5.1 or 7.1 in Hometheater..

[metaphacts]

Originally Posted by JJinID

I didn't have room for two speakers on my back wall due to configuration so I did a 6.1 setup with WS350 in-walls for my 3 surround speakers. I honestly don't think it is much if any improvement over standard 5.1, and given that most multi-channel music and the majority of the uncompressed blu-ray soundtracks are 5.1 anyway I would recommend focusing on optimizing your 5.1 sound over doing 7.1 unless you have a very large room. Great 5.1 > marginal 7.1 IMO.

Again 7.1 is for filling space that 5.1 does not do properly. Typically this occurs in an overly wide or overly long room. There is no unique information in the last 2 channels. It is derived from the information in the surround channels. It is not a consideration during mastering.

BTW, the ITU-R standard does not call for rear wall placement of the surrounds. It calls for the surround speakers to 110 to 120 degrees off the listening position, and if possible the same distance from the listener as the fronts and center. If the speakers are on the back wall, it is likely your listening chair/couch is closer to the back wall than the distance to the side walls.

All that said 7.1 or virtual 5.1 works very well for very large theaters with multiple rows.