There’s nothing more frustrating than purchasing a new soundbar, surround sound system, or speaker system only for the audio quality not to be what you’d expect. It’s the pain point of buying hardware you can’t really test out yourself unless you’re at Best Buy and can push a test button for a demonstration at a product display. But sometimes, the poor audio quality might indicate another issue. If your new premium speakers aren’t delivering the audio immersion you expected and you have worked through every possible solution, the problem might originate somewhere else beyond the speakers themselves.
Don’t get me wrong, speaker quality, audio format, and hardware absolutely matter. This is especially true when experiencing the difference between lossy compressed audio on streaming platforms and lossless, detailed audio with a 4K UHD Blu-ray. But sometimes the failure in quality comes from your room’s acoustics. In fact, even budget speakers can be drastically improved when used in a space with complementary dimensions, textures, and overall layout. You just have to know what elements of your entertainment space are working for you and against you.
Why do acoustics matter?
The logistics behind great audio
The best way to understand acoustics is through simple science. Hard surfaces such as walls, ceilings, or hardwood floors reflect sound waves into the room instead of absorbing them. As these reflections build up, the harder it becomes to distinguish individual sounds, which results in audio that feels cluttered or muddled. Think of an echo. But this is a smaller space than a wide-open warehouse, a cave, or a canyon. So, the reflected sounds arrive so quickly that they overlap instead of sounding distinct. This occurs on a micro level, but it still dilutes the audio clarity. This reverberation can prove to be detrimental to movies with heavy dialogue sequences. This can be mitigated using upholstery, carpet, rugs, or other soft materials like window curtains. These surfaces will help absorb the audio to keep reverberation minimal.
High frequencies don’t operate the same way as low frequencies. When it comes to bass audio, choices such as speaker placement can create standing waves, a phenomenon that occurs when two similar sounds collide (possibly through reverberation). This causes sound to spread in the room unevenly. Essentially, the waves become trapped in fixed spots. This can make loud sequences, such as explosions and other brilliant action sounds, come across unevenly depending on where you’re sitting. Your room shape or ceiling height can also have an effect on how the sound frequencies travel throughout the room. If you have an open floor plan, there will be more inconsistencies with the spread of audio, as there is much more area for sound to travel within. However, this can still be mitigated depending on how you arrange the space and where you place the speakers.
Your living room is a critical component in achieving great audio
Simple elements, like hard surfaces, can change everything
Before you say, “yeah, but replacing my hardwood floors with carpet is a costly or labor-intensive fix,” there are other options. If you have bookshelves in the room, consider placing them on the side between the audio source and your seating. These structures can help reduce reflections, especially if they’re densely packed with books. Add soft furnishings where you can. If you don’t want to go to the effort of replacing hard flooring with carpet, consider a nice big rug in the center of your entertainment space. Change window blinds to thick curtains. And remember, density reduces the area in which sound can travel. You don’t necessarily need a cluttered room, but avoid one that is wide open unless soft surfaces are plentiful.
Speaker placement can be everything. If you place speakers directly against walls, this can lead to excessive reverberations. Most sound system manufacturers offer suggestions for the best possible performance within the packaging or through their official websites. Be sure to check those resources for suggestions. Dolby even provides some guides, including schematics, that you can implement for the best quality sound. Before diving into new expensive hardware, try adjusting the speakers you already own. Shift the room, add structures or soft textures, and calibrate your speakers. That’s right, some soundbars and home theater systems have calibration tools that allow you to account for your space. Check to see if your current sound system has this feature. And remember, getting the most out of your home theater audio isn’t just about having high-quality speakers; the biggest improvement can sometimes be a simple change in your entertainment space.
