Poll: How many people are using a 7.1 system?

It seems I may be in the minority -- I'm currently set up only for 5.1, using almost exclusively DD or DTS. But it looks like a lot of Outlaws are equipped for 7.1.

So what are you using?

Put me down for a 7.1 setup .

Hey gonk... Like the web page and review of the new Oppo! I'll have to look at them both more closely when I have some down time.

Merry Xmas,

- Jim

7.1 here as well...

Merry Christmas,
Tony.

7.1 here too. Merry Christmas all.

5.1
Happy Holidays

5.1 due to room limitations; I don't really have a back wall to place the sixth and seventh speakers. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

5.1 as well. Mostly because of WAF and the back wall!

I use 7.1 with Back Surround mounted in ceiling. Merry Christmas Outlaws!

Amp: Adcom GFA-7607
Pre-Pro: Outlaw 950
A/V Switching: Audio Authority 1154
DVD: Sony DVPNC665
CD: Yamaha DVD-C900
DirecTV: H20 600 HD Receiver
DVD-R: Panasonic DMR E85
Main Speakers: Klipsch KLF 10
Surround: Klipsch RS-3
Back Surround: Klipsch RCR 5
Center: Klipsch RC-3
Server: Sony Vaio PRV 680
Mitsubishi WD52631 HD TV
Sub: Outlaw LFM 1

Spilling over 7.1 a bit at 7.2.

5.1 here until the basement is done.

7.1 up here too...
but still waiting for snow...
Happy holidays to Outlaws and all !

I've got 7.1 but only using 5.1 until I get the new little amp to drive the back surrounds.

Merry Christmas to all!

5.1

Too close to back wall.

Me too.

7.1 here
I think it makes a big difference having 2 extra speakers. The sound moving from behind you up the sides or overhead depending on the sound track is well worth the effort to add them if you possibly can.

I've been itching to install that additional channel but do you truly get 7.1 sound from 5.1 formats?

That's why we have modes like Dolby Digital EX (mono rear surround from any Dolby Digital 5.1 source - with our without EX encoding), DTS ES (mono rear surround from DTS ES sources), Pro Logic IIx (stereo rear surrounds from analog or PCM stereo, Dolby Digital 2.0, 5.1, and EX, or even in the case of the 990 DTS 5.1 sources), and DTS NEO:6 (mono rear surround from analog or PCM stereo and DTS 5.1 sources). Pro Logic IIx and NEO:6 of course have to also produce the center and side surround channels from those stereo sources.

7.1 here too.
I'll have to add to gonk's list that the STEREO7 mode rocks!

7.2 here also.

Infinity Alpha 36c Center 50's in front, 40's SL/R, 20's SBL/R and SW10x2

Was fairly pleased with everything in the beginnig then I had it professionally claibrated.

Holler!!! What a difference 1.5 hrs on a Sunday will make.

Yamaha RX-V 2500
Outlaw 7125
Denon DVD 1720
Motorola ViP622 HD-DVR
Infinity Alpha 50
Infinity Alpha 36c
Infninty Alpha 40
Infinity Alpha 20
Infinity SW 10

7.2 here but one sub is usually idle for my current setup so 7.1 really. One sub for movies and other sub for music listening.

7.1 here - all Mirage Omnisat Micros for surrounds. This is a great little speaker, unobtrusive, easy to mount anywhere, huge sound for the size and $58 a pop on ebay. For that price and 50ft of cable why wouldn't you go 7.1.

Having said that, wouldn't it be sweet if you could steer the amps into specific channels just like you can steer the inputs! 130 watts on the main speakers in a 5.1 system would be saweeeet.

7.1 here too
990/7125
Panasonic DMP-BD10
ML-Fresco-----center
ML-clarity----L+R
Magnepan MMG--SR+SL
Magnepan MMGW-SBR+SBL
Velodyne-DLS-4000R

7.1 System
Outlaw 950/750 -- frnt/centr/surrnds
Carver 505 Amp -- back surrounds
Paradigm Monitor 11 ver 2
Paradigm ADP Surrnds
Paradigm In Ceiling -- Back surrnds
Cambridge Sndwrks MC500 -- centr
Outlaw LFM-1
Samsung DLP 61"
Denon 2910
AH! Njoe Tjoeb CD Player

6.1 here. Gonk helped guide me to 6 instead of 7 for my setup.

Outlaw 1070
B&W CDM CNT - center
B&W CDM SNT - fronts
B&W CMD SNT - surrounds
RBH CT-5 - rear
B&W ASW 650 (12") Sub

I still have an RBH CT-5 that could be the 7th channel but I have to ease the wife into that one. She already hates the speaker stand behind the sectional with just the one

One battle at a time. I might be replacing the front speakers w/ a pair of B&W floor speakers this year. If I do that, then I can get rid of the RBH and move the CDM SNT's to the wall about 5 feet behind the couch and bam, 7 channel, happy wife, (and empty wallet!) :p

7.1 here and couldn't be happier.

Hybrid 5.1/7.1

The DD output is 5.1 and that's the way we listen/watch movies. I use the other two channels (SBR & SBL) for either 7 ch stereo or another format (4 ch-inline) which was a CROWN (Indiana) format from decades ago. This format is accessed using the 7.1 direct analog inputs with re-assignment.

So I get all the usual surround formats from the 990 plus 4 ch inline. SACD is accessed also thru 7.1 direct. Since there is only one set of 7.1's I use a patchbay, normalled to the 4 ch inline, but I can patch for SACD. I would like several 7.1s on next pre/pro revision....though I could use a switcher.

The 4 ch inline was never commercially available. It was hobby recording.

Thanks for all the replies, folks!

It looks like 7.1 is out for me based on workable space around my listening position, but I may try a 6.1 set up.

I recall someone, somewhere mentioning that the pyschoacoustic effect of a single rear surround speaker (i.e. 6.1) is that the center rear effects appear to be happening in front of you, not behind you.

Anyone recall reading or hearing anything about that?

I've tried both 6.1 and 7.2 setups and stuck with the 7.2.
I didn't notice any such phenomon with 6.1.

Videodrome,

I'm not the most discerning listener but i did spend a few hours with some good movie soundtracks after I went 6.1, and I didn't notice any anomalies with the rear channel (6th).

I first heard about that phenomenon in this thread at the home theater shack forum. It came from a very reliable source. However, I don't have any first-hand experience.

I never encountered this phenomenon when I ran a 6.1 setup, but I also had a dipole rear surround speaker in that arrangement - which may be why I didn't run into it.

I started with 6.1, using a small Polk center for the rear. Then I switched to Polk FX300I's for the rear channels. I kept my opinion to myself and let guests who'd heard it both ways make their own judgments. Nearly everyone commented on how much more open home theater sounded in 7.1. As for music, I now always first introduce a new listener to the Brothers in Arms SACD. I get the same response. They'd say it sounds more airy and open now. I'm running the rears in dipole mode. They're sitting on short homemade stands in a bow window, nearly all the way back to the pleated shades. That's about 15" back from the inside wall and about 4 1/2 to 5 feet from the listening position. The front mains are 11 feet away.
My surrounds and rears are all sitting on temporary box stands made of 3/4" pine. I'm playing with the height, cutting them down a little at a time. They're carpeted with the same carpet as the floor. Okay, it might seem a little hokey looking. But there's no denying how it sounds. And with no missus to badger me about my grand experiment I'll keep playing with it until I get it right. Why not mount the surrounds on the wall? The drywall resonated. Sounded horrible. I want concrete walls, floors and ceilings. Hmm...a jail cell?

As for the 6.1 phenomenon, I never heard it. I liked 6.1 over 5.1 for movies. The experience of something coming from behind and going over your head to the front was very cool. If I had to choose between 5.1 or 7.1 for music it would depend on the material.

I don't believe 7.1 or 6.1 is absolutely necessary. But now that I'm there I won't go back.

A single rear speaker behind the listener can lead to back-to-front reversals, a psychoacoustic problem where sounds along the centre line can momentarily appear to come from the opposite direction. This isn't a problem with a centre speaker up front, where our human hearing is at its most acute, but it can be a problem behind us, where our hearing is not so hot.

The reason you avoided the reversal problem is exactly for the reason you mentioned: you used a dipole rear speaker. With the null pointed towards the listening area, you got very little direct sound from directly behind, instead hearing mostly reflected sound from along the back wall.

For any of you using direct radiating rear speakers, avoiding the reversal problem couldn't be simpler: just use 2 speakers, spread well (at least 30 degrees) away from the centre line. This is the main reason why Dolby and DTS and THX all recommend using 2 rear speakers, even when playing back the mono surround-back channel of their EX/ES soundtracks. Note that this is the only channel where 2 speakers are recommended for playback.