Niles Audio Pro770FX - Manual (Page 6)

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LOUDSPEAKER PLACEMENT
NOTE: STAGEFRONT FX LOUDSPEAKERS ARE DESIGNED FOR USE IN EFFECT CHANNEL
APPLICATIONS. FOR FRONT LEFT, CENTER OR RIGHT-CHANNEL NEEDS, WE RECOMMEND USING
STAGEFRONT LCR LOUDSPEAKERS.
PLACING THE STAGEFRONT FX AS THE SIDE LEFT AND RIGHT LOUDSPEAKERS
In home theater, the goal is to reproduce the experience of a great movie theater
in your home. The biggest difference between the two venues is the use of a rear-
or surround-loudspeaker array in a commercial theater. Here, it is not uncommon
to see 20 or 30 loudspeakers placed around theater walls. This huge array of
loudspeakers assures the audience will feel completely surrounded by the ambient
soundtrack of the movie.
Filmmakers carefully use the “surround” soundtrack to envelope viewers in the
sound environment on screen. They will place background music, rain sounds,
traffic noise, etc. on the “surround” soundtrack to create desired effects. However,
in a home with a single pair of front loudspeakers, this surround effect will be lost,
and jungle sounds may actually sound like they are emanating “from the middle of
your head,” just like headphones!
Each StageFront FX loudspeaker is equipped with a BIPOLE/DIPOLE front switch
as well as a 12-volt trigger jack on the rear of the enclosure. This jack will switch
the StageFront FX loudspeaker from the front switch setting to its opposite
position (such as from a setting of Dipole to Bipole) for as long as voltage is
applied to this connection. Tip is positive. Use a source that will supply 12 volts
DC 200 mA minimum for this trigger. These controls optimize the surround effects
for either side or rear placement as well as various surround modes. (see SETTING
THE BIPOLE/DIPOLE MODE on page 8). Here are some recommended loudspeaker
placement tips:
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Place the surround loudspeakers on a rear wall directly behind the listening position.
If possible, try placing the loudspeakers nearer to the corners, as shown in Figure
1 and 2. Set each BIPOLE/DIPOLE switch to DIPOLE for reflected sound. Moreover,
the adjoining walls will act as powerful reflectors to create even more reflections.
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If you place the surround loudspeakers farther away from the listener, the surround
sound will dissipate, requiring even more power from the surround-sound channels.
If your sound system uses a small (less than 50 watts per channel) surround
amplifier for the rear loudspeakers, be sure to place the loudspeakers within 5 to 8
feet of the listening location.
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If you are using a larger (more than 50 watts per channel) surround amplifier, you
can mount the loudspeakers 10 to 15 feet away from the listening location and still
achieve reasonably high volume levels. In large or unusually shaped rooms, this
might be the only way to achieve a good effect.