Understanding reference point for surround distance

  • 26 January 2024
  • 7 replies
  • 140 views
M
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

Hi, 

Thanks in advance for your help. I’m just trying to understand something. When it comes to the distance setting for my surrounds (a pair of Fives bound to my Arc) is the distance meaning how far behind me as referenced from where I sit, or does it mean how far from the Back pair of Fives? I have two sets of Fives, two right beside the Arc that face me so Back I believe we refer to them, and the pair of Fives as surrounds which are a few feet behind my listening position.

I’m not sure that it matters all that much, but I am curious what the reference point for the distance actually is. Cheers.

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7 replies

Schlumpf
Userlevel 7
Badge +16

@MG1214

As far as I know it‘s the distance from your listening position to each speaker in a direct line. Trueplay does this setting automatically. 

Ralf
M
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

@MG1214

As far as I know it‘s the distance from your listening position to each speaker in a direct line. Trueplay does this setting automatically. 

Thanks, that makes sense to me. Frankly I don’t really use surround sound very much, but my brother does have a modest system with an Onkyo 5.1 AV and he tells me that the distance setting references how far the surrounds are from the main speakers (Back). I can also see how that could be, but perhaps that is just how the software for his Onkyo (old receiver) does it versus a standard.

It would be great to know for sure what the reference point for Sonos is. Odd that it isn’t published anywhere. Or perhaps it is? Thanks for helping.

Schlumpf
Userlevel 7
Badge +16

@MG1214

Here you get it officially… 😉

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/change-surround-audio-settings

 

 

Ralf
M
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

@MG1214

Here you get it officially… 😉

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/change-surround-audio-settings

 

 

Thanks!

I just wasn’t sure, based on you saying as far as I know …, if you knew this as a fact. Clearly you did. Much appreciated.

Schlumpf
Userlevel 7
Badge +16

@MG1214 

All fine…  I was sure, but had to search for the support document. 😉

Without that I thought an „afaik“ would be fair. 😅

Ralf
Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

Not Sonos but on my previous AVR setup that had a built-in calibration system like Trueplay.

The distance from each of the six speakers was shown and was the distance from the speaker to the spot you set the microphone and did the primary listening position part of the calibration.

Surprisingly accurate, down to a couple inches.

Schlumpf
Userlevel 7
Badge +16

I think there is no general procedure of finding the best setup. Each manufacturer uses his own method of automatic sound optimization. And as a part of this, depending on how it works, the distances from the speakers to what point ever are used. 
Important is the result and how good this hits your expectations. 

Ralf
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