Onkyo TX-SR806 - Best 3.1 Sound Mode? (1 Viewer)

[razor]

hi everyone! I'm new here, but have been an A/V nut for most of my life. I just got a brand new setup, and am curious what you guys feel is the best 3.1 listening mode for TV/movies and why.

I live in an apartment whose size and layout makes it impossible to have the surround channels hooked up, so I only have my center channel, sub, and fronts up and running. my fronts are bi-amped combining the front and rear surround channels from my Onkyo TX-SR806.

my setup:
Panasonic TH-50PX80U 50" Plasma
Onkyo TX-SR806
Sony BDP-S350 (in transit)
Polk CSi3 center
Polk Monitor 60 fronts
Polk PSW10 sub (it was free)

 

[gene c]

This may sound strange, but give it a try. Use Regular DD, DTS, Dolby Prologic or DTS Neo:6 all in 5.1 and turn off the surround speakers in the speaker setup menu. The receiver will send the info for the surrounds to the fronts. I'm not sure why this sounds better than, say, Dolby 3 channel stereo or whatever it's called, but it does.

 

[razor]

I'll give that a shot and report back w/my reaction...that's a really good idea. thanks dude!

 

[razor]

gene,

your solution worked very well! I've noticed extra sonic activity from my bi-amped fronts w/the surrounds set to "off."

I'm pretty sure I like regular old DD the best, but am still playing around w/the others, for due diligence if nothing else.