3.1 or 2.1 for my Home theater

[deepakgang]

Just wanted to ask this basic query as I do not have a receiver now and am planning to buy one.

I plan to invest in good front speakers first and ignore the surround ones for the time being. My question is that will I be able to get pure 3 channel output from a receiver (Fronts and center) ?
In my mind, there is this 2 channel stereo output where you can connect the front 2 speakers and then add the sub.
The other mode will be 5.1 or 7.1 setup but if I only add the center channel to the fronts, will the sound quality go down as the receiver is sending the signals to the rear speaker ports?

Thanks

 

[HTuser]

IMO go for Front L/R first (preferably Floor standers)
Then go for Subwoofer - will be useful for movies as well as music
Then add Center and surrounds.

If your AVR has got DTS Surround Sensation, it will give you better sound when you play a 5.1 movie in 2.1 mode (stereo speakers + subwoofer).

 

[just4kix]

For even a semblence of the HT experience, fronts (L+R) and center channel are mandatory. SubW can be added later. Any decent AVR will have the option to setup the speaker config as following (default option in CAPS):

a) Front (L+R): None/Small/LARGE
b) Center: None/SMALL/Large
c) Side Surround (L+R): None/SMALL/Large
d) Rear Surround (L+R): None/SMALL/Large
e) Sub Woofer: No/YES

So buy the speakers ... Fronts and Center at the minimum. Choose the AVR that is suited to the speakers and maybe the SubW. You can Surrounds (and SubW) later. Be sure to change the speaker setup later as you add more speakers.

Hope this helps.

 

[deepakgang]

Thanks thats what I was after ... If I can configure a center channel without enabling the surrounds, I'd include it

 

[gsurya]

Thanks thats what I was after ... If I can configure a center channel without enabling the surrounds, I'd include it

I am interested in setting up a 3.1 as well, what choices did you make, could you share?

I want to get a good receiver/amp & well synchoronized bookshelves, center + subwoofer. Budget could be stretched to 1 Lakh.

My usage is 60% tv/movies, 30% music/FM, 10% gaming.

 

[just4kix]

I am interested in setting up a 3.1 as well, what choices did you make, could you share?

I want to get a good receiver/amp & well synchoronized bookshelves, center + subwoofer. Budget could be stretched to 1 Lakh.

My usage is 60% tv/movies, 30% music/FM, 10% gaming.

If you are going for 3.1 (Fronts, Centre and Sub), your majority expense is already taken care of. Rear surround satellites will not cost more than 15K (at most). So why not go with 5.1 right away?

 

[gsurya]

If you are going for 3.1 (Fronts, Centre and Sub), your majority expense is already taken care of. Rear surround satellites will not cost more than 15K (at most). So why not go with 5.1 right away?

No way to route the cables my wife hates externally run cables, I will do this when we renovate the flat in the next year.