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IWTS-14 SR and 30 SR High Performance In-Wall Surround Speakers
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
Dipole/Bipole Operation of the IWTS SR Speakers
In Dipole mode the IWTS SRs produce ambience with
minimal localization (best for most movies and video
soundtracks), and more localizable sound in the Bipole
mode (preferred for some music recordings). Switching
between Dipole and Bipole mode is easily accomplished
using a toggle switch conveniently located on the speak-
ers front baffle. Please note that the vast majority of the
time in movies and TV broadcasts the surround speakers are called upon
to reproduce the environmental sounds that are used as cues to help get
you immersed in the scene on the screen. Once the surround speakers are
properly positioned in the listening area, we recommend that you begin with
the dipole mode, as this usually delivers the most involving and believable
surround performance in most situations. However, as noted above, feel free
to experiment with both switch positions.
Placement
Speaker/room interactions have a huge impact on the sound of the system.
Moving the speakers just a little can make a dramatic difference in what you
hear. Remember that the best acoustic placement of the speakers will vary
from room to room. Use the following placement guidelines as a starting
point. But also feel free to experiment. In fact, it may be beneficial to hook
up the front LR and surround speakers with some extra wire and to simply
drape the wire across the floor before installing the speakers permanently.
This will allow you the opportunity to move the speakers around easily so
you can find the best sonic and visual locations. Remember, it's very dif-
ficult to move in-wall speakers once they're installed!
Home Theater
The primary goal of a good home theater is not to make you believe that
you are in a movie theater. It’s to make you believe you’re in the movie. For a
home theater system, place the LR speakers on either side of the television.
The left and right front speakers should be far enough apart (6 to 10 feet is
usually best) that you get a good stereo “image” when they are playing alone,
but not so far apart that the sound seems to be disembodied from the TV,
distracting you from the picture. When using a center channel speaker, a
wider separation of the left and right front speakers is usually possible.
The center channel speaker should be placed directly above or below your
television. It is important that the speaker is centered on the screen, not off
to the side.
Surround Effects and SR Speaker Locations
The IWTS SR’s shape allows great flexibility in placement. Due to their swit-
chable Dipole/Bipole design, it’s possible to place the speakers almost any-
where within the rear third of the room and get good results. However, the
best location for surround speakers is straight out to the sides of, or slightly
behind the primary listening area, approximately 1-2 feet above seated ear
level to no less than 2 feet down from the ceiling.
As noted above, the surround speakers (as opposed to the back speaker(s)
in a 6.1 or 7.1 channel system, see below) are primarily intended to re-create
the ambient sounds taking place in the movie scene. Therefore, throughout
most of a movie or TV program you may not be consciously aware of output
from these speakers. In other words, don’t worry if you aren’t hearing the
surround speakers. Please try to avoid the trap of turning the surrounds up
and up so that you hear them most of the time. The result will be a much
less believable surround experience.
There are dedicated LEFT and RIGHT model IWTS SR speakers. This is
clearly marked on the back of each speaker. Be sure that the Left side sur-
round speaker is placed directly to the left side of the prime listening area
(facing the screen) and the Right speaker is directly to the right side.
6.1/7.1 Channel Systems
If you are setting up a system that uses back surround speaker(s) as well as
side surrounds (Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES, etc.) you can use either IWTS SR
model in Dipole or Bipole mode in the back of the room.
If you are using a THX Ultra 2 certified controller/receiver you should place
the back surround speakers approximately 1 to 2 feet apart in the center
of the back wall. The special circuitry in the processor will help to create a
believable and effective surround field using this placement. Please read the
electronics manual to learn more about this placement option.
DIPOLE/THX
BIPOLE
IWTS-30 SR