# 7.1 Rear Surround Question



## Greenster (Mar 2, 2013)

I was playing around last night with my set up and came across an issue. The Monsters University Blu-ray has a system optimization program with it. One where you can set up contrast, format, etc. Toggling through each speaker, I can not get it to isolate the sound on the rear back surround speakers. When selecting either left or right rear surround, it will produce the test noise through both the side surround and rear surround at the same time. Is this a problem?
My stuff:
Sony STR-DN1030 7.2 receiver
Panasonic Blue Ray Player (cant remember model)


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## ericzim (Jun 24, 2012)

Generally not an issue with your rig, could just be the software. There are plenty of test files available for free on the web for testing 5.1 and 7.1 in wave format. http://www.jensign.com/bdp95/7dot1voiced/ for example should work just fine for testing your setup.


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## Greenster (Mar 2, 2013)

Thanks for the link. I will try it tonight. One thing that I did notice last night was that I like my surrounds turned up a little bit. I like it when the surround speakers draw attention to them selfs at times. It seems to make the sound stage of the room bigger. How about you guys? Do you like your surrounds to blend in more or stand out?


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## ericzim (Jun 24, 2012)

Greenster said:


> Thanks for the link. I will try it tonight. One thing that I did notice last night was that I like my surrounds turned up a little bit. I like it when the surround speakers draw attention to them selfs at times. It seems to make the sound stage of the room bigger. How about you guys? Do you like your surrounds to blend in more or stand out?


Keep in mind that these wave files might not be compatible with your Panasonic or Sony but there are plenty more out there that will work, you just have to keep trying them.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ive got 7.1 and it really helps with the soundstage, But in my case I also have two rows of seating so having 7.1 is much more important.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

sounds like its only testing THX 5.1


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## Greenster (Mar 2, 2013)

I got a chance to test it more with different wave files and it is working with a few. If the sound test file that came with Monster University does not work with my player or receiver, does that mean that the entire move will only play in 5.1 on my system?


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## ericzim (Jun 24, 2012)

Greenster said:


> I got a chance to test it more with different wave files and it is working with a few. If the sound test file that came with Monster University does not work with my player or receiver, does that mean that the entire move will only play in 5.1 on my system?


Hard to say what is going on with Monster University and your system. A little more info on your Blu-ray player might be helpful. The thing with 7.1 be it DTS or Dolby HD standards is either it works or it doesn't and that can be determined by configuration and setup of the AVR and the Blu-ray player.


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## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

I think I like my surrounds a little hot as well, especially my surround back, but that's probably because it is not direct radiating like the rest of my speakers and needs a little boost. Generally though, I like to hear things going on back there.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Greenster said:


> ...If the sound test file that came with Monster University does not work with my player or receiver, does that mean that the entire move will only play in 5.1 on my system?


Find several 7.1 movies and play them (including Monsters University), and listen for sound coming from the rear speakers. I'd be interested in knowing your results.


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## Greenster (Mar 2, 2013)

gdstupak said:


> Find several 7.1 movies and play them (including Monsters University), and listen for sound coming from the rear speakers. I'd be interested in knowing your results.


I have the sony STR-DN1030 receiver which is a 7.1 100w unit. When I play movies through it using a panasonic player or a sony PS3 it will show me on the front which mode it is in. Every time I play a movie, it selects Dolby Digital which I believe is only 5.1 on this unit. It supports Dolby HD and DTS HD but even using movies like Monsters University and Les Miserables (both 7.1) it never selects an HD format. Sound does come out if the rear surrounds but it is only in 5.1 mode not a 7.1 HD ( discrete mode) I know the PS3 uses a linear 7.1 and I have played with the settings on it but to no avail. The PS3 does isolate each 7.1 speaker using the optimizer program on the monster university BD. This is something I can not get my panasonic BT 230 player to do. Our movies sound great but I think it should sound better if I can get it working in 7.1 Dolby HD. I have VUDU as well but this will not play my movies in 7.1 either.


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## kingnoob (Mar 12, 2013)

Greenster said:


> Thanks for the link. I will try it tonight. One thing that I did notice last night was that I like my surrounds turned up a little bit. I like it when the surround speakers draw attention to them selfs at times. It seems to make the sound stage of the room bigger. How about you guys? Do you like your surrounds to blend in more or stand out?


Your not supposed to be able to localize( locate were surround i coming from) Rear Surround sound is usually for effects not voice.:bigsmile:


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Too 'hot' or not too 'hot', that, is the question...
I keep the surrounds at proper matching dB levels because I usually do things the way that is technically accurate. 
But I definitely can hear the appeal of hotter surrounds. Even with proper levels, I really like it when there is content that is supposed to sound localized. Such as during a scary ghost movie and a chain is loudly rattling around the room, traveling from one speaker to the next (and you look around the room for the chain). Or at the end of Robin Hood when an unexpected arrow is shot from behind right and travels right onto center screen, the sound coming from the rear right speakers are loud and makes you jump and look (well, made my wife jump, not me) (and amazingly, my surround speakers are 8-10' above our ears (ceiling speakers) but the arrow shot sounded just inches from our right side, down at ear level). Great stuff.


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## Greenster (Mar 2, 2013)

Exactly. Well said. In a Finding Nemo there is a part wher Dory abruptly come in from the right side. It makes me turn and look every time. When I turn my surrounds down, not so much. Maybe in some movies, the sound engineers need to turn up the surround volume a bit.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

If you want to check out how surround sound effects work well...check out Jack Reacher....the scene were they go to the mine construction site. Jack is up on the hill looking down on the site....some shots are fired up at him and go past him. In my room i here the shot go right past me on the right just like it goes past Jack in the movie... Pretty cool!


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## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

My longtime favourite is the scene in Gladiator where Russell Crowe is sent to the woods to be executed. He steals a sword from his executioner and throws it at another legionnaire and it pans from directly behind you to the front of the screen. Awesome.


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## Greenster (Mar 2, 2013)

I got a chance to play around with my bluray player a bit more. Panasonic DMP-BDT230

For the life of me, I can not get it to play 7.1 sound. I though that of a player would output DOLBY DIGITAL HD OR DTS-HD the. It would be in 7.1 if available. I guess not. I can get my PS3 to work but my kids will not let me keep it hooked up to our theater. Maybe I will have to ground them from it for a while. Lol.


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## gdstupak (Jul 13, 2010)

Is that particular AVR input set to output 7.1? 
Many AVRs are very customizable and each input can be set differently. The AVR may be receiving a 7.1 signal but that input could be set to output only 5.1, or STEREO, or MONO, or ALL STEREO, or....


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