Who has gone from 5.1 to 7.1 and.....

[Nick_Shepherd]

is it worth it?

are front high or side speakers better?

Currently my rear pair are on stands, but I am soon to mount them higher up the wall. As I will be chasing the cable into the wall and re painting over, I could add another pair at the same time......

Is it much better?? or will I be annoying the Mrs and decorating for nothing??

Many Thanks!

 

[matengawhat]

it adds a little extra but not sure i would bother - i run a 7.1 but most blu rays are still 5.1 that the amp then expands to 7.1 not had much experience with the amps with high fronts etc so can't comment

 

[Anonymous]

I have just gone to 7.1 in a 20' x10' room and it gives it a more cohesive feel to the sound it seems less shouty from the sides and i find it tends to envelope you more.

I use mission m33i floor standers for the fronts, Monitor audio bx2's on stands level with my listening position on stands and bx1's on shelves about shoulder height for the rears. I would say that the sides need to be higher than ear height but in my room thats an impossible ask.

You will find devotees for 7.1 and those that dont see the point and I will admit to being in the pro camp but if you go to your local retailer and have a listen to a 7.1 system I would think that would be your best bet

 

[Anonymous]

born2die:
I have just gone to 7.1 in a 20' x10' room and it gives it a more cohesive feel to the sound it seems less shouty from the sides and i find it tends to envelope you more.

I use mission m33i floor standers for the fronts, Monitor audio bx2's on stands level with my listening position on stands and bx1's on shelves about shoulder height for the rears. I would say that the sides need to be higher than ear height but in my room thats an impossible ask.

You will find devotees for 7.1 and those that dont see the point and I will admit to being in the pro camp but if you go to your local retailer and have a listen to a 7.1 system I would think that would be your best bet

That was quick, how did you get the BX range already? thought it was coming out next week?

 

[Ronald Archiebald]

Nick_Shepherd,

I believe you will derive a noticable benefit from 5.1 to 7.1 only if your room is large.

Ronald

 

[chudleighpaul]

I installed a a 7.1 system for a friend, and we thought it better in 7.1 mode than in 5.1. The room wasn't that ideal for installing a surround system as the TV is in a corner.

Just a pity there are no 7.1 discs available

 

[Anonymous]

canada16:born2die:
I have just gone to 7.1 in a 20' x10' room and it gives it a more cohesive feel to the sound it seems less shouty from the sides and i find it tends to envelope you more.

I use mission m33i floor standers for the fronts, Monitor audio bx2's on stands level with my listening position on stands and bx1's on shelves about shoulder height for the rears. I would say that the sides need to be higher than ear height but in my room thats an impossible ask.

You will find devotees for 7.1 and those that dont see the point and I will admit to being in the pro camp but if you go to your local retailer and have a listen to a 7.1 system I would think that would be your best bet

That was quick, how did you get the BX range already? thought it was coming out next week?

My mistake it is sunday am lol I meant br I must have bx on the brain

 

[Anonymous]

Me too cant wait to have a listen, going for the BX or RX, in about 2 weeks

 

[matengawhat]

chudleighpaul:

I installed a a 7.1 system for a friend, and we thought it better in 7.1 mode than in 5.1. The room wasn't that ideal for installing a surround system as the TV is in a corner.

Just a pity there are no 7.1 discs available

strangly found a 6.1 disc the other day Young Guns and i think i have a movie somewhere that is 7.1 but can't lay my hands on it at the min

i have my rears about level with the listening position and then the rears surrounds are about 2m further back and both in a 1m from the sides so are more behide me and always have the amp set to expand to 7.1 as said it is better its just that i didn't think wow!

 

[Dan Turner]

I have a fairly small room, and adding the surround rears only made a marginal difference - in hind sight probably not worth it.

There are a small number of 7.1 discs available - the difference is more noticeable with those, than it is with the receiver simulating the surround rears on a 5.1.

 

[Anonymous]

chudleighpaul:

I installed a a 7.1 system for a friend, and we thought it better in 7.1 mode than in 5.1. The room wasn't that ideal for installing a surround system as the TV is in a corner.

Just a pity there are no 7.1 discs available

It does not really matter that there are not that many 7.1 disc's out there at the momment because if you do watch and listen to a 5.1 movie then select 7.1 on your receiver it will then add effect's to those two extra speaker's therefore making a 5.1 disc sound like a 7.1 disc. Also just to add that a 7.1 system will have better surround effect's in that you will get a better overall envoloping sound and probably more accurate sound steering from swpeaker to speaker, but to be honest the front height speaker's do not inspire me that much because imagine having a 7.1 system and front height's that make's a lot of speaker's and also the accompanying cable but the cable part probably does not apply to the OP.

 

[jase fox]

When i added a surround back speaker to my set up it made a huge difference as it really filled the gap in surround. I could'nt be without it now personally.

 

[jase fox]

DR KAY:chudleighpaul:

I installed a a 7.1 system for a friend, and we thought it better in 7.1 mode than in 5.1. The room wasn't that ideal for installing a surround system as the TV is in a corner.

Just a pity there are no 7.1 discs available

It does not really matter that there are not that many 7.1 disc's out there at the momment because if you do watch and listen to a 5.1 movie then select 7.1 on your receiver it will then add effect's to those two extra speaker's therefore making a 5.1 disc sound like a 7.1 disc. Also just to add that a 7.1 system will have better surround effect's in that you will get a better overall envoloping sound and probably more accurate sound steering from swpeaker to speaker, but to be honest the front height speaker's do not inspire me that much because imagine having a 7.1 system and front height's that make's a lot of speaker's and also the accompanying cable but the cable part probably does not apply to the OP.
I totally agree with you here DR KAY, when i watch a movie in True HD it comes up on my pioneers amp display as True HD + EX and the same with a PCM soundtrack and to me it sounds just the same as if it was mastered in 7.1.

 

[Anonymous]

there are some excellent 7.1 titles aroiund now most of lionsgate latest are 7.1, the forbidden kingdom,hellboy 2 etc looky here for more http://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php .

I certanly Jump a little more through horror films at some of the effects I get from the rears.

I have my amp set to decode the 5.1 dolby track track to dolby plIIx Ithat gives me all 7 speakers and on true hd soundtracks althogh the amp says 3/2.1 meaning 5.1 it lights up all 7 channels on the amp and uses all 7 speakers.

I think its really down to the size of your room though as to wether or not 7.1 will work

 

[Anonymous]

To me it's worth it. Even though you only put a 5.1 bluray disc, if you have an av receiver with THX and choose that option on your receiver all 7.1 speakers will work. It's an awesome cinematic experience. I'm loving it!

 

[Nick_Shepherd]

Thanks to all. Really helpful replies as usual.

The room and listening position sounds like its not suited to well to 7.1 and there is a mixed bag of opinion here.

I will stay with 5.1 for now.

Thanks again to all!

 

[Sorreltiger]

I think that it's not really the size of room as such - however, you need space BEHIND the listening position to arrange the speakers in an arc. As has been suggested, wall mounting the speakers relatively high is good. If your sofa is hard up against a back wall, it isn't going to work.

 

[jase fox]

Sorreltiger: If your sofa is hard up against a back wall, it isn't going to work.It is and it does as my chair is up against the back wall with my surround back speaker directly above me and it sounds the business, that good in fact youd think there was lots of space around me.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm with Jase Fox on this. I have a 7.1 setup myself, and the surround is now a lot more cohesive and smooth, where previously you could always spot a 'dead zone' in the audio. Panning effects are now excellent, and truly enveloping.

 

[Sorreltiger]

Sorry, Jase - I'm obviously wrong (as usual!). I'm surprised, but you're quite correct about how the extra speaker 'fills a hole'. I agree with you completely about the effect - it works really well with sport, although being amongst the vuvuzelas during the World Cup (BBC HD, not ITV) was a mixed blessing!

 

[jase fox]

kaotician:I'm with Jase Fox on this. I have a 7.1 setup myself, and the surround is now a lot more cohesive and smooth, where previously you could always spot a 'dead zone' in the audio. Panning effects are now excellent, and truly enveloping.
Totally agree Kaotician

 

[Nick_Shepherd]

So is it that wall mounted (when sofa backs up to wall) is good, but an arc, head height behind and side is better??

 

[Anonymous]

Thats right afaik but look here for dolby's idea of the correct setup http://www.dolby.co.uk/consumer/setup/speaker-setup-guide/index.html there is lots of really good info on the site

 

[theraaaven]

i have but only for a big room and if can set up correctly..............dont think any point if tv in corner

 

[Anonymous]

This has been an interesting thread,

I went through a similar experience, mines a smaller (narrower) room with the sofa backed into a bay window, having trialed 5.1 to 7.1, i eventually went for a 6.1 setup, the issue with a smaller room is you can end up sat in a cradle of 4 surround speakers very close to each other, in particular if two of you are watching a film and are not sat dead centre. The 6.1 option gave the benefits of better sound separation without the back of the room looking like a speaker display at richer sounds ;-)

By placing the side speakers forward a tad and a single back centred to the sofa, when you sat on either side of the seat you were equa-distant between two speakers. Worked far better than 5.1 and no dead spot, most 7.1 amps cater for a 6.1 setup.

Worth a trial.

That said if your room is big enough 7.1 is far better than 5.1

(for reference a onk608 with kef eggs.....less intrusive and visually better)