7.1 with 4 fronts

admin_exported · Oct 7, 2010

Back again with another poser! After spending extra money on 2 new speakers for a 7.1 system(for 2 extra rears)i'm now hearing its a better option to have them as 2 extra fronts? As i am about to purchase the Onk 808, which supports me having these extra fronts, can somebody please explain to me exactly where they go? I currently have all my speakers around 2ft from ear level, as my tv is mounted above an unused fireplace at 1mtr from ground to bottom of tv. My fronts are smack in the middle of the tv and about a foot away. All speakers are at the same level. I only have a max of 1.5 mtrs either side of the tv to play with. Any suggestions?

Andrew Everard · Oct 7, 2010

Simple answer is the the extra front channels should be mounted 'outside' (ie further apart than) your main L/R speakers, and higher up - which is going to mean wall-mounting in most cases.

Anonymous · Oct 7, 2010

Andrew Everard:Simple answer is the the extra front channels should be mounted 'outside' (ie further apart than) your main L/R speakers, and higher up - which is going to mean wall-mounting in most cases.
how much higher and wider are we talking mr E? concidering my available space?

Ronald Archiebald · Oct 7, 2010

DaveK,

If it is Pro Logic IIz that you are referring to, i.e. 'height channel processing', the additional two speakers add a height element to the soundstage by directing the low-level, non directional aspects of the soundtrack (such as falling rain) to these 'front height' channels.

To derive the benefit from this, as pointed out by Andrew Everard - you'll need to install a pair of speakers high up above your TV, either on tall stands or have them wall-mounted.

Along with the inconvenience of doing this and it's rather cumbersome appearance, the merits of such an arrangement is still debatable - from the perspective of sonic gains.

Ronald

Andrew Everard · Oct 7, 2010

dave k:how much higher and wider are we talking mr E? concidering my available space?

I'd go as high and wide as you can manage, while (depending on the speakers) keeping them 30-50cm from the side walls and the ceiling.

Big Chris · Oct 7, 2010

I'd dispute the "It's better to have two extra fronts" statement. When DVD/BDs have 6.1 or 7.1 soundtracks, they're designed with rear surround channels in mind. OK, modern receivers can use processing for the extra front channels but it's not what the director/sound designer intended.

Anonymous · Oct 7, 2010

I have the Kef 3005se's, so wall mounting, isnt a problem. And of course, i can angle them in towards the listening position.So could i go right up to the wall in this case? It would make it a lot more comfortable on the eye as they wouldn't be so cramped together on such a confined wall space.

Andrew Everard · Oct 7, 2010

I'd still avoid getting them too close to side walls, the ceiling, and especially corners.

scene · Oct 7, 2010

If you've got enough cable, time and patience, and a way of temporarily mounting them, I'd try both options - pure 7.1, and 5.1 + front height, to see which you prefer.

I think this really is a matter of taste, probably aided by the lack of proper 7.1 soundtracks on BDs.

Anonymous · Oct 7, 2010

scene:If you've got enough cable, time and patience, and a way of temporarily mounting them, I'd try both options - pure 7.1, and 5.1 + front height, to see which you prefer.

I think this really is a matter of taste, probably aided by the lack of proper 7.1 soundtracks on BDs.Yes, the lack of 7.1 is an issue. Since i bought them, i haven't heard the damn things!!Thats my only reason why i thought of relocating them. trying them out first sounds good to me.
If they DO sound better, AND 7.1 becomes more available, does this mean i can add ANOTHER 2 speakers through the receiver?

scene · Oct 7, 2010

dave k:scene:If you've got enough cable, time and patience, and a way of temporarily mounting them, I'd try both options - pure 7.1, and 5.1 + front height, to see which you prefer.

I think this really is a matter of taste, probably aided by the lack of proper 7.1 soundtracks on BDs.Yes, the lack of 7.1 is an issue. Since i bought them, i haven't heard the damn things!!Thats my only reason why i thought of relocating them. trying them out first sounds good to me.
If they DO sound better, AND 7.1 becomes more available, does this mean i can add ANOTHER 2 speakers through the receiver?
Depends on your amp. Some of the Onkyo amps allow for 7.1 OR 5.1+height OR 5.1+width, some others allow for 7.1+height or 7.1+width...

Anonymous · Oct 7, 2010

this is the correct way to set up your speakers in Audyssey DSX, if your just having extra wide fronts don`t have them high. If your going extra wide and front height channels iw: 9.1 then the height channels then obviously need to be up high but certainly not the extra wide ones, they are at the same height as your LCR`s

I might add that this configuration when set up correctly blew me away the first time I heard it (It didn`t really blow me away but you get my gist lol)

Sorreltiger · Oct 7, 2010

I agree with Chris. IMO you will get a better result from surround back speakers - if they and the surround left and right are correctly positioned. There are several blu-rays which are recorded with these channels.

However, to take advantage of these extra speakers in 5.1 material, you need to select PLiix processing in your amp. If the speakers are silent, it sounds like you haven't done that, so I'm not surprised you're underwhelmed!

I have found that the extra rear speakers add to the 'immersiveness' of the experience: curiously, I find it most noticeable with crowd noise during Sky Sports football or rugby broadcasts!

Anonymous · Oct 8, 2010

I have been thinking about this for while, I too have 7.1 and of course 2 of the speakers are dumb most of the time (except when playing on the PS3).

I've never really tried a film with PLiix running to extend to the full 7.1 (albeit a little fake). Is this something most people do, or do they just listen in 5.1

The reason I ask is that if you take, for example, a soundtrack in DTS HD 5.1, selecting to listen with PLiix to have all 7.1 glory, does it take anything away from the original 5.1 or does it actually make such a difference that it's worth doing?

Big Chris · Oct 8, 2010

I experiment. Most of the time I watch TV/DVD/BD in PL2x or DTS:NEO6. Sometimes I'll revert to regular 5.1.

There are films out the with extended surround if you look hard enough. On DVD, L.O.T.R (extended editions) have a 6.1 soundtrack. On BD, 3:10 To Yuma, The Bank Job & The Forbidden Kingdom all have 7.1.

Anonymous · Oct 8, 2010

Anonymous · Oct 8, 2010

scene:dave k:scene:If you've got enough cable, time and patience, and a way of temporarily mounting them, I'd try both options - pure 7.1, and 5.1 + front height, to see which you prefer.

I think this really is a matter of taste, probably aided by the lack of proper 7.1 soundtracks on BDs.Yes, the lack of 7.1 is an issue. Since i bought them, i haven't heard the damn things!!Thats my only reason why i thought of relocating them. trying them out first sounds good to me.
If they DO sound better, AND 7.1 becomes more available, does this mean i can add ANOTHER 2 speakers through the receiver?
Depends on your amp. Some of the Onkyo amps allow for 7.1 OR 5.1+height OR 5.1+width, some others allow for 7.1+height or 7.1+width...i'm picking up the Onkyo 808 tommorrow?

Anonymous · Oct 8, 2010

Keep in mind -that the more you add speakers into a typical untreated room the more you will have room acoustic problem and therefor more distortion to the sound, so if you have untreated room just like the most of us ,you realy want to keep it as minimum as possible, personaly speaking in a typical untreated room , 5.1 system is more than u will ever need....

7.1 with 4 fronts

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