7.1 or 5.1 with bi-amping the front speakers?

[yiannis550]

Lets say I have an Onkyo 875 and I am using it for 50% music, 50% movies. Lets say also I get the B&W 685 theater package (provided I like them when I have a listening session once I find a dealer in Edinburgh that is selling them). What would be better? To bi-amp the front speakers or to buy a second pair of the 686s and have 7.1 surround? (if I convince my wife for the extra wiring and speakers...) My lounge in the new house will be 4.85 x 3.67 and the Centre will be in the middle of the wall next to the stairs, but we are still discussing what would be best? the problem is that we still haven't seen the place in real life yet (health & safety reasons) but it will be ready in 2 weeks! http://www.dwh.co.uk/plots/H185301334#tab=floors In general I am interested in what you people think of the 2 extra channels? Does it worth the money for the size of my living room?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Nice house, by the way! If you're going to have the TV and centre speakers on the wall between the lounge and the stairs, which would seem the most logical place, then yes, I'd run a 7.1 channel set-up, with the rear left, right speakers in the corners by the kitchen wall and the bay window, and two surround backs along the rear wall.

Since the house isn't finished yet, it might be worth asking whether you could get the rear channel speaker cables laid before the carpets go down - you could run surround left and surround back left around the edge of the room under the bay window, and two runs the other way to the right speakers. QED's Qontour Ultra-Flat cable, at under £2/m would be suitable, and is under 1cm wide and 1mm thick, or for a better set-up you could go for Chord's excellent Leyline or Skyline installation cables.

 

[Anonymous]

Or you could go for the Dali Ikon 6 5.1 set up and order an extra set of Dali Ikon On-Walls for the rear. I bought the 5.1 and the on-walls are brilliant, they literally hang on the wall and take up very little depth.

I looked at the new B&W before buying this and the only thing I didn't do was listen to them. I wish WHFSV would review them and say which are better as the Dali is a 5* award winning package and B&W have always been strong contenders.

For visual neatness and practicality have a look at the Dali.

 

[yiannis550]

Yeah Dali Ikon's are nice but too expensive compared to the 685 theater. I am thinking to hung on the wall the 686s and get a pair of stands for the 685s in the front. also I think i ll get the 5.1 system now and the sides maybe later if my budget allows.

 

[Anonymous]

Is there actually that much material for 7.1 or do most receivers extrapolate 5.1 out to 7.1?

 

[Anonymous]

I've never bought a DVD that overtly said DTS ES or DD EX. So perhaps it's a Region 1 thing. Being in Europe I only get Region 2. That said, I would imagine most AV Amps at the upper end, or supporting 7.1 would matrix the rear channels. Andrew, is this so?