Sony MHC-GX25 The Sony Guide to Home Theater - Page 33

Speaker Consistency When buying home theater speakers, you'll want to consider the space you have for speaker placement and the types of speakers available today. But the most important consideration is the consistency of sound from one speaker to the next. To appreciate the importance of consistent sound, consider a mis-matched stereo system with a big, bass-heavy speaker on the left and a small speaker on the right. Every time the music emphasizes the bass notes, the stereo image will appear to "wander" toward the left! When the bass becomes quiet, the image will wander to the right. Instead of getting a true stereo image, you get an ever-shifting blur of sound. This problem is bad enough in two-channel stereo. In multi-channel home theater systems, this problem is multiplied. For consistent sound, it's important to buy all your full-range speakers (Left, Center, Right, Surround-Left and Surround-Right) not simply from the same manufacturer-but from the same series in the manufacturer's lineup! You want to make sure that all five full-range speakers use the same design for the high-frequency driver (the "tweeter") and the same approach to cabinet design, crossover design and all the other technical details that go into determining sound quality. Matched speakers from a single manufacturer are essential for achieving a surround sound effect that's stable, consistent and ultimately convincing. The only speaker that's free of this requirement for consistency is the subwoofer. Most subwoofers can be adjusted for level and "crossover frequency" to blend successfully with most full-range speakers. The Sony Guide to Home Theater 33