Same speakers all around?
May 5, 2006
Would I be better off trying to use the same speakers all
around in a surround-sound system? I will use the system for movies almost exclusively,
but I do listen to some multichannel music at times. Thank you for any insight you can
provide and for a helpful website.
T.J. Refugio
Using the same speakers all around in a surround system
solves some potential problems in speaker matching. It’s a great way to ensure that
you have a seamless multichannel setup, making for great-sounding multichannel sound. If
you are using bookshelf speakers for this, the only caution I would offer is to make sure
you buy a capable subwoofer. Your sub will be augmenting all of your speakers as well as
reproducing the LFE (low-frequency effects) track on movie soundtracks. That’s a
pretty tall order, especially if you have a large room. Beyond that caveat, having the
same speakers in each of the five positions in a 5.1 system is the ideal solution.
Headphones for iPod
May 4, 2006
So, what’s your favorite headphone to use with your
iPod? I’m looking for a good value with good sound insulation and good sound quality.
Shannon
I don’t listen to headphones often at all, so am
certainly not an experienced user by any stretch, but your comment about "sound
insulation" did strike a nerve with me. I have been using NoiseBuster noise-canceling
headphones for the past few months and really like them. They seem to keep lots of noise
out, and most of my music in. They sound pretty good, too, especially for the $69 USD
price.
Two subs better than one?
May 2, 2006
You have a great site!
I recently bought a very nice subwoofer to replace my
existing one. Because I still have the previous one, which is not as powerful, is there
any benefit to installing that one too somewhere else in the room? Also, my receiver only
has one sub out. Would using Y-adapters be a problem if I were to connect a second
subwoofer? What would you recommend to connect two subs to a receiver with one sub out?
Sergio
If your receiver has a set of main preamp outputs you
could use these to connect the second subwoofer. This would allow the second sub to
augment your main left and right speakers, leaving your new subwoofer to reproduce the LFE
track exclusively. Alternatively, you could use preamp outputs for any channel(s) for this
same purpose (augmenting bass-challenged surrounds in the rear of the room, for example).
As for having two subwoofers for the LFE channel via the subwoofer output on your
receiver, that’s possible as well, using a Y-adapter as you’ve suggested. As for
whether you’d need it, or if it would actually make your system sound better, I
can’t say. Simply give it a try and determine that for yourself. Sometimes having two
sources of low bass in a room can make getting even response even more difficult. Be
prepared to experiment quite a bit to determine if that second sub is a benefit or a
hindrance to good sound.
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