move the speaker farther away from the listener, both the reflected and the direct sound will dissipate, requiring more power from your surround sound amplifier channels. If the surround sound system you are using has a small five or ten watt amplifier for the rear speakers, stay within five to eight feet of the listening location. If you are using a 25 to 50 watt amplifier you can mount the speakers 10 to 15 feet away from the listening location and still achieve reasonably high volume levels.
In large or unusually shaped rooms this might be the only way to achieve a good effect. If you like to listen to music sur- round modes which emulate concert hall acoustics, more than two surround speak- ers will prove extraordinarily effective (See Figure 6). With Niles DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7 loudspeakers it is easy to add another pair without affecting the decor of the room. However, you will need to use a much more powerful amplifier than that which is built into a typical surround sound receiver or amplifier. Niles makes a number of Systems Integration Amplifiers with proprietary features that make them
uniquely suited to enhance a good sur- round sound system. Consult your local Niles dealer for more information.
The Boundary Effect
Corners can affect the bass response of the speaker powerfully! This is called the boundary effect. You will emphasize par- ticular bass frequencies and cancel out other bass frequencies when you place speakers close to the wall/ceiling bound- ary or a corner wall boundary. This can make the speaker sound excessively boomy and inaccurate to some listeners, while to others it just seems like more bass sound. A good rule of thumb is if you always listen to your current pair of speak- ers with the bass turned up, you’ll enjoy corner placement. If you keep your tone controls at neutral, try to keep the speak- ers at least two or three feet from the boundaries of the room.
Speaker Placement
Figure 5 | Figure 6 |
Varying Listening Position | Surround Sound |
8