7.1 Setup with Sofa to Back Wall... Do-able?

[Johnny Zee]

Hi Guys,

I have a question for the group and I'm looking for confirmation...

Right now, my fronts are Axiom, M60's and a VP 150, and my surround speakers are Cambridge soundworks di/bipole and they are mounted high and at the sides of the listening position. The 5.1 setup is very good, but I want to try and go 7.1.

Now I have an older pair of Cambridge soundworks surround II's that I had before in a smaller room, and I was wondering if I add them on the back wall if that will help with envelopment. Also because the sofa is on the back wall will it help?

I also found a document on the web on how to properly position the dipoles for proper back wall 7.1 setup.

Do you think I should do this or stick to 5.1?

Also my receiver is an older Pioneer Elite 54TX that has 7.1 output including THX surround EX.

Thanks, and keep me posted.

 

[Exit]

The wider your back wall is the more you stand to benefit from 7.1. I have got my side surrounds on my back wall at 6 feet high and I can hear the output fine and my couch is against the back wall. On my wall I just didn't have the room to add more speakers. If you are wondering about trying 7.1, you could rig up a temporary setup with speakers on boxes or something and wires over your floor just to see how it sounds before you feed wire in the walls and make mounting holes.

 

[Penny]

6.1 might be more advantageous, using a bi-polar speaker centered with the couch.

 

[gliz]

If your sofa is smack against the wall, I am gonna say "no" I heard this topic on AV rant

 

[Jack Hammer]

If you can pull your couch about a half to full foot away from the wall, you can put the speakers on the floor behind the couch firing up. Like Exit said, you can lay the wiring on the floor to see how it sounds and if you like it or not. Thats a pretty fast way to test something.

Jack

 

[Johnny Zee]

Thanks for the info everyone,

It looks like I should stick to 5.1 and keep it as is. When I get time I may try it out as a test but overall the feeling I'm getting and the feedback is to stick to 5.1.

 

[Geno]

I sit against my back wall, too, and have my rear surrounds in the ceiling, with the side surrounds slightly above and forward of the seating area. To be honest, the rear surrounds just don't add much to the "envelopment" effect.

 

[fmw]

Thanks for the info everyone,

It looks like I should stick to 5.1 and keep it as is. When I get time I may try it out as a test but overall the feeling I'm getting and the feedback is to stick to 5.1.

That's the right answer, I think. The purpose of rear surrounds is to be to the rear, not overhead. I have about 4 feet between the sofa and windows behind it and I've never had the slightest inclination to put two more surround channels. My wife is happy because should wouldn't like a pair speakers against a picture window. I've always felt that there was no reason for anyone to go beyond 5 channels. I'll say the same thing when 10 channels are the norm.

 

[armaraas]

I would say it doesn't hurt to experiment, mainly because I am wondering the same thing myself. I have a couch about a foot off the wall, and my thought was to pull the couch out a bit more, and put speakers behind it pointing upwards as Jack Hammer suggested. That would keep the speakers from firing right into your head, but might still add something to the surround effects.
I would try to keep them a few feet off ground though. I had to do something similar with my center channel speaker until I got a decent stand, had it on the ground pointing up towards the tv. It worked surprisingly well, no sync or localization issues that were obvious to me.

I do not have an extra set of speakers yet, hence why I'm encouraging you to try it first...

Curious, what did you have before the M60s? Just wondering if you had a full set of Cambridge. I have Cambridge SW Tower II's for fronts, CSW center, and CSW surround 5.1's. I'm planning on trying some Axiom's and Aperion's later this summer for a potential upgrade.

 

[dssmith999]

I am about 2 feet from the back wall. I switched off the back surround and the sound seems to be better or at least as good, you know how placibo works. I will have to give this one some thought mabe I dont need 7.1 after all?

 

[Johnny Zee]

armaraas,

I'm planning on testing it, but I need to buy some more speaker cable. Also moving the couch out is not a really good idea, the main goal for my basement HT was room for the kids to play and second is the HT. So by having the couch back it maxs out the room for the kids to run around and have a good time, but at the same time have a kickass HT. So far all of that has worked out really well, but 7.1 just maybe out of the cards. BTW, I have had the Basement HT now for 4 years in 5.1 and it's been fine, I was just wondering about 7.1. Now with much more space on Blu-Ray, I can see much more movies going to 7.1. I'm already slowly starting to see it.

As for my speakers, ther first speakers I bought where the CSW Surround II's and then I bought Infinity reference 2000's for the fronts. Back then I was building everything slowing before I bought a home and got married. It seems like I have been upgrading ever since. But I stopped when 3 years ago, when I replaced the old speakers with the Axiom speakers and the larger CSW surrounds. At which point, I felt that I reached my goal. I just love the sound.

Alas, Now I'm toying with 7.1 or maybe a new amp.