7.1.4 receiver/amp help

[Atomic4877]

Originally Posted by gotmule

Good question as there are potential benefits with both options. My first question is how big is the room, and secondly, how close will the side surrounds be to the rear surrounds?

Room is a relatively small living room at 14’ x 16’. The side surrounds and rear surrounds will be about 5’ apart between each side.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Atomic4877

Room is a relatively small living room at 14’ x 16’. The side surrounds and rear surrounds will be about 5’ apart between each side.

With 4 surround speakers in play, my suggestion would be to have the same amplification sent to them in order to have consistent pans through the back of the room. Your 4 surrounds have similar drivers in them, so I would take advantage of that fact and run those off of the receiver. The side surrounds are a bit more efficient than your back surrounds, and running the sides off of the Emotiva would change things up a bit in the back of the room in my mind. Some people say that the rear surrounds don’t do a lot, which I disagree with wholeheartedly. Even on some 5.1 tracks, there are still pans throughout the 4 surround channels if everything is positioned correctly and calibrated. There are also plenty of moments when all 4 are sent similar signals, which is another cool effect. Having the same power to them would help with that as well.

Just my two cents.

You can always try it both ways and see which you prefer though as that wouldn’t take too much effort.

[Atomic4877]

Originally Posted by gotmule

With 4 surround speakers in play, my suggestion would be to have the same amplification sent to them in order to have consistent pans through the back of the room. Your 4 surrounds have similar drivers in them, so I would take advantage of that fact and run those off of the receiver. The side surrounds are a bit more efficient than your back surrounds, and running the sides off of the Emotiva would change things up a bit in the back of the room in my mind. Some people say that the rear surrounds don’t do a lot, which I disagree with wholeheartedly. Even on some 5.1 tracks, there are still pans throughout the 4 surround channels if everything is positioned correctly and calibrated. There are also plenty of moments when all 4 are sent similar signals, which is another cool effect. Having the same power to them would help with that as well.

Just my two cents.

You can always try it both ways and see which you prefer though as that wouldn’t take too much effort.

Thanks for all the help. I am really torn whether the extra power running to the front l/c/r will have more of a benefit/impact or the continuity of having the side and rear surrounds/the heights on the same receiver.

[gotmule]

Originally Posted by Atomic4877

Thanks for all the help. I am really torn whether the extra power running to the front l/c/r will have more of a benefit/impact or the continuity of having the side and rear surrounds/the heights on the same receiver.

No worries, and love the fact that you are thinking about all the details and the best way to setup your system. Your surrounds are pretty close to each other and my mind goes to a potential impact there since it appears as your room is going to used more for movies. If you are like a lot of us and “Sheltering in place”, you have a fun project to kill a day with and try it both ways. Let us know where you land.

[Atomic4877]

Originally Posted by gotmule

No worries, and love the fact that you are thinking about all the details and the best way to setup your system. Your surrounds are pretty close to each other and my mind goes to a potential impact there since it appears as your room is going to used more for movies. If you are like a lot of us and “Sheltering in place”, you have a fun project to kill a day with and try it both ways. Let us know where you land.

I am a perfectionist at heart and like to get things right the first time and my wife hates me tinkering with stuff. I am sheltering as much as possible but am considered an essential employee of a telecommunications company so I have to be at work for my normal schedule. My setup gets used exclusively for movies and tv. All my music playing is handled in another room.