6.1 to 7.1 -- worth it?

Hi all, I'm a newbie to this group. First off, here's my setup:

27" Sony SD TV
Yamaha RX-V750 receiver (7.1 capable)
Athena AS-F2 fronts, AS-B2 side surrounds, AS-C1 centre, AS-C1 rear centre,
AS-P400 subwoofer

I've got a 6.1 system right now, and I've been idly considering upgrading to
7.1. If I decide to do the upgrade, I'll probably look at replacing that C1
rear centre with a couple of B2 or B1 bookshelves. Anyone have any
opinions/experience as to whether or not it'll sound better?

cheers,
supervij



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"supervij" wrote in message
.. .

I've got a 6.1 system right now, and I've been idly considering
upgrading to 7.1.

A 7.1 system has the same audio channels as 6.1, just using two
speakers in the rear instead of one. It doesn't give you any more
discrete audio channels.

If I decide to do the upgrade, I'll probably look at replacing that
C1 rear centre with a couple of B2 or B1 bookshelves. Anyone have
any opinions/experience as to whether or not it'll sound better?

It might sound better due to the quality of the bookshelf speakers,
and it tends to spread out the rear sound for several listeners seated
across the room. But beyond that, don't expect a dramatic improvement.

Personally, I would only consider it if I had to buy a new receiver
anyway. Other than that, I'd pass.

"Bill" wrote in message
news

"supervij" wrote in message
.. .

I've got a 6.1 system right now, and I've been idly considering upgrading
to 7.1.

A 7.1 system has the same audio channels as 6.1, just using two speakers
in the rear instead of one. It doesn't give you any more discrete audio
channels.

If I decide to do the upgrade, I'll probably look at replacing that C1
rear centre with a couple of B2 or B1 bookshelves. Anyone have any
opinions/experience as to whether or not it'll sound better?

It might sound better due to the quality of the bookshelf speakers, and it
tends to spread out the rear sound for several listeners seated across the
room. But beyond that, don't expect a dramatic improvement.

Personally, I would only consider it if I had to buy a new receiver
anyway. Other than that, I'd pass.

Hi Bill. Yeah, I know that it won't give any more discrete channels. But
it's the spaciousness of it all that I'm curious about. It's what you said:
"It tends to spread out the rear sound." Will it make for a more enjoyable
experience with 6.1 material or 5.1 material on EX/ES? Plus, if I ever do
dive into either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, those do/will have discrete 7.1
channels. Hmmm . . . then again, I'm not going to do HD-DVD/Blu-Ray any
time soon (waiting till there's only one), so maybe I should stick with 6.1.
Thanks for your opinion, Bill. Anyone else?

cheers,
supervij



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No

"Dolores Brower" wrote in message
...
No

Reasons?



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"supervij" wrote in message
.. .
Hi all, I'm a newbie to this group. First off, here's my setup:

27" Sony SD TV
Yamaha RX-V750 receiver (7.1 capable)
Athena AS-F2 fronts, AS-B2 side surrounds, AS-C1 centre, AS-C1 rear
centre, AS-P400 subwoofer

I've got a 6.1 system right now, and I've been idly considering upgrading
to 7.1. If I decide to do the upgrade, I'll probably look at replacing
that C1 rear centre with a couple of B2 or B1 bookshelves. Anyone have
any opinions/experience as to whether or not it'll sound better?

cheers,
supervij


Unless you fell what you have now in not working I would just stay with 6.1.
Like the other posters said it will only spread your soundfield out some.
Invest in new TV instead.

"supervij" wrote in message
.. .

Personally, I would only consider it if I had to buy a new receiver
anyway. Other than that, I'd pass.

Hi Bill. Yeah, I know that it won't give any more discrete
channels. But it's the spaciousness of it all that I'm curious
about. It's what you said: "It tends to spread out the rear sound."
Will it make for a more enjoyable experience with 6.1 material or
5.1 material on EX/ES?

More enjoyable is somewhat subjective for this since you're not
getting more sound, just a wider soundfield. If you need a wider
field, then it might be better.

Plus, if I ever do dive into either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, those
do/will have discrete 7.1 channels. Hmmm . . . then again, I'm not
going to do HD-DVD/Blu-Ray any time soon (waiting till there's only
one), so maybe I should stick with 6.1.

That's something I've been trying to read about, but I haven't had
much time yet. I don't know if moving to a HD or Blu-Ray player would
give you anything extra because the decoder in the receiver has to
decode the channels, and it's based on the older encoding method.

You might have to buy a new receiver to go with the new player, so
again I would hold off until you can get something out of the system
that's worth the money.

"Zymergy" wrote in message
...

"supervij" wrote in message
.. .
Hi all, I'm a newbie to this group. First off, here's my setup:

27" Sony SD TV
Yamaha RX-V750 receiver (7.1 capable)
Athena AS-F2 fronts, AS-B2 side surrounds, AS-C1 centre, AS-C1 rear
centre, AS-P400 subwoofer

I've got a 6.1 system right now, and I've been idly considering upgrading
to 7.1. If I decide to do the upgrade, I'll probably look at replacing
that C1 rear centre with a couple of B2 or B1 bookshelves. Anyone have
any opinions/experience as to whether or not it'll sound better?

cheers,
supervij


Unless you fell what you have now in not working I would just stay with
6.1. Like the other posters said it will only spread your soundfield out
some. Invest in new TV instead.

Oh, believe you me, Zymergy, Im planning on that new HDTV! It won't be too
soon, maybe February at the soonest, but it's in the works. If I were to
buy right now, it'd probably be Sony's new 50A2000, but by the time I'm
ready, who knows?

In the meantime, investing in two new bookshelves won't set me back much.
Athena's B1 speakers cost only about a hundred bucks (Canadian, that is), so
if it's truly worth it, I'd do it. Just want to get opinions if it is.

My setup works fine, I quite like it. Maybe I can sit it out. Thanks for
your opinion, Zymergy.

cheers,
supervij



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"Bill" wrote in message
.. .

"supervij" wrote in message
.. .

Personally, I would only consider it if I had to buy a new receiver
anyway. Other than that, I'd pass.

Hi Bill. Yeah, I know that it won't give any more discrete channels.
But it's the spaciousness of it all that I'm curious about. It's what
you said: "It tends to spread out the rear sound." Will it make for a
more enjoyable experience with 6.1 material or 5.1 material on EX/ES?

More enjoyable is somewhat subjective for this since you're not getting
more sound, just a wider soundfield. If you need a wider field, then it
might be better.

Plus, if I ever do dive into either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, those do/will
have discrete 7.1 channels. Hmmm . . . then again, I'm not going to do
HD-DVD/Blu-Ray any time soon (waiting till there's only one), so maybe I
should stick with 6.1.

That's something I've been trying to read about, but I haven't had much
time yet. I don't know if moving to a HD or Blu-Ray player would give you
anything extra because the decoder in the receiver has to decode the
channels, and it's based on the older encoding method.

You might have to buy a new receiver to go with the new player, so again I
would hold off until you can get something out of the system that's worth
the money.

But don't the new hi-def players have the eight analog outs? If so, that
works for me, cos my reciever has eight analog ins. I'd consider a new
receiver once HDMI ver. 1.3 is sorted out, and that'll probably be a long
time from now. I can make do with what I've got now, receiver-wise.

A wider soundfield . . . maybe I don't really need this. I've never felt
that the rear soundfield was lacking any, but maybe that's only cos I don't
know what I'm missing. And I really am happy with what I've got right now .
.. . maybe I will stick with it. Thanks for your opinion, Bill.

cheers,
supervij



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

supervij wrote:
"Bill" wrote in message
.. .

"supervij" wrote in message
.. .

Personally, I would only consider it if I had to buy a new receiver
anyway. Other than that, I'd pass.

Hi Bill. Yeah, I know that it won't give any more discrete channels.
But it's the spaciousness of it all that I'm curious about. It's what
you said: "It tends to spread out the rear sound." Will it make for a
more enjoyable experience with 6.1 material or 5.1 material on EX/ES?

More enjoyable is somewhat subjective for this since you're not getting
more sound, just a wider soundfield. If you need a wider field, then it
might be better.


Plus, if I ever do dive into either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, those do/will
have discrete 7.1 channels. Hmmm . . . then again, I'm not going to do
HD-DVD/Blu-Ray any time soon (waiting till there's only one), so maybe I
should stick with 6.1.

That's something I've been trying to read about, but I haven't had much
time yet. I don't know if moving to a HD or Blu-Ray player would give you
anything extra because the decoder in the receiver has to decode the
channels, and it's based on the older encoding method.

You might have to buy a new receiver to go with the new player, so again I
would hold off until you can get something out of the system that's worth
the money.


But don't the new hi-def players have the eight analog outs? If so, that
works for me, cos my reciever has eight analog ins. I'd consider a new
receiver once HDMI ver. 1.3 is sorted out, and that'll probably be a long
time from now. I can make do with what I've got now, receiver-wise.

A wider soundfield . . . maybe I don't really need this. I've never felt
that the rear soundfield was lacking any, but maybe that's only cos I don't
know what I'm missing. And I really am happy with what I've got right now .
. . maybe I will stick with it. Thanks for your opinion, Bill.

cheers,
supervij




HDMI 1.3 products hit the shelves this Christmas. Toshiba's second
generation HD-DVD is coming then.