Can I use two speakers for surround sound?

Have you ever seen a surround sound system with 2 speakers? Can a 2.1 sound system be capable of producing surround sound?

You can’t build a surround sound system with two speakers. For a surround sound setup, you must have a minimum of 5 speakers (center, front left & right, rear left $ right)

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While a 5.1 and 7.1 sound setup is regular for surround sound setup, few are asking if can I use two speakers for surround sound.

But there is a way to set up surround sound with two speakers with a soundbar. Read continues to know about this trick.

2.1 surround sound system: Does it exist?

A 2.1 sound system is not called a surround sound system, a home theater. Please don’t rely on those brands who claim they can provide surround sound with two speakers.

A sound system needs a minimum of 5 channels to play different audio at the same time.

In a few cases we show sound system provides surround sound 2-speaker, is it even possible?

No, they fool you. This is not a true surround sound quality, virtual audio. A surround sound will not work without front and rear speakers. With two high-quality speakers, you can enjoy stereo sound.

A surround sound can give you an immersive experience that feels you into the live action. With two speakers, it’s not possible.

Surround sound with two speakers and a Soundbar:

Few companies provide surround sound with two rear speakers and a soundbar, which is fair enough to provide immersive surround sound.

A soundbar plays the role of front speakers, and those surround speakers play the role of rear left and right speakers. Many sound brands come with this combination.

It’s a budget-friendly surround sound setup and enough for a living room or small room. Any surround sound system is not enough without Subwoofers. A Subwoofer must be needed, for low-frequencies and deep bass on surround sound.

For example, we can look for SONY HT-S40R:

Although this sound system is known as 5.1 surround sound, it has only two rear speakers. It contains a subwoofer, a soundbar, and surround speakers.

If you’re looking for a surround sound system that has 2 speakers, SONY HT-S40R will be your first choice. It will cost you around $299 and can be worth to buy.

Comes with a subwoofer and 2 rear speakers,
Loud, well-tuned sound for TV,
Wireless connectivity options
Slim design can improve your interior,
Budget-friendly and worthy product,
600 W output and Dolby Digital
Stream music from your smartphone using Bluetooth.
USB port option available.

I bought this sound system and happily used it for a long time. It’s easy to set up with TV and any sound sources you have. Recently I’ve been used to my gaming PC, and the outcome is really impressive.

It’s a lethal combination of sound systems for those who have a low budget and want to enjoy surround sound quality. After using almost two years, I found some sound delay in it.

2 surround sound Speakers placement

Using only two speakers you can’t set up a surround sound. If you have a subwoofer and soundbar with it, there is a possibility. A surround sound system becomes useless without rear speakers.

Although this setup comes with two speakers, a subwoofer, and a soundbar, it’s called 5.1 surround sound(SONY HT-S40R). A proper placement of those bundles is capable of giving you a surround sound experience.

Ensure the TV and sitting position are fixed,
Place the soundbar under the TV or PC(if you’re using it for gaming)
Place the subwoofer in the front room corner or beside the TV cabinets,
Use that speaker as a rear surround speaker, and place them left and right side of your sitting area.

You can follow the image with a proper surround sound setup.

Placing those speakers with the soundbar can give you only stereo sound quality. A surround sound needs more channels to play different audio at a time. To experience immersive surround sound quality multiple speakers are required.

Adding wireless speakers to soundbar

Adding wireless speakers to the existing soundbar is not difficult if soundbar is capable of connecting with added speakers. A few soundbars come with the latest technology that allows you to expand audio setup wirelessly.

Place those wireless speakers with power sources and turn them on. After powering on, it will pair automatically with your soundbar. If you show any issue with it, follow the user manuals to connect them.

Adding surround speakers to the existing soundbar may not grant to increase in sound quality. You may face a delay in wireless audio transfer, but can fix it with proper pairing.

Final Word:

For a surround sound system, it’s needed more than three channels. With two surround speakers, it’s not possible. But you can use two speakers and a soundbar to experience surround sound quality.

Having two surround speakers can not create true surround sound, it’s artificial. If any sound company claims they can provide surround sound with two speakers, need to think about it. My suggestion is to go with a free trial, if it works; you can install it.

If you still any any questions regarding the usability of two speakers for surround sound, comment below.

Sourav

I’m sourav, a music lover and sound enthusiast. After experiencing multiple sound qualities, I thought many people searching regarding this topic, but there is not enough detailed information on it. That’s the main reason why I created this blog.