6.1 / 5.1 (1 Viewer)

[Chris Laporte]

I am looking to buy a new receiver. One I am looking at is 6.1 but I am only going to use it as a 5.1 system. I assume it will work as such, I just don't hook up the 6th channel. Is that correct? Thanks.

 

[Jonathan Smith]

That is correct. I have a 6.1 receiver for a 5.1 setup. You simply tell the receiver that you don't have a rear center channel in its setup menus.

 

[Chris Laporte]

Thank you. Another question. I have a choice of using RCA, Component, or Digital to hook up my DVD player to the receiver. Which gives the best picture quailty and do component and digital carry the audio signal as well? Thanks again.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Chris, the audio and video connections are completely separate. Here are the options (not every DVD player and receiver combination offers all of them). Note that none of the options is labeled "RCA". "RCA" describes a type of connector that is used in several of the categories listed below:
Video (in ascending order of preference):
Composite (1 RCA connector)
S-Video (specialized connector)
Component (3 RCA connectors)
Audio (in ascending order of preference):
Left and right analog (2 RCA connectors)
*Digital optical a/k/a Toslink (specialzed connector)
*Digital coax (1 RCA connector)
*These two are equal in order of preference.
Hope this helps.
M.

 

[Chris Laporte]

That's great, thanks guys.

 

[Mike Strassburg]

Chris,

Why aren't you going to use it as 6.1? For the back center you can get away with almost any kind of speaker: small monitor, old leftover, or whatever. I believe it REALLY adds to the entire HT experience.

See if you can at least borrow a speaker to give it a try...Mike

 

[Chris Laporte]

I don't want to use it because my couch sits up against the wall and there's no place to put it.

 

[Michael_Victor]

"Audio (in ascending order of preference):

Left and right analog (2 RCA connectors)
*Digital optical a/k/a Toslink (specialzed connector)
*Digital coax (1 RCA connector)"

why would you prefer coax to optical? i thought the optical was better? i understand about the bending of the wire and all but im just asking because i set up both my HT with optical. thanks!

 

[Michael Reuben]

why would you prefer coax to optical?

I don't. Please read the footnote (that's what the asterisks are for).

M.

 

[Mike Strassburg]

Chris,

I've got the same set-up with my couch and originally used a small set of KLH monitors. They came with brackets to mount horizontally and angle down. Works great. I think you can get them at BB for around $25...

 

[Michael_Victor]

oops, my bad, lol,

 

[Joe Tilley]

Chris, I have a 6.1 setup & I don't really have the room either as my couch was against the wall,but IMHO I would at least give the 6.1 a try before you count it out.Mine is not quite how I would like it but it makes a pretty nice difference compared to 5.1.
In my set up I'm even using a fairly large pair of rears (Polk RT55i's) yes their is a pair of them but it is configured as a 6.1 set up with the two wired in parelle on the rear center,I done this until I can get another amp to go 7.1.
Either way you decide do what you like or sounds good to you but I would at least try it out you may end up like me & find out the little extra space it takes is well worth it.
Good luck

 

[John Garcia]

Why aren't you going to use it as 6.1? For the back center you can get away with almost any kind of speaker: small monitor, old leftover, or whatever. I believe it REALLY adds to the entire HT experience.

While I agree that it adds to the experience, I completely disagree that ANY speaker will work. A fairly well MATCHED speaker is needed for the right effect. Just to try it out, is OK, but not long term.

I have a 6.1 receiver and since I do not have a good way to place ther rear center either, so I normally run it as 5.1. I have another pair of identical speakers as my rears, in my bedroom system, so I can pull one from there for the rear center once in a while. It's a noticable improvement for EX/ES material, but for everything else, I don't feel it is all that beneficial.