Which 7.1 speaker channels to add?

[ahblaza]

I have been renting a lot of BD's lately and noticed three of the four disc's rented offered 7.1 audio. I'm thinking of adding an additional pair of speakers, which in your opinion would impress me more: front highs, wides or rears. I have the room for all three as my LR is 15' X 27' X 8'. Thanks guys for the input, I am curious as to what you would choose if any, and of course why your choice. Thanks.
Cheers Jeff

 

[Adam]

...which in your opinion would impress me more: front highs, wides or rears.

Tough call between front highs and rears, and sometimes wides are nice, too. Can't really say in terms of audio, though.

 

[3db]

As long as you don't end up with....

 

[zieglj01]

I have been renting a lot of BD's lately and noticed three of the four disc's rented offered 7.1 audio. I'm thinking of adding an additional pair of speakers, which in your opinion would impress me more: front highs, wides or rears.

So you are getting more caught up in artificial sound quality?

What impresses me more, seperate from the front three, is having the surround channels to
match/balance, and not mixing them up - I see your sides and rears are two different brands.

If I was to add, I would think about the wides - I do not get excited about bullets flying past
my head.

 

[templemaners]

Provided that I had room behind me, I would go with rears first. I like the idea of being surrounded by sound, plus it won't be matrixed out like it would for heights and wides.

2nd choice, assuming my ceiling was tall enough (over 8 ft) would be front heights to extend the sound vertically.

Last choice would be wides, since I think they could be hard to place correctly between your surrounds and fronts. Plus, they seem a bit redundant to me...

 

[ahblaza]

Tough call between front highs and rears, and sometimes wides are nice, too. Can't really say in terms of audio, though.

Thanks Adam, very helpful, I really am convinced now

 

[ahblaza]

So you are getting more caught up in artificial sound quality?

What impresses me more, seperate from the front three, is having the surround channels to
match/balance, and not mixing them up - I see your sides and rears are two different brands.

If I was to add, I would think about the wides - I do not get excited about bullets flying past
my head.

Very observant Jim, I don't have the BS41's hooked up, I don't know why I put that in my sig. I am quite impressed with the front three and matching sides and will (if I decide to go artificial) with matching A1b's. Thanks for the heads up. What will the wides in your opinion do, open up or expand the front stage, seriously?
AI Man

 

[ahblaza]

Very observant Jim, I don't have the BS41's hooked up, I don't know why I put that in my sig. I am quite impressed with the front three and matching sides and will (if I decide to go artificial) with matching A1b's. Thanks for the heads up. What will the wides in your opinion do, open up or expand the front stage, seriously?
AI Man

Jim, do you really think the BS41 used as rears would be detrimental since they are not matched like the rest of my setup?

 

[panteragstk]

Since I have a 7.1 system with the same capability so I'll add my $.02. I have had mine in the back config for some time, and before I got my 809 I just ran 5.1. For movies I don't really notice the back channels. The sides are noticeable but the back is not really there all that much. I want to try the wide and height channels soon, but need to get more wire before I can. Games are where the back channels come into play quite a bit, so I do want to keep them for that.

I would try them all, and keep what you think sounds best. It's too bad that our receivers won't use the pre-outs to output more than 7.1. Oh well.

 

[j_garcia]

When I moved to the apartment (downsizing) from the house, I was 3.1 for quite a while and I almost didn't even miss the surrounds. Now that I have them back, I enjoy them, but I could definitely live without them. Since you have speakers you can try it out with, try it and see if you like it. I personally found it to fill in the rear well in my large room (6.1), but not enough to miss it when I moved back to 5.1 and then 3.1.

Surrounds are less critical, so it won't hurt anything to try it.

 

[zieglj01]

Very observant Jim, I don't have the BS41's hooked up, I don't know why I put that in my sig. I am quite impressed with the front three and matching sides and will (if I decide to go artificial) with matching A1b's. Thanks for the heads up. What will the wides in your opinion do, open up or expand the front stage, seriously?

For me 7.1 would be max, using sides and rears - if you have good speakers with good off axis response, then you should have good results.

For me wides, would be expanding the front wrap around stage - if going 7.1 with no extras, then I prefer sides and rear.

 

[zieglj01]

Jim, do you really think the BS41 used as rears would be detrimental since they are not matched like the rest of my setup?

My main concern if mainly HT and not surround music - is matching the fronts.
If using a different brand for surrounds and rear, then I prefer to match those
4 speakers. My nit-picking ears, would tend to pick up differences between side
and rears. I would do ARX for side and surrounds or 2 pair of the Pioneer BS22,
since they have a better tweeter and waveguide over the phase (1) speakers.

 

[Adam]

Thanks Adam, very helpful, I really am convinced now

Sorry, Jeff. Just a joke about liking women. Never should have tried that here.

 

[Bryceo]

This is a verey tough question I usked myself when I added on I went with wide rears,
i also playd around with fronts that scarred me a little rear heights are dangerous, they scare people

 

[psbfan9]

I have been renting a lot of BD's lately and noticed three of the four disc's rented offered 7.1 audio. I'm thinking of adding an additional pair of speakers, which in your opinion would impress me more: front highs, wides or rears. I have the room for all three as my LR is 15' X 27' X 8'. Thanks guys for the input, I am curious as to what you would choose if any, and of course why your choice. Thanks.
Cheers Jeff

Thanks for asking this question. Since my PSB's aren't selling, I figured I may as well add them to my main system. I'll be interested in knowing which set up you used.

 

[ahblaza]

Thanks for asking this question. Since my PSB's aren't selling, I figured I may as well add them to my main system. I'll be interested in knowing which set up you used.[

You're quite welcome my friend, I decided to go with rear (backs) and also the same brand and model of my sides (ARX A1b's), I haven't decided yet if I will put them on stands (have (built) stands) which would place the rear speaks about 1 and a 1/2 feet above ear level, also contemplating ceiling mounting, so as 3db once said, I don't have to move them when I vacuum . I also liked that hanging basket from the ceiling look, instead of a basket put the speaker in it.
Cheers Jeff

 

[lsiberian]

When selecting speakers matching is not necessary when they hit the ear at different angles. Surrounds, Rears and Fronts can all be different. However I still like to match all the surrounds. 7.1 definitely gives a better cloud effect than 5.1 for me.

 

[ahblaza]

Sorry, Jeff. Just a joke about liking women. Never should have tried that here.

Adam my man, no malice taken my friend, I was also joking about how helpful your post was, it really helped my decide.