With the right receiver and speakers, gamers can use surround sound to gain quite an advantage.

Immerse yourself in sound

Anyone who's been to the movies is familiar with surround sound — the way engaging, 360-degree sound can draw you into the on-screen action. Imagine hearing arrows whizzing over your head as you take cover behind a tree, being deafened by the roar of the stadium when your team scores, or identifying the source of your enemy's gunfire and locking onto them more quickly. With the right gear and connections, gamers can use surround sound to gain quite an advantage.

The heart of your sound system: the receiver
If you don't already have a receiver with Dolby® Digital and Dolby Pro Logic® II decoding, you might want to consider upgrading. Both Xbox 360 and PS3 games feature 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. Wii games feature Pro Logic II encoding, so a Pro Logic II receiver can provide matrixed surround sound. (It won't be as detailed as discrete channels, but you can still enjoy some good surround effects.)

Surround yourself in sound: speakers
Lots of Crutchfield gamers have been impressed by the way surround sound pulls them into the game. A full 5.1 speaker system is a sure-fire way to achieve bigger, more engaging sound. With some systems, you can even add one or two additional speakers for more detailed surround effects. Then, the key to achieving realistic sound is placing your speakers properly — we recommend you read our article on home theater speaker placement.

If a full surround system isn't an option for your space, you should also check out our 2.1, 3.1 and single-speaker simulated surround setups. They're much more space-efficient, and can still provide impressive sound. See our article on adding great sound to your TV for more info.

An optical digital audio cable provides a discrete 5.1 surround sound signal to your receiver.

Hook it up right
To get the best sound out of your console, and get all the sonic bang you paid for when you bought it, you'll need to make the right connections.

• PS3 and Xbox 360 — For both of these consoles, you'll need to purchase an optical digital audio cable. This cable can carry the full discrete 5.1-channel signal to your receiver.
• Wii — All you need to hook up the Wii is a standard stereo audio RCA cable — in fact, one's included in the box.