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THE 5.1 HOME THEATRE ENVIRONMENT
Centre Channel
In the cinema most of the dialogue comes from the middle loudspeaker.
Front Channels
This ensures that the speech appears to originate from the actors’
The front channel loudspeakers are placed on either side of the television
mouths and not displaced to one side.
screen, 2.5 to 3.5 metres apart. The speakers should be angled slightly
For best results the front and centre channel speakers should be
so they are aimed towards the listeners.
operated at the same height, For this reason the centre channel speaker
Rear Channels
should normally be operated on top of the television monitor. Ideally the
As the rear channels are the “effects” channels the reproduced sound
front faces of the centre and surround loudspeakers should be in line,
though this may not be practicable in many cases.
should be as room filling as possible. To aid this we recommend placing
the speakers in a high position, slightly behind the listener’s head.
Subwoofer
Positioned high, the rear speakers give a good rear perspective
As the ear is unable to detect the direction from which deep bass
combined with a diffused sound field. Two possible placements are
originates, this allows freedom in positioning the subwoofer. Varying the
indicated in the diagram above.
distance from the wall will alter the amount of bass, the level increasing
Note: If the rear wall is more than 1 metre behind the listening seat, the
as the unit is moved closer to the wall. Some prefer to place the
side wall position should be used. If the side or rear walls are
subwoofer against a corner of the room. This arrangement gives more
inconveniently located, consider stand mounting the loudspeakers.
bass at the possible expense of clarity.
THE HOME THEATRE ENVIRONMENT
REAR
RIGHT
REAR
LEFT
SUB
WOOFER
CENTRE
FRONT
LEFT
FRONT
RIGHT
5.1 SYSTEM
The vast majority of AV entertainment is encoded in
5.1 suround sound. It is virtually impossible to find
any commercial media encoded in any 6.1 or 7.1
format that is not also encoded in 5.1.
The 5.1 format encompasses:
Two Front channels (Left and Right) These channels
carry the main information, effects and music.
One Centre channel, largely for dialogue
Two Rear channels, (Left and Right), almost
exclusively for ambience and effects.
One Subwoofer (the ‘.1’ ) for low frequency effects
and deep bass.
A typical 5.1 setup is shown opposite.
SUB
WOOFER
LEFT
SURROUND
RIGHT
SURROUND
CENTRE
RIGHT
LEFT
FRONT
LEFT
FRONT
RIGHT
REAR SURROUNDS
SUB
WOOFER
LEFT
SURROUND
RIGHT
SURROUND
CENTRE
FRONT
LEFT
FRONT
RIGHT
REAR
SURROUND
capabilities of your processor and you should be guided by those
EXPANDING YOUR HOME CINEMA SYSTEM
instructions, we would make some observations.
Recently, there has been a proliferation of multi-channel formats. Dolby
For most 6.1 and 7.1 formats, and especially Dolby EX, to work properly,
Labs, DTS and THX all offer a range of 6.1 and 7.1 formats which extend
the listening seat should not be very close to the rear wall.
the 5.1 principle by adding one or two extra rear effects channels.
Optimising the time delay so that information from all speakers arrives at
To enable you to take advantage of these formats, the D9.0 and the
the listening seat coherently is critical.
D9.SR are available from your dealer in single packs (1) as well as pairs.
THX adjustments need to be followed to the letter.
Although the precise configuration of these systems will depend on the
6.1 SYSTEM
7.1 SYSTEM
USER INSTRUCTIONS: DIAMOND 9 SERIES HOME CINEMA PACK
SETTING UP THE D9 HCP
SETTING UP THE SW 100
Note: As all channels are set to ‘Small’ the subwoofer must be on when
the system is playing otherwise there will be reduced bass , and no LFE.
etting the AUTO switch to ON automatically turns the subwoofer on
when a signal is detected and turns it off (Standby Mode) after a period of
inactivity. We recommend the AUTO switch is set to ON.
In AUTO mode the indicator on the front of the subwoofer will glow RED
when the unit is in Standby mode and GREEN when operational. If your
subwoofer is disconnected from the mains power, or the Power switch is
“Off”, the indicator will be extinguished.
loudspeaker to loudspeaker. Adjust the level controls until all channels
are reproduced at the same level.
SETTING LOUDSPEAKER SIZES
Even though you adjust all the channels to produce equal loudness, on
Most digital AV Processors require you to specify the size of speakers in
actual programme material the surround channel may be lower than the
various channels. These are usually ‘Large’ or ‘Small’.
front. Do not readjust the surround level.
Set all the channels to ‘Small’. This will route bass effects from all
You will need to adjust the subwoofer output level from the processor.
channels to the subwoofer. You should also set the ‘Subwoofer’ option
Avoid setting too high a level or you will swamp the sound with bass and
on the processor to ‘On’ or ‘Yes’.
limit the subwoofer’s ability to respond to sudden large bass signals.
It is also important to set a sensible level going into the subwoofer from
NOTE: Choosing ‘Large’ will result in lower power handling, reduced
the AV processor. The subwoofer volume control should ideally be
bass and degraded dialogue quality.
between 12 and 3 o’clock when the system is playing moderately loudly.
Check that all system connections are correct. Set the SW100 power
switch to OFF.
Turn the system Volume Control to minimum. Connect the supplied
DELAY SETTINGS
subwoofer power lead to the IEC power socket on the subwoofer and
Many AV processors feature adjustable delay settings to enable
connect the mains plug to the wall socket.
surround and dialogue information to arrive at the listener at the same
Set the subwoofer volume control to the mid position (12o'clock) before
time as the Front channels, even when the listening seat is in a non-ideal
proceeding.
position.
VARIABLE CROSSOVER: This control should initially be set to 55 Hz .
Rear Delay: If the listening position is equidistant from the Front and
PHASE SWITCH: The Phase switch should be initially set to 0°.
Rear speakers, a low delay setting should be set. The closer the listener
AUTO SWITCH: The Auto switch should be initially set to OFF.
is to the Rear speakers the higher should be the delay setting used,
FINE TUNING THE SW 100
Centre Delay: If the Centre speaker is level with (or slightly behind) the
Front speakers, set the delay to zero. If the Centre speaker is forward of
Switch on the SW100 power switch and check that the power indicator
the Front speakers, increase the delay.
on the front of the cabinet glows. Now switch on the system. Play a
programme with extended bass and set the system volume to a
LFE
moderate level. Adjust the subwoofer volume control to produce the
The Low Frequency Effects channel was originally an additional bass
desired level of bass. Do not overdo things!
channel with its own dedicated subwoofer. In other words, the LFE
PHASE SWITCH: If the bass is indistinct or lacks depth, the Phase switch
channel is not a regular subwoofer channel. Because all the speakers are
may need adjustment. Set the switch to 0º and listen carefully to some
set to Small, the LFE channel will be combined with the bass from other
music with extended bass. If there is insufficient bass output from the
channels and all this feeds into the subwoofer. When you set the LFE
sub-woofer set the Phase switch to 180º. Select the position which
level from your AV processor, use care as the LFE channel may contain
produces the most natural, extended bass.
powerful low frequencies which, although normal in a cinema, may
CROSSOVER ADJUSTMENT: This enables the system to be set up for
overload a domestic subwoofer.
optimum bass performance. The higher settings are for use with small
If, during a programme, you hear popping or thumping noises coming
loudspeakers such as the D9.0; if you choose too low a setting there will
from the subwoofer, immediately turn the AV Processor's volume level
be a ‘hole’ in the bass response.
down and then back off the LFE level. If this does not cure the problem,
AUTO SWITCH: In normal mode the subwoofer is permanently on.
back off the volume level at the subwoofer.
S
Please read the relevant sections of your AV amplifier manual and
familiarise yourself with the various issues. If you are still unsure,
consult your dealer for help.
SYSTEM PHASE
It is essential for all speakers to be connected correctly with the RED +
and BLACK - terminals of the speakers connected to the corresponding
SETTING SYSTEM LEVELS
RED + and BLACK - terminals of the AV amplifier (‘in phase’). Failure to
Once the loudspeaker settings have been finalised your AV processor
do this will cause poorly focussed sound with poor bass localisation and
should be put into its “Test” or “Set-Up” mode. (see the instructions
muddled treble (‘out of phase’). If the sound is not as clear as it could be,
check all speaker connections carefully before proceeding further.
supplied with your equipment). You will hear a noise signal moving from
FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOME CINEMA TOPICS CAN BE FOUND AT THESE WEBSITES
www.dolby.com
www.dtsonline.com
www.thx.com
USER INSTRUCTIONS: DIAMOND 9 SERIES HOME CINEMA PACK
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