I do not want a 7.1 receiver, and neither do you

I take my house audio very severely. I imply, I’ve 5 receivers in my home, and whereas they are not all plugged in, I might definitely dig a few of the previous ones out earlier than I ever decide up a soundbar. Now, a few of them are extra feature-rich than others. I am an enormous Dolby Atmos fan, so I would like one thing that may use at the least seven audio system. My major setup is 5.1.2, which implies I’ve the 5 common audio system after which two peak audio system for Atmos. I ought to actually get round to upgrading my Atmos audio system someday, however they get the job executed at present.

Due to this, I’ve a 7.1 receiver, however I might by no means truly use a 7.1 speaker setup. I take advantage of the 2 additional channels to calibrate my Atmos audio system, and I feel most individuals would get much more mileage by taking that route over a 7.1 system. Establishing a real 7.1 encompass sound setup takes up quite a lot of house, and when you’ve got pets or young children, it may be an even bigger burden than you’d anticipate.

Let’s take Atmos out of the equation for a second and fake I solely have the selection of 5.1 or 7.1 audio. In that state of affairs, I might nonetheless take 5.1. It’d sound loopy, however I can clarify.

I merely cannot match all these audio system in my room

Room constraints are actual

The most important cause why I do not assume folks want a 7.1 receiver is house. Except you could have a devoted house theater space, having seven audio system in a lounge is a troublesome promote. Even in case you can cover the wires, the audio system nonetheless take up quite a lot of house. It takes quite a lot of time to place issues collectively, and in case you use your receiver’s room correction software program, it’s important to be sure you by no means transfer these audio system round.

It is lots to ask of someone, particularly in the event that they reside with individuals who do not worth the identical kind of issues that you just do. For most individuals. I think about it is lots simpler to only plug in a soundbar and name it a day. A 5.1 encompass sound system is not precisely a center floor for that, however you will be extra acutely aware of house with 5 audio system versus seven. Even in case you do have the house in your lounge, there is not any assure you may get sufficient house between your surrounds and again surrounds. I might be fearful of all of it mixing in collectively. If that occurred, then it might really feel like a waste of cash to have these two additional audio system once I may have put that cash in the direction of different components of my setup.

I’ve a large open basement that I might wish to make right into a devoted theater house sooner or later, however I am nonetheless years and years away from that changing into a actuality. Nonetheless, that’d be the place I may match seven audio system together with Atmos audio system, but it surely’d imply I might have to purchase a receiver able to all that. In the interim, I am pleased with what I’ve, and I feel many individuals discover themselves in the identical state of affairs. I solely added the Atmos audio system as a result of I had the 2 additional spots for them — I might be simply advantageous with simply 5.1 if that is all I had the choice of. I grabbed another 7.1 receiver from Goodwill just lately, and I’ve no intention of ever utilizing all these ports.

It additionally is determined by how you intend to make use of your audio system. Enjoying video video games is an excellent use of surround sound, and that is an space the place I feel you could possibly get quite a lot of mileage out of seven.1 encompass sound and Dolby Atmos. Nonetheless, in case you largely watch films, 7.1 may not be the play.

Most sound comes from the entrance

Surrounds aren’t as essential

I spend most of my time utilizing my encompass sound watching films, and that is the place 5.1 can shine. A very powerful audio system in your encompass sound setup are your three entrance ones. Many individuals, myself included, recommend dumping essentially the most cash into these. Actually, my surrounds are a pair of Sony bookshelves that I beforehand utilized in a stereo setup. You do not are likely to get quite a lot of motion from these audio system, so you do not have to interrupt the financial institution on them. That is to not say they are not essential, however they definitely do not get as a lot use as one thing like your heart speaker.

I am not saying you would not get worth with a 7.1 system, however I do not assume you would be as blown away going to that from 5.1 as you’d be going from stereo to five.1. It acts extra as an enhancement of what you already like as an alternative of a very transformative expertise.

Now, there are a couple of guidelines of thumb. If you may get a 7.1 receiver at an reasonably priced value and plan to finally add these audio system or use these two additional spots for Atmos, then go for it. I do not need anyone to purchase a 5.1 receiver with no improve path, solely to interchange it down the highway after they get the urge so as to add extra audio system. Alternatively, if it can save you a pair hundred {dollars} by getting a 5.1 receiver, and you don’t have any plans to improve, that is a greater guess.