Video Asylum

Posted by David Aiken (A) on September 20, 2007 at 14:13:25

In Reply to: RE: 7.1/6.1 vs 5.1 and movies. posted by rico on September 20, 2007 at 07:04:52

" I have A/B'd this and find the 6.1 more enveloping but admittedly the difference is subtle. "

I'd definitely agree that things can be more enveloping but that it is a subtle difference. That's pretty much what I meant when I said:

"I think there is a small but genuine advantage in my having a 6.1 system for those films with EX or ES soundtracks. The overall surround sensation is a little more enveloping than what I get if I play them in 5.1. I don't notice as large an advantage in using processing to derive a 6th channel from a native 5.1 channel soundtrack and usually listen to movies with 5.1 tracks in 5.1."

My room is an open plan space, open at the right side and at the right rear which is probably quite different to your room and also may partially account for why I tend to prefer 5.1 in 5.1. The rest of the reason behind my preference is probably my purist streak preferring to listen to sound tracks in the way they were mastered. I usually listen to stereo soundtracks in 2 channel stereo rather than using any processing on them either.



David Aiken