is there a noticable diff. between 5.1 and 7.1 set up?

[JimPullan]

If the speaker configuration is correct for a 7.1 application, and you have four walls to work with, then you'll notice a nicer, enveloping experience. The best case scenario is configured as follows: Center, Left, and Right (direct radiating speakers) - across the front, Two direct radiating rear suround speakers AND two dipole SIDE surround speakers (firing three ways into the room) (lined up with your sofa to your left and right and even with and slightly above your ear level), then your subwoofer, making up a 7.1 surround sound system done right.

Many people don't have four walls to work with, so consider 6.1 (three across the front and three across the back).

Be aware though, that there is very little on DVD or Blu-ray that has encoded 6.1 or 7.1 descrete audio tracks. Most simply Matrix the sound into all the speakers (ie: Lexicon L7 processing). We MAY see 7.1 descrete audio coming on Blu-ray, with all the vast storage capacity available, on block-buster movies and concerts. The majority of releases from the studios is 5.1 . It is better to have an outstanding 5.1 speaker package, then a medeoicre 6 - 7.1 . [Jim]

[rigpig]

Originally Posted by JimPullan

If the speaker configuration is correct for a 7.1 application, and you have four walls to work with, then you'll notice a nicer, enveloping experience. The best case scenario is configured as follows: Center, Left, and Right (direct radiating speakers) - across the front, Two direct radiating rear suround speakers AND two dipole SIDE surround speakers (firing three ways into the room), then your subwoofer, making up a 7.1 surround sound system done right.

Many people don't have four walls to work with, so consider 6.1 (three across the front and three across the back).

Be aware though, that there is very little on DVD or Blu-ray that has encoded 6.1 or 7.1 descrete audio tracks. Most simply Matrix the sound into all the speakers (ie: Lexicon L7 processing). We MAY see 7.1 descrete audio coming on Blu-ray, with all the vast storage capacity available, on block-buster movies and concerts. The majority of releases from the studios is 5.1 . It is better to have an outstanding 5.1 speaker package, then a medeoicre 6 - 7.1 . [Jim]

...nicely put.

[looics17]

thanks for your input. i think for the time i will stick with the 5.1 set up which i am very, very pleased with. die hard 4.0 today was worth the ankle op pain alone. i will wait for the paint to dry a little before i stick in some more channels for cabling.

looics

[jomari]

as mentioned above, i would also like to add that it also depends on how big the room is. lets consider medium to larger rooms would benifit from it.

most of the time a properly calibrated 5.1 can outmatch a poorly setup 7.1.

more doesnt always equal better in this scenario.

[kingofgrills]

Originally Posted by jomari

as mentioned above, i would also like to add that it also depends on how big the room is. lets consider medium to larger rooms would benifit from it.

most of the time a properly calibrated 5.1 can outmatch a poorly setup 7.1.

more doesnt always equal better in this scenario.

Agreed. No matter what you set up, whether it's a 2 channel system or a 7.1 system, it has to be calibrated correctly to be worthwhile. You need to take your room configuration, including furniture, carpeting/hardwoods, etc. into account. JimPullan's assessment earlier was right on. If you don't have the side walls necessary to pull of a 7.1 setup, adding a center back surround channel to step up to 6.1 will offer a world of improvement.

Just make sure the speakers you use are well-matched to your space. And don't discount the importance of a good subwoofer. It provides the foundation in a surround sound setup. There's nothing worse than hearing a piss poor subwoofer booming and chuffing away in a system. Subwoofers should be felt, not heard. You should never be able to pinpoint the physical location of a subwoofer in a system.

[jomari]

this can all be easily achieved by buying a simple SPL Meter.

as i mentioned in previous postings, acoustics is key to creating your already good home theater to an astounding one.

[Brain Sturgeon]

There is a noticeable difference between 5.1 and 7.1, with the 7.1 sound field being a bit more palpable and enveloping, but only if done correctly. If you do not have the room logistics or correct speaker placement for 7.1, then I would personally prefer well done 5.1 over suboptimal 7.1. The cost of going to 7.1 from 5.1 will probably exceed the benefit in most cases, even if done well. But if you can afford it and have the room, then there is an incremental benefit to it.

I would avoid doing 6.1 (a single center rear speaker added to a 5.1). There is a well documented psychoacoustic phenomenon called "back-to-front reversal" where sound from a single speaker directly behind you can actually seem like it's coming from in front of you. This can be eliminated by two speakers placed off axis (30 degree offset angles) behind you, hence 7.1.

[CptGreedle]

I was wondering.. I have some DVDs that use 6.1 (like LotR EE) but I have a 7.1 setup.
How will that work on my system?

[Luis_A51]

FYI

Resistance, Uncharted, Warhawk, Folklore, Ratchet n Clank (and maybe Heavenly Sword, cant remember) all have 7.1 PCM

And those will DEFINITELY give any sound system a workout.

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I was wondering.. I have some DVDs that use 6.1 (like LotR EE) but I have a 7.1 setup.
How will that work on my system?

And I guess you never tried it because you're waiting for the blu-ray to watch it again

But seriously, your receiver will put the same info on both back surround channels.

[MouseRider]

If you do have a good system that creates a good 7.1 sound field (i.e. Lexicon's Logic7) or a well mixed 7.1 discrete soundtrack, combine that with a properly setup and calibrated system, you will hear a difference in the size of the sound field as well as more rear directed effects.

The best example I can think of the top of my head is a scene from Spiderman (1) where Peter Parker stuck his camera on web to take a picture of himself as Spiderman for the Bugle, when the camera goes off, you hear the shutter very distinctively from behind you.