HTF Poll: How do you have your surround system configured? Vote and you could win a $50 Amazon gift (1 Viewer)

[Captain Spaulding]

I'm running a 3.1 system!

 

[MarkSchro]

Denon 7.1 rear back channels but I wired it for 9.1 with wires in the front far left and right.

 

[Techman707]

I'm using 5.1, but have 7.1 capability. I use 3 Bi-Amped QSC amps that results in 200 watt a channel for each front speaker (Left-Center-Right) I use 1 - Non-Bi-amped QSC amp (100 watts for each channel) for Left & Right rear surround and 1 Bi-Amped (200 watts) amp for Bass Enhancement. I use this for both DVD's and 35mm 4 channel mag or Dolby optical tracks. If I only needed 100 watts a channel, I would be able to power 10 discreet channels with the 5 QSC amps I'm using. The preamps I use are my own design and were made by the company I owned that manufactured sound and automation systems for theatres.

If they start releasing all the old 70mm films on Blu-ray using the original 5 front screen speaker format (Left - Left Center - Center - Right Center - Right and Surround format), then I would use 7.1, but if they are just going to downmix the 5 front channels to 3 on those orginal 5 front speaker 70mm films, I see no reason to use 7.1 in a 15x25 foot room.

 

[GlennH]

Still good ol' 5.1 for me. Using an Onkyo receiver with multi-channel analog inputs, from my Oppo BD-83 for the high res sound. A 10-year old rear projection Pioneer Elite 610HD 58" TV, last calibrated in 2009.

 

[davepr]

Answered the closest situation 5.1 on a 7.1 capable system.. But I am really 5.1 on a 9.2 capable system.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I'm really surprised at the high percentage of 5.1 systems. I thought there would be a lot more 7.1 systems. I have seen answers where its a lack of funds, or PITA to wire the back channels. How many of you don't have it because of a lack of true 7.1 content (only approx 10 films mixed theatrically so far)?

 

[gene c]

I'm sure a lack of true 7.1 movies has a lot to do with it but for me it's speaker placement. I have two back surround speakers for both of my setups but with one being a small room and the other with the couch up against the back wall there really isn't anywhere to properly place them. And 5.1 seems just fine to me.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich /forum/thread/310224/htf-poll-how-d...uld-win-a-50-amazon-gift-card/60#post_3798393

 

[Charles Smith]

I was surprised at the percentage of 5.1, too, but then I had to remember that the only reasons I have 7.1 are:


(1) My first surround system, an Onkyo HTiB, just happened to be 7.1 when I was going for that $500 price point in 2007. The TV then was a Costco Vizio 42", and all of this is still doing fine in the living room where anyone and everyone can use it. That, plus cables, was the budget then, something like $1700 total.


(2) A few years later when I was forced to replace my very nice, but vintage and dying, stereo amplifier (in my "music room" - a.k.a. private space), I decided it would make no sense not to transition that to a decent movie viewing environment, little by little, so I bought an AVR. This was a year ago, and either there weren't many then that were only 5.1-capable, or I didn't look at those, but I never intended even then to use that capability. However, a friend had two speakers he wasn't using, which matched my side Energy speakers in size and impedance, so I put them up as rears for as long as I have them. And while it's nice to get that occasional 7.1 effect, if those went away tomorrow, I'd be fine with 5.1 -- which I now see, via this poll and through my own experience, as remaining the overall standard. Do it right, and it's still a great system.

 

[Jason Charlton]

I've got 7.1 partially because at the time I built out my basement system, I thought it would become much more prevalent and I wanted to be as "futureproof" as possible, and also because I had an optimal room layout and an extra pair of old bookshelves that would serve fine as "interim" back surrounds.


Fast forward to today and I have absolutely no intentions of upgrading my now ancient (circa 1996) PSB alpha back surround speakers. It's nice to have, and is effective given the right source material, but I often find myself telling people that 7.1 should not be very high on their priority list if they're just starting out with HT.


I absolutely LOVE the rest of my speakers: PSB Image T6 fronts, Image C5 center, a pair of Bipole Image S50 surrounds, the aforementioned Alphas for back surrounds and a Paradigm Servo-15 subwoofer.

 

[MatthewA]

I have them set up for 5.1 (my Denon can do 7.1 which I will upgrade to eventually), and I have them set up in the front to approximate directional stereo of the days of old.

 

[Al_S]

5.1 in the bedroom


7.1 in the living room

 

[Charles Smith]

Exposing my ignorance, this thread is the first place I've heard of 7.1 rears being set up in the front. I think a few people have mentioned that.

 

[Matt Van Dam]

Originally Posted by bgart13

Now, where do I vote?

I couldn't find the right place to vote either. Currently running 4.1 so I voted 5.1; that was the closest I could find.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Originally Posted by Chas in CT

Exposing my ignorance, this thread is the first place I've heard of 7.1 rears being set up in the front. I think a few people have mentioned that.

Dolby Pro Logic IIz uses front height channels with an existing 5.1 set up for 7.1, or with an existing 7.1 setup for 9.1:






Audyssey DSX uses either front height channels like Dolby or front width channels to get 7.1, 9.1 or 11.1 depending on your configuration:

 

[David Willow]

7.1, Axioms all around (with my SVS PB12 Ultra/2 keeping the dust off the windowsills ) I use the QS8's for both side and rear surrounds. The sides are about a foot above my head and the rears are about 2.5 feet higher and about 7 feet back from my seating.

 

[LarryH]

Do you have to post or does the system enter you for the drawing automatically when you vote? Not that I really have a lot of interest in a drawing - never win one anyhow. My answer: I have a 7.1 capable system, but I am only using it in a 5.1 configuration. Just too much trouble to run cables and all and to purchase and mount two more speakers.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Larry-

You are good just by entering the poll, but its nice to hear from you in the thread as well

 

[bigshot]

I've got a 5:1 system with two sets of mains on the a and b speakers. The two sets have different sounds and spread out the soundstage for my ten foot projection system better

 

[nolesrule]

Basic 5.1 setup with bookshelf speakers that I've had for 11 years. Been itching for an upgrade, but too many other priorities these days.