I'm in the process of planning my home theater system, and am curious to get
some input from people who have gone from 5 channel to 7 channel setups on
the differences between the two. There are obviously cost and space issues
to consider at this stage of the process.

Basic questions -- was it worth it? Is there enough 6 / 7.1 channel content
out there to justify it? Is the 7 channel emulation from 5 channel sources
really any better? Is it overkill?

Also, a general indication on your speaker setup / equipment would be
appreciated. The 950 manual suggests the 6 and 7th speakers be placed behind
the listening position, with 4 and 5 right next to the ears. This seems odd,
as all of the 5 channel setups I've heard have speakers 4 and 5 where the
950 suggests placing 6 and 7.

In pure 5 channel mode, does it use speakers 4 and 5 (sides) or 6 and 7
(rear)? Also, are your speakers placed 3 ft above the listener's ears as the
manual suggests? This is another thing I've never seen in a 5 channel
configuration.

Thanks in advance,

-Derek