Moving past 7.1(5.1) into 9.1(11.2) upgrade your HT room via AudysseyDSX / DolbyPL IIz / DTS Neo:X™

I'm sure many here have built their Dedicated Home Theater to 7.1 (or 5.1) surround sound, did nice job pre-routing the speaker wire's in wall for integrated look, and lived with it for a few years.

And now with Audyssey DSX and its competition Dolby Pro Logic IIz / DTS Neo:X™ in the market for a few years, some of you are like me and considering "upgrade" time.

Audyssey visual:


This visual from my Denon 4520CI manual, makes it easier to grasp all the 7.1/9.1/11.1 speaker layout.


Here is the DTS Neo:X™ visual:


Therefore this thread is for those that have already upgraded to Audyssey DSX or Dolby PL IIz / DTS Neo:X™, or plan to upgrade, and to post what they did or will do;
-decision methods used to determine which route to take; "wide" or "height" or both.
-hiding new un-planned speaker cables; I'm guessing most will not route thru walls rather try and hide them "creatively", so I'd like to see that
-hanging un-planned speakers; brackets used DIY vs already made ones
-While not focusing on the New AVR planning and buying phase, if also decision on Ext amp then location and integration of that into your already planned rack/media area
-Acoustic treatment considerations
-etc

and.....frank assessment of that...simply was it "worth it" :
-did the "experience" improve in your viewpoint, also your wife/sig/kids viewpoint

My HT, done in 2008, has 7.1 via Denon 4308CI, and now I'm shortly buying the new Denon 4520CI and going at least 9.1, possibly 11.1


There are threads on DSX and PL IIz / DTS Neo:X™ in the "Receivers, AMPs, and Processors forum" , so I don't want to duplicate those, rather add to them from the construction viewpoint then impressions captured also.
[edit 10/30]
I'll be posting my DSX questions in the "Official" Audyssey thread, http://www.avsforum.com/t/795421/official-audyssey-thread-faq-in-post-1/57240#post_22539710
[edit 11/25]
Denon 4520CI owners manual speaker layout visual added, info on DTS Neo:X added
Edited by mtbdudex - 11/27/12 at 9:32am

reserve 1;
As key info/stuff gets noted in this thread I'll re-post below for FAQ

J_P_A asked in post 8: Response post 19:

Demo material - so far I've gotten these recommendations:
A-DSX:
1) the attack scene from Pearl Harbor (especially the right to left fly by).
2) Ch. 2 of Wall*E where he's roaming the empty streets with background music (listen for the improved opening pan from LSurr to front).
3) Range also has a great rain scene that is very immersive.

DTS Neo:X
4) Expendables 2 which has a 7.1 mix specially optimised for DTS Neo:X 11.1. It is very impressive

[edit}
added demo material
Edited by mtbdudex - 1/13/13 at 6:31pm

I have the Denon 4520CI on order along with 2 pairs of bookshelf speakers to add to my 7.1 set-up, expect those within next 2 weeks.
My Emotiva XPA-3 | 200W x 3 amp will be delivered Wednesday Oct, 31.

Based on a facebook discussion with Chris @ Audyssey, I will be adding the wide speaker first, then the height speaker.
Edited by mtbdudex - 10/30/12 at 1:18am

Also had discussion with Chris related to DSX and HT acoustic treatments.

Please - don't take Chris comment to flame this thread on room reflections good or bad, I know he meant that within the context of my RFZ question in our facebook conversation.

Took today as vacation day, kids in school and later the Halloween thing with them.
Plus....I knew this was also arriving today
My 1st gear for this journey just arrived 30 minutes ago!


It's in the big box, the Emotiva XPA-3.
Time to re-locate gear in the rack, I'll wait till the 4520CI comes, hopefully within 2 weeks.
The XPA-3 will go up high, just below the 4520CI.
It will plug into my 20A Furman PS-Pro series II, which has delayed outlets.

Also a side project, basement audio related, I bought a used Valley Tiger slate top pool table 2 weeks ago, so had to move the zone2 audio to have stereo over that.
Doing it right now.


Heck - when this 11.x journey is done I might be game for another HEMI meet at my place, Spring 2013? 2 years since the last one.
Edited by mtbdudex - 12/30/12 at 10:17am

Good Q!
I've asked Chris - below - and will post his response:



Thx for feedback, I've placed the order for (2) pairs bookshelf monitors for my wide/height.
Will proceed with the wides first as phase1 of this project, and then as phase2 temporary put the heights there and see their increased impact.
If not percieved the incremental value I'll return them to my Brick& Mortar dealer (nice thing about working with local store) and stick with the wides only.

btw, you have to post a pict of your Emotiva stack, way cool (or a link to your build/etc that shows them)
Edited by mtbdudex - 12/30/12 at 10:17am

Feedback from Chris on the placement tolerances for DSX:
As key items are documented I'll capture them in the 2nd post as summary/FAQ.

Looks sweet to me!

Edited by mtbdudex - 12/30/12 at 10:18am

Nightlord is spot on with Chris's reply, I bold/highlight the pertinent info piece from Chris posted earlier: small bookshelves = Direct radiators
For mine, and keeping inline with my Paradigm speaker lineup, I went with the Mini-monitor, Height, Width, Depth = 13-1/2 in x 7-5/8 in x 10-1/2 in (34.3 cm x 19.4 cm x 26.5 cm)


There was a side-bar follow-up with added info in the fb page.
I'm going to follow the recommendations, and "experiment" with the toe-in cross position & the tilting - key is your speaker wall mount needs basic ability for aiming to dial them in.

Below is my HT layout, since I have 2 row's, I've found the toe-in for front R/L is actually 2nd row like show in the sketch - seat 6-7, and works very well for 1st row as well, there are no "holes" in my front sound stage.
As we all know here; multi-row Home Theaters have to consider tradeoff/balance; every seat is a "good seat", no seat is perfect/best seat...

So dialing in the wides/heights will be start with the recommendations, and tweak aiming from there......that could mean a lot of time! as re-running Audyssey set-up, then saving those to computer, then comparing, rinse/repeat, and pick "optimal" one...

(I have to add the wides/heights to the sketch, which is getting busy and has evolved from simple scale basement drawing overlay since first made in 2007, I just never got around to putting it into Google sketchup/other 3D program)

Edited by mtbdudex - 12/30/12 at 10:18am