Upgrading from a 5.1 to a 7.1 Setup (1 Viewer)

[Jersey314]

I have an Onkyo 606 and currently have a 5.1 setup:
- Front Speakers are Polk RTi38
- Center Speaker is Polk csi30
- Surround Speakers are Polk FXi30
- Klipsh Sub

I'm am contemplating whether I should purchase 2 additional rear speakers to upgrade to a 7.1 setup. If I decide to do this, any suggestions on the 2 additional speakers?

Are there certain "rear" speakers that I should specifically purchase or do front speakers also work as rear speakers? The reason why I'm asking is because I was thinking about the possibility of moving my front speakers to the rear and buying floor standing speakers for the front. Does this make any sense?

I've never seen speakers that are specifically identified as "rear" speakers (despite that the speakers that I currently own are specifically identified as "front," "center," and "surround" speakers).

 

[Ed Moxley]

Sure that would work, but not the ideal thing to do. Ideally, all speakers should match. But since your's don't match exactly already, I'd say get another pair of Polk FXi30 speakers, to match your surrounds you already have.

 

[Jersey314]

Is this what is generally done? 7.1 setups have two pairs of "surround" speakers?

 

[Ed Moxley]

Basically yes. The rear speakers in a 5.1 setup, become the side speakers in a 7.1 setup. Then you have a surround back right, and surround back left pair of speakers. See how they are marked on back of your receiver, for the speaker connections. Here is Dolby's interactive guide for speaker placement, in a 5.1 setup and a 7.1 setup. Just move your mouse on top of "5.1" and "7.1".
http://www.dolby.com/consumer/home_e...omlayout2.html

You want the speakers to be timbre matched, so when sound pans from side to side, you don't hear a different sound on one side, than you heard on the other. Same with front to back pans........... Since your fronts are different from your sides, it will be a little different. No need to have a third sound that's different. If your surround back speakers match your current surrounds, at least the sound will be the same with four of your six speakers.

Any brand and model of speaker will work, as long as you're not picky about that sort of thing. You may notice in my signature, that my rears don't match my front three speakers either. My reason is money. I just can't afford to buy matching speakers. I'll have to live with these, until I can do better.