and does the ps3 handle it well?

also, i'm considering two extra speakers, but not if some of the opinions don't feel that it's worth it. i have a couple of blurays that have 7.1 but i'm yet to experience it

your thought:)

The PS3 handles it perfectly, and is the only console to support it.

To me it well worth it, as it adds more immersion, make sure the 2 extra speakers you get are a match with your current speakers.

Its very cool, I have to agree. Not all games have it, but its cool when they do. Even matrixed 7.1 can be very good at times.

its very cool, i have to agree. Not all games have it, but its cool when they do. Even matrixed 7.1 can be very good at times.

+1

Yes, it makes a big difference.

7.1 is great! With 7.1 receivers being mainstream, it is a shame that the xbox360 does not support it.

I would have to say it depends on the size of the room. I have a relatively small room that I game in, and didn't notice any major difference at all between 5.1 and 7.1 I think in a bigger room, it would make a pretty significant difference though. (For reference, my room is about 8'x10'

the further behind you you can place the back speakers the better it will be

my current living room is 20' long...i sit about 8' from the tv/front/centre and 12" form the rears and its incredible. the immersion is awesome. as was mentioned, even matrixed stuff with pl2x sounds amazing. it is very room dependent though, as this is the 3rd setup ive had with the same gear and its never sounded this good before

I'll say this, I think "true" 7.1 is a bit overrated. Why? Well, to be totally honest, the best sound I have heard in any game was from Bioshock for the Xbox 360. This was the regular 5.1 Dolby Digital. My receiver would take this 5.1 Dolby Digital signal, and matrix it to 7.1, and it sounded incredible. Even a tiny bit better than stuff like Uncharted in "true" 7.1.

Now, if you consider the facts, that shouldn't be the case. Uncharted or Resistance or another "true" 7.1 game should theoretically kill something like Bioshock which is just 5.1. But the truth of the matter is that sound design still trumps all this technological babble. Bioshock's sound design is simply superior to any game I've had the pleasure of playing so far. Don't get it twisted, Uncharted is DAMN CLOSE. Some of the sound effects in Uncharted are absolutely amazing, but I still have to give a slight edge to Bioshock which is actually a 5.1 game. I think a game like Crackdown could also give alot of these so called "true" 7.1 games a run for their money.


Despite all of this, I still think a 7.1 setup is a good idea in a large room. Reason being, as long as you can matrix 5.1 sources to 7.1 via Dolby Pro Logic IIx, then you're pretty much golden. If you have a small room or your normal sized living room, and especially if your sofa is backed up against the wall, and you can't put the rear surrounds a good 6 feet behind your listening position, then the 7.1 is probably wasted.