Filter
Top Products
Lexicon
Page 14
Speaker
Set-Up and
Configuration
Notes on
Amplifiers
How much power do you need? That depends on a number of variables —
How efficient are your speakers? How big is the room? How loud do you
play the system? Generally, the demands on the side and rear channels are
higher for film sound than for music. The center channel is actually the most
important channel on most film soundtracks. Your center amp/speaker
combination should be able to achieve the same sound pressure levels as the
main left and right speakers. Increasing the Bass Blend parameter in the Pro
Logic and Stereo Logic modes will help relieve the center channel of the
heavy low frequency demands, but is not a suitable substitute for a decent
amp/speaker combination. The surrounds will not generally require quite
as much power, but there can be substantial energy requirements during
crescendos. Consider at least 45-60 watts minimum for your rear channel
amplifier.
Notes on Speaker
Placement
The CP-1’s Configuration routine allows a wide range of choices in speaker
and room set-ups to maintain optimal performance as your system ex-
pands. If you are starting with a conventional two-channel system, in what
order should you add additional channels? The answer depends on
whether you are primarily interested in audio or video.
Best
The film enthusiast with only two stereo speakers should place them
relatively close on either side of the screen and use Panorama for both music
and films. Beyond this, the very first priority should be a center channel
above or below the screen for dialog (Configuration 2). An alternative is
Configuration 3, in which two front speakers and one rear are used with
either the Panorama or Pro Logic programs.
A dramatic improvement will be noticed when increasing from two or three
speakers to four. These should be arranged as in Configuration 6, but with
the front left and right speakers spread quite wide, perhaps all the way
around to the sides — making a diamond pattern with the listener in the
center. How widely you space the front channels will depend on how
deeply immersed in the sound track you want to be; the full diamond
configuration can considerably heighten the sense of emotional involve-
ment in many movies. This arrangement has the advantage of using
amplifiers and speakers in pairs.
2
10
6
Good
Better
For Film