Anyone heard an 11.2 channel setup in a house?

Is your theater room 20x40?

IF I was in your boat, I would run conduit (with pull cords) for everything, so you can upgrade speaker wires ect. Make sure to use long curve for 90's, as they can be a ****.

As far as the 11.2, seems like I remember that you can only run one or the other of the Extra Front "sensory" channels. I too would be more focused on a Primo 7.1 or 7.2 system, since Yami is the only AVR I have seen doing this, for now. We never know, it might also go the way of the HD-DVD...or the Dodo...
Plus how many DVD are setup for it anyway?

34 x27 is huge, I would do half of that in HT and the rest in like a bar area/wet bar. That would be my ideal setup if I was working with that much space. Maybe two/three rows seating and a nice PJ/Screen to boot.

I've owned previous generations (owned one, used a different one owned by a family member) of the Yamaha DSP systems over the years. They work really well in simulating a unique sound to an environment. In the end, though, I just kept using the Dolby setting for home theater, and one of the less 'specail' settings for music after the gimmick/newness wore off. That was before discrete surround (5.1/7.1) existed.

I am attracted to the 11.2 only because the effects channels go higher up than the typcical flattened plane setup of surround. In my opinion surround perfection would be when you could listen to nature sounds and it would come from all around and overhead just like being outside. Think of sitting in a country backyard near/within tall trees at night with no lights on and hearing the nightsongs of crickets, distant trains, a light breeze amongst the leaves. That sound comes from all directions except from within the ground underneath you. I've tried similar listening experiments on a golf course. Folks looked at me a little funny standing there with my eyes closed, but a great aural experiment none-the-less.

In the end, I think 11.2 would let me down on simulating real-world three dimensional sound. Because of that, I am putting a focus on a really well set up 7.1, so that I can recreate what the artists (=sound guys + director/producer) intended with near 100% accuracy.

Did you see a demo of the 11.2 setup in a store/shop? (you specifically asked for experience in a house - and that someone suggested the yamaha). Curious how close their unit works compared to what they create in the mind's eye (or ear, in this case).

Movtarget in NC

If your 2 years away from even STARTING construction, my suggestion would be, to wait until then. Alot can change in 2 years, as far as technology goes.
Hell, they could come out with a 13.4 avr! And with those dimensions, you're probably looking at 4 HUGE subs.

There are ACTUAL audio architechts. Get with your local builders assoc. and see who they got that specializes is building rooms for best acoustics. Then see where technology is when your ready to lay out the cash for equipt. and know by material , and lay-out of room will give you best possible sound regardless of what goodies you buy. That would be my suggestion.