7.1 HT under about 3k

Bruce, I see what you're getting at now. In the case of DPLIIx and/or Logic 7, I'm not quite sure what would be the best way of setting up the rear centers. I have a THX Ultra2 capable receiver so I set it up according to their directions. I tried having the rear centers spaced out, but found them better closer together (my receiver had auto calibration so there were different settings for different rear center distances). DPLII sounded find either way I think. But if the original poster is going to be listening to multichannel music, I think it makes more sense to have them spaced further apart.

"... My comment on not going 6.1/not placing rear speaker(s) in the center of the back wall was to avoid possible front to back image reversal. There are a lot of postings on this at avsforum." (Bruceomega)

For the record, as someone who does acoustics, I think anyone reading the above might be getting some mystical acoustical pheonominon worries here, that simply aren't going to happen in any real world scenarios! Basically, distances and delays in the system, acoustics in the room, recording mixes/delays are going to make what Bruceomega's infering a near impossibility, as a problem!
I've done hundreds of systems/installs over the years in 6.1 or more, and this is not an issue, trust me!
From gathering what Bruceomega is talking about, again, all the right varriables, elements, adjustments, acoustics, and recorded material would have to be in precise allignent to make you think you were hearing the back info in front, and the front info in back! You'd also likely have to not only have lousy acoustics (in which case, you can forget about good sound anyway), but you'd probably need to have the processor in your system set to "Concert Hall", er "Stadium" or whatever!!! Last I checked, most people doing discrete dd/DTS use very little additional DSP modes with their sound! It's already mixed as well as it needs mostly, if you do things right...you needn't even go there!
Anyway, as long as you have either some diffusion or absorption either on your back wall, side walls, or front, and preferably a combination of those, you'll never encounter any mystical problems like what's being infered above, I assure you.

Wow, lots of information in there. Unfortunately, I don't have a ton of choice as to speaker placement. I did try to follow the basic guidelines at one of the sites as best possible (can't remember which at the moment, may have been Dolby or THX or Crutchfield).

I just replaced a 5.1 system with a 7.1 system and I'd agree with the folks that say the 7.1 is a more involving experience; there just seems to be more sound enveloping you and better spacial positioning (maybe this is just my imagination, but it would seem to make some sense).

I don't really understand what flrnlamb is saying about using a HT proc with other audio equipment, can someone take a stab at how that gets setup for someone who's never done something like that (my only experience is with entry-level audiophile audio and HT, so very basic stuff). Is there some way to use the 7.1 proc for HT and regular 2 channel componentry when just listening to audio, somehow bypassing the HT stuff in order to feed the signal through higher quality audio components?

Thanks!

Flrnlamb,

Based on your experience, if one wants to expand beyond a 5.1 speaker array, do you recommend 6.1 or 7.1? I never tried 6.1. My comment on image reversal was based on postings at avs forum. I went directly from 5.1 to 7.1.

I did not try putting my rear speakers in a center rear position, but spread them out like the DPLIIx suggestion.

When I had a 5.1 speaker array, I placed my two surround speakers on the sides of the room like the Dolby Digital suggestion. In my room, I found the surround envelopment to be seriously lacking.

I then added two rear speakers, two additional channels of amplification, and used Logic 7 for the 7.1 speaker array and the surround envelopment was significantly improved.

Thanks
Bruce

Joncourage, I presume you're refering to the part about "looping" your 7.1 processor into an auxilary input, or bypass input, or whatever, on your 2 channel preamp?
Basically, you do just that, to keep your separate 2 channel system, well, separate, for 2 channel dubties.
It's simple...when you use your 2 channel setup, you keep things all connected as normal. The CD player, tuner, record player, whatever, all get plugged into the back of your existing 2 channel preamp. The pre-out's of your 2 channel pre connect to your amp, like normal...nothing different. However, for your 7.1 preamp/processor, you would connect the main L/R out's from that, into the above mentioned "auxilary" or "bypass" inputs(you could probably use a "tape-in" as well, I suppose) on your 2 channel preamp, just like that input was from another source.
You'd then connect all outher sources, like digital connections, to your 7.1 pre/processor, and connect all the "pre-out's" for the other channels(center, sides, rears, subs), to that 7.1 pre also, out to the other amp channels. Then, when you want to watch movies, you simply switch to the "auxilary"/"bypass" or whatever input on your 2 channel preamp, which plays through that preamp for L/R channel, and of course plays the other channels as normal from your 7.1. It's just that the main L/R channels is playing out of the 7.1 pre, into the 2 channel pre, and out to it's amps. You'd then set the 2 channel pre at like 12oclock(somewhere in the middle likely), and let those 2 channels play through. Then, when you listen to music from your 2 channel sources, you can simply switch off the 7.1, and use the 2 channel set up as normal.
Basically, you're using the 7.1 system as another input going to the 2 channel system!...only you're having to connect all the other channels to the 7.1 pre, as if the 2 channel pre isn't there. Do you get that? If not, someone can send you a diagram, I'm sure. Hope this helps