6.1 Audio

[Clapton101]

Hope this is in the right thread but i am turning my 5.1 into 6.1 and was wondering if when i do this lets say i am watching a movie that is DTS-HD MAster 5.1. One will it send audio to all 6 speakers and will it keep the same codec?

[Uncle Leo]

It depends on your Receiver. Probably no, as far as I know only a couple of Disney Blu-rays (that are actually listed as 5.1) will put out 6.1. And it uses both back speakers opposed to some of the older DTS ES 6.1 discrete tracks. Basically either be 5.1 or 7.1, make sure your Blu-ray player decodes it if your receiver does not (HDMI) or use analog to a receiver that does.

[Clapton101]

My reciever does decode and is up to 7.1 so it is really not a good idea to do 6.1? 5.1 will be better? Because with how my living room is cut it is impossible to do 7.1

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by Clapton101

My reciever does decode and is up to 7.1 so it is really not a good idea to do 6.1? 5.1 will be better? Because with how my living room is cut it is impossible to do 7.1

6.1 implementation is very much dependent on how your specific receiver handles it. There's no "one size fits all" approach to this.

Most BDs have 5.1 soundtracks because that's the way movies are mixed for theatrical release. You can then apply a DSP in your receiver to matrix some of the surround audio to the rear(s). PLIIx produces 7.1 with stereo rear channels, although it may work just fine for a 6.1 setup by producing a single mono rear channel as well. DD-EX, DTS-ES, and DTS Neo:6 are all matrix processors for 6.1. So, I would think you could apply any of those, if your receiver has that capability, and get the 6.1 output you want.

But, again, you need to crack open your AVR manual and see what it says about 6.1 speaker configurations and what it does with the DSPs I mentioned.

[Clapton101]

Ok thanks i think i kinda get, so it for shure wont be in the HD audio codecs if i use 6.1, if it was originally a 5.1 souce. But what is like the Golden Compass it is 7.1 will it down grade to 6.1 lossless like it does with 5.1? I am guessing that will be in my manual too?

[Clapton101]

Just got off the phone with Pioneer b/c the manual wasnt clear on this subject. He said that my AVR when hooked up 6.1 will still use the HD audio codecs just like it would on 5.1. if the main source audio is that HD codec. so i think i have my answer. So if it is 5.1 it will cypher out the sound to all six channels and if it is 7.1 it will down grade to 6.1 like it does to 5.1. Does that sound right?

[franklinpross]

I read somewhere that BD are only done in 5.1

There are no 6.1 or 7.1 soundtracks (yet) true?

[MasterSandman]

Originally Posted by franklinpross

I read somewhere that BD are only done in 5.1

There are no 6.1 or 7.1 soundtracks (yet) true?

False. Rambo, for example, is in 7.1

You can find all the information on most Blu-rays here:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...ighlight=films

[bongzilla]

The American Psycho I got yesterday is 6.1 and I think I have about
5 others.

[franklinpross]

Sandman,

Thanks. Exc thread. Very useful

[BIslander]

There are increasing numbers of 7.1 BD releases. blu-raystats.com has a complete list that can be filtered by the numbers of channels.

http://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/

As for configuring a VSX-91THX for 6.1, see p44 of the manual. There's an SB setting for the number of rear speakers you have. You would set SB to 1 for a 6.1 system and attach the speaker to the left surround back terminal. The digital software will take care of everything from there - downmixing 7.1 to 6.1 or matrixing stereo and 5.1 to 6.1, as needed.

This does not affect the quality of the audio. A lossless track will still be lossless. The encoded soundtracks include downmix instructions for systems with fewer speakers. And DSPs such as PLIIx know how to matrix for an additional channel - intelligently rerouting some surround audio to the single rear speaker in a 6.1 system.

[Clapton101]

Thanks BIslander

[Steve]

It should also be noted that when you have a 7.1 audio track, the surround back channels play the same thing, as I understand it anyway. So when you play a 7.1 track on a 6.1 system, there's really nothing to lose.

And I also know for sure that the new T2 Skynet Edition is has a 6.1 track on it.

[BIslander]

Originally Posted by fireman325

It should also be noted that when you have a 7.1 audio track, the surround back channels play the same thing, as I understand it anyway. So when you play a 7.1 track on a 6.1 system, there's really nothing to lose.

Where did you get that information? I've never heard that before. PLIIx even produces stereo rear channels.

[Steve]

I've read several times that the information for the surround back channels on 7.1 blus is often identical. If this is incorrect, then my apologies to the OP for providing false information.

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by BIslander

6.1 implementation is very much dependent on how your specific receiver handles it. There's no "one size fits all" approach to this.

Most BDs have 5.1 soundtracks because that's the way movies are mixed for theatrical release. You can then apply a DSP in your receiver to matrix some of the surround audio to the rear(s). PLIIx produces 7.1 with stereo rear channels, although it may work just fine for a 6.1 setup by producing a single mono rear channel as well. DD-EX, DTS-ES, and DTS Neo:6 are all matrix processors for 6.1. So, I would think you could apply any of those, if your receiver has that capability, and get the 6.1 output you want.

But, again, you need to crack open your AVR manual and see what it says about 6.1 speaker configurations and what it does with the DSPs I mentioned.

+1. I had my theater room built with a 6.1 channel setup, and it works very well with my Yamaha receiver. The Yamaha via the YPAO setup knows my system is 6.1, so it configures 5.1 and 7.1 soundtracks to work with it - whether that means matrixing 5.1 surround information to the rear surround channel, or mixing stereo rear surround info from a 7.1 channel mix to a mono center rear surround. I also always have the option of running the mix unaltered as well. Most recent mid-ranged A/V receivers will do this, but you will have to check with each model you're interested in to be sure.

6.1 is a great alternative, if you don't have enough space or desire for a 7.1 channel system, and it greatly enhances the surround field compared to a 5.1 channel setup.

[Clapton101]

Thanks everyone all post have helped me greatly!

[Clapton101]

I got my center rear today, but just to clarify If it is DTS-HDMA for ex. it will still be that on my AVR with 6.1?

This does not affect the quality of the audio. A lossless track will still be lossless. The encoded soundtracks include downmix instructions for systems with fewer speakers. And DSPs such as PLIIx know how to matrix for an additional channel - intelligently rerouting some surround audio to the single rear speaker in a 6.1 system.[/QUOTE]

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Clapton101

I got my center rear today, but just to clarify If it is DTS-HDMA for ex. it will still be that on my AVR with 6.1?

This does not affect the quality of the audio. A lossless track will still be lossless. The encoded soundtracks include downmix instructions for systems with fewer speakers. And DSPs such as PLIIx know how to matrix for an additional channel - intelligently rerouting some surround audio to the single rear speaker in a 6.1 system.

If you listen to a 5.1 track unaltered from the way it is on the disk, then no, you will not hear any sound from that speaker. If you listen to 6.1 tracks unaltered, then yes, you will hear sound from that speaker. With 7.1 tracks, even though you're not intentionally altering them, the receiver will down-mix to 6.1 and you'll still get sound from that speaker. To get sound from that speaker with a 5.1 track, you will have to engage some kind of processing in your receiver (such as Dolby PLIIx). When doing this you will not be hearing the audio the way it was recorded on the disk. However, I would guess you wouldn't be losing any of the quality of the lossless audio on the blu-ray, rather re-arranging it a little.

[crazyBLUE]

Originally Posted by Clapton101

I got my center rear today, but just to clarify If it is DTS-HDMA for ex. it will still be that on my AVR with 6.1?

This does not affect the quality of the audio. A lossless track will still be lossless. The encoded soundtracks include downmix instructions for systems with fewer speakers. And DSPs such as PLIIx know how to matrix for an additional channel - intelligently rerouting some surround audio to the single rear speaker in a 6.1 system.

[/QUOTE]

Just set to PLIIx in the receiver & slap A 5.1 track in & you're rear surr. should be on & ENJOY !!!