Tips For Improving Your Surround Sound System (NAPSA)—It seems Americans are all ears when it comes to learning ways to improve the sound from their PC, mobile phoneor hometheater. According to a study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), a majority of consumers view music and other audio content as a vital component of their daily lives. The study, “The Evolution of Audio: Is Anyone Listening?,” found that 67 percent of consumers believe audio is an important part of their life, and almost half (48 percent) report they are alwayslistening to some form of audio content. That love of sound may be especially prevalent among many of us who own entertainment centers, complete with flat-screen TVs—andwith good reason. Experts say cinematic surround sound can bring out the realism, excitement and emotion of a movie or show, helping homeowners get more out of their viewing experience. The good newsis that it can be simple to create a home entertainment system that sounds amazing. Dolby Laboratories offers the following tips to help you upgrade or optimize your hometheater: Getting Started To enable HD surround sound from a home theater system, you'll need speakers, a subwoofer, an amplifier and a receiver. These devices are designed to work with the latest in audio technology to produce that cinematic experience you want to have in yourliving room. Perfect Placement Ideally, your front speakers should be positioned at ear level since most movie soundtracks are designed to sound best at this height. Better Bass There’s no specific rule for plac- 5.1 | . . . . . . 5 Speakers 1 Subwoofer Seating Position Leftand Right Speakers Center Speaker Leftand Right Speaker Angle Subwoofer (the ".1") Left and Right Surround Speakers o.- On “110 110 Sounds Great—recommended5.1 speaker placements for your home theater. ing a subwoofer beyond keepingit on the floor. The amount of bass you hear, however, will vary dependingon the room orlocation. Try a few different places to determine what’s best for you. Best Seats In The House If possible, center your seats between the surround speakers. The closer you place a speaker to the corners of a room, the more bass you'll hear. The Shape Of Things The shape of your room and how it’s furnished will affect sound quality. Bare, metal or glass surfaces can cause reflections that result in harsher sound. By adding rugs, carpeting, wall hangings or curtains, you'll not only end up with better sound, but also a cozier room. All In One A hometheater in a box (HTIB) is an alternative to buying a set of separate components. It combines components to simplify the buying and operating experience. These systems bundle a receiver with a full set of home theater speakers and sometimes also include a source device such as a DVD player. For more information on how Dolby brings surround sound to your home theater, mobile and PC devices and where you can find the latest products with Dolby surround sound capabilities, please visit www.audiodolby.com. For an interactive application that helps you set up your home theater surround sound system, visit www.dolby.com/speakersetup.
