5.1 Channel Speakers

5.1 channel speakers are the most common implementation of surround sound.

In a system with 5.1 channel speakers, there are actually six speakers:

• Left Front
• Center Front
• Right Front
• Left Rear
• Right Rear
• Subwoofer

The first five speakers have a frequency response of 20Hz to 20 kHz.

The sixth speaker, the subwoofer, has a frequency response of only 3Hz to 120Hz. The subwoofer is the .1 in 5.1.

Standards which Use 5.1 Channel Speakers

5.1 channel speakers are used in movie theaters by:

• Dolby Stereo Digital (DSD)
• Digital Theater Systems DTS
• Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS)

5.1 channel speakers are used in home entertainment systems by Dolby Surround Digital, which is similar to the Dolby Stereo Digital format used in theaters.