[zikronix]

i have an avr 254 i picked up...the idea was that i was gonna do 7.1 and then go use zone two to wire 3 speakers in parallel. but then i realized that wouldnt work so im reverting to 5.1.


is it really gonna make that much of a difference. i guess i could do 6.1 too.

 

[zikronix]

i think ive answered my own questions...as that i am not going to really notice a difference in my situation.

 

[gooki]

And when you consider of 90% of films are still mixed on 5.1 not 7.1 there's not a lot your missing by sticking with 5.1.

 

[snpanago]

On the other hand, DPLIIx, for one, does an excellent job in providing rear channel effects from 5.1 source material. If the room layout allows, 7.1 can be appreciably more enveloping.

 

[localnet]

First, if you want 7.1, you need a room that can handle it, most do not have such a room. And as someone else said, ain't much out there in 7.1. Save your money on the extra speakers and upgrade, either your speakers or sink it into a second sub. I would much rather have a two sub 5.2 setup any day over a 7.1.


Mike

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by zikronix /forum/post/16831495


is it really gonna make that much of a difference

Depends. Can you tell the difference between sound coming from behind you vs sound coming from your left or right side?

 

[zikronix]

yea i could tell a difference but my rooom wont really accomdate 7.1

 

[aquaphile]



Quote:
Originally Posted by zikronix /forum/post/16833327


yea i could tell a difference but my rooom wont really accomdate 7.1

just go with what the room will let you. thats really what it all comes down to. in my apt, i only have a 3.1 because of layout/room issues


as said before, use the extra $$$ for better speakers, better sub(s), or acoustsic treatments, or any of the little extra costs that are often overlooked

 

[SoundChex]

Here are some posts I made recently on this topic in another thread...

Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundChex /forum/post/16817507

Quote:
Originally Posted by DogEarz /forum/post/16806756

Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundChex /forum/post/16804692

Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundChex /forum/post/16798556


I have an 11' x 11' home office in which I run a 6.1 plus 2x Yamaha Front Presence speaker config. I get very different results from the 5.1, 6.1, and 5.1 plus Presence playback configurations. I use all direct speakers, but you might [also] consider bipole/dipole, or co-located Lb/Rb configurations before you totally dismiss a 7.1 setup.

I'm sitting here [in my 11' x 11' home office] listening to "Remember That Night/ David Gilmour/ Live At The Royal Albert Hall" DVD in DD5.1+DPLIIxMusic and I can clearly distinguish audience applause from each of the Ls/Cs/Rs speakers individually.


[Mains: 2x Yamaha AST-S1; Center, Ls, Cs, Rs, Front_Presence(2): 6x Polk R15; Sub: Infinity TSS-450SUB.]

Yeah, but are you sitting against the back wall? That's the main concern with the OP's situation. For the OP to get the most from 7.1, they need space behind them to really get any advantage.

Since you ask, and just to see, I played the first cannon engagement from "Master and Commander" [SD, dts5.1] and sat under the center surround while I cycled the receiver through dts5.1 [i.e., no post processing], and three available post processing surround options: dts-ES(matrix), dts+DolbyEX, and dts+DPLIIxMusic. There was a "noticeably fuller" rear surround field when any surround post processing was engaged... [Cannon balls overhead!!!

]

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by zikronix /forum/post/16833327


yea i could tell a difference

Then that answers your original question.

Quote:
but my rooom wont really accomdate 7.1

First you said you weren't doing 7.1 because it wouldn't let you have a Zone2 set-up. Then you said you weren't doing 7.1 because you wouldn't notice the difference. Now it's because your room won't accomodate 7.1.


If you don't want to do 7.1, then don't. Nobody is trying to talk you into it (at least not in this thread). No need to keep coming up with new excuses.

 

[ccotenj]



Quote:
Originally Posted by zikronix /forum/post/16833327


yea i could tell a difference but my rooom wont really accomdate 7.1

i once thought my room wouldn't either... but with a lot of careful and patient thought, i was able to configure it correctly...


imo, it was worth the effort... ymmv....

 

[zikronix]



Quote:
Originally Posted by sdurani /forum/post/16834149


Then that answers your original question. First you said you weren't doing 7.1 because it wouldn't let you have a Zone2 set-up. Then you said you weren't doing 7.1 because you wouldn't notice the difference. Now it's because your room won't accomodate 7.1.


If you don't want to do 7.1, then don't. Nobody is trying to talk you into it (at least not in this thread). No need to keep coming up with new excuses.

well i would sacrafice the dual zone for 7.1, i prolly wouldnt notice a difference because of the theres not much out there in 7.1 lwhich was stated. and it wasnt until i really got thinking...thats alot of speakers in that room.


not excuses just valid points.

 

[ccotenj]

simply because there aren't too many 7.1 tracks available doesn't mean you can't use it...


even when watching tv... for example, when watching a nascar race in my living room, it sounds like i'm in the car with post-processing applied to the 5.1 stream...


ymmv...

 

[sdurani]



Quote:
Originally Posted by zikronix /forum/post/16837674


theres not much out there in 7.1

What does that have to do with anything? 7.1 pre-pros started selling 23 years ago. 5.1 source material wouldn't show up until 8 years later and 7.1 material wouldn't show up until 20 years later. So for over 2 decades, 7.1-speaker set-ups have had nothing to do with 7.1-channel sources.

Quote:
not excuses just valid points

The new ones being: not enough discrete 7.1 material and too many speakers for that room. Like I said, no one is pushing you to do 7.1. Yet you seem to be trying to convince someone (maybe yourself) out of a 7.1 set-up. If you don't want to do it, then don't.

 

[DR_LaRRY_PEpPeR]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundChex /forum/post/16833948

Here are some posts I made recently on this topic in another thread...

Quote:
Originally Posted by SoundChex /forum/post/16817507


Since you ask, and just to see, I played the first cannon engagement from "Master and Commander" [SD, dts5.1] and sat under the center surround while I cycled the receiver through dts5.1 [i.e., no post processing], and three available post processing surround options: dts-ES(matrix), dts+DolbyEX, and dts+DPLIIxMusic. There was a "noticeably fuller" rear surround field when any surround post processing was engaged... [Cannon balls overhead!!!

]

It sounds like you have a Yamaha, and it lets you use Dolby EX processing with DTS-ES input...? When playing with my Denon before adding a back speaker for 6.1, I noticed that with a DTS-ES signal (also Matrix, not Discrete), it would only allow plain "DTS Surround" (no back) or DTS-ES -- as well as DTS+PLIIx Movie (Cinema) if configured for 2 rears. (Of course PLIIx Music was there for 1/2 rears, but I'm ignoring that...)


I just figured it only wanted to use DTS's extraction (for a mono rear channel) with a DTS signal, and didn't think much of it; though I wondered why Dolby's EX mode was missing. Do you notice any differences using ES vs EX?

I figured they'd do mostly identical extraction, with ES theoretically "better" on its "own" DTS format.

 

[SoundChex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR_LaRRY_PEpPeR It sounds like you have a Yamaha, and it lets you use Dolby EX processing with DTS-ES input...? When playing with my Denon before adding a back speaker for 6.1, I noticed that with a DTS-ES signal (also Matrix, not Discrete), it would only allow plain "DTS Surround" (no back) or DTS-ES -- as well as DTS+PLIIx Movie (Cinema) if configured for 2 rears. (Of course PLIIx Music was there for 1/2 rears, but I'm ignoring that...) I just figured it only wanted to use DTS's extraction (for a mono rear channel) with a DTS signal, and didn't think much of it; though I wondered why Dolby's EX mode was missing. Do you notice any differences using ES vs EX? I figured they'd do mostly identical extraction, with ES theoretically "better" on its "own" DTS format.

In a 6.1 environment, DTS-ES processing should always be better than DTS+DolbyEX, because ES processing is really an integral part of the DTS decoder, whereas EX processing is done by the 'generic' EX/DPLIIx post-processor. To answer you directly: (1) DTS-ES(Discrete) pretty much always sounds better than processing the same soundtrack as DTS-ES(Matrix) or DTS+DolbyEX; and (2) playing a soundtrack in DTS-EX(Matrix) [either 'flagged as Matrixed', or 'forced'] sounds about the same as DTS+DolbyEX, and I would usually choose to play it as DTS-ES(Matrix). And some soundtracks will always sound better in plain 5.1, probably because they were badly mixed for ES processing...!

• With a DTS-ES(Discrete) soundtrack, I'll usually make a playback choice between DTS-ES(Discrete) and DTS+DPLIIx(Music), with DTS5.1 as an infrequent choice.
  
  
• With a DTS5.1, or DTS-ES(Matrix) soundtrack, I'll usually make a playback choice between DTS-ES(Matrix) or DTS+DPLIIx(Music), with DTS5.1 as an infrequent choice.

[Attachment: Yamaha HTR-5860: Analysis of available decoder+processor modes (Extended_Surround_Selection6.pdf) .]


[Not germane here, but Yamaha Cinema DSP processing options further expand the post processing choices...]

 

Extended_Surround_Selection6.pdf 91.2197265625k . file

 

[kgveteran]



Quote:
Originally Posted by snpanago /forum/post/16832608


On the other hand, DPLIIx, for one, does an excellent job in providing rear channel effects from 5.1 source material. If the room layout allows, 7.1 can be appreciably more enveloping.

I've alway been a big fan of 7.1 Also the room layout has to agree. Well put.