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Building from scratch... why not go 6.1 or 7.1?

As I know most of people are still settling with 5.1 set up for reasons such as lack of softwares etc.

However, with all the recent processors being 7.1, isn't it kind of waste just settling with 5.1, not trying 6.1/7.1? unless you have real small room.

Only extra is getting 7 channel amp instead of 5 channel and adding a couple of rear speakers. I can always add the rear speakers later but getting 7 channel instead of 5 channel should be decided in the beginning.

I know that 7.1 is not realy 7 discrete signals but matrixed and there are not much software and stuff... but if you especially build a system from scratch and getting those 7.1 processors with EX ES etc, isn't it worth getting it in the beginning - 7channel amp and a couple of rear speakrs?

The processors I'm considering are Anthem AVM-20, Bryston sp7.1, Aragon Stage One.

My room is about 16X17 and I'm thinkig about 6.1 set up with 7 channel amp and rotating the extra channel once in a while.

Is this good thinking?
eandylee
slappy
903 posts
 
Unfortunatly the room is not the best shape for that, I could pull the couch out, but it would really shove everything else in the middle of the livingroom.

I only have about 14ft from the front of the room to the back wall, TV and all that close the distance to about 12 feet, and the couch even agianst the wall leaves about 9 feet to the TV from the foot of the couch.

Later on, down the road im planning to build a rack into the wall and maybe then i could move the couch up a couple feet.

Before i bought this house i was renting one, and i had a 7.1 setup in the basement, and there was about 12 feet to the front wall from the couch and about 12 feet to the rear wall from the couch.
7.1 sounded bitchin in that room. :)

but i still like the new house better. :)
lej1447
117 posts
 
My pre/pro is 7.1 and my amp is 5-channel. My set up is 5.1 b/c all my speakers are full size. There is no room for 7.1.

If you have room for 7.1, do it. If not, why buy 7.1 now when 9.1 is starting to flood the market. The current issue of Sound & Vision depicts a picture of 11.2 setup. 2 mains, 2 centers, 2 sides, 2 surrounds, 2 center rears, and 2 subs. Wow! Just can't keep up.
mt10425
1,138 posts
 
The back two speakers in my 7.1 setup are on 14" stands with the speakers facing up toward the ceiling. I only need to move the reclining loveseat out into the room about 8-10" to accomodate the stand's base. Of course, not having the couch directly up against the back wall also helps with overall bass response. My room dimensions are approx. the same as Slappys'. My side surround speakers are a bit forward of the couch which spreads the sound between the side and back out so that localization of those speakers is reduced in the back corners. Considering the room size, it works fine.
nighthawk
259 posts
 
It's not likely you'll notice much difference in a room that size. I only have 4.1 (no center), with the surrounds in the rear corners on 30" stands, and surround effects are quite impressive. Seats are 3' from the rear wall and the room is about 14'x18.5'. If I had a larger room, I can see adding the surround back channels but in this room one pair of surrounds works fine.

BTW, for great surround effects, try Master and Commander. When scenes are shot below deck you can hear people walking on the deck above you. Also boat creaking noises from all directions. It's pretty cool.
lej1447
117 posts
 
Nighthawk is correct. The Master & Commander is considered a reference DVD by Sound&Vision magazine. With the proper surround setting, viewers can hear crew walking above them. In that movie, the director wanted to add less music and more sound so the viewers could feel as if they were on the ship. The canon sounds were from real recording, not digital affect. Sorry for the little sidetrack.
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