How to Address Common Surround Sound Issues
Avoid Surround Sound System Headaches in Your Home
How do we know sound, not visuals, is the most essential part of a home theater system? Because sound quality is what people complain about the most. When we talk to potential customers about the home theater issues they experience, they overwhelmingly mention their surround sound systems.
And that’s not because video technology is far more advanced than audio (it’s the opposite, in our humble opinion). It’s because a surround sound system is an orchestra that requires the perfect symphony of wiring, settings, equipment, and design.
Since they come up so often, we wanted to put together a list of typical surround sound issues and showcase how we’ve helped our clients resolve them throughout New Orleans, LA.
SEE MORE: 3 Spaces in Your Home That Could Benefit from a Surround Sound System
The Sound Keeps Cutting Out
Though this may be the most annoying surround sound issue, thankfully, it’s the easiest to resolve and avoid. When this happens in DIY setups, equipment is likely not connected properly. Cables may not be adequately pushed in or linked to the wrong port. While it’s a simple issue, it’s hard to find exactly where a connection went wrong without the right expertise. We test all our theater installations to ensure all signals go through properly, so you don’t have to worry about your system going quiet.
Some Speakers Aren’t Working
The good news is that, in most cases, there’s nothing wrong with your high-end speakers. Once again, culprit number one is a missed connection. It’s also important to look at your settings. Your AV receiver may not know where to send the signal (for example, it needs clarification as to whether you have a 5.1 or 7.1 setup), or it may be sending it, but the sound is too low for you to hear. A professional will create unique settings for a wide range of content and calibrate your speakers accordingly so nothing gets lost in the mix.
Speaker Doesn’t Sound Right
This one is more subjective and harder to figure out. Your surround sound may sound either muffled or unbalanced in your home theater for a few reasons. Sometimes it could be as easy as adjusting the settings and connections, but it may also be an issue with your overall design.
Are your speakers properly placed? New Orleans’ unique architecture is one of its best features, but it also creates challenges for surround sound. Thankfully, there are creative solutions like up-firing speakers that reflect sound off the ceiling. We’ll advise you on the speakers and layout that will work best and address any unique acoustic issues in your home.
If the specific issue with the sound is a lack of bass, then you need to add subwoofers to the corner of the room. Two may be necessary to get high-quality bass in larger areas.
While it’s possible to troubleshoot some surround sound problems yourself, working with a professional will save you time and money. We have the knowledge needed to design systems that will work right from the start and will advise you on how to keep your theater sounding great for years. For more information, call us or fill out our contact form.
