Setting up a 7.2 home sytem

[simon_s]

Hi im currently in the process of setting up a 7.2 home theater system via a av receiver with all the modern perks, the problem i have is i want 2 high quality subwoofers around 500w each (along the lines of that) so i have a good bass sound as it is a big room but on the receivers i noticed the average per channel they have is around 100w 120w 140w etc but nothing along the lines of what i want.
How would i be able to connect higher powered speakers as well as mainly the subwoofers to general receivers for home theater systems. Also finding the right cables can be hard as the receivers has so many inputs going into it as well as hdmi ports for each thing but i only need the 1 or 2 main hdmi cables right? i.e tv to receiver, DVD player to receiver and so.
Thanks to anyone who can help, really appreciated.
simon

[Dent1]

Originally Posted by simon_s

Hi im currently in the process of setting up a 7.2 home theater system via a av receiver with all the modern perks, the problem i have is i want 2 high quality subwoofers around 500w each (along the lines of that) so i have a good bass sound as it is a big room but on the receivers i noticed the average per channel they have is around 100w 120w 140w etc but nothing along the lines of what i want.
How would i be able to connect higher powered speakers as well as mainly the subwoofers to general receivers for home theater systems. Also finding the right cables can be hard as the receivers has so many inputs going into it as well as hdmi ports for each thing but i only need the 1 or 2 main hdmi cables right? i.e tv to receiver, DVD player to receiver and so.
Thanks to anyone who can help, really appreciated.
simon

I wouldn't recommend this.

7.2 isn't a standard.

Even the 7.1 standard is non existent. They introduced the Dolby Digital True HD and DTS Masters high definition format to prepare people for 7.1. The marketplace i.e. customers were not interested and the result was very few Blu-ray discs were mastered for 7.1 in favour for 5.1 which customers actually wanted.

If you insist on 7.1 you better get used to Prologic, because 5.1 is here to stay.

[Caspase]

Hi Simon!
What receiver do you have?

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Dent1

I wouldn't recommend this.

7.2 isn't a standard.

Even the 7.1 standard is non existent. They introduced the Dolby Digital True HD and DTS Masters high definition format to prepare people for 7.1. The marketplace i.e. customers were not interested and the result was very few Blu-ray discs were mastered for 7.1 in favour for 5.1 which customers actually wanted.

If you insist on 7.1 you better get used to Prologic, because 5.1 is here to stay.

Hi thanks for the reply, so what would you recommend? i have a large room so wanted to get the best system i possibly can, i was browsing by then came across some 7.2 receivers thought they would be good.
cheers again

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Caspase

Hi Simon!
What receiver do you have?

Hi Caspase, i currently don't have any receiver i was looking at a few 7.2's but thought i'd see what other people think as i don't know too much into the technical side.
thanks

[Dent1]

Originally Posted by simon_s

Hi thanks for the reply, so what would you recommend? i have a large room so wanted to get the best system i possibly can, i was browsing by then came across some 7.2 receivers thought they would be good.
cheers again

The best system comes down to budget. Home cinema equipment can run into the tens of thousands at the high end. Are you prepared to give me a £30,000 budget because that is what the best could cost, maybe more. Realistically for normal people you only want to be dropping a few hundred to a grand.

Two subwoofers is a gimmick which caters for audiophiles with very specific needs. It's not for you or me.

7.1 receivers have become the norm, but the standard for movies is primarily for 5.1. Although I would recommend getting a 7.1 receiver (not that you have a choice) I would only recommend connecting 5.1 speakers.

Originally Posted by simon_s

So there is no such thing as going for the 7.2? the thing with the 2 subwoofers is it would go nicely with the sound for the room, 1 i dont think would cut it?
that aside if its 5.1 can i still get a high powered sub onto it?

Do you mean two mediocre subwoofers would go nicely opposed to one quality one?

Or do you mean two mediocre subwoofers which are not optimised for the soundtrack would sound better than one subwoofer that is soundtrack optimised?

Just find a subwoofer with a better specification. Pay more attention to the wattage and low frequency response.

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Dent1

The best system comes down to budget. Home cinema equipment can run into the tens of thousands at the high end. Are you prepared to give me a £30,000 budget because that is what the best could cost, maybe more. Realistically for normal people you only want to be dropping a few hundred to a grand.

Two subwoofers is a gimmick which caters for audiophiles with very specific needs. It's not for you or me.

7.1 receivers have become the norm, but the standard for movies is primarily for 5.1. Although I would recommend getting a 7.1 receiver (not that you have a choice) I would only recommend connecting 5.1 speakers.

So there is no such thing as going for the 7.2? the thing with the 2 subwoofers is it would go nicely with the sound for the room, 1 i dont think would cut it?
that aside if its 5.1 can i still get a high powered sub onto it?

[Caspase]

Of course you can use a high power sub! you can use 7.2 I am sure, just there aren't many things optimised for it... Dent seems to have better grasp at this than I do, so I will leave it in his capable handsm but you should define your budget.

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Caspase

Of course you can use a high power sub! you can use 7.2 I am sure, just there aren't many things optimised for it... Dent seems to have better grasp at this than I do, so I will leave it in his capable handsm but you should define your budget.

do you have any subs you can recommend? so this wont effect the receiver on the sub i have as long as it is active/powered? my budget in total is around 1500, also what do u mean by many things aren't optimised for it?
cheers

[Caspase]

If something is recorded in a 5.1 format, then to ouput in 7.2 it has to be "virtualy streched" (let's go with that). Nothing I know of - there maybe loads of stuff, I just don't know - is recorded in that 7.2 format. There are standarts of recording and compressing the audio signal, and the gold standard today is 5.1.
What sub do you have exactly?

[St.Alia-Of-The-Knife]

At most you could hard-wire them in parallel..

[Dent1]

Originally Posted by simon_s

do you have any subs you can recommend?

I don't studying subwoofers all day. So no I don't have any recommendations.

Surely you've done a bit of research, show me the few you are considering and I can help you narrow it down to one.

Originally Posted by simon_s

my budget in total is around 1500.

Tiny budget in the home cinema world.

Originally Posted by simon_s

receiver on the sub i have as long as it is active/powered

Pretty much all decent subwoofers in the marketplace are powered.

Originally Posted by simon_s

also what do u mean by many things aren't optimised for it?

Meaning that soundtracks are typically recorded in DD/DTS/PCM upto 5.1.

Bar a handful of legitimate True HD / DTS Masters 7.1 soundtracks, the only way you'll get 7.1 is to upmix a 5.1 soundtrack to 7.1 Prologic which might make the sound appear a little compressed. 7.2 doesn't exist, take that out your head.

Originally Posted by St.Alia-Of-The-Knife

At most you could hard-wire them in parallel..

This is a good option. Still not recommended.

Edit:

Originally Posted by simon_s

problem is i have the 7.2 system coming it is a onkyo receiver 3d ready

That is not a problem. Just connect only 5.1 speakers.

Originally Posted by simon_s

how do you hard wire in parallel with active subs?

It's not important. You don't need two subwoofers. The Monitor Audio Radius R370HD are good, a little overpriced in comparison to your knowledge in home cinema. I think it might be overkill and I doubt you'll be able to appreciate it. I think you should chop your budget in half and work your way up to better equipment when you've developed the ear.

[simon_s]

right okay, i thought 7.2 would just be more audio and speaker output as a whole system in regards to clarity and volume of it. I have a Monitor Audio Radius R370HD Subwoofer it is i think around 250w i was thinking of having 2 of these in the system, problem is i have the 7.2 system coming it is a onkyo receiver 3d ready etc not sure on the exact product code will have to double check.

how do you hard wire in parallel with active subs?

[Caspase]

You already bought the 7.1 speakers, you have a receiver and an extra sub. Am I following this correctly?

Edit: That 1500€ budget was for what exactly? Receiver only? I am lost

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Dent1

I don't studying subwoofers all day. So no I don't have any recommendations.

Surely you've done a bit of research, show me the few you are considering and I can help you narrow it down to one.



Tiny budget in the home cinema world.





Pretty much all decent subwoofers in the marketplace are powered.





Meaning that soundtracks are typically recorded in DD/DTS/PCM upto 5.1.

Bar a handful of legitimate True HD / DTS Masters 7.1 soundtracks, the only way you'll get 7.1 is to upmix a 5.1 soundtrack to 7.1 Prologic which might make the sound appear a little compressed. 7.2 doesn't exist, take that out your head.



This is a good option. Still not recommended.

Edit:



That is not a problem. Just connect only 5.1 speakers.



It's not important. You don't need two subwoofers. The Monitor Audio Radius R370HD are good, a little overpriced in comparison to your knowledge in home cinema. I think it might be overkill and I doubt you'll be able to appreciate it. I think you should chop your budget in half and work your way up to better equipment when you've developed the ear.

Right okay i will stick with the 5.1, would this subwoofer do the trick it's still in box unopened so i can return it if its the wrong one a get one that will do the job. Slowly progress into the home theater system, to be honest i do want something simple but good qaulity at the same time.

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Caspase

You already bought the 7.1 speakers, you have a receiver and an extra sub. Am I following this correctly?

Edit: That 1500€ budget was for what exactly? Receiver only? I am lost

no i bought the onkyo receiver at 7.2 which can be changed to 5.1, and i have the sub as listed above and need to buy the rear surround speakers. The budget was for total cost of setting it all up and buying the receiver which i got for around £450

[Caspase]

Try it and see if it suits your needs... Being an audiophile is an expensive hobby and to some extent there is IMO a placebo that is exacerbated as you reach top-end gear. If you like it, then it is fine for you! If you don't... Well, then ask again, by all means, there is a sticky you should read in the audio section, I don't know what model to advise you to buy, but in the sticky you can see what format to look for, for a particular type of speaker and such. Read it, and if you still have doubts, please ask.

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Caspase

Try it and see if it suits your needs... Being an audiophile is an expensive hobby and to some extent there is IMO a placebo that is exacerbated as you reach top-end gear. If you like it, then it is fine for you! If you don't... Well, then ask again, by all means, there is a sticky you should read in the audio section, I don't know what model to advise you to buy, but in the sticky you can see what format to look for, for a particular type of speaker and such. Read it, and if you still have doubts, please ask.

Right no problem, do you know where this sticky specifically is?

[Caspase]

This: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=64921
Added bonus: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=141676

If you are spending serious buck, and sounds like you are, I would read it carefully.

[Dent1]

Originally Posted by simon_s

buy the rear surround speakers.

So you have font speakers ready?

I would only recommend spending between £50-150 for rear speakers. No more than £100-150 for a center and £100-300 for front speakers.

That is the price range you should be looking at. You are not experienced enough to appreciate anything more luxury.

Rear speakers, you want wooden bookshelf speakers with frequency response of at least 50-55Hz.

Front speakers, you want wooden floor standing speakers response of at least 45Hz.

Also look out for bi-wire connections (not massively important).


Edit:

Considering your budget and experience, I would look at something like this for front speakers http://www.richersounds.com/product/...har-cr30.4-blk and maybe this for your rears http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wharfedale-D...5532627&sr=1-1 and this for center http://www.amazon.co.uk/WHARFEDALE-V...5532668&sr=1-6

[Easy Rhino]

i think what you want is 5.1 but with an extra sub and 2 extra surround speakers. you won't matrix the two extra surrounds, you will simply pipe the surrounds to them. same with the sub. you have one sub channel but two sub woofers to balance the rumble in your room.

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Dent1

So you have font speakers ready?

I would only recommend spending between £50-150 for rear speakers. No more than £100-150 for a center and £100-300 for front speakers.

That is the price range you should be looking at. You are not experienced enough to appreciate anything more luxury.

Rear speakers, you want wooden bookshelf speakers with frequency response of at least 50-55Hz.

Front speakers, you want wooden floor standing speakers response of at least 45Hz.

Also look out for bi-wire connections (not massively important).


Edit:

Considering your budget and experience, I would look at something like this for front speakers http://www.richersounds.com/product/...har-cr30.4-blk and maybe this for your rears http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wharfedale-D...5532627&sr=1-1 and this for center http://www.amazon.co.uk/WHARFEDALE-V...5532668&sr=1-6

Thanks for the links! as for the speakers i think on the receiver the power per channel is 120w would it matter if the speakers are slightly more powerful then this?

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by Easy Rhino

i think what you want is 5.1 but with an extra sub and 2 extra surround speakers. you won't matrix the two extra surrounds, you will simply pipe the surrounds to them. same with the sub. you have one sub channel but two sub woofers to balance the rumble in your room.

Hi yes this was exactly what i wanted but from the information im getting it doesn't seem to be a good idea for 2 subs? i just wanted a bit more bass/rumble and extra 2 speakers to give it that extra boost as its a large room and one didn't cut it the previous time. Could you connect 2 subs (powered) from one output?
thanks

[AsRock]

7.1 is pretty useless unless you plan to use bluray how ever there is the odd game that uses the 7.1.

You might want to same brand too due too possible matching issue's.

BIC do some great subs but this all so depends on what you are doing with them too.

Originally Posted by simon_s

Hi yes this was exactly what i wanted but from the information im getting it doesn't seem to be a good idea for 2 subs? i just wanted a bit more bass/rumble and extra 2 speakers to give it that extra boost as its a large room and one didn't cut it the previous time. Could you connect 2 subs (powered) from one output?
thanks

Some AV's like mine have 2 sub outputs..

[simon_s]

Originally Posted by AsRock

7.1 is pretty useless unless you plan to use bluray how ever there is the odd game that uses the 7.1.

You might want to same brand too due too possible matching issue's.

BIC do some great subs but this all so depends on what you are doing with them too.



Some AV's like mine have 2 sub outputs..

Yes mine does to, i heard on a seperate forum even with 1 output u can connect as many powered subs as you like but then i again i dont really know.