Most surround sound systems in Ottawa homes are set up wrong — not because the speakers are bad, but because they are where the furniture allowed rather than where the format needs them. The centre channel is on the floor, the surrounds are behind the couch pointing at the ceiling, and the subwoofer is in a corner because that is where the outlet was. The result is dialogue you cannot hear and effects that come from nowhere in particular. This post explains the three formats you will be choosing between and what a proper installation actually involves.

5.1: the baseline that still works

Five speakers and a subwoofer: left, centre and right across the front, two surrounds at the sides slightly behind the seating, and a sub for bass. It is the format most films and streaming services are mixed in, and done well it is dramatically better than any soundbar. The centre channel carries almost all the dialogue, so its placement — at ear height, directly under or above the screen, not on the floor — is the single most important decision in the room.

7.1: for larger rooms

Adds two rear speakers behind the seating, so surrounds sit at the sides and rears sit behind. Worth it when the seating is well away from the back wall and the room is long enough that side surrounds alone leave a hole behind you. In a small family room 7.1 adds cost without adding much.

Dolby Atmos: height channels

Atmos adds speakers overhead — usually two or four in-ceiling units — so sound can come from above: rain, helicopters, a plane passing over. The formats are written 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.4 and so on, with the last number the height channels. In-ceiling speakers need to be angled or positioned according to the Dolby placement guidelines relative to the seating, which is why we lay them out on a drawing before cutting the ceiling. “Atmos-enabled” upward-firing speakers that bounce sound off the ceiling are a compromise for rooms where cutting the ceiling is not an option.

What the installation involves

Room layout first. We measure the seating position, screen size and room shape and draw the speaker positions to the format’s angles. This decides everything else.

Wiring. Speaker cable is run inside walls and ceilings to each location, plus a subwoofer cable and, for in-ceiling Atmos, cable to each ceiling position. In a finished house this is the labour-intensive part; in a house under renovation it is cheap, which is why we tell clients to pre-wire even if the speakers come later.

Speakers and receiver. In-wall, in-ceiling, bookshelf or tower speakers depending on the room and the look you want, matched to an AV receiver with enough channels and power for the layout. The receiver is where HDMI from your sources, TV or projector and streaming devices all meet.

Tuning. Every receiver has a room-correction routine; we run it properly with the microphone at several seating positions, then check the results by ear, set speaker distances and levels, and set the subwoofer crossover so bass is felt rather than heard as a boom in one corner.

Family room or dedicated theatre?

The formats work in both. In a family room we favour in-wall and in-ceiling speakers so there is nothing on the floor and nothing to knock over, with a subwoofer tucked where it works acoustically. In a dedicated theatre we can use larger speakers, acoustic treatment and a projector. Either way the design step is the same, and it is where we start every job.

Next step

Surround sound is one part of our home theater installation service in Ottawa, and it is also something we install on its own around a TV you already have. Call 613-627-0660 to book a consultation at your home and we will draw the layout for your room before you buy a single speaker.