7.1 setup vs. 5.1 with 2 extra fronts?

[Jmobie]

Hey everyone. Our family home theater, using the components shown in my signature, had to be disconnected, undone if you would, and taken out of our "theater" room because we are having wooden floors installed this week.

Anyway, since I prefer the RX-V663 to decode the HD codecs instead of the S560 Blu-ray player (I'm not sure there is even a choice in the S560 setup), our surround backs are rarely being used during movies with TrueHD and DTS HD MA. I should also add that two Infinity Primus 162 bookshelf speakers were being used as our fronts because a space issue, two Yamaha NS-A1638 towers as our sides, and two Infinity Primus 150 bookshelf speakers as the surround backs. The 150's are an inch or two smaller in height than the 162's.

My question is would it be better to take advantage of the size of the Yamaha towers and use these as an extra pair of fronts? Then the Primus 150's would also be used much more as the surrounds instead of the surround backs.

[bad_code]

"our surround backs are rarely being used during movies with TrueHD and DTS HD MA." Try setting your amp to use PL2x Cinema if you have that option. Dolby Pro Logic 2x will utilize your rears in a 7.1 setup. Take Star Trek for instance. It is only 5.1 DTS-MA but if you add the PL2x processing the rear speakers will kick in adding to the depth of the surround sound field. You may even hear sound that normally go surround left to surround right will actually go surround left to rear surround left to rear surround right the surround right. Making the sound effects sound more natural. Also Hardwood floors add echo which can diminish or confuse the surround effect. I hope you add some carpets.

[JJJMan]

i just (last night) added my rear surrounds for 7.1 listening, and if something comes through that is only setup for 5.1, sound still comes out of the rear surround channels, i believe it sends the same signal to the rear 2 as it does the side surrounds. when watching a full 7.1 movie though, there are discreet channels being sent to the rear surrounds

just a thought though

[bad_code]

Originally Posted by JJJMan

i just (last night) added my rear surrounds for 7.1 listening, and if something comes through that is only setup for 5.1, sound still comes out of the rear surround channels, i believe it sends the same signal to the rear 2 as it does the side surrounds. when watching a full 7.1 movie though, there are discreet channels being sent to the rear surrounds

just a thought though

No, but most of the time you are correct but it has a delay. It really depends on the surround encoding done on the disk/movie. I notice the biggest difference with TrueHD and DTS-Master HD. I know they are discrete with 7.1 mixed movies some sometimes they are so lame it makes no sense to re-release a movie if its not going to be better than dolby 2x. I think Dark City is the best so far for 7.1

[Beerserker]

Originally Posted by Jmobie

My question is would it be better to take advantage of the size of the Yamaha towers and use these as an extra pair of fronts?

I wouldn't do this, you'll probably end up with nasty nulls.

[derzauberer]

Originally Posted by Jmobie

Hey everyone. Our family home theater, using the components shown in my signature, had to be disconnected, undone if you would, and taken out of our "theater" room because we are having wooden floors installed this week.

Anyway, since I prefer the RX-V663 to decode the HD codecs instead of the S560 Blu-ray player (I'm not sure there is even a choice in the S560 setup), our surround backs are rarely being used during movies with TrueHD and DTS HD MA. I should also add that two Infinity Primus 162 bookshelf speakers were being used as our fronts because a space issue, two Yamaha NS-A1638 towers as our sides, and two Infinity Primus 150 bookshelf speakers as the surround backs. The 150's are an inch or two smaller in height than the 162's.

My question is would it be better to take advantage of the size of the Yamaha towers and use these as an extra pair of fronts? Then the Primus 150's would also be used much more as the surrounds instead of the surround backs.

The solution to your problem is to let the Sony S560 BD player decode dts-HD MA and Dolby TrueHD. That means make sure that you don't select Direct Audio in setting up the Sony BD player. Choose Secondary Audio instead. That will tell the player to decode any lossless or lossy codex to PCM and output that to your receiver. I'm sure your Yamaha V663 receiver (BTW, one of the best entry level AVRs out there IMO.) can matrix LPCM 5.1 to 7.1 using Dolby PLIIx Movie or Dolby PLIIx Music settings. Just make sure that when you setup the V663 that EXTD = ON and choose the decoder that best suits your taste in sound.

BTW, please tell why you'd rather not have the Sony player do the decoding. With your equipment, you won't hear any difference between whichever one does the decoding.