I don’t particularly like spending money. I will when I have to, naturally. But I try to be efficient with it, and I often deny myself small luxuries so I can afford the big ones. You might not think of a few snacks each week as a big deal — but across an entire year, cutting them out goes a long way towards something like, say, a new PEV or gaming PC.
If you want to be efficient, or money is simply too tight, there are a few ways you can enhance home theater audio without spending a dime. Or if you do spend money, it doesn’t have to be as costly as an upgraded soundbar or receiver.
Tweaking EQ and/or boost settings
Experiment for a while on different devices
If you’re using headphones or external speakers, and they have an app-based equalizer you haven’t touched yet, you’re doing it all wrong. That might sound blunt — but having tested and reviewed a number of audio products, I know that adjusting EQ settings can transform a device from mediocre to amazing. The best way of calibrating your EQ is to put on a favorite piece of media (not necessarily a movie or show), then listen carefully for deficiencies in the highs, lows, or mids. It may take a few attempts to find levels you’re truly happy with, but it’s worth it in the long run. Use presets as a starting point.
Speaking of which, generic bass or vocal boost presets can sometimes help, whether on headphones, speakers, or your TV/media streamer. Be careful — these often compress dynamic range, meaning you won’t get the full frequency response your gear is capable of. That said, there’s no point in preserving range if you can’t understand what characters are saying.
Fixing speaker positioning
Physics are a double-edged sword
Positioning matters a great deal, so don’t get complacent. Technologies like DTS, Dolby FlexConnect, and Sonos Trueplay can only compensate so much for physical location. With multi-speaker setups, you can improve sound separation by moving speakers further apart. Similarly, you can increase the apparent intensity of channels by bringing them closer, and/or pointing them directly at where you’ll be sitting.
Why I really bring this up, though, is the impact of wall proximity. When a speaker is too close to a wall or corner — typically, less than 2 or 3 feet — that can produce acoustic “glitches” like bass bloat and comb filtering. Dealing with this will instantly clear up your audio, especially if the materials on your walls are prone to reflecting sound in unwanted ways.
Installing dampening, isolating, or reflective surfaces
Don’t be afraid to improvise
A rattling speaker — or one that rattles other surfaces — is never really a good thing. One quick way to deal with that is by sliding a dampening mat underneath, although it doesn’t necessarily have to be purpose-built. Sometimes, a towel, blanket, or cushion will provide the same benefit. Depending on your circumstances (and hardware), another method of coping with both rattling and wall proximity may be picking up a stand or mount. Mounting can make things worse — thankfully, though, some speakers (like smart soundbars) are designed with that in mind.
In a room with a lot of echo or reverb, you may need to install sound-absorbing acoustic panels on your walls, but conventional decorations like paintings and tapestries will do in a pinch. Conversely, you might want to enhance that bouncing if a speaker depends on it for spatial audio, as with many Dolby Atmos setups. That might involve removing decorations, or installing acoustic reflectors. You can apparently install reflectors on ceilings, but that’s probably going too far in a living room environment. You’ll also be kicking yourself if you move and have to leave those panels behind.
Re-running room calibration
Assuming you’ve paid for the right speaker
More advanced speakers support room calibration. This pings test sounds off your walls, using the results to adapt output to specific materials and distances. Some speakers, like Apple HomePods, are fully automatic in that they trigger calibration themselves whenever they move. Others require you to initiate the process, or actively participate by recording audio with your phone.
There’s no need to recalibrate for minor changes to a space, such as adding a plant. You should, however, be recalibrating whenever a speaker moves more than a few inches, or when you rearrange large furniture and decorations. The more changes that’ve accumulated since your last calibration, the more likely it is that a new one will make a substantial difference.
Don’t expect the results to blow your mind, per se. Calibration is largely about clarity, unless a speaker is able to sync with others for a better-balanced spatial audio experience, as with DTS:X and Dolby FlexConnect. In any kind of surround setup, you don’t want the wrong channels taking centerstage.
