How many speakers in your setup? - Page 13

I'm currently 7.1, looking at going 7.2. It would be easy to go to 11.2 in my HT if I feel the need. No plans for that yet.

I was configured for 7.1 with all the speakers in place, but had a 5.1 receiver. Upgraded to 7.1 and I can hear a difference. It was worth it.

Voted 7.1 as I've been running 7.1 since 2004, and I am at present happy with it. When I initially made the leap to 7.1 (mainly so I could enjoy games in full 7.1, Half-Life 2 being one of the best options at the time) I was living in a fair sized room that could accommodate. Unfortunately then a couple years later my family and I were forced to move and I ended up with a smaller room. Sure my setup may not be laid out the best (and I know this), but it's passable until I can get a larger room.

One thing I do notice is that all the haters are hatin' because the majority of movies today (sans the few recent exceptions that are Toy Story 3, Tron: Legacy, etc.) are in 5.1, but a sound system doesn't stop at just playing movies. A sound system is also great for games as well, and with the PS3 and a PC I am able to enjoy a large number of games in 7.1. I mean with the PC side you have pretty much every game released from Valve, plus there is other games and you can't forget about those that make use of EAX/OpenAL effects. With the PS3, I know a number of the console exclusives feature full 7.1 surround. So yes while people will say that in terms of movies there is a lacking of genuine 7.1 content (not 5.1 being remastered into 7.1) in terms of games there is plenty of content to go around, and believe me I enjoy it. Plus I just want to add that with games you a great sense of immersion. When the sound is done right in a game I can clearly hear the action from all angles, it's great.

To those who may be wondering, I'm only 23 and again I've been enjoying 7.1 since 2004 right around the time when it was announced that sound card manufacturers and PC game makers were coming together to now offer 7.1 sound.

My hearing has diminished so much and my wife hates wires so much, 2.1 music system and 2 channel system with the 55" LCD is all that we manage.

I wired my theater up for 7.1, but currently only have 5.1 speakers...one of these days I'll snag a couple of Paradigm Atoms for the two rear speakers and go the full 7.1, but I haven't done that for the last 10 years since I originally built my theater, so...

Heck, I've also got a couple pairs of Bass Shakers I've never hooked up in all that time either; I think I just collect equipment for the hell of it...

FRonts are Paradigm S8 and Polk SDA-SRS 1.2

Have 56 speaker drivers in the room includes 26 in the SDA-SRS front L&R.

Sides, rears are Paradigm Monitor 7. Sub is a Paradigm 2200.

A/V receiver is Marantz 8500, Blu-Ray Sony BDP-5000ES, Amp Bryston 4B-SST.

TV Samsung UN55B8500 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LED.

Both of my family's "theaters"/family rooms are 5.1 with the exception of mine which is 5.0

Upstairs in my Mom and Dad's are Tannoy speakers for the Left, Right, Surround Left and Surround Rights, a Dahlquist (before they went down the road of no return) center and a Klipsch speaker in a Sony Subwoofer case (amp inside is still a Sony Amp).

Downstairs in my "Domain" are Klipsch speakers for the Left, Right, Surround Left and Surround Rights, and a Sony center.

The upstairs setup blows mine away though.

7.1 and loving it.

A few people here have asked if there were movies that you've seen where 7.1 has made a difference. I must admit, most 7.1 movies don't really other than adding more ambiance sound. There are a few, however, that can make a poor movie better than decent or a decent movie unbelievable. Two prime examples are Bangkok Dangerous and The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian. After listening to these films, you're left wondering why all movies can't be THAT good.

6.1, with the potential to go as high as 7.2; whenever I get round to buying
another sub and center channel speaker

well he's never heard my system & he don;t want to admit there is better SQ out there after doing all that work

6.1 with a single rear channel. This is the sweet spot for me currently.

My system is based upon listening to vinyl. Anyone have any suggestions on how to graft a multi-channel system onto a 2 channel system without ANY additional processing or signal path when I listen in 2 channel mode?

I think most receivers have a selectable listening mode that will route the two channels of a stereo signal to just your left and right front speakers, sending nothing to any additional speakers you have. It might be called "pure". This is a theoretical answer, since it is not something I have ever wanted to try.

Technically I have a 6.1 setup (only my LOTR discs actually use it, but my receiver matrixes 5.1 tracks for it). Regardless, since this wasn't an option, I voted 5.1.

No need to go any higher than that in my living room (my only tv room), since as it is, my LR surround speakers are to the sides of my couch.

Another flick that totally utilizes the back surrounds in a 7.1 setup is 3:10 to Yuma. One of the best 7.1 mixes I've heard.

Yamaha calls that "Pure Direct". Turns everything off but what's needed to get the input signal to the speakers. 2ch input, two speakers driven. 5.1ch input, 5.1 channels driven. My Z11 even turns off the front display to eliminate any possible interference. I'm sure most receivers have something similar.

7.1 with front height, love ProLogic IIz.

I am set up for 7.1 although I voted Stereo because I find no use for surround. Setup here is all Hollow State (tubes) running Stromberg-Carlson 16wpc on the bass drivers and Steve Deckart Decware SET monoblocks on the horns. The sub is a Velodyne FSR-1800RII. The speakers are Klipsch KLF-20's using modified crossovers for HF->UHF transition and Actively crossed using a BSS 610 Active crossover. Fun Stuff. I can push 120 dB easily in this room on only 16 watts.

-Alan

I'm part of the small minority using 2.1. I live in an apartment that isn't very big, so no place to put 5.1. Additionally, I have shared walls (but noone below me), so I have to be a good neighbor and keep the volume and bass down anyway. However, my 2.1 altec lansing (haha i know) sounds really great for $100. Wife loves the setup.

Same here. Running my oooollllllddddd Baby advent bookshelfs as my rear surrounds. Will upgrade when they finally give out, like my front Infinity's finally did (or when there is more 7.1 content). I would like to compliment my Klipsch fronts and Infinity center channel (thru a Denon2310). If anyone knows of a good matched set for a budget-minded, not too discriminating videophile, link me up.

Actually 6.1 I didn't have enough mounting locations for 2 center back speakers.

7.0 with 2 back surrounds, will use 9.0 (heights) when my Denon AVP gets the DSX upgrade this fall/winter.
Sub(s) will come sometime next year.

Deck

I bought Rush Hour 3 as soon as I set up my first system

Why no category for 6.1?
I use 6.1 as, due to the shape and size of my theater room, my seating is basically against the back wall so the rears must be placed directly in the corners, to the sides of the seating, and there is no way to have them further behind. However, adding the center rear channel of 6.1 helps to anchor the sound behind you.
For purposes of the poll, I elected "7.1" assuming that it means "greater than 5.1."

2 separate 5.1 Setups One in the Bedroom, one in the Living room.

Plan is move into a house and do the following. Wife is hating when i mention the word speaker lately.

Living Room 7.1

Bedroom Soundbar (wife doesnt want cables in Bedroom)

Game/Kids room 5.1

Theater room 7.2

I can't take the poll because 6.1 is not an option. I bought a 5.1 setup in 2001 with an Integra AV receiver and Definitive Technology speakers. This receiver was stolen about two years later (bastards...), and I replaced it with the latest model, which now had 6.1 surround. I purchased one additional speaker for the sixth channel(which was tough to find because the manufacturer had switched from matte to piano black...) This second receiver began to fail after seven years (the relay that activates the amp that drives the center and rear center channels died - it is now being used to drive my outside speakers) and so I once again replaced it with the latest model Integra, which now has 7.1 surround. I don't have anywhere to place two rear center speakers, so the Integra combines the signal from both of those channels and sends it to the single rear center speaker.

7.4
4fronts 1center 4side surrounds 4rear surrounds 2 of which are powered towers, 4subs in front, also have two in ceiling speakers in bar which is part of but off to the side of the room. adding dts10 soon. 3 stereo amps one five channel amp and two switchers that are used to switch side and rear surround pre amp outs to stereo. room is 54ft long. bass shakers in seating. 106" screen w/sharp 12000 mkll projector. rocks but electric bills are high. also have two speakers in weight room and zone 2 speakers on patio. total speakers counting subs, 23.

5.2 in living room.

Well, keeping in the spirit of bass coming from the front speakers and not just a sub located in the front of the room.

I like bass come from all speaker points in 5.1 setup.

My set up is all towers except the center channel power by Pionner SC-35 (ICE amps).

Polk Audio RTi A9's (fronts) 3-way speakers with two 5.25 mids, three 7 inch woofers.

Polk Audio RTi A7's (rear) 3-way speakers with 6.5 mid, two 7 inch woofers.

Polk Audio CSi A6 (center) 2-way speaker with two 6.5 inch and silk dome tweet

Polk Audio DSW PRO 500 (10 inch)

That is ten 7 inch woofers and one 10 inch sub.

Plenty...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...postcount=2392

I think I will do dual subs because I got two unopened PSW111's setting in the basement.
I might also do some height speaker with some Polk Audio R150 I got setting around.

Don't know.

I used to have 7.1, but I couldn't hear the backs, so I used those speakers elsewhere. Now I wonder if the problem wasn't the matrixing, because all content was really 5.1, and I would notice an improvement with the release of real 7.1 content.

5.1 speakers here.

Using GR research 130X 5.25" XBL^2 woofers and RA104.5 ribbon tweeters. (similar to G2Si ribbon)

floorstanders in the front.. bookshelfs in the rear.

Using panasonic SA-XR25 to power them.

In my system I use a 2 channel pre amp that has HT Bypass. This way when i use my AVR i can send the equalized signal unaltered through it for surround sound but when i really want to get into 2 channel I only use my 2 channel preamp. I have an oppo bluray player that i send hdmi to my AVR for blurays but utilize the 7.1 but the unit also has stereo rca outs that i use to go directly to my 2 channel preamp. My 2 channel also has a phono preamp and turntable hooked up to it.

I did notice a difference from using any sort of 'pass through' 'direct' function on the avr as opposed to having a dedicated 2 channel pre amp. I found my 2 channel preamp to be superior. I hope this helps.

taam