Noob question about 6.1 vs. 5.1
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Anonymous | I'm thinking about buying a home theatre system and i was wondering whether to get 6.1 or 5.1. 5.1 makes more sense for me since i have a small room, but I'm worried that if i get a 5.1 that dvds that have 6.1 won't work in a 5.1 system. Will 6.1 coded dvds work well in a 5.1 system or not? |
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Anonymous | 5.1 is a standard, 6.1 isn't. Don't sweat it |
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Derek | 6.1 IS a standard. It's called EX. Both Dolby and DTS have a version. 6.1 disks will play fine on a 5.1 system, but if you listen to a 5.1 disk and the decoder is set for 6.1, the surround will collapse the rear surround to the center rear. The center sourround is highly overrated and hard to place for most people. Don't sweat it. |
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Foreigner | So, it's a good thing to buy a 5.1 system instead of a 6.1, isn't it?? Is there much difference on movies like Star Wars? It's worth the extra money?? I am thinking to buy a Denon 683XP, but it's a 5.1 system... |
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| I will be buying my first HT system. I have done a lot of research. I almost bought the Onkyo 767C today (it's a 6.1). But I have the same question as Foreigner. Is it worth it to buy 6.1? I have read all the posting in "5.1 vs 6.1" thread and of course this one, but it didn't really answer my question. I understand EX, ES that matrix the sound for Surround Center for a 5.1 movie playing in 6.1 system. But I haven't seen a lot of 6.1 movies yet. How about you guys? My room is 16'X19' and my ears are as smart as any other general movie lovers. I'll be playing music in this system as well, mostly mp3s. Could any of you smart guys help us make a decision? |
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idealty | Hey guys. Just want to make sure that Anonymous and Simon gets their questions answered clearly. First off, understand that there is no real "risk" in buying a 6.1 system. Any DVD that says it's encoded in 6.1 will work perfectly fine in a 5.1 system. Since the center surround is matrixed, in a 5.1 system, the 2 left and right surrounds will carry the signals of the center surrounds. Any DVD will work in any 5.1 or 6.1 set-up. To respond to Simon's question, I would definately recommend buying a 6.1 system if 1) you have a medium to large size room, 2) you will use it to watch movies more often than listen to music, and 3) if you want a home theater set-up that will last you a little while. 6.1 is not quite the standard yet, but the # of DVDs being released with 6.1 surround is increasing drastically and in a year or two, who knows? It may well become the standard and there may be both a Dolby and DTS 6.1 discrete surround format (there is already a DTS discrete 6.1). You wouldn't want to have to buy a whole new system. For the time being 6.1 can add much to the experience by providing you with a much wider soundfield and making fly-overs and pan effects sound incredible. But I would say that 6.1 is best with 2 center surrounds ( a 7.1 system). With just 6 speakers, it may not be worth it. I would say just save your money and get 5.1. But if you can afford it, skip the 6 channel recievers, and get a 7 channel with 2 center surrounds. |
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Foreigner | Interesting. I can buy a 5.1 receiver and a good set of 5.1 speakers, like JBL SCS150SI, and upgrade the receiver later and buy two front speakers like JBL N38II, and use the old ones as back surround - so building a 7.1 system. I am seriously thinking about this possibility. Or maybe buy a Denon 683XP and do the same as above(using Denon speakers and subwoofer instead of JBL ones) - but I guess JBL SCS150SI speakers are better than Denon ones(from 683XP)...am I wrong? Like Simon, I will use the system for music too. idealty, thanks, good point. I am sure a lot of people have the same doubt. BTW, JBL released a "new" set of 6.1 speakers, JBL SCS160SI - http://www.jbl.com/home/products/series.asp?SerId=SCS&CatId=HCS (of course, is the "old" SCS150SI with one more speaker) |
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Unregistered guest | DEAR ALL , I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A JBL SCS178 5.1 SPEAKER SYSTEM ALONGWITH YAMAHA RX V540 A/V RECIEVER CAPABLE OF RE PRODUCING DTS ES 6.1 DISCRETE N DOLBY DIGITAL EX 6.1 SOUND THROUGH ITS DECODERS. I HAVE RETAINED JVC CENTER SPEAKER FROM MY LAST SPEAKER SYSTEM AND AM USING SAME AS REAR CENTER SPEAKER. IT IS GIVING ME A VERY GOOD ENHANCED SOUND FIELD BUT WHEN I AM LISTENING TO MUSIC IT IS NOT SO MUCH EFFECTIVE . CAN ANYONE PLS GIVE ME TECHNICAL ADVISE THAT WHETHER IT IS OK TO USE MY JVC CENTER AS REAR CENTER OR SHOULD I BUY NEW 6.1 SURROUND SPEAKER SYSTEM . |
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jan vigne Unregistered guest | WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING? YES, GO AHEAD AND USE THE OLD SPEAKER. |
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Unregistered guest | i am now setting my 6.1 system in my music room .what should be the best symmetry for the speaker position . that is ideally speaking at what hieght the rear surround and rear center speakers should be placed . my room music room size is 14' x 12' x 9' in dims. also where should be the subwoofer should be placed . will it be ok if subwoofer is placed between the 2 main speakers. thanks |
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Anonymous | I'm in the process of wiring my home theater room and putting in back channels. I had 5.1 in the past but figured I'd upgrade to 6.1 while re-wiring (getting a new 6.1 receiver). After reading posts here wondering if I should set up for 7.1. It wouldn't be that convenient space-wise for 7.1, but it would make use of an extra speaker that would otherwise sit in storage. Is 7.1 matrix really that much better that using a single, discreet rear center in a 6.1 set up? thanks |
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Unregistered guest | I have just bought a JBL SCS178 center speaker to use as rear center with my onkyo TX-SR501E and get 6.1... It's right to use it as center rear ???? That 7.1 thing, it's useful for anything sound related or it's only a tech specification (no 7.1 movies i think :-) ) ??? Thanks a lot |
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funkdvoid Unregistered guest | I have recently bought a Cyber Acoustics 3550 2.1 speaker system for my computer. Can anybody suggest where should i place the subwoofer cause i've never had one before. I was thinking of placing it behind my 19" TFT monitor in the middle of the two satellites. Is that good? |
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Bronze Member Username: JliverpoolPost Number: 15 Registered: Oct-04 | My couch is up against the wall so any rear centers would have to be on the wall very close to the listeners ears. Should I put the centers really high on the wall so that there is less direct sound? |
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New member Username: Monkey_man_jackPost Number: 2 Registered: Dec-04 | 7.1 may sound kinda pointless right now, but in the future 7.1 may be the new format for DVD's and video games. I have a 7.1 system andd i;m ready for what ever comes out, soo you should get a 7.1 system then you wont have to worry about upgrading it for a very long time. |
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Anonymous | I am only 13 so I dont know too much about the difference between 5.1 and 6.1, And im getting a surround sound system. Most of my PS2 games are formatted for 5.1. I found a nice 1000 watt one but its 6.1. Will the sound come out of the speakers if its 6.1? |
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XiaoYue Unregistered guest | omG. You guys are retards. THE SIXTH SPEAKER GOES RIGHT BEHIND YOU. 1) IF YOU HAVE A 6.1 SOUND SYSTEM, YOU ARE BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE WITH 5.1 SOURCES. 2) IF YOU HAVE A 5.1 SONUD SYSTEM, AND IF YOUR RECIEVER CAN PROCESS 6.1 SOUND (DTS ES OR DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 EX), THEN YOUR REICIEVER WILL CHANNEL THE EXTRA SPEAKER TO THE 2 SURROUND BACK SPEAKERS. THE BEST WAY TO SAVE SOME MONEY IS TO EITHER BUY A 6.1 SYSTEM OR AN UPGRADABLE 5.1 SYSTEM. DO NOT BUY A 7.1 SYSTEM. THE ARRANGEMENT IS TERRIBLE. TWO IN FRONT L/R, TWO BACK L/R, AND TWO ON EITHER SIDE OF YOU. 7.1 IS NOT BACKWARD COMPATIBLE WITH 6.1, AND 7.1 IS STILL IN THE EXPIREMENTAL STAGES. THAT'S WHY BOSE DOESN'T HAVE 7.1, AND MOST OTHER TOP OF THE LINE SOUND COMPANIES DO NOT PRODUCE THEM. BOSE SOUND PRODUCES THE BEST SOUND IN ANY ENVIRONMENT. THIS ISN'T JUST MY OPINION. SEE WHAT THEY HAVE IN THE VATICAN, WHITE HOUSE, ETC. AGAIN, YOU WILL LOSE AN AUDIO TRACK ON A 6.1 DVD IF YOU HAVE A 7.1 SPEAKER SET UP. |
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Bronze Member Username: Usa2k4Post Number: 22 Registered: Dec-04 | Are you calling yourself names, XiaoYue?  7.1 speaker arragement is very similar to 6.1 except that you'd have 2 stereo surround back speakers in 7.1 instead of a mono SB as in 6.1. 7.1 is also backwards compatible with 6.1. For ex, when you play a DTS-ES 6.1, the 2 surround back speakers only give you mono sound (some receivers with surround back Matrix mode even give you 7.1 output from the 6.1 movies). And I've never experienced or heard of "LOSing AN AUDIO TRACK ON A 6.1 DVD IF YOU HAVE A 7.1 SPEAKER SET UP" so please don't confuse yourself and others. For the starter of this thread, b/w 5.1 and 6.1, 6.1 is the clear winner if your listening room is of medium size or larger. However, even if your listening area is small, as more and more 6.1 DVDs are available now, you may consider a 6.1 system instead of a 5.1 system to make your investment last longer. 6.1 receivers are more popular and their prices are very reasonable now. |
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Silver Member Username: Monkey_man_jackPost Number: 159 Registered: Dec-04 | I have 7.1 and I don't even lose sound on 5.1 audio tracks. |
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Silver Member Username: Monkey_man_jackPost Number: 160 Registered: Dec-04 | I actually gain an extra 2 speakers, that's extra sound. |
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New member Username: DaveeePost Number: 1 Registered: Jan-05 | Hey guys, I hope one of you can help me out. I got a Marantz SR4400 6.1 receiver and I'm trying to figure out the best positions for my surround speakers in a room that is approx. 17'x10'. I figure I can spare 2 maybe 3 feet of space behind the couch if needed. For the SL and SR I have the Monitor Bronze Bfx (bi/dipole speakers) and for the back centre speaker I have a single Paradigm (direct radiating speaker) from a previous setup. Question #1: Should my SL and SR be directly on the sides of the listening position or slightly back and angled toward the listening position and how far from the back wall should they be? Question #2: Would it be better to place the centre back speaker at the same level as the SL and SR or put it closer to the roof and angle it down toward the listening area? Question #3: Since the back three speakers work together to produce the surround effect would a different brand of speaker (i.e. the paradigm speaker) work out of phase or frequency slightly from the Monitor SL and SR? And even if it did would you really be able to notice it causing a problem in creating a smooth surround effect? Last Question: Do I switch my SL and SR to bipole or dipole for the best effect? The Monitor Bfx speaker has the mid range facing directly out and the highs (tweeters) face in opposite directions to the sides. Thanks |
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Anonymous | Ok everyone... it's time for a little clarification... 6.1 and 7.1 are essentially the same thing, but with a differing number of speakers for the rear channels. The encoded material is only ever 6.1 not 7.1. The idea with 7.1 is to fill the room with a greater number of speakers to fill out the sound behind you. Some say that a speaker directly behind you can be distracting because of the way our ears work. A sound coming from directly behind you generally will cause you to move your head to one side to hear that sound better. So they say. The sound coming from the two rear surround speakers in a 7.1 system is exactly the same, from the same channel. You are just using two speakers to radiate that sound rather than one speaker. just in case someone was wondering... |
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Silver Member Username: DmwileyPost Number: 264 Registered: Feb-05 | Is there a difference? Yes. Is the difference significant? Not to my ears? But these things are very dependent on your listening environment, hearing ability and quality of material. I basically agree with Anon and Derek-don't sweat it. |
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Unregistered guest | Hello all, I use a Yamaha RX V540 with my Bose Acoustimass 5.1 speakers. I would like to add up a 6th speaker (Which will not be connected to the Acoustimass Module but only connected to the receiver) Will this produce 6.1 surround even if its not going thru the Acoustimass module(the Bose System)? Please let me know |
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AnonAnonAnon Unregistered guest | Almost all DVD's come as 5.1, 6.1 is used to "fill in" the gap behind you on the couch / cinema, 7.1 is much the same, but for a larger area behind you, eg if you've got a whole room behind you then you will benefit by more direct source sound behind. In a smaller room, or in fact any room where you are directly against the rear wall, any positioning of rear speakers will result in a lower quality output. Speaker positioning is everything, you should not try and cram more speakers into an area. |
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Silver Member Username: Thx_3417Bournemouth, Dorset United Kingdom Post Number: 162 Registered: May-05 | And what about Height Surround too... |
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Silver Member Username: Thx_3417Bournemouth, Dorset United Kingdom Post Number: 163 Registered: May-05 | And the Upper centre channel, like in the IMAX cinemas, wow... |
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Silver Member Username: Joe_cOakwood, Ga Post Number: 340 Registered: Mar-05 | anonanon, if you have a perfectly matched speaker system (timbre wise) then it does not matter how many speakers are behind or around you, with the right processing and placement the effect will be more fluid with the addition of more rear and side channels. I have a 18'x16' room with 7.1 and feel captured by the 3-d soundstage created. So I say try it before you knock it. |
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Unregistered guest | I now have a bose 5.1 speaker system and am hooking up a 7.1 receiver. Will this work with a 5.1 speaker system ? |
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Unregistered guest | I have a Pioneer 1014 receiver with a DV-45A DVD-Audio/Video player and a JBL 5.1 speaker system. I foolishly originally bought a Sony 7.1 Micro system, but the 135W 8" subwoofer was a disaster, providing no undistorted bass at all. I swapped it for the JBL 5x100W system and the JBL 100W 8" sub is a googleplex times better than the awful Sony sub. However I did have the privilege of listening to some Star Wars 5.1EX and Lord Of The Rings DTS:ES 6.1 discreet and I have to completely agree that buying a 7.1 system should be preferred to a 6.1 With the 7.1 system you can have a rear surround on each side of your listening field as opposed to having one speaker directly behind your head. It adds a much more spacial feel to the surround field. If you can afford the few extra dollars get a decent 7.1 receiver and add the two extra surrounds at a later date. I am going to move my JBL left and right speakers to my Rear Surround left and Rear Surround right and then get some upright speakers for my front left and right. I'm thinking of perhaps some nice Paradigms or maybe some Polks. There's a reason for this:- The DV-45A player also plays SACDs and I was looking forward to hearing one, so I bought Peter Gabriel's Us. It will only play using the 5.1 analog out cables (which is fairly pricey to buy half decent L/R cables x 3) and only comes through the left and right speakers. So when you listen to the PG SACD you're only hearing it through two home theatre JBL speakers, that really don't provide any bass at all. They're only there for the mids and highs. It's a shame that I can't select the "7 channel stereo" option when listening so that the subwoofer comes on and so do the other speakers, but I guess I'll be happier once I get some meatier speakers. The multi-channel DVD-Audio discs like REM's "Out Of Time" and NIN's "The Downward Spiral" sound tremendous, but the bass is nothing compared to when listening through the DTS or Dolby channel. I think something's wrong with the subwoofer's multi-channel in input on the receiver. Anyway, whatever you want to choose should work out fine, it's just an awful feeling when you buy something and fairly immediately wish you had spent a little more and upgraded. I'm loopking at my $400 DVD player and wishing I had bought the $1,500 Pioneer DV-59AVi, just so I can have the ultimate audio and video processors with a Pixel Conversion IC that lets me upgrade to 720p or 1080i, even though I don't even have an HDTV ready TV, damn my TV will not even recognise a progressive scan signal, but I'm still spending $100 per cable just to have a great component cable for both my DVD and Digital Cable box. Go with the 7.1!!!! |
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Steve Burke Unregistered guest | Bill - your 5.1 speaker system will work fine. In your 7.1 receiver, go into speaker set-up to wherever you tell the receiver whether or not you have large or small speakers, you should have an option there to turn your Rear surround off. When you get your 6th and 7th channels just go in and tuyrn them back on. :-) |
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New member Username: CinnamongilrPost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-05 | Hi. I have ONKYO HT-S780 7.1. Was wondering if I can use it as a 5.1 , dont want to mess up with the 2 extra speakers. Please, advise if I can do this, and how? will I lose anything that way? Thanks |
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Bronze Member Username: DobyblueSt. Catharines, Ontario Canada Post Number: 17 Registered: Oct-05 | Any 7.1 receiver will have an option on it to turn off or on the rear surround channels. It's in the speaker set-ups. As for losing anything I think you need to be a bit more specific. If you're watching a DTS:ES 6.1 DVD then you'll not get the 6th channel coming in through your 6th and 7th speakers - you'll still experience the 5.1 sound though. When you get your 6th and 7th speakers, turn the rear surrounds back on in your amp. |
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New member Username: CinnamongilrPost Number: 2 Registered: Dec-05 | yeah, thanks. will probably buy some more cables and do everything as it is suppose to. Thanks |
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Anonymous | Hello, I'm currently installing a home theater system in my home, and by the posts in this thread it seems that 5.1 will soon be obsolete, if not already. Also, 6.1 and 7.1 are the same, only different being a split rear set-up. My question is more about placement. I have a great room with virtually no walls between the living room, dining, and kitchen, thus I only have 2 walls to work with (unless I put the rear speakers in the dining room and kitchen, which would be be about 15 feet behind the couch and over 40 feet from the entertainment center). What I'm asking is, would placing the 3 series of speakers at equal lengths along perpendicular walls (think 90 degree angle) give the same effect as if you had two parallel walls and a third wall behind (your typical living room space with at least 3 walls). Or is installing an surround sound system useless with such a large space enveloping a great room, kitchen, and dining room. Thanks for any replys. |
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Unregistered guest | I recently bought an Onkyo 7.1 receiver, and have a Harmon Kardon 5.1 speaker system. Does it matter whether my rear speakers are hooked up to "surround" or "surround back" (pairs) on the receiver? Is the signal the same being sent to these speaker outs? My receiver has a turn-on turn-off switch for the back speakers, but the setting determines BOTH sets on or off. Any help appreciated! |
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New member Username: JuslistenPost Number: 1 Registered: Jul-06 | Hey, I have a 6.1 Yamaha receiever with KLH 5.1 speakers. Im using this as my rear speaker-http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009WRV1K It's awesome. It's like having a 7.1 system because the rear speaker covers the whole rear area. It's the best way to go if you ask me. |
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