5.1 vs 7.1

This is a great example of where quality trumps quantity every time.

I've set up some viewing rooms that, given the configuration of seating positions, having four speakers in the back was nice . . . this mainly made it possible to get more consistent coverage over all of the seats. These were all rooms "set up the short way", that is, with the screen on the long wall.

But usually, it's easier to get optimum placement with two rear channels as opposed to three or four, and as we all know, placement makes all the difference in the world. Not to mention that if you use half as many, then you have twice the budget for each one . . . which in loudspeakers can be quite handy for improving the sound.

My screen is on the short wall and the extra speakers keep the sides from being "dark". Even though the signal is the same for the sides and the rear, my receiver has time delay settings for all channels.

Kal gets to the heart of it when he asks how much 7.1 material you have. If you largely watch Direct or cable you are only getting 5.1 anyway.

For me your question is room related. Strictly speaking, 5.1 places two speakers about 2/3rd way back the room on the sidewalls firing across the audience at each other. 7.1 adds a pair of speakers on the back wall firing across the audience back towards the screen. (draw this out, its simpler to see it then write it)

7.1 gives the sound designer the added ability to work back to front as well as side to side.

If your room is long so that your seating position is at least a few feet off the back wall and a few feet in from the side walls, chances are that the 7.1 would be a nice upgrade especially if you have a very big screen and are after a real theatrical experience.

If like most of us you are struggling to get some distance from the side speakers or are already mounting your 5.1 speakers on the back wall, it's probably not going to be much of an improvement.

Very good information from all. I am trying to figure out why than electronic businesses would make a 7.1 receivers or processors and 7.1 multi-channel amps if there are no DVDs made for a 7.1 configuration.

You ever notice when you sit in a movie theater and don't really hear all the surround speakers working in 7.1 configuration. The transition on the surround speakers just move very smoothly at all. I just hear sound coming out but it does not match what I seeing on the big screen. I just hear mainly on the front of the stage.

The smoothness you hear is the result of the extra speakers - effectively as an effect through some part of the room, each "move" is a smaller increment so the change of speaker location is not as pronounced.

Very often those speakers are not used for panning effects but to provide extra ambience - you are inside a sub - you don't really notice it but it colors your impression. Just as a subwoofer does when its not thumping away doing dinosaurs and bombs.