timbre matching is important when it comes to the front soundstage in my opinion, but the other speakers don’t necessarily have to be the same to still have a quality surround sound experience.

That’s not to say having them the same won’t make them better either, it just really depends on the room and the speakers you’re using.

Hopefully you found this helpful though, and have a better idea of what it actually means.

Until next time, make it easy, keep it simple!