do i need surround sound speakers for surround sound or can i use regular speakers?

Actually...both previous posters are wrong. If you already have a surround sound receiver. Technically if you connect all 5 (5.1) or 7 (7.1) speakers to your receiver, it will distrubute the appropriate audio signals to each. So if you have 5 speakers laying around, you can wire them to your receiver and it will do the rest. Now, it may not sound too good unless all speakers are the same or similar. You can also try purchasing just a speaker system for your surround sound. Try place's like Fry's Electronics or Best Buy.

"Surround Sound Speakers" are nothing more than regular speakers, what makes them "Surround Sound speakers" is the fact that you would put 2 speakers (or 3, or 4) behind you, hence the "surround" part.

speaker packages that come with 5 speakers and a subwoofer, the .1 in the 5.1 sound, are good packages to look at. you get a center channel, which goes on or under the tv, two front speakers (a left and a right), and two rear speakers, (a rear left and a rear right). and the sub goes on the floor usually up front by the receiver or a front speaker

Wowbango and Jason are correct. typically the surround speakers can be smaller since surround sound cuts low frequencies from the rear speakers. It is the same with the center speaker on some applications.

the onlly speaker in a surround sound system that is special is the center channel. the other speaker are just speakers. in theory the front side speakers should be bigger more powerful then the rears. this gives you a more even mix.but it's all to your tastes.

In a modern system, the surround speakers should be the same as the fronts. There is no longer any 'special' speaker for the side or rears.

(This was different in the "ProLogic" days, but not now.)

As long as the front and rear,left and right speakers are equal,in both ohms and frequency response, you could use car speakers,as long as there a matched set.

you need surround sound speakers because noises come from different speakers

For example: If a Train is coming in a movie you will hear the train from one side before you hear it on the other side of the speakers

Hope This Helps

To enjoy surround sound, you need surround sound speakers. You could use stereo speakers, but it wouldnt be surround sound.

ewfewg4