9 channels vs 11 channels

[Lilmo6868]

Is it worth splurging on the 11 channels. I've been soaking up as much knowledge to past week as I can and now I'm stuck on a 9 speaker system or should I splurge on an 11 speaker system. The Denon 6300 is really looking good right now..
Will the ear really distinguished the difference?

 

[everettT]

Is it worth splurging on the 11 channels. I've been soaking up as much knowledge to past week as I can and now I'm stuck on a 9 speaker system or should I splurge on an 11 speaker system. The Denon 6300 is really looking good right now..
Will the ear really distinguished the difference?

Depends on your room, but if I were to do either of those, I'd look at separates. Can't imagine that will provide a long term service free life with all that cramed in a case with all of the other goodies

 

[Lilmo6868]

It's an 18 foot by 22 foot room.
I understand that this is merely a preference thing but these message boards are for Gathering opinions so I'm just looking for everybody's preference

 

[everettT]

It's an 18 foot by 22 foot room.
I understand that this is merely a preference thing but these message boards are for Gathering opinions so I'm just looking for everybody's preference

I think you will find very few that broach 11 channels, a few 9. Most have 5.x.x as the rooms are not dedicated.

 

[lovinthehd]

Is it worth splurging on the 11 channels. I've been soaking up as much knowledge to past week as I can and now I'm stuck on a 9 speaker system or should I splurge on an 11 speaker system. The Denon 6300 is really looking good right now..
Will the ear really distinguished the difference?

Someday I will add another pair of speakers and amp for an 11.4 speaker set, but haven't gotten around to it. I doubt there will be a huge difference as a result, though. Even with 9 amps and all that other stuff in the avr it works fine (Denon 4520)

 

[Bucknekked]

Is it worth splurging on the 11 channels. I've been soaking up as much knowledge to past week as I can and now I'm stuck on a 9 speaker system or should I splurge on an 11 speaker system. The Denon 6300 is really looking good right now..
Will the ear really distinguished the difference?

Lilmo6868
You are correct : most of what you will read here is opinion and responses to questions asking for an informed opinion. You are miles ahead if you can remember that simple idea when on the forum hunt.

My opinion (see how I worked that in there) would be to buy and install what you really want to do. If your heart is set on the biggest, baddest HT setup possible: splurge for the 11 channel stuff. If you already feel fulfilled at 9 channels and are just curious: you may be able to save yourself some cash for a different purchase. I don't think the difference between 9 channels and 11 channels will be a difference maker in most rooms and with most movies.

For some hobbyists, the hobby is collecting hardware and gadgets and top of the line equipment. For others its the movies themselves or the music and the hardware just enables that. I'm in it for the music, so I don't tend to favor buying all the latest gear. But, I get that others feel very differently.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do.

 

[2channel lover]

Lilmo6868
You are correct : most of what you will read here is opinion and responses to questions asking for an informed opinion. You are miles ahead if you can remember that simple idea when on the forum hunt.

My opinion (see how I worked that in there) would be to buy and install what you really want to do. If your heart is set on the biggest, baddest HT setup possible: splurge for the 11 channel stuff. If you already feel fulfilled at 9 channels and are just curious: you may be able to save yourself some cash for a different purchase. I don't think the difference between 9 channels and 11 channels will be a difference maker in most rooms and with most movies.

For some hobbyists, the hobby is collecting hardware and gadgets and top of the line equipment. For others its the movies themselves or the music and the hardware just enables that. I'm in it for the music, so I don't tend to favor buying all the latest gear. But, I get that others feel very differently.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do.

Agree 100% At the end of the day it's your hobby.

Been meaning to ask...Are your Salks in yet bro?

 

[Bucknekked]

Agree 100% At the end of the day it's your hobby.

Been meaning to ask...Are your Salks in yet bro?

Sadly, not yet.
But they are in final build and test.
Hopefully that means in another week or so they should be in a shipping container.
Salk Sound has a build progress monitor so you can track your progress. Its really a psychological self torture device. I am trying to wait patiently. I am faili ng.....

 

[2channel lover]

Sadly, not yet.
But they are in final build and test.
Hopefully that means in another week or so they should be in a shipping container.
Salk Sound has a build progress monitor so you can track your progress. Its really a psychological self torture device. I am trying to wait patiently. I am faili ng.....

Don't want to hijack the OP's thread, but good to hear on the progress.

So true on the torture. I ordered a pr of Salk mains and a Ctr on 5/30 and said I wasn't going to look until June 30...that in itself is some form of torture. He did say he was running 120 days give or take a week so if I have them before Thanksgiving...I'm good.

 

[2channel lover]

Is it worth splurging on the 11 channels. I've been soaking up as much knowledge to past week as I can and now I'm stuck on a 9 speaker system or should I splurge on an 11 speaker system. The Denon 6300 is really looking good right now..
Will the ear really distinguished the difference?

Not really sure what config you are looking to set up, but I have to assume some are Atmos.

5.2.4 sounds intriguing to me, but I agree with everettT, that's a pretty big AVR. I might go separates too. In either case, make sure you invest in a good cooling fan if you plan on running it a lot.

 

[Bucknekked]

Don't want to hijack the OP's thread, but good to hear on the progress.

So true on the torture. I ordered a pr of Salk mains and a Ctr on 5/30 and said I wasn't going to look until June 30...that in itself is some form of torture. He did say he was running 120 days give or take a week so if I have them before Thanksgiving...I'm good.

I ordered mine on February 2nd. You can do the math. It will cause me pain if I count the days, or, months. I am assured by many owners its a right of passage to endure the wait without complaint. I am trying to keep a smile on my face.

Welcome to the club. Its gonna be awesome

 

[Bucknekked]

I ordered mine on February 2nd. You can do the math. It will cause me pain if I count the days, or, months. I am assured by many owners its a right of passage to endure the wait without complaint. I am trying to keep a smile on my face.

Welcome to the club. Its gonna be awesome

I just spent some time on the Salk owners thread on the Salk website, the one where they post pictures of the Salks inside the owners own homes. All I gotta say is, I don't make enough money to spend a lot of time on that website. I thought I was spending a lot for the Songtowers. I am obviously at the low end of their customer spectrum. The pictures are awesome however. I look forward to joining in.

 

[2channel lover]

I just spent some time on the Salk owners thread on the Salk website, the one where they post pictures of the Salks inside the owners own homes. All I gotta say is, I don't make enough money to spend a lot of time on that website. I thought I was spending a lot for the Songtowers. I am obviously at the low end of their customer spectrum. The pictures are awesome however. I look forward to joining in.

I've seen that forum...never really spent much time on it but I do know people are spending some serious cash on Salks.

STs...seems like the ones that won a lot of awards early on if I remember...nice. At least you're looking at the end of the tunnel.

I ordered the Song3-A

 

[Audiosaur]

It's an 18 foot by 22 foot room.
I understand that this is merely a preference thing but these message boards are for Gathering opinions so I'm just looking for everybody's preference

If you want 4 Atmos channels, you're in for at least a 9 CH. So the question is those back surrounds. Room size has something to do with it but furniture configuration does also. You need at least 5 feet between your LP and the backs in order to differentiate those sounds from the surrounds.

My room is smaller than yours - far too small to consider anything more than 5.2.4. 11 CH just might work for you, though.

 

[herbu]

Is it worth splurging on the 11 channels.

Nope.
There is little/no source material in 11 channels. That means your AVR will artificially create it. Kinda like playing stereo music in surround.

There is little content in movies that happens overhead. A 7.x system has rear speakers. Lots of us have that. And there is little sound from them, even in 7.1 movies. I suspect there is even less... much less... sound that comes from above. I mean, how often is there rain on the roof or a plane passing overhead whose sound is significant in a movie?

You're asking about 11 vs 9 channels. There is a much more vigorous debate about 5 vs 7 channels. Many audiophiles with adequate resources still prefer 5.x, and will tell you to put all extra $ into speakers. An 11 vs 9 debate is pretty far into the theoretical realm for most of us... at least for me.

 

[Lilmo6868]

Lilmo6868
You are correct : most of what you will read here is opinion and responses to questions asking for an informed opinion. You are miles ahead if you can remember that simple idea when on the forum hunt.

My opinion (see how I worked that in there) would be to buy and install what you really want to do. If your heart is set on the biggest, baddest HT setup possible: splurge for the 11 channel stuff. If you already feel fulfilled at 9 channels and are just curious: you may be able to save yourself some cash for a different purchase. I don't think the difference between 9 channels and 11 channels will be a difference maker in most rooms and with most movies.

For some hobbyists, the hobby is collecting hardware and gadgets and top of the line equipment. For others its the movies themselves or the music and the hardware just enables that. I'm in it for the music, so I don't tend to favor buying all the latest gear. But, I get that others feel very differently.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do.

Thank you so much for that ..is hard to find these days good honest opinions

 

[Lilmo6868]

Not really sure what config you are looking to set up, but I have to assume some are Atmos.

5.2.4 sounds intriguing to me, but I agree with everettT, that's a pretty big AVR. I might go separates too. In either case, make sure you invest in a good cooling fan if you plan on running it a lot.

The Denon 6300 says that it has to fans built in it. I will only be watching movies with it 2 hours at a time. That's the only time the receiver will ever get used is a movie here in there. Thank you for the input.

 

[Lilmo6868]

Nope.
There is little/no source material in 11 channels. That means your AVR will artificially create it. Kinda like playing stereo music in surround.

There is little content in movies that happens overhead. A 7.x system has rear speakers. Lots of us have that. And there is little sound from them, even in 7.1 movies. I suspect there is even less... much less... sound that comes from above. I mean, how often is there rain on the roof or a plane passing overhead whose sound is significant in a movie?

You're asking about 11 vs 9 channels. There is a much more vigorous debate about 5 vs 7 channels. Many audiophiles with adequate resources still prefer 5.x, and will tell you to put all extra $ into speakers. An 11 vs 9 debate is pretty far into the theoretical realm for most of us... at least for me.

Thanks for the input. I've had a great Harman Kardon for about 8 years now. Been extremely pleased with it. But it has no HDMI. It's time to upgrade and like a lot of people well I guess like a lot of people I try and do as much research as I possibly can. I do not want to have to buy another receiver for many many years. That's why I'm leaning towards the 6300. I don't really watch a lot of movies and that's all it would be used for my room is not real big and I got some decent Paradigm speakers so maybe I won't be stressing it too hard just watching a movie every now and then. If the 11 channels is going to be a thing of the future than hey I'll be ready LOL I do want to set up an Atmos setup though

 

[shadyJ]

Nope.
There is little/no source material in 11 channels. That means your AVR will artificially create it. Kinda like playing stereo music in surround.

There is little content in movies that happens overhead. A 7.x system has rear speakers. Lots of us have that. And there is little sound from them, even in 7.1 movies. I suspect there is even less... much less... sound that comes from above. I mean, how often is there rain on the roof or a plane passing overhead whose sound is significant in a movie?

You're asking about 11 vs 9 channels. There is a much more vigorous debate about 5 vs 7 channels. Many audiophiles with adequate resources still prefer 5.x, and will tell you to put all extra $ into speakers. An 11 vs 9 debate is pretty far into the theoretical realm for most of us... at least for me.

In Atmos and DTS:X sound mixes, there is content for 11 channels (and beyond), so the AVR merely reproduces it, not generates it from some kind of matrixed processing.