11.2 receivers available?

[bigboss]

My mistake. The models announced will not have atmos support.....http://www.whathifi.com/news/sony-announces-2015-av-receivers-and-soundbars

Gosh. No Dolby Atmos, no DTS:X, and only 7.2 channels. Terrific.

Funky Monkey, you really will have to re-think your strategy, or it could be a long, long wait. It seems that at the moment, and since new models are quite new still for at least another year, you can have your one-box solution with the Onkyo TX-NR3030, or you can have Audyssey and Dolby Atmos with Marantz and Denon, but you will have to have a two-box solution with an extra (not necessarily top-quality) stereo amplifier.

These are only low and mid range models. Sony will announce higher end models this fall. Typically, some manufacturers announce their low to mid range models in spring / summer and flagships in autumn.

 

[bigboss]

^ That's good then!

I've seen people claim elsewhere that this amount of channel-count required more DSP processing power than what is currently available on the market today (for receivers at least) and that Audyssey wasn't equipped to handle the added number of channels. I guess one should be able to run a full Pro-calibration too then for all 11.1 channels?

Before Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro 3D, there wasn't really a market for 11.2 channels (except few enthusiasts). Yamaha's 2008 flagship Z11 had 11.2 channels (with lower wattage to 4 channels). This was then dropped. Things are different now, and I will expect some manufacturers to offer 11.2 channel flagships.

Yes, it can be tricky to cram 11 channels of processing. There's a market for it and it can be done. Let's see how they overcome the challenges.

 

[FennerMachine]

11.2 channels? 7 around you, 4 in ceiling, 2 subs.

I've had 5.1 and 6.0 systems but my room was not suited for an extra rear channel.

Happy with 5.0 or even 2.0 as I currently use, although a sub or two would be nice.

I don't think I could ever be bothered with more than 5.1 or 5.2 channels.

I suppose good if you have the room and watch lots of movies though.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Not correct. 7 speakers around you, 4 in ceiling (could also be upfiring Atmos models), 2 subwoofers would be described as a 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos system

11.2 refers to a normal five-satellite speaker arrangement (Front Left, Centre, Front Right, Surround Left and Surround Right), with two subwoofers, but augmented by Front Height Left, Front Height Right, Front Width Left, Front Width Right, Surround Back Left and Surround Back Right satellite speakers, with these extra speakers being driven by extra channels generated by the Audyssey-capable receiver from the core 5.1 HD codec on most Blu-ray discs.. I have the 11.1 Audyssey system, with only one subwoofer. I know that it sounds a lot, 11 normal speakers, but in my system only the Front pair and the Surround pair are physically large (and are denoted as such in the amplifier assignments), the others are small, so you really don't notice them. Mind you, the subwoofer (SVS PC13-Ultra old style) is over a metre high, so you certainly do notice that!

I don't think I could ever be bothered with more than 5.1 or 5.2 channels.

I suppose good if you have the room and watch lots of movies though.

I can easily switch from the pure 5.1 mix (or 7.1 on a few discs) to the full 11.1 Audyssey system using the front height, front width and surround back speakers, and I definitely prefer the 11.1 experience to the basic core 5.1 system. But I do acknowledge that this is a matter of personal preference and that not everyone will like it. I do.

 

[FunkyMonkey]

Fortunate enough to have the ideal size room for 11.2 and its prewired and built from scratch to conform to 7.1.4 or 7.2.4 speaker layout.

So a no brainer.

But only a single box solution will do but I can wait. I love my present system anyway.