Home theater enthusiasts looking to upgrade their system may wish to invest in a 7.2 receiver. Before making this decision, however, be sure it supports all your speakers.
7.2 surround sound is an increasingly popular configuration that accommodates newer audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. This format combines traditional 5.1 setup with dedicated height channels for optimal listening experience.
No, you cannot use 5 speakers with a 7.2 receiver. A 7.2 receiver is designed to support up to 7 speakers and 2 subwoofers. If you have only 5 speakers, you would need a receiver that matches the number of speakers you have, such as a 5.1 receiver.
1. Connect the Surround Speakers
Home theater surround speakers serve to reproduce music and sound effects from all directions for an enhanced cinematic experience. While they should ideally match the quality of front left and right speakers, that may not always be feasible or necessary.
If your AV receiver supports it, your surround speakers can also be customized to the listening environment in which they will be used. This process involves using a special microphone to send test tones into the room that are then returned back to the receiver for analysis.
Teufel’s LT 4 and Columa speakers can be expanded into full 7.1 systems by purchasing expansion sets for them. You can mount them either wall mount them, or place on speaker stands angled towards your audience at an angle between 135-150 degrees behind seating area and audience area.
2. Connect the Front Speakers
As your first step, connect the front speakers. Your AV receiver should include plugs for each front speaker: simply connect its positive and negative wires into their respective terminals on either right or left speaker and plug the two sets of plugs together securely into their input terminals on both front speakers. Next, set up bi-amping by assigning an unassignable channel from its speaker setup menu to bi-amp these front speakers.
Make sure there is enough room in your room for additional speakers, keeping in mind that hard materials like tile walls will reflect back into the audio output from rear speakers, diminishing their quality. Instead, opt for soft materials for decorating as this will improve audio experience.
3. Connect the Subwoofers
Subwoofers can bring movie nights to a whole new level. Connecting them to your 7.2 receiver shouldn’t be difficult either – just grab an RCA Y adapter to split and direct each signal to its intended sub.
Two subwoofers can help even out the bass across a room more evenly, as single subwoofers often produce minimal response at specific listening positions which leads to distortion.
Utilizing two subwoofers can resolve this issue and produce more balanced sound quality overall, giving your music an enricher, more detailed experience than before.
4. Connect the Center Speakers
No matter if it’s watching television, playing video games, or listening to music – your sound system plays a pivotal role in how much enjoyment is derived from these activities. Selecting speakers and receivers with excellent sound quality is crucial for an enjoyable audio experience.
A 7.2 home theater surround system is an increasingly popular option for producing enhanced movie and music sound quality as well as more realistic audio realism. Similar to its counterpart, a 5.1 surround sound system, but including two extra rear speakers for an enhanced immersive experience.
To set up your center speaker, aim for placement near ear level below the screen. Ideally, its tweeters should sit at an equivalent height as those found on front left and right speakers; however feel free to experiment with various positions for your tweeters.
5. Connect the Surround Speakers
Home theater technology has advanced rapidly, making 7.2 receivers widely available at affordable costs. These receivers feature additional channels to improve sound quality. Furthermore, these units include two spare amplifier outputs that can be used to power speakers in a 7.2.4 configuration.
Your AV receiver should be connected to all video sources, such as your Blu-ray player or Sky box, as well as two-channel music sources like turntables that produce two channels of music (such as turntables).
Surround speakers should be placed to either side of your listening position and should face forward so that their sound reaches you directly. To create a more immersive experience, place them behind at an angle instead.