hook ups surrounds vs rear back surrounds

[mike08]

I have a 5.1 setup with a denon 7.1 reciever 2307.My surrounds are adp 390 paradigm monitor series(newly upgraded from the 190s).I hooked them up to just surrounds not surrounds back speakers(rears).Will that make a difference? (i watch alot movies and play music) Also my couch is against the back wall.

 

[the grunt]

Mike, you have them hooked up correctly for 5.1. The surround back speakers are for 7.1 which probably won’t benefit you much if your couch is up against the back wall as there wouldn‘t be much room for the rear speakers to produce a convincing rear sound field.

Cheers,
Dean

 

[Jack Hammer]

I've got a 7.2 setup and on the few movies it makes a difference, the difference the rear surrounds make is very noticeable. That said, for most movies I watch I've found the difference nice but not very dramatic. If you have room for the speakers then they can make a very nice difference. But in a small room where the couch is up against the wall, it might not be worth it. (btw, If you want to experiment, you can place the rear surrounds on the floor behind the couch firing up. Try to leave a little space between the wall and couch).

Jack

 

[Exit]

The speakers should be hooked up to the side channels in a 5.1 setup. I concur with the others on the two rear channels for a 7.1 setup. I don't know what your speakers are but if they are direct radiators (conventional speakers) you could allways use them as the back wall speakers in 7.1 setup. You could then add indirect radiators (bipoles,, dipoles etc.) to the sidewalls to make it so the sound seems to be comming from a broad area of the side walls.