5.HOME THEATRE USAGE
LEVEL-MATCHING
The factor most critical to achieving excellent Home Theatre performance is level-matching the three front and two surround channels. This is even more important than timbre-matching. We strongly recommend that you purchase a Radio Shack Sound Level Meter (get the analog meter, not the digital version) and use it to measure the output of the speakers when playing the test tones generated by your processor or receiver.
Set the meter to the "C" weighting scale and the “SLOW” setting. Using your amplifier or receiver's internal noise calibration test, set the levels so that all channels measure the same level. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, DO NOT CALIBRATE LEVELS BY EAR! Using a meter is an inexpensive way to be certain that your system is calibrated properly.
TIMBRE-MATCHING
One of the most important factors in achieving excellent Home Theatre performance is timbre-matching. On film soundtracks, specific sounds are often moved from left to right or from front to back in the room. When the speakers reproducing these sounds have dissimilar characteristics, there will be an audible discontinuity when the sound shifts from one speaker to another.
Timbre-matched speakers have very similar tonal characteristics and sound, which come from three critical elements: similar or identical drivers; similar or identical crossovers; and similar or identical frequency response. In full M&K systems, these elements have been addressed. You can be assured that the system can achieve the full potential of Home Theatre sound.
When you have a Home Theatre system, speaker placement becomes extremely important, as you will be balancing four or five (or more) speakers rather than two. The following guidelines are for a five-channel Pro-Logic or 5.1 channel Dolby Digital AC-3 system, but if you do not have a Center channel, the instructions for the other four channels still apply.
CENTER CHANNEL
The Center channel speaker in any multichannel system is the most important speaker in the system. This speaker often produces more output than the left and right speakers combined. This speaker should be of the highest possible quality, and as similar as possible in response and radiation pattern to the left and right speakers. Three identical speakers are best, unless the center channel is designed to work with a set of left and right speakers.
It is also important to have as much amplifier power as possible for the Center channel. As a minimum, the three front channels should be identical in power output, but it is better if the Center channel has more. If you have less power in the Center channel, this will be the limiting factor in the total output capability of the system when watching and listening to video sources.
The Center channel speaker should be located as close as physically possible to the television or projection screen, preferably just above or below the screen. If that is not possible, then just to the left or the right of the screen may be acceptable. M&K’s Phase- Focused crossover will always give you smooth and even coverage throughout the room.
If the television is not in the center of the room (or not centered between the Left and Right speakers), the Center channel speak- er should still be as close as possible to the screen -- even if it is outside the left and right speakers (such as a TV located in a corner of the room outside the stereo spread of the left and right speakers). Good results can be achieved in unusual configurations when the Center speaker is as close as possible to the screen.
The Left and Right front channel speakers in a Home Theatre system should be placed the same as the left and right speakers in a stereo setup. Some listeners, however, may prefer to reduce the distance between the left and right speakers to bring the size of the acoustic image closer to the size of the screen image.
For example, with a 25" direct-view television, you would want the speakers closer together than you would with a 100" projector. One recommendation is to separate the speakers by 1.5 times the diagonal screen size; another is to place the left and right speakers to create a 45 degree angle with the main listening position.
There is a great deal of latitude in this area, as it is one of personal preference (especially if you will listen to music without video).
It is also preferred that the speakers be equidistant from the listening position. Equidistant usually means that when the center speaker is on top of the television, the left and right speakers will sit in front of the set (they will be farther from the wall behind the TV than the center speaker). Ideally, the speakers should be at the same height as the screen, but it is much more important that all three speakers be at as close to each other's height as possible. If the center is much higher or lower than the other speakers, theeffect can be distracting. Angling, or toeing-in the speakers, to aim at the listening position often improves imaging.
When using a Center channel speaker, you have extra flexibility in placing the left and right speakers, as the Center channel speaker will tie most dialog and effects directly to the screen.
