Is a 7.1 set up really advantageous?

[admin_exported]

I'm about to purchase a new system for a 5m x 4m living room and looking at getting the Kefs 3005 wireless system, not decided on amp but provisionally looking at the Yam 2065. Anyway question is, is it worth the additional £250 for 2 extra eggs for the surround to make it a 7.1 - although i already have the Kefs as part of a 5.1 set up in another room - i've never heard a demo of a 7.1 set up so dont know if the quality difference is mega? Do many of you guys have this set up? Thanks.

 

[smuggs]

sounds good but, a room that size 5.1 would would be fine and that 250 you could save could either upgrade the amp or cabling. Which may help with sound quailty.

 

[laserman16]

There's a thread here on the same subject which may be of help to you.

 

[Anonymous]

I have the Kef 3005se hooked to a onkyo tx-sr605 and opted for the 5.1 as my room is 18ft x 12ft it sounds awesome.

I have also some kef Q7 floorstanding speakers and used these as my fronts and bi amped them sounds even better, though i now have 2 kef fronts in my bedroom wrapped up and back in its box, will hold on to them till 7.1 more widely available as not too much on blu ray dvds with 7.1 soundtracks at the moment.

Also you say that your going for the wireless system, im not sure if you know but its the sub thats wireless not the surround speakers also heard the non wireless is much cheaper, just in case you dont know this.

My sub is wired using a QED subwoofer cable, for the sake of 1 cable you may save a good fortune.

As mentioned save the money for the 2 additional speakers and invest in good cables makes all the difference. I have the QED silver Anniversary cable there awesome top rated cable and not that expensive now.

All the best with which ever option you go for.

 

[vonchief]

I would disagree and recommend going 7.1.

I only have a small room and switching between 5.1 and 7.1 the difference is massive.

I would never go back to 5.1 after comparing both and can highly recommend it.

 

[cwalduck]

I went from 7.1 back to 5.1, the seating position also effects how the surround speakers perform. We sit close to what would be the surround back speakers in a 7.1 setup, this didn't work for us so we went back to 5.1, if you sit in a more central position with the surrounds directly to the side of your seating position and the backs well behind you go for 7.1 if you sit behind the surrounds (between the surrounds and backs) I don't think it works too well.

 

[defo]

I reckon it depends very much on the movie. Not particularly noticable on Dark City, however the DTS-ES on the Titanic DVD makes a huge difference, particularly in the scenes where the ship is falling apart and the scenes in the water afterwards, you can really feel the 360 degree effect.