How To Set Up A Home Theater Surround Sound System

To create the perfect movie watching environment, you may want to know how to set up a home theater surround sound system. Depending on your home theater surround sound system, you may have a 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 system. Each set up is fairly similar with just a slight variation depending on the number of speakers that you have.

To set up you home theater surround sound system, you will need:

• The surround sound system
• Speaker wire

1. Furniture set up. To get the proper surround sound effect, your seating area should be directly in front of the television just as the seating is at the movie theater. By placing the couch directly in front of the television, it will provide the optimal viewing angle.
2. Front channel speakers. The front speakers should be placed on the right and left side of the television. Each speaker should be the same distance from the couch as the other. The speakers should be angled towards the couch so that the sound flows towards it.
3. Center channel speaker. The center channel speaker should be placed directly below or above the television. If you have a 6.1 home theater surround sound system, you will have a single rear center channel speaker as well. This speaker is centered directly behind the setting area, directly across the room from the front center channel.
4. Rear channel speakers. The rear channel speakers should be placed behind the couch, one on each side of the room. If you have a 7 speaker surround system, you will have 4 rear channel speaker for your home theater surround sound system. Two speakers should be behind the couch and two should be on the sides of the couch at a higher level than the front channel speakers. For example, visualize your room as a clock face. Your setting area is in  the center where the hands of the clock meet. The television and front center channel is at twelve o’clock. The front channel speakers are at eleven and one. The first set of rear speakers is at three and nine. The second set of rear speakers is at five and seven.