5.1 or 7.1? Advice Please

wc97 · June 2009

Greetings All,

So, just got my Monitor50's delivered today (that NewEgg deal was great btw) and am about to go set them up to go along w/ my CS1 and PSW10 and htib rears. However, I am wondering if I should take my current fronts (nothing fancy, just some Phillips from a HTIB) and utilize the 7.1 feature of my receiver, or keep a 5.1 setup.

The room is basically 15' x 12' rectangle. Main listening position is about 11'6" back from the screen, with a wall about 2' behind that. My gut is telling me there isn't enough room behind the seats as it is (I'm debating moving seats forward), so 7.1 is probably not a good idea. But, thought I'd see what others have to say.

I suppose I could just set it up and see what I think, but thought I'd ask here before running more wires, etc.

Thanks all! I'm off to set up my new Monitors, pretty excited

wutadumsn23 · June 2009

I would go with your gut and just set it up in 5.1 for now, but like you said you can always put them up and see how it sound sin 7.1. I don't think you will gain much from the other 2 speakers (esp. since they are just leftovers and not timber matched to boot) but that is just my $.02. Also, what are you powering them with (AVR)? Good luck and congrats on the new purchase. Welcome to Club Polk.

nooshinjohn · June 2009

You don't have the room to run an effective 7.1 setup. I an dropping down to 5.1 as well for the same reasons

wc97 · June 2009

Thanks guys, I think I will pass on 7.1 right now. Maybe when I'm bored I'll try it out and see what I think.

Currently running an Onky TXSR -- umm -- I think 506, but can't remember now off the top of my head. Yeah, pretty sure it's the 506.

Next step is Monitor 30's or 40's for my rears, then I'm debating a new sub or rec, but think I'll wait and see how it all sounds. I do know it's going to be an upgrade over the ol' HTIB I'm replacing

Thnx again

nooshinjohn · June 2009

I have a set of TSi100 you can use for rears... They are the replacements for the m30's

mystik610 · June 2009

You're better off going with a two high quality surrounds for a 5.1 set up than four mediocre surrounds for a 7.1 setup. I dropped from a 7.1 with R15's to a 5.1 with FXi3's and they do a much better job of creating spacious surround sound without being overwhelmingly loud.

My room is 17 x 14.... similar dimensions as yours. 7.1 was rather pointless IMO. Very few sources support it, and I wasn't a fan of 5.1 channels matrixed to 7.1...it made the rears sound busier than they should, and they often drowned out my fronts.

wc97 · June 2009

Hey Nooshin,

Can't send a private message yet (not enough posts)... Mind PM'ing me how much you're asking for the TSi 100's? Thanks.

Just got done, man what an improvement over my old setup. Can't wait to watch a movie tonight! Thanks guys

Pycroft · June 2009

I agree with the above posters! Nothing wrong with 5.1, especially since I'm finding even the newest blu-ray's are only using 5.1, and not 7.1 (Not all but most). Also, if your receiver will allow it, you can use the two extra speaker spots to set up a second zone and run some speakers to another room to enjoy music in another spot. Just another option.

Pycroft

strife1013 · June 2009

wc97

Congrats on your new buy! It seems like many people are being turn onto Polk by the NewEgg sale, I know I was. I just bought a new 5.0 system and am using a old sub till I buy a new one (It's all in my sig) and I won't get them till friday so I'm kinda just holding off watching movies till than....man it feels like xmas time and I'm excited about every new morning that goes by till these babies arrive!

be83663 · June 2009

When you use 7.1 mode, you do get extra sound coming out the the rear surround speakers. There are two types of setting up for the 7.1 mode, THX mode and Dolby Digital mode. For THX mode, you put the two rear surround speakers right next to each other behind you, whereas for the Dolby Digital mode, you put them more distanced from each other as you would the front speakers. I tried the THX mode first, and did not like as much as the Dolby Digital mode that I tried later. I have Onkyo pre-amplifier, and use its Dolby Digital EX mode for watching 5.1 encoded Blu-Ray or DVD movies. And I can hear that in 5.1 mode, in Pure mode for example, I am definitely missing sound from the rear portion of the listening areas, whereas in 7.1 mode, I am more enveloped by sound including the ones coming out of the rear surround speakers. I do notice the difference between 5.1 and 7.1 modes.
Nowadays, Dolby Digital Laboratory is coming out with Pro Logic IIz that is 9.1 mode that includes an extra pair of front speakers located vertically upward of the regular front speakers, for an extra surround effects.
My living room is rather large, about 20 feet by 18 feet by 10 feet. I guess the large size of my movie viewing area makes the difference that I hear between 5.1 and 7.1 modes. If it were much smaller, I would not hear that much of a difference between the two modes, because the sound would be bouncing all across the nearby walls to give the needed enveloping effect the way the surround bar does.

double d · June 2009

A lot of people think 7.1 is not necessary because most bluray dics are not in 7.1 anyways. I think in a larger room they it would be ok if you have the proper setup of the speakers.

5.1 or 7.1? Advice Please

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