Which is more "Immersive", 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 ?

[slash1814]

Hi Folks,
Which is more "Immersive", 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 ?
Current set up is 5.1
Rectangular room, 17 ft. X 12 ft.
See below pictures for current set up.
* Left Sofa is MLP
* Silver Speakers are Surrounds
* Lot of space behind to set up Surround Backs

Second Picture:
* See extreme left, it is Right Front Speaker, See Right Surround (silver)
* Notice space on False Ceiling
* Suggest should I go for 2 Ceiling Speakers (1 each side) or 4 ( 2 on each side)
* Suggest front ceiling Placement with respect to middle LED light in false ceiling

Regards
Slash

 

[rpmahale]

5.1.4 is more immersive experience than 7.1.2 because...
1. Most of the movie are encoded in 5.1 mode, very few movie in 7.1
2. Very limited information presented in surround back channels with weak output relative to front and surround.
3. You can use bipole or dipole surround speakers to fill the gap behind MLP.
4. Four over head ceiling speakers give more panning of overhead surround effects.
5. Four overhead speakers have independent information for four channels gives more discrete and exact location of objects
6.Front to rear overhead effect have larger panning across the surround sound field in case of hight speakers.
7.Front height speakers are close to screen so can give more realistic feel.

 

[slash1814]

7.Front height speakers are close to screen so can give more realistic feel.

Thanks, I assume by front height you mean ceiling front and NOT front presence....correct?

 

[rpmahale]

Sometimes it is impossible to mount the speaker on ceiling, in that case speakers are mounted on front and rear wall as front/rear hight channels in Atmos/DTS-X configuration ( instead of overhead speakers )

 

[Nchavva]

IMO 7.1.2

 

[elangoas]

* Lot of space behind to set up Surround Backs

Which is more "Immersive", 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 ?

I think for your room 7.1.2 would be good.. A pair of heights above your listening position should be the best to experience surr back & heights together for Atmos & Dts X content..

1. Most of the movie are encoded in 5.1 mode, very few movie in 7.1

Of the most recent BR Rips, i chose 5.1 due to bandwidth limitation.. Majority of the movies are aval in DTS-HDMA, mostly 7.1.. Why would you say very few movies are in 7.1?..

2. Very limited information presented in surround back channels with weak output relative to front and surround.

Are all the movies are prone to weak surr back output?..

 

[slash1814]

.. A pair of heights above your listening position should be the best to experience surr back & heights together for Atmos & Dts X content..

For a Atmos height set up, they recommend approx. 45 degree from front and back..so it implies that H-front and H-Back should be deployed ahead and behind you sitting position. Now if I go by your suggestion to deploy one pair of Height right above my head...wouldn't it cause a problem when I plan to upgrade all 4 heights. Please suggest.

 

[slash1814]

Here. All of us have seen it..still

 

[elangoas]

For a Atmos height set up, they recommend approx. 45 degree from front and back..so it implies that H-front and H-Back should be deployed ahead and behind you sitting position. Now if I go by your suggestion to deploy one pair of Height right above my head...wouldn't it cause a problem when I plan to upgrade all 4 heights. Please suggest.

Sorry, i didn't mean it to be right above your listening position, but slight in front should be fine.. Here is the guide for 7.1.2 layout - https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/dolby-atmos-speaker-setup/7.1.2-overhead-speaker-setup-guide.pdf

For 7.1.4, one pair of heights in-between the fronts & surrounds and one more pair of heights in-between surrounds & surr back should do - https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/7.1.4-overhead-speaker-setup-guide.pdf

 

[slash1814]

Sorry, i didn't mean it to be right above your listening position, but slight in front should be fine.. Here is the guide for 7.1.2 layout - https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/dolby-atmos-speaker-setup/7.1.2-overhead-speaker-setup-guide.pdf

For 7.1.4, one pair of heights in-between the fronts & surrounds and one more pair of heights in-between surrounds & surr back should do - https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/7.1.4-overhead-speaker-setup-guide.pdf

Should this be fine for front height.

 

[elangoas]

Should this be fine for front height.

This seems fine, you may consider an in-ceiling speaker that has some tilt provision which can be handy to roughly point them towards your listening position..

 

[slash1814]

This seems fine, you may consider an in-ceiling speaker that has some tilt provision which can be handy to roughly point them towards your listening position..

only tweeter can be tilted by 15 deg.

 

[elangoas]

only tweeter can be tilted by 15 deg.

There are some angled in-ceiling speakers too.. Not sure by how many feet your top front speakers would be from your listening position, if you feel you need more tilt, then consider mounting it little closer to your listening position..

 

[sud98]

Am I missing something? I dont see any Atmos or DTS-X capable processor, so whats the point of height speakers (ceiling or front).

 

[slash1814]

Any inputs on Polk RC 60i 2 way in-Ceiling Speakers? I am thinking of using them as front / mid ceiling channel. Also OWM-3 as Surround Backs.
Please suggest if these aare any good.

I have Polk Rti-A1 and CSi-4 as fronts and center. Polk shall be a good timbre match.

 

[elangoas]

Any inputs on Polk RC 60i 2 way in-Ceiling Speakers? I am thinking of using them as front / mid ceiling channel. Also OWM-3 as Surround Backs.
Please suggest if these aare any good.

I have Polk Rti-A1 and CSi-4 as fronts and center. Polk shall be a good timbre match.

I see you have JBL C1 as surrounds, if you can get an other pair for surr back, then you are surrounds & surrounds back are timbre matched..

Am not dissuading you from Polk ceiling speakers, but consider JBL C1 as top front & top rear too (future).. these have threaded hole mount inserts, which you can tilt using external brackets.. So any distance, you should be able to adjust it according to your listening position.. You would have 8 identical speakers this way..

 

[slash1814]

I see you have JBL C1 as surrounds, if you can get an other pair for surr back, then you are surrounds & surrounds back are timbre matched..

Am not dissuading you from Polk ceiling speakers, but consider JBL C1 as top front & top rear too (future).. these have threaded hole mount inserts, which you can tilt using external brackets.. So any distance, you should be able to adjust it according to your listening position.. You would have 8 identical speakers this way..

No wife approval for anything bulky even in back surrounds. I am thinking of using angled surrounds for sides and back. Laying off my C1 as well. what do you say?

 

[ajuvignesh]

Majority of the movies are aval in DTS-HDMA, mostly 7.1.. Why would you say very few movies are in 7.1?..

From what I heard, most movies are mixed in 5.1 format and up mixed to 7.1. Movies mixed in Atmos could be different but most of non atmos movies are 5.1.

 

[prateekatasniya]

I would say it depends on how you set it up.
And how many are seated in the room.
For 2 people even 5.1.2 is sufficient.
Better concentrate more in good bass. That will be more fruitful.
So I would say at least 5.2.2 then 7.2.2 then 7.2.4

 

[sdurani]

2 height speakers let you hear left-vs-right movement above you. 4 height speakers let you hear left-vs-right AND front-vs-back movement above you. So there is a real benefit to using 4 heights instead of 2.

However, is it worth sacrificing 2 rear speakers? Keep in mind that most of the content in an Atmos soundtrack (theatrical or home) is in the 7.1-channel base layer (ALL Atmos soundtracks have a 7.1 base layer). By comparison, there is relatively little sound in the height layer.

So, do you compromise spatial resolution where most of the sound is for the sake of having greater spatial resolution (more speakers) where there is very little sound? What is your priority?