Help, 5.1 or 7.1? - Blu-ray Forum

mariogarza · 02-21-2008, 05:26 AM

Hello, I'm new in the forums and I would appreciate a little help. I'm buying a ps3 for the blu-ray player, and I would also like to get a home teather. In the room it's almost impossible to acomodate a 7.1. So my question is, if I buy a 5.1, will I get a good quality sound? I've heard that from the ps3 to a 5.1 without HDMI input, the sound is very poor, something similar to stereo. Do I have to buy a home theather with HDMI inputs?

And, how much difference is there from Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD? Thanks in advance.

Big Daddy · 02-21-2008, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariogarza

Hello, I'm new in the forums and I would appreciate a little help. I'm buying a ps3 for the blu-ray player, and I would also like to get a home teather. In the room it's almost impossible to acomodate a 7.1. So my question is, if I buy a 5.1, will I get a good quality sound? I've heard that from the ps3 to a 5.1 without HDMI input, the sound is very poor, something similar to stereo. Do I have to buy a home theather with HDMI inputs?

And, how much difference is there from Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD? Thanks in advance.

Both 5.1 and 7.1 will give you excellent results. 7.1 is for bigger rooms. If your room is small or if your budget is limited, you will be very satisfied with 5.1. There is also a 6.1 option.

I would definitely recommend a receiver with HDMI. HDMI cables make your life a lot easier.

ninjabmx64 · 02-21-2008, 06:09 AM

If you're going to spend the money you might as well spend a few hundred more and get the 7.1, and definitely the HDMI. Lossless audio is like the difference between an .MP3 and a .WAV file. No compression means much higher quality. Plus it will be cheaper than having to upgrade in the future and you will be ready in case you end up with a bigger room.

cawgijoe · 02-21-2008, 12:06 PM

5.1 will be fine. Get HDMI.

mariogarza · 02-21-2008, 03:08 PM

Ok thanks, I think I'll get a 5.1. I do have a big room, but I can't position 2 speakers at each side and 2 rear speakers. The room is big but I can fit 5.1 perfectly. Another question, If I buy a 7.1 but I can't position them correctly, would there be a greater quality from 5.1 or will it be just stupid if they're not in their right position. For example, having the one that should been a the sides near the the tv, having the center speaker and then 4 speakers more, plus the 2 rear speakers.

I don't know if I made myself clear, thanks in advance.

Brian Cash · 02-21-2008, 03:12 PM

I would go with the 5.1 your still going to have good sound quality but deff go with HDMI

Brian Cash · 02-21-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariogarza

Ok thanks, I think I'll get a 5.1. I do have a big room, but I can't position 2 speakers at each side and 2 rear speakers. The room is big but I can fit 5.1 perfectly. Another question, If I buy a 7.1 but I can't position them correctly, would there be a greater quality from 5.1 or will it be just stupid if they're not in their right position. For example, having the one that should been a the sides near the the tv, having the center speaker and then 4 speakers more, plus the 2 rear speakers.

I don't know if I made myself clear, thanks in advance.

I started out with a 7.1 in my bedroom but the speakers wernt placed correctly and it didnt sound that great kind of cluttered i guess you would say so I went with the 5.1 and it sounds great

mariogarza · 02-21-2008, 04:45 PM

Thanks, I think I will get the 5.1 There's no point in 7.1 if I can't position the speakers correctly. Definitely with HDMI, when I connect the ps3 to the receiver through HDMI and then from the receiver to the tv through HDMI, I will still get 1080p right?

And connecting the ps3 through HDMI I still can get 5.1 Dolby Digital from blu-ray and dvds?

Brian Cash · 02-21-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariogarza

Thanks, I think I will get the 5.1 There's no point in 7.1 if I can't position the speakers correctly. Definitely with HDMI, when I connect the ps3 to the receiver through HDMI and then from the receiver to the tv through HDMI, I will still get 1080p right?

And connecting the ps3 through HDMI I still can get 5.1 Dolby Digital from blu-ray and dvds?

yeah you will be able to get 1080p but to get true hd audio you need to make sure your receiver will decode it since ps3 does not have that feature

crackinhedz · 02-21-2008, 04:51 PM

before you go out and buy a receiver, check with someone on here first...just because it has HDMI does not mean it will support hdmi audio. (my own rule of thumb is if it costs less than $300, most likely you don't want it)

HDMI will provide 7.1 Audio including the original 5.1 dolby and dts tracks.

Even if you do not have 7.1 speakers, you can still use 5.1 speaker setup on a 7.1 receiver.

Also, if your current sound system has an optical connection, you can use that for standard dolby and dts 5.1 surround (not Lossless though)

crackinhedz · 02-21-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Cash

yeah you will be able to get 1080p but to get true hd audio you need to make sure your receiver will decode it since ps3 does not have that feature

PS3 does decode TrueHD.

mrbarker · 02-21-2008, 05:08 PM

I have a condo with a relatively small living room. I had a 5.1 setup but with the joys of blu-ray I wanted to maximize the experience. I upgraded to a 7.1 system and have been very happy with the extra money spent. Like everyone else make sure the receiver is HDMI.. It is so much cleaner looking, but Im throwing my hat in the 7.1 arena as being worth the money.

Why only enjoy part of blu?

BruceWayne · 02-21-2008, 05:25 PM

Buy a 7.1 receiver either way, unless you plan on never moving. It's worth paying more for the better receiver even if you are only running 5.1 out of it. crackinhedz said it right, less than $300 isn't worth it. I just bought mine ($1200), and less than $500 in most cases won't get you much either, and wouldn't be very future proof.

BRu-LAy · 02-21-2008, 05:37 PM

IMO, you don't need anything past 5.1. Sure 7.1 is great, as it details the surround more, but:

- There aren't a lot of music/movies out that encode in 7.1
- More speakers to deal with.

To me 5.1 is adequate enough to handle surround.

In a way, you can compare this to the whole 720P/1080i vs 1080P debate. Yes, 1080P is the best possible resolution you can have, but in the end it might not even matter depending on your tv size, viewing distance, etc.

Just my 0.02

BruceWayne · 02-21-2008, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRu-LAy

IMO, you don't need anything past 5.1. Sure 7.1 is great, as it details the surround more, but:

- There aren't a lot of music/movies out that encode in 7.1
- More speakers to deal with.

To me 5.1 is adequate enough to handle surround.

In a way, you can compare this to the whole 720P/1080i vs 1080P debate. Yes, 1080P is the best possible resolution you can have, but in the end it might not even matter depending on your tv size, viewing distance, etc.

Just my 0.02

The only way not having 1080p wouldn't matter would be if your TV can't do it. no matter where you sit or how big your TV is (as long as it is big enough to do 1080) there is a noticeable difference between 720p/1080i and 1080p. Like Dolby Digital compared to PCM, no comparison.

That said, I agree 7.1 isn't for everyone/room. But, if you think you will have a bigger room or want to in the near enough future it is worth buying a 7.1 receiver cause more and more movies are including 7.1 tracks

mariogarza · 02-21-2008, 06:00 PM

Thanks for all of your advices

I'm not that picky in terms of sound, just having a good sound will please me. I think Dolby Digital with 5.1 will be enough. I don't know how much difference there is between Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD, but I don't know if its worth the extra speakers and extra money. Besides, I can't even position a 7.1 in the room.

I care more of the visual than sound, I'm happy having a 5.1 dolby digital and 1080p.

Also, I want to buy a home teather alltogether, not buying a receiver and speakers separately. The reason is I live in Mexico, but I live very near the border with Texas, so my plan is buying the home teather in best buy or circuit city.

BruceWayne · 02-21-2008, 06:07 PM

Dolby Digital isn't bad, but if you are going to bother to upgrade at all, make sure your receiver will process the sounds through HDMI too. When you hear uncompressed sound versus compressed like Dolby digital, you will fall in love with it. Not everyone needs or could use 7.1 but get the most out of your 5.1 if you are going to bother spending the money at all

mariogarza · 02-21-2008, 07:55 PM

Ok thanks, I'll check that out. How can I know if the receiver process sounds through hdmi? Where or how in the specifiactions could say that?

crackinhedz · 02-21-2008, 08:11 PM

you dont have to use 7.1 speakers with a 7.1 receiver.

You can still use 5.1

if you ever decide to add more speakers its easier to do with a 7.1 receiver than having to buy a new receiver because your 5.1 receiver doesnt allow it.

mariogarza · 02-21-2008, 08:45 PM

I'm thinking in getting this sammy:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1186004972651

It's 5.1 expandable to 7.1, what do you think?

02-21-2008, 05:26 AM	#1
mariogarza Junior Member Member since:Feb 2008	Help, 5.1 or 7.1? Hello, I'm new in the forums and I would appreciate a little help. I'm buying a ps3 for the blu-ray player, and I would also like to get a home teather. In the room it's almost impossible to acomodate a 7.1. So my question is, if I buy a 5.1, will I get a good quality sound? I've heard that from the ps3 to a 5.1 without HDMI input, the sound is very poor, something similar to stereo. Do I have to buy a home theather with HDMI inputs? And, how much difference is there from Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD? Thanks in advance.

02-21-2008, 05:25 PM	#13
BruceWayne The Dark Knight Member since:Oct 2007 Location:Gotham City Home Theater Gallery:4 4K collection:10 Blu-ray collection:887 DVD collection:496 Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:6	Buy a 7.1 receiver either way, unless you plan on never moving. It's worth paying more for the better receiver even if you are only running 5.1 out of it. crackinhedz said it right, less than $300 isn't worth it. I just bought mine ($1200), and less than $500 in most cases won't get you much either, and wouldn't be very future proof. Last edited by BruceWayne; 02-21-2008 at 05:38 PM.

02-21-2008, 06:09 AM	#3
ninjabmx64 Member Member since:Feb 2008 Location:Castle Rock, CO Blu-ray reviews:2	If you're going to spend the money you might as well spend a few hundred more and get the 7.1, and definitely the HDMI. Lossless audio is like the difference between an .MP3 and a .WAV file. No compression means much higher quality. Plus it will be cheaper than having to upgrade in the future and you will be ready in case you end up with a bigger room.

02-21-2008, 12:06 PM	#4
cawgijoe Special Member Member since:Feb 2007 Trading Score:1	5.1 will be fine. Get HDMI.

02-21-2008, 03:08 PM	#5
mariogarza Junior Member Member since:Feb 2008	Ok thanks, I think I'll get a 5.1. I do have a big room, but I can't position 2 speakers at each side and 2 rear speakers. The room is big but I can fit 5.1 perfectly. Another question, If I buy a 7.1 but I can't position them correctly, would there be a greater quality from 5.1 or will it be just stupid if they're not in their right position. For example, having the one that should been a the sides near the the tv, having the center speaker and then 4 speakers more, plus the 2 rear speakers. I don't know if I made myself clear, thanks in advance.

02-21-2008, 03:12 PM	#6
Brian Cash Special Member Member since:Dec 2007 Location:Chicago Blu-ray collection:13 Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:3	I would go with the 5.1 your still going to have good sound quality but deff go with HDMI

02-21-2008, 04:45 PM	#8
mariogarza Junior Member Member since:Feb 2008	Thanks, I think I will get the 5.1 There's no point in 7.1 if I can't position the speakers correctly. Definitely with HDMI, when I connect the ps3 to the receiver through HDMI and then from the receiver to the tv through HDMI, I will still get 1080p right? And connecting the ps3 through HDMI I still can get 5.1 Dolby Digital from blu-ray and dvds?

02-21-2008, 04:51 PM	#10
crackinhedz Super Moderator Member since:Feb 2007 Home Theater Gallery:10 Blu-ray reviews:8 Trading Score:19	before you go out and buy a receiver, check with someone on here first...just because it has HDMI does not mean it will support hdmi audio. (my own rule of thumb is if it costs less than $300, most likely you don't want it) HDMI will provide 7.1 Audio including the original 5.1 dolby and dts tracks. Even if you do not have 7.1 speakers, you can still use 5.1 speaker setup on a 7.1 receiver. Also, if your current sound system has an optical connection, you can use that for standard dolby and dts 5.1 surround (not Lossless though)

02-21-2008, 05:08 PM	#12
mrbarker Member Member since:Oct 2007	I have a condo with a relatively small living room. I had a 5.1 setup but with the joys of blu-ray I wanted to maximize the experience. I upgraded to a 7.1 system and have been very happy with the extra money spent. Like everyone else make sure the receiver is HDMI.. It is so much cleaner looking, but Im throwing my hat in the 7.1 arena as being worth the money. Why only enjoy part of blu?

02-21-2008, 05:37 PM	#14
BRu-LAy Special Member Member since:Feb 2008 Location:Fortress of Solitude Trading Score:46	IMO, you don't need anything past 5.1. Sure 7.1 is great, as it details the surround more, but: - There aren't a lot of music/movies out that encode in 7.1 - More speakers to deal with. To me 5.1 is adequate enough to handle surround. In a way, you can compare this to the whole 720P/1080i vs 1080P debate. Yes, 1080P is the best possible resolution you can have, but in the end it might not even matter depending on your tv size, viewing distance, etc. Just my 0.02

02-21-2008, 06:00 PM	#16
mariogarza Junior Member Member since:Feb 2008	Thanks for all of your advices I'm not that picky in terms of sound, just having a good sound will please me. I think Dolby Digital with 5.1 will be enough. I don't know how much difference there is between Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD, but I don't know if its worth the extra speakers and extra money. Besides, I can't even position a 7.1 in the room. I care more of the visual than sound, I'm happy having a 5.1 dolby digital and 1080p. Also, I want to buy a home teather alltogether, not buying a receiver and speakers separately. The reason is I live in Mexico, but I live very near the border with Texas, so my plan is buying the home teather in best buy or circuit city.

02-21-2008, 06:07 PM	#17
BruceWayne The Dark Knight Member since:Oct 2007 Location:Gotham City Home Theater Gallery:4 4K collection:10 Blu-ray collection:887 DVD collection:496 Blu-ray reviews:2 Trading Score:6	Dolby Digital isn't bad, but if you are going to bother to upgrade at all, make sure your receiver will process the sounds through HDMI too. When you hear uncompressed sound versus compressed like Dolby digital, you will fall in love with it. Not everyone needs or could use 7.1 but get the most out of your 5.1 if you are going to bother spending the money at all

02-21-2008, 07:55 PM	#18
mariogarza Junior Member Member since:Feb 2008	Ok thanks, I'll check that out. How can I know if the receiver process sounds through hdmi? Where or how in the specifiactions could say that?

02-21-2008, 08:11 PM	#19
crackinhedz Super Moderator Member since:Feb 2007 Home Theater Gallery:10 Blu-ray reviews:8 Trading Score:19	you dont have to use 7.1 speakers with a 7.1 receiver. You can still use 5.1 if you ever decide to add more speakers its easier to do with a 7.1 receiver than having to buy a new receiver because your 5.1 receiver doesnt allow it.

02-21-2008, 08:45 PM	#20
mariogarza Junior Member Member since:Feb 2008	I'm thinking in getting this sammy: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1186004972651 It's 5.1 expandable to 7.1, what do you think?

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