Integra DTR-8.4 instruction manual About Home Theater, Enjoying Home Theater, Speaker Configuration

DTR-8.4_En.book Page 21 Thursday, October 16, 2003 11:09 AM

About Home Theater

Enjoying Home Theater

With the DTR-8.4’s superb functionality you can enjoy surround sound with a real sense of movement in your own home—just like being in a movie theater or concert hall.

For best results with DVDs that feature THX Surround EX, use a THX-certified THX speaker system.

With DVDs you can enjoy DTS, Dolby Digital, and THX soundtracks. With TV and satellite broadcasts you can enjoy Integra’s own DSP surround listening modes.

Center speaker

This speaker enhances the front left and right speakers, making sound movements distinct and providing a full sound image. In movies it’s used mainly for dialog.

Position it close to your TV (preferably on top) facing forward at about ear level, or at the same height as the front left and right speakers.

Front left and right speakers

These output the overall sound. Their role in a home theater is to provide a solid anchor for the sound image. They should be positioned facing the lis- tener at about ear level, and equidistant from the TV. Angle them inward so as to create a triangle, with the listener at the apex.

Surround back speakers

These speakers further enhance the realism of sur- round sound and improve sound localization behind the listener. Position them behind the listener about 3 feet

(100 cm) above ear level.

Subwoofer

The subwoofer handles the bass sounds of the LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) channel. Position it in a corner or one- third of the way along the front wall.

Speaker Configuration

Surround left and right speakers

These speakers are used for precise sound positioning and to add real- istic ambience. Position them at the sides of the listener, or slightly behind, about 3 feet (100 cm) above ear level. Ideally they should be equidistant from the listener.

For the best surround-sound experience, you should connect seven speakers and a powered subwoofer.

The following table indicates the channels you should use depending on the number of speakers that you have.

Number of speakers:	2	3	4	5	6	7
Front left	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Front right	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Center		✓		✓		✓
Surround left			✓	✓	✓	✓
Surround right			✓	✓	✓	✓
Surround back left					✓	✓
Surround back right					✓	✓

No matter how many speakers you use, a powered subwoofer is recommended for a really powerful and solid bass sound.

To get the best from your surround-sound system, you need to specify the distance between the listener and each indi- vidual speaker so that the sound from each speaker arrives at the listener’s ears at the same time (see page 43). In addition, you need to calibrate the level of each speaker individually to achieve the correct balance (see page 44.)

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