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

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?

yagami · 02-21-2008, 08:46 PM

I just upgraded to Lossless from Dolby Digital and I will agree with everyone else that the difference in sound is night and day. I was considering a high end Denon, but with new sound enhancements like Dolby Volume coming up I decided to hold off a few months or maybe even a year before I go all out on a receiver again. So I decided to sample it at the least expense for now and I needed something to hold me over until then. Everyone here had all positive things to say about the Onkyo 605, I gave it a shot. Picked it up at Circuit City for $399 and if someone were to have dragged me blindfolded into a room to listen to this unit I would have guessed at least $800+ for the quality of sound. Definately go for Lossless and if on a budget this is a great receiver.

omgitsmikeyc · 02-21-2008, 08:59 PM

first off, great choice on the reciever... onkyo always takes cake over dennon in my eyes... i actually DO work for circuit city, the one in corpus christi. been there bout 3 years... certified in in home installs... blah blah blah... ne who... the focus of your point.. 7.1 or 5.1... to be honest... how big is your room? 15x12? 20x15? 20x20? depending on how u arrange your room; depending on the size of the room should be the deciding factors... larger rooms really get a stronger feel of 7.1. in average homes, id say average was bout 20x17. in those rooms, i would usually install 5.1-6.1, reason being, they dont travel much in the room to require the 2 side speakers for the 7.1. 6.1 should be 3 in front... one being center... and 3 in back, one being the center. unless you have truly large room, the extra sound dispertion, or seperation of travellin noise inst really needed... so my reccomendation... start 5.1... if you notice a loss in sound travel, or a "deadzone" of the sound... add the other 2, and spread them to corresponding corners, sides on (this ones tough) the sides of you lol. keep around head level... but taller ceilings require higher placement... again GREAT reciever choice... my personal favorite for intermediate to advanced installs.. without going all out for those bill gates in the world

krazeyeyez · 02-21-2008, 11:52 PM

can you play a hidef audio format (truehd,ma,pcm) in a 5.1 format system, or do you have to get all 7 speakers?

edit: thanks

crackinhedz · 02-21-2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krazeyeyez

can you play a hidef audio format (truehd,ma,pcm) in a 5.1 format system, or do you have to get all 7 speakers?

yes you can get it in 5.1 (even on a 7.1 receiver)

Canada · 02-22-2008, 12:30 AM

If your using the composite cable (yellow video, red and white audio left and right) that came with the PS3 you won't get any DD 5.1 capability at all.

With out a HDMI cable you can use a optical cable to get DD 5.1 and DTS it is way better than stereo essentially 2.0 sound. With HDMI you can decode DTS HD, DD True HD assuming you have a capible receiver and (PCM you do not need a new receiver to do this only one that has an HDMI input)

mariogarza · 02-22-2008, 02:51 AM

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1186004972651

What do you think about this HT, it's 5.1 but the receiver can handle 7.1 if one day I decide to upgrade. Can this receiver decode sound through HDMI so I can have Dolby Digital through HDMI without an optical cable? Thanks in advance.

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, 08:59 PM	#11
omgitsmikeyc Member Member since:Feb 2008 Location:corpus christi	reply to 5.1-7.1 first off, great choice on the reciever... onkyo always takes cake over dennon in my eyes... i actually DO work for circuit city, the one in corpus christi. been there bout 3 years... certified in in home installs... blah blah blah... ne who... the focus of your point.. 7.1 or 5.1... to be honest... how big is your room? 15x12? 20x15? 20x20? depending on how u arrange your room; depending on the size of the room should be the deciding factors... larger rooms really get a stronger feel of 7.1. in average homes, id say average was bout 20x17. in those rooms, i would usually install 5.1-6.1, reason being, they dont travel much in the room to require the 2 side speakers for the 7.1. 6.1 should be 3 in front... one being center... and 3 in back, one being the center. unless you have truly large room, the extra sound dispertion, or seperation of travellin noise inst really needed... so my reccomendation... start 5.1... if you notice a loss in sound travel, or a "deadzone" of the sound... add the other 2, and spread them to corresponding corners, sides on (this ones tough) the sides of you lol. keep around head level... but taller ceilings require higher placement... again GREAT reciever choice... my personal favorite for intermediate to advanced installs.. without going all out for those bill gates in the world

02-21-2008, 11:52 PM	#12
krazeyeyez Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Dec 2007 Location:the guy on the couch Home Theater Gallery:18 Blu-ray collection:287 Blu-ray reviews:4	can you play a hidef audio format (truehd,ma,pcm) in a 5.1 format system, or do you have to get all 7 speakers? edit: thanks Last edited by krazeyeyez; 02-22-2008 at 12:02 AM.

02-22-2008, 12:30 AM	#14
Canada Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Mar 2007 Location:Victoria, BC Home Theater Gallery:17 4K collection:306 Blu-ray collection:1204 DVD collection:37 Blu-ray reviews:42	If your using the composite cable (yellow video, red and white audio left and right) that came with the PS3 you won't get any DD 5.1 capability at all. With out a HDMI cable you can use a optical cable to get DD 5.1 and DTS it is way better than stereo essentially 2.0 sound. With HDMI you can decode DTS HD, DD True HD assuming you have a capible receiver and (PCM you do not need a new receiver to do this only one that has an HDMI input) Last edited by Canada; 02-22-2008 at 12:33 AM.

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, 08:11 PM	#8
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	#9
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?

02-21-2008, 08:46 PM	#10
yagami Active Member Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Queens, NY Blu-ray collection:294	I just upgraded to Lossless from Dolby Digital and I will agree with everyone else that the difference in sound is night and day. I was considering a high end Denon, but with new sound enhancements like Dolby Volume coming up I decided to hold off a few months or maybe even a year before I go all out on a receiver again. So I decided to sample it at the least expense for now and I needed something to hold me over until then. Everyone here had all positive things to say about the Onkyo 605, I gave it a shot. Picked it up at Circuit City for $399 and if someone were to have dragged me blindfolded into a room to listen to this unit I would have guessed at least $800+ for the quality of sound. Definately go for Lossless and if on a budget this is a great receiver.

02-22-2008, 02:51 AM	#15
mariogarza Junior Member Member since:Feb 2008	http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1186004972651 What do you think about this HT, it's 5.1 but the receiver can handle 7.1 if one day I decide to upgrade. Can this receiver decode sound through HDMI so I can have Dolby Digital through HDMI without an optical cable? Thanks in advance.

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