Going to 7.1-Channel Surround Sound

[admin]

Almost everyone loves surround sound, (except for an eccentric actor whom I know who actually prefers mono!) and what’s not to love? Our ears are on each side of our head, canted forward, but we hear sounds from every direction with almost equal precision. For that reason multi-channel sound reproduction is intrinsically more realistic and believable. But how many surround speakers are required to present a plausible illusion of the real thing?


Discuss "Going to 7.1-Channel Surround Sound" here. Read the article.

[RF2000]

for Axiom audio. The amount of people using more than 5.1 right now is miniscule, good luck selling more speakers.

[bandphan]

Once channels are discrete and not matrixed, and the room warrants, then yes I can see more moving towards it.

[gene]

I do prefer 7.1 (with surround backs) over 5.1 for one very good reason: PLIIx Music Mode. I think it sounds alot better than ordinary PLII in 5.1.

That being said, I also love front height channels but they are impractical in most rooms especially when your front speakers are already 6ft tall and you only have 8ft ceilings

[fredk]

Originally Posted by RF2000

for Axiom audio. The amount of people using more than 5.1 right now is miniscule, good luck selling more speakers.

Thats news to me and most others on the Axiom forums.

Which would you add first Gene, a sub, or rear surrounds?

[westcott]

One requirement for 7.1-channel surround is sufficient space behind your couch and listening area—at least 5 feet or more. If your couch is jammed up against the rear wall or you have a comparatively small room of less than about 2,100 cu. ft. (length x width x height), the addition of two rear surround speakers will not likely add significant improvements in envelopment,

Good point and one of the most overlooked part of most 7.1 setups.

Thanks for the article.

[Bryce_H]

I understand I am in a minority here, but how do things change with multiple rows of seats? Getting the "correct" degrees for the front row, puts the side surrounds in forward of my second row. Right now this is my arrangement as we (just my wife and I) are the predominate users of our home theater. Would going to 7.1 help for the second row by actually getting some sound behind the second row? I also struggled with the discrepancy between THX and Dobly in their recommendations. Oh, well.

[jostenmeat]

Originally Posted by Bryce_H

I understand I am in a minority here, but how do things change with multiple rows of seats? Getting the "correct" degrees for the front row, puts the side surrounds in forward of my second row. Right now this is my arrangement as we (just my wife and I) are the predominate users of our home theater. Would going to 7.1 help for the second row by actually getting some sound behind the second row? I also struggled with the discrepancy between THX and Dobly in their recommendations. Oh, well.

You could use redundant side surrounds, like theaters do. If you use a receiver, which has preouts, then add an amp for the second pair. Just remember to level match.

I recently switched to bipolar side surrounds for greater coverage, after reading an AH build that recommended it. I believe that there is improvement, but that it's subtle and not as profound as I was hoping.

There's not much you can do, otherwise. With multi-rows, there are a number of decisions that must be made, favoring either a compromise between them, or a preference for a particular row/spot. The rears are a good idea for, well, rear coverage, but of course the effect will be more pronounced for the rear row.

Since it's mostly just you and your wife, I think it's best to set it all up to provide the least compromise for your favorite seat. If you do use rears, and your favorite spot is front/center, when you calibrate the rears for this position, it will run too hot for the rear row. C'est la vie.

[Bryce_H]

Thanks - I have bipolars on the side now (Def Tech BPX's). I have considered the redundant side surrounds, but given it is mostly my wife and I could never justify the cost. The rear surrounds would potentially increase the experience for us. However there are so few true 7.1 movies out there and I currently can't decode the new audio formats anyway (Denon 3805), so maybe I will just hold out.

[Patrick_Wolf]

How could any audioholic object to having MORE speakers?!