Is adding 7.1 worth it in my setup? (1 Viewer)

[TedO]

I have a Pioneer VSX-36-TX, which has 7.1 capabilities but no amplification for. My question is, is it worth adding it to my system? All I would have to do is add the amp and speakers.

My room does not have the best layout for this. If fact I had a hard time placing my surround speakers because the main seating is a couch and it is against the back wall. I now have the surround speakers lying on the floor facing up on each end of the couch. This actually works very well considering the limitations of the room. With this in mind the only way I could add the rear speaker(s) would be to pull the couch away from the wall just enough to lay a speaker behind it facing up. With this speaker being so close to the couch and the surround speakers will it really add to the effect?

TedO

 

[Gerard Martin]

TedO
If it were I, I would not, considering your room limitations go for
7.1 at this time I would however get a pair of speaker stands and get your side surrounds up to ear level. Good luck.

 

[Mark Tranchant]

My room layout is similar - sofa is hard up against the back wall. My system is my first excursion into the HT world, but I'm pleased with it. 5.1 only at the moment. My rear surrounds are dirt cheap Aristons (£15 the pair including brackets from Richer Sounds), and I have them mounted horizontally at the top of the side walls pointing inwards, angled slightly downwards. Couldn't you wall-mount all your rears in a similar fashion?

 

[TedO]

I got the idea to put them on the floor facing up from the Dolby web page. They recommended it as an alternative setup and it seems to work pretty good. The other drawback to putting them on stands is that they are full size speakers, three ways with 10" woofers. I don't think I could get SAF to put them up high.

The main question is, would adding a center speaker in the rear, behind the couch facing up add anything to the sound stage or is it just too close to the seating area?

TedO