Multispeaker Vs. Virtual Surround Sound

Getting 3D acoustics at home is a tough challenge. Can virtual systems keep up with multispeaker setups in a PM listening test?

(Published in the July 2005 issue)

More: Learn how to build your own speakers.

High-def TVs with movie-screen proportions are giving home theater fans new incentives to plunge into the dizzying sonic experience that comes only from a surround-sound system. Purists say the best approach is to envelop yourself in a constellation of speakers. Minimalists might opt instead for a virtual system that uses technical trickery to produce a similar effect with fewer speakers. We took three setups of each flavor and put them to work in the listening labs at G4TV, a bastion of discriminating technophiles. Here's their report on the world of home cinema sound.

How Multispeaker Surround Sound Works

A DVD player/receiver (or other sound source) sends audio signals to five discrete channels--left, center and right, plus left and right surround. (Some systems go up to 6.1 or even 7.1, but most movies are encoded for 5.1.) Each channel gets its own dedicated speaker. A sixth channel (the ".1" in the name) produces low-frequency effects in a subwoofer.

Pros: Multiple speakers allow you to shape the sweet spot to the size and layout of your room.

Cons: Six speakers and a receiver chew up a lot of space, and skeins of speaker wires can produce unsightly tangles. Clearing wire clutter usually means hiring a professional audio installer to hide wires in walls or floors.

How Virtual Surround Sound Works

Virtual Surround Sound (VSS) simulates true, multispeaker surround sound by processing 5.1 audio into two channels (left and right). The spatial algorithms in VSS systems are sometimes used to bounce signals off walls to approximate the effects of speakers to the sides and rear.

Pros: More compact, easier to install and usually less expensive than 5.1 systems, with far less speaker-wire clutter.

Cons: The absence of rear speakers and a subwoofer means less rumble in movie explosions (and less bottom on your CDs) and a smaller sweet spot where audio effects are most dramatic.

How We Tested

The room: A 20 x 15-ft. space furnished with a couch 8 ft. away from a Dell W2600 26-in. LCD TV.

The gear: Three home-theater-in-a-box systems came with a DVD player/receiver. For the receiver-less Klipsch, Yamaha and Logitech systems, G4TV testers used a Pioneer DV59-AVi DVD player and a Sony STR-DB840 audio receiver.

Test music: Diana Krall (good for testing vocals); The Chemical Brothers (hefty bass lines and lots of sonic detail).

Test clips: Opening scenes from Master and Commander and Saving Private Ryan (both heavy on sound effects).

Calibration: Digital Video Essentials DVD audio test.

Speaker setup: For all systems, front speakers were placed at ear level. For 5.1s, surround speakers were just above ear level, with subwoofers in the corner and out of sight.

* For background information on how surround sound works, click here.



Who it's for

He of the keen ear and fat wallet. The target is the perfectionist who wants a customizable, expandable, no-compromise system, and is willing to bend the shape of his home to the needs of his home theater.

What you get

This system is all about the speakers: three 13-in.-high KL-525-THX speakers (left, center, right), two rear speakers, one subwoofer and one subwoofer amplifier. (Extra subwoofers and satellite speakers can be added.) No DVD player or receiver is included.

The setup

A huge endeavor, but not your problem. The staggering price tag includes pro installation and sound balancing; in-wall installation costs extra. (The price varies with how much destruction you are willing to visit upon your home.)


Bass: Best in group, hands down.

Sweet spot: Super-sized and super-clear ... and it better be for $7K.

Vocals: Crisp and distortion-free, even when we cranked it up.

Immersion: The best surround sound the lab has tested--ever.



Who it's for

Classic home theater in a box for the man on a budget who wants all the speakers and componentry for true 5.1 sound.

What you get

The whole shebang: five-disc carousel DVD player, amp and AM/FM tuner in a slim chassis, plus five speakers and a subwoofer.

The setup

To minimize cable clutter, all speakers and power connect to the subwoofer, which connects to the main unit via a single wire.


Bass: The subwoofer gets overly aggressive in the low end.

Sweet spot: Limited only by room size and speaker-cable length.

Vocals: Even though the center speaker is small, vocals were still crisp and clear.

Immersion: For a home-theater-in-a-box solution, the in-movie feel was impressive.



Who it's for

The computer geek who aspires to be a home theater geek can hook this to a PC or a DVD player.

What you get

This system boasts 500 watts of total power with 188 watts reserved for the 10-in. subwoofer. The four small speakers, center speaker and subwoofer are linked to the SoundTouch Control Center, which can hook up to six audio sources.

The setup

Speaker cables are hard-wired right into the speakers, making setup easy. This could cause problems later if a cable gets damaged.


Bass: Small speakers provide great kick, especially for movies and video games.

Sweet spot: Not bad for multimedia speakers.

Vocals: Some distortion is heard at higher volumes.

Immersion: This mini 5.1 system does a great job in small environments, such as a home office.


YAMAHA YSP-1 $1500;

Who it's for

Compact and elegant--in an austere way--the YSP-1 is perfect for the person who appreciates the quality of his sound system as much as his living room's decor.

What you get

This one-piece sound solution fits 42 speakers and 42 separate amplifiers (one for each speaker) into a 40 x 8 x 5-in. package. No subwoofer or DVD player is included, but a variety of input and output jacks leaves plenty of options for expansion.

The setup

Park the receiver on a table or shelf, or mount it on a wall (brackets cost $60). Then, use the remote to input specs on room size and shape to maximize the performance of Yamaha's proprietary projection technology.


Bass: A noticeable lack of oomph. Needs a subwoofer.

Sweet spot: The widest of the virtual systems.

Vocals: Crystal clear.

Immersion: No virtual system will ever match the realism of six speakers, but this one comes close.



Who it's for

This is home theater for dummies. You don't care how it works, you don't want to spend 3-1/2 days setting it up--you just want to watch a movie.

What you get

This popular system includes two 2.5-in. Gemstone speakers, a 14.5-in. Acoustimass module for bass, a media box with a DVD/CD player and an AM/FM tuner, and a universal remote.

The setup

A real cinch: a power cord, three wires and a step-by-step DVD. The media box also includes three ports for expansion, which makes this system a versatile addition to your home theater.


Bass: Decent, but we expected a bit more for $1300.

Sweet spot: For best results sit near the center of the sofa.

Vocals: High and middle ranges were above average.

Immersion: Front-to-rear pans weren't as convincing as with our multispeaker systems.


$550; www.

Who it's for

For the apartment dweller who doesn't have a lot of space to spare, this bookshelf stereo system does double duty as a home theater ... sort of.

What you get

Two 6.5-in. speakers with birch diaphragms ("the world's first wood-cone speaker") and a lunchbox-size DVD/CD player with AM/FM tuner.

The setup

Place the speakers and head unit where you want them, plug in your TV and you're set. No subwoofer is included--so if you want deep bass you'll have to buy one separately.


Bass: Pretty good for a no-sub bookshelf system.

Sweet spot: Even with no subwoofer or center channel, the sweet spot for this two-channel stereo isn't bad.

Vocals: This mini system shines with vocals.

Immersion: A two-speaker solution that never gave a convincing surround-sound experience.

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