USB DONE RIGHT: Two magic boxes that let computer audio ...

Q. What is a home theatre
system?
A. Oh sure, let’s start with a
softball question. Not! There
was a survey done maybe three
years ago on what percentage
of the population owned home
theatre systems. We don’t
recall the size of the yes and
no votes, which don’t mean
much anyway, but we do recall
that the single largest group
answered that they didn’t know.
And we have a feeling we’ll
have trouble answering the
question too. What is a home
theatre system?
We’re tempted by the following
definition: a home theatre
system (or a home cinema
system, a term we prefer since
cinemas aren’t theatres) is one
which is optimized for watching
movies, and can allow
watching a film the way the
director would like you to see
what he/she has created.
Q. Where does “home theatre
in a box” come in?
A. It doesn’t. That’s just a marketing
term. If having a HTIB means you have a
home theatre system, then who doesn’t?
Q. How good a TV set do you need
before you can claim to have a home
theatre system?
A. Nowadays the minimum is 1080p
vertical resolution.
Q. But isn’t 720p considered high
definition too?
A. Sure, if you’re not difficult, but
that’s not what we’re talking about, are
we?
Q. How big does the screen need to
be to qualify for home theatre?
Cinema
A. It doesn’t matter, because the larger
the screen, the farther away you’re likely
to sit. The minimum practical size is 76
cm — that’s 40 inches — because sets
smaller than that are mostly junk. If
you watch a 40-inch set from 6 ft away,
that’s exactly like watching an 80-inch
set from 12 ft away.
Q. How big does a home theatre room
need to be?
Why isn’t it Cliffs
Notes? What, you
don’t think Cliff has
lawyers?
A. Big enough for the
screen, the speakers and some
chairs. Of course if you’ll be
hosting movie parties, you’ll
want more space. And ideally
you should have enough floor
area so that no one will be
seated too close to a speaker.
Q. Does that mean home
theatre has a “sweet spot,” like
regular stereo?
A. Yes, though with surround
sound the imbalance,
if there is one, may be less
evident. When you have a
centre speaker next to the
screen, it’s hard to get a “hole
in the middle.”
Q. Speaking of surround
sound, do you absolutely have
to have it? What’s wrong with
good old two-channel stereo?
A. It’s generally assumed
that a home theatre system
will have 5.1 or 7.1 channels.
However it is a poorly-kept
secret that many film directors
are not that keen on surround (“I
suppose we should put some sounds
back there now and again”), and it is
possible to have a very good film-viewing
experience with fewer channels. Indeed,
if going to full surround means buying a
Home Theatre in a Box, that’s definitely
the wrong way to go.
Q. Can you do at least without a centre
channel?
A. Yes. Just put your receiver or
preamp into “phantom mode.” The
sounds meant for the centre will be sent
to the left and right speakers equally. If
the speakers are set up right, you’ll have
strong stereo image, and the illusion that
there’s a third speaker right in the centre.
Actually, a two-channel stereo system
should be set up like that too.
ULTRA HIGH FIDELITY Magazine 25