Home cinema surround setups (2.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 etc)

What kind of surround setups are there?

Some filmmakers have chosen to add extra channels to the soundtrack of a movie. These channels give movies an extra dimension because they allow each sound to be heard from a specific position, also called surround playback. The standard setup for surround playback is a 5.1-channel setup, in which left, right and center speakers are used in the front of the room and surround left and surround right in the back of the room. With a 6.1-channel setup an extra channel (speaker) is added in the back of the room and with a 7.1-channel system the two surround speakers are moved to the sides of the listening position and an extra pair of surround speakers are placed behind the listening position. The .1 channel is always the channel for the lower frequencies; the subwoofer.

However, many more options have been added since the launch of surround sound. For example, today we know Dolby Atmos, DTS: X and Auro 3D. With these sizes you can make it as crazy as you want, with even 11 speakers and 2 subwoofers. You can read more about the different surround setups and the position of speakers in them in our article about the position of speakers in a surround home cinema set .

How many surround channels should I have?

You would think that the more speakers you use, the better the home cinema experience. In an ideal room with plenty of space, this may be true, but in 99 percent of the rooms, this is simply not the case / not possible. In these rooms, it is better to limit yourself to a smaller surround system. In most cases, the listening position (sofa) is even against the back wall. In this scenario, more than two surround speakers just aren’t very practical. Additional speakers should be placed close enough to the listening position that they would dominate the entire sound and divert attention from the overall home theater experience. Despite the fact that most receivers nowadays offer at least a 7.1-channel output as a feature, these receivers can also handle 5.1-channel audio,

Below you will see an overview of the most used (simple) multi-channel (multi-channel) setups, with an explanation of each setup;

5.1 channel setup

5.1 is the most common home theater setup. The main audio formats for this setup are Dolby Prologic, Dolby Digital, DTS and the HD formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD The setup consists of 2 front speakers, one center speaker, 2 surround speakers and one subwoofer channel.

7.1 channel setup

This setup adds two additional channels to the 5.1-channel setup for an even more impressive surround experience. The two surround speakers move to the sides of the listening position and two additional speakers are added behind the listening position. With this setup, the 360-degree experience is slightly better and the sound field is made a lot wider.

You can read more about larger surround setups, including speakers above the listening position, in our article about the position of speakers in a surround home cinema set .

Additional set-up options

2.1 channel setup

A 2.1-channel setup is actually something you should ignore when you are looking for a real home cinema experience. With a 2.1-channel system, the setup consists of only 2 front speakers (left and right) and a subwoofer. This is actually a stereo setup.

However, there are also 2.1 channel sound bars that claim to provide a surround experience. A technique has been built into these sound bars that ensures that the sound is formed and reflected in the room in such a way that it looks like you have a 5.1-channel system. Now it is nowhere near this, but it is sometimes nicer in the living room and for people who don’t care much about the surround sound, but sometimes – almost – want it, it is a good solution.

7.2 (x.2) channel arrangement

7.2 channel (or other setups) surround is a setup with 2 subwoofers. Each subwoofer is connected to the receiver by one cable (or to each other) and they each have a different low frequency effect. This gives a better sound for the lower tones, especially for the larger rooms. With a 7.2-channel setup, it is also sometimes referred to a setup with 1 subwoofer that has 2 inputs for the separate effects.

Nowadays there are also 9.2 setups or even 11.2 setups, but this is for real home cinema freaks and especially suitable for large rooms. In addition, new surround formats such as Auro 3D , DTS: X and Dolby Atmos have been released with which additional speakers can be placed in the setup, for example above the listening position or at the top of the front of the listening room.